JANELLE POV (trigger warning)
"Jal, milk pweez," a small voice says before I feel something poke my cheek.
"Hey, little buddy. Aunt Janelle is sleeping. Why don't I help you get some milk okay," a deeper voice says that makes me smile.
"Jal, sleep? But why," Heath's little voice asks as I manage to move my tired body into a sitting position.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch next to Colt last night. I look towards the kitchen as I hear the fridge open. I stand up and stretch before joining the hunt for milk.
"Where are your cups buddy," Colt asks just as I enter the small space.
"Cabinet next to the fridge. I will get his breakfast going and his mickey mouse," I say, and Colt gives me a big smile.
I grab a few waffles from the freezer and pop them in the toaster we keep on the counter. While they are cooking, I get the Ipad set up and playing Heat
COLT POV "Throw them down the sink right now," I practically growl, and Janelle's eyes snap open. I stare at her in the vanity mirror, and she stares back like a trapped deer. I have no idea how she hasn't realized I have been watching her. I heard her feet when she ran from the kitchen. I saw her sob on her bed. I witnessed her walk as if in a daze to her bathroom. I watched her pour the entire bottle of painkillers into her palm. And I heard her apologize to our Lord. I have never been more hurt and more terrified in my life. If I hadn't been here this morning, the woman I love could have been as dead as her twin sister. My heart and my head are at war. I want to scream at her for ever considering hurting herself. I also want to hug her. I want to cry and tell her how much it would kill me to lose her forever. "Colt, I....," Janelle starts, but I cut her off. "Throw. Th
JANELLE POV (TWO DAYS LATER) "Here, mom, let me," I say as I approach my mom from behind her. She tries to smile at me, but it falls before her lips are even tilted all the way."Thank you. Your sister gave it to me," Mom says softly as I clasp the necklace she has been trying to put on for the last five minutes. "I remember that Mother's day. Chan got you a necklace, and I got you perfume," I say with a small smile to encourage her to talk. She nods before looking down at her feet. I run my fingers through my mother's short brown hair and wait. I know she wants to say something else. "Do you think Heath will be upset later on in life...about not going," Mom whispers, and I shrug. "I don't know....but as his caregivers, we have to look out for him. The weather is bad, mom. Cold rainy........he is better with Shelby. She will take care of him," I reply as I t
JANELLE POV I scrunch my eyes as I try to ignore the pounding in my head. I don't want to wake up yet. I don't want to deal with what is going on in my life at all. I just want to stay here....in blissful darkness. "Janelle, are you in pain," a male voice asks, and my eyes snap open to see who is speaking to me. I immediately relax when I recognize the man speaking to me. "Are you in pain? You were grimacing," Colt's grandfather says, and I sit up slowly. "My head. I have a very intense migraine," I admit in a scratchy voice, and he nods before pressing the call button. While we wait for the nurse, I fidget. I feel uncomfortable sitting here with a man I just met this morning...wait, is it the same day? "Umm. How long was I out," I ask, flicking my eyes towards the relaxed-looking older man? "Almost eight hour
COLT POV (8 DAYS LATER)"Heath, little man....you need your jacket. Don't you wanna go see Auntie Janelle," I ask with a slight plea in my voice.Wrangling a toddler is as hard as they say it is. I swear I have lost ten pounds chasing this kid around this past week, but honestly, it has been a great distraction.He is like a beacon of happiness in a sea of sorrow for Janelle and me. He is constantly laughing and smiling while we both try to hold ourselves together. Elaine's condition has done nothing but deteriorate, and Janelle has done nothing but cry. It is absolute torture to watch her go through this. The only thing I can do is hope and pray for a miracle. But watching the woman I love hurting..... kills me. Women crying, in general, has always affected me...but when it's Janelle. It feels like my major organs are shriveling.Every night when I tuck Heath in, I teach him to pray. We pray for his grandma, we pray for his aunt,
COLT POV (2 days later) "How's the baby," I ask my brother before taking a sip of my iced tea. "Brody is doing great...Shelby is having a rough time, though. I think she has a little bit of the new mommy blues.....but mom and Grammy are helping her. How is Janelle," Curt asks, and I sigh. "Closing herself off. Planning her mom's funeral is pretty easy since Elaine had everything already organized. The only thing Janelle had to do was purchase another plot in the same cemetery since the one that was originally for Elaine was used for Chanelle. But I can't get her to talk or even play with Heath. She just lays in bed with Dakota," I say while keeping my eyes glued to the little boy wrestling with my dad. "She needs a good counselor, bro. Maybe ask mom? Or Hailey? Hailey is like a ball of sunshine. And she knows a bunch about living with a grieving person," Curt says, and I grin."That's a great idea. I'm
JANELLE POV pg 13Watching the man, you love care for a child should be illegal. My ovaries are literally swelling while watching Colt carry Heath around on his hip like he was born to sit there. Their beautiful new bond has my heart melting........but it should be illegal because I am at my mom's funeral.I am speaking with her friends and distant relatives, but my focus is on the two boys in my life. It's as if God is shining a light on them. Forcing me to focus on them instead of the grief I should be feeling. However, I do feel much better after last night. Colt only stopped me long enough to eat last night. The rest of the time, I painted. I poured my soul out for nine hours straight. I feel more alive than I have in three months."I'm so sorry for your loses, Janelle," my mom's ex-co-worker says as she engulfs me in a hug.I hug her back after tearing my eyes off of Colt and smile. He knew exactly what I needed. He knew that painti
COLT POV "Are you ready son," Dad asks, and I smile before straightening my tie. "Never been more ready for anything in my life," I say with utter confidence in my voice. My brothers all smirk, and dad gives me a brief hug before we leave the room we all got ready in. Dylan was totally right when he told me I wouldn't be nervous or scared. He told me I would know she is the one if I feel excited and proud. And those are my only emotions right now. I am more excited than I have been in my entire life. I can not wait to see my bride walk down the aisle or my little boy with his little ring-bearing pillow. I watch Hailey and Shelby walk down the aisle with a smile on my face. My sisters look beautiful and happy for us. It isn't customary to have married women as your maids, but Janelle didn't have any other close friends. And she really bonded with them last year after her mom pas
IAN'S POV Sweat is pouring down my back, my legs are aching, and my lungs are screaming for oxygen, but I keep pushing. The defeated grunt that faintly sounds from behind me makes a large smirk form on my face. He gave up, but I won't. I never do. My feet become lighter, and I cross the goal line with a smile plastered on my face. Seconds after scoring, my team is on me yelling, cheering, and hitting my pads like a swarm of apes, but I love it. I love this, the stardom, the attention......it fills a small hole that I have always had. "Hell yes, Wilson," my coach screams as soon as I reach our sideline. He gives me a high five, and I head for the bench. My lungs are still recovering, but my work for the night is done. There are only 11 seconds left on the board, and I just put us six points ahead. This game should be in the bag.************** "Gun it," Ray screams