Page 56 of Dr. Brandt

“We’re going to take the kids back through the aquarium,” Ash said. “Jim overheard Addy talking to you a moment ago, and I think he’s right. So why don’t we let you, Cam, and Jacks head back to the house and give you three some peace and quiet? We’ll come back with cake and stuff in a few hours.”

“The house is stocked up nicely,” Jake said, standing next to his wife. “But if you’d like, the guys and I could go back with Jacks and Cam, and you can stay with the ladies if you want?”

I watched Ash smile and look up at her devastatingly handsome husband. “Nice try, wimp. You’re stuck going through that aquarium one more time, just like the rest of us. And yes,” she smiled back at me, “it was John’s idea to do the aquarium again. Gotta love how these guys like to get out of the hard stuff.” She winked, then looked over at Jackson. “Wow, he’s not missing a step, is he?”

My attention was brought back to my son. This was the easiest time I’d ever had while dealing with Jacks having a seizure. Cameron was sitting next to Jacks, joking and engaging him. It’s like the rest of us didn’t exist. It was just Cam and his son.

This moment took my breath away. It was the most beautiful sight. Jacks was laughing with that extremely exhausted look, but he seemed so damn happy with whatever Cam told him. Likewise, Cameron had his own beautiful smile, chuckling at whatever he was telling his son. It was as if this were one of the best days of his life, but I had no idea why.

Having a son with this medical condition had always made me feel like I didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the world, but I felt like I fit somewhere now.

I fit right here in this moment with the man I’d loved so profoundly so many years ago. As I watched him share my burden of caring for our son, I knew I still loved him. I don’t know if I’d ever stopped or just packed all those feelings away and hid them deep inside because they were too painful to process.

I’d never thought of myself as a girl who needed a hero. Still, as I stood there, watching my son’s worries floating away and feeling the relief that comes with being unburdened, I wondered if maybe everyone needed a hero sometimes.

As quickly as I let these feelings sweep me away, I put them back in their box and packed them away deep inside myself. I couldn’t get caught up in this. There was no way I would get all mushy and let my guard down because the second I did, I would end up paying the price for it.

“All right, Mom,” Cam said, breaking through the ice wall growing around my heart, “the car is here, and we’re getting this kid home. I’ve got bets placed on the NBA game later, so Jacks needs to take a nap before he can watch my Lakers take down his Knicks.”

I smiled again, and the battle to keep my guard up commenced. Would I or wouldn’t I allow myself to love this man again? Our eyes locked, and the way I felt scared the shit out of me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Cam

The car ride home was primarily quiet. I had tried to initiate conversation more than once during the drive, but Jessa wasn’t engaging. I didn’t know where it all went wrong. Perhaps she was reaching a breaking point with Jackson’s seizures, given how disruptive they were to his daily life.

I’d seen many different reactions from parents in these situations, so it didn’t surprise me that she was preoccupied after the latest episode. Instead of prattling on about nonsense, I remained quiet, thinking about what I’d picked up from Jacks in the short time we’d spent together thus far.

The kid was undoubtedly positive and seemed to have inherited my competitive streak, which was apparent in his athletic proficiency. However, I was most interested to see his willpower and ability to stand up in the face of adversity. I wanted to see a fighter’s mentality because, after this surgery, it would take the heart of a fucking lion to get his life back.

In this short time, I couldn’t say whether the kid would let this surgery mentally beat him, but his positive attitude was a good start. Most kids his age were preoccupied with getting laid and video games, throwing temper tantrums if they didn’t get whatever they felt was owed to them.

Jacks couldn’t have that entitled mentality if he wanted a strong recovery. Hell no. This surgery would bring me to my knees at this age, not to mention what it would’ve done to me at sixteen. Thankfully, Jacks seemed a lot more mature than I was at his age, and he wasn’t an all-star because his mommy was screaming at the coaches that her son deserved it. He worked his ass off for that; I saw that in his eyes. Those attributes would serve him well in recovery.

“He’s out like a light,” I said to Jessa after we pulled up to the house. “I’ll grab him.”

“No,” Jessa said, speaking for the first time since we rolled onto the scenic 17-mile Drive. “He can wake up and walk in. He’s good.”

His mom made him work past the crippling episodes. She didn’t baby him or cater to it, and that was good for him.

“Jacks,” she said, shifting in her seat to look back at him and rouse him. “Hey, it’s much more comfortable on a bed than in the car.” She chuckled.

“Ugh,” Jacks protested. “I hate this.”

“No shit,” I answered. “I can carry your precious little butt into the house if you want?”

“God, no. I mean, unless you’re offering a piggyback ride,” Jacks managed to tease, prompting me to laugh and step out of the car.

I turned and opened Jackson’s door. His eyes were slightly opened, and the exhaustion from the seizure was present, but he dropped his feet out of the side of the car and rose.

He stretched and then smiled at me, “Knicks are going to wipe the Lakers off the basketball court tonight. No tears when they do.”

“You must be sleepwalking,” I teased, “because that would only happen in your dreams, kiddo.”

“Mm-hmm,” he answered, then yawned while he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll help you in the house. But, unfortunately, you must be under five-feet tall to take the piggyback ride, so you’re going to have to hoof it,” I said.

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