Page 62 of Rock On

It was exciting and terrifying to try and decipher what that statement had meant, and I planned to talk to Allisha about it the first chance we got, but right now I had to focus on my son.

Wynter and River had just parked so I was on my way down to the lobby to meet them. As much as I’d needed this time at Harmony Place, I’d missed my baby like crazy. We’d never been separated for more than a few days, so this had probably been hard on him. It was for me too, but I’d needed it both for myself and for him, so I could be the mother he deserved.

“Mommy!” River broke away from Wynter the moment he saw me, pumping his little legs as fast as they could go until he reached me. I knelt down in time for him to vault himself against me, and I hugged him tightly.

“How’s my baby boy?” I whispered against his hair.

“I miss you,” he whispered back, as if we were sharing some special secret.

“I know, baby, and I miss you too.”

“When are you coming home?” he asked against my chest, his little arms tight around my neck.

“Two more weeks,” I promised. “And when I get home, we can do anything you want.”

“Yay!” He broke away and wiggled happily, his concerns about me coming home no longer an issue.

“Hey, sis.” Wynter was smiling as she approached. “You look…relaxed. And you got some color.”

“I’ve been doing sunrise yoga and walking on the beach and sunning on my balcony. Being here has been therapeutic in more ways than one. I’m really grateful you suggested this place.”

Wynter was looking at something over my shoulder. “Does any of that therapy have to do with a certain drummer we all know and love?”

I turned and smiled when I saw Tommy milling around in the lobby, keeping a respectable distance, probably so he wouldn’t intrude. I motioned for him to join us. “Hey, come meet River.”

He was moving slower than usual since he’d abandoned his cane but was still wearing the brace on his knee.

“River, come say hello to my friend.”

River came bounding over to us and looked up at Tommy with a slight frown. “You’re Uncle Tommy,” he announced proudly.

“That’s right.” Tommy smiled and held out his fist. “Gimme a bump?”

“Yeah!” River immediately bumped his little fist against Tommy’s and then splayed his fingers wide, making an explosion noise.

Tommy laughed and I watched the two of them chat for a few seconds.

The fist bump followed by a fake explosion had been River’s thing with his dad, even though he’d only been two when Carter died, and seeing him do it with Tommy now was poignantly painful. Especially since there was no way Tommy could have known that.

Not for the first or second time, I mentally cursed Carter for abandoning his son, no matter how much pain he’d been in.

“Are we going to the beach, Mommy?” River had already moved on, sliding his hand into mine.

“Sure. The water’s cold, though, so you can only play in the sand.”

“Okay.” He turned to Tommy. “Are you coming with us?”

“If it’s okay with your mom.” Tommy glanced at me, and I nodded.

“I’m going to plant my ass in that chair over there.” Wynter pointed. “And read my book until time for lunch.”

“We’ll circle back and find you,” I told her.

Then Tommy, River, and I headed for the beach.

A tiny piece of my soul crumpled from the agony of pretending that the three of us today were the family I’d always wanted. The family Tommy and I had dreamed of before everything went wrong. Before a medical diagnosis derailed our dreams and one night of passion changed the trajectory of all our lives.

“Mommy, a seashell!” River picked up the tiny shell and held it up like it was made of gold. “Can I keep it?”

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