Page 74 of Bossed By The Boggart

“And you do you love my mom?”

“With all my heart, little buddy,” Bash responds without hesitation.

The breath whooshes from my lungs at his confession—at the implications of both our confessions.

For a moment, the world around me disappears, and I’m floating in the clouds.

Then reality crashes back down around me.

“Jake, life is more than just two people loving one another. It’s…it’s—I have you to think about, too.”

“Oh, but Bash loves me.”

I pause to assess him.

“How do you know this?”

“Because he bought me this super big and expensive Lego.”

“Chi?kší, love isn’t expressed with how much money someone spends on you—”

Jake rolls his eyes. “I know that, Mom. Bash loves me because he listens to me and knew how special this Lego would be to me.”

Just like Bash listened to me about wanting a gender neutral bathroom.

“Oh my god, you really do love us.”

The Boggart gives me a sympathetic look as if to underscore how sad it is that I’m just realizing everything now.

“So does this mean Bash can be my dad?!”

“Uh, we’ll have to discuss that another time, chi?kší. Right now, it’s time for bed.”

“But—”

“No buts!”

Jake pouts, but Bash takes his hand and leads him to his room.

“How about I tell you a bedtime story tonight—a Boggart tale?”

“Ooooh, yes!”

“Nothing scary,” I remind, and both Bash and Jake roll their eyes at me.

“Don’t worry. Nothing scary. I don’t do nightmares, remember? I only want Jake to have sweet dreams.”

“I’m going to dream about you and Mom getting married and us moving into a house—with a dog!”

I stare at Bash as he tucks my son into bed, my heart in my throat.

Since when has Jake wanted a dad and a dog?

Guilt washes over me for not being able to give my baby all the things he wants and deserves.

“Hey!” Bash calls when I turn from the door. “Are you going to come snuggle us?”

“Um, well, I think I need a moment—”

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