Page 38 of Finding Hope

“Baby girl, you be good for your aunt and uncle. I’ll come get you in the morning.” He stood in the driveway and watched them while they drove away. Josie waved to him from the backseat as they got farther and farther down the road.

Heading back into the house, he heard Henry’s cries from down the hall. He followed the noise down to his room, peeking around the corner. Shannon was shushing him while she changed his diaper.

He stepped farther into the room and went around Shannon to the head of the changing table. Henry’s face was beet red while he screamed.

“Hey, buddy. What’s with all the screaming, huh?”

Shannon looked up at him with bright eyes filled with tears.

“Baby, he’s going to be okay.” Reaching out, he stroked her cheek. She leaned into it and closed her eyes. “You are so strong. Don’t let those tears fall.”

Shannon took a deep breath and then nodded her head.

Pride filled him as she squared her shoulders and finished changing his diaper. Once that was finished, he told her to take him to the living room and he’d clean up the mess. In the living room, he found Shannon rocking Henry back and forth. Her soft hums could barely be heard over Henry’s cries, but she kept at it while he made them dinner. While they ate, Jonathon rocked him. The cries didn’t seem to be as loud, especially within a half hour after his dose of Ibuprofen.

Jonathon grabbed the thermometer an hour after Henry’s dose of Ibuprofen. Placing it against his temple, he pushed the button and said a little prayer. When it beeped, he pulled it away and looked at the little screen. It said 99.9 degrees. “Okay, it’s gone down a little.” Shannon leaned toward him with a smile on her face, kissing Jonathon’s cheek.

“Yay!” She bent her head, kissing Henry’s red face. “Why did you try to scare Mommy and Daddy like that?” Shannon cooed.

***

Jonathon’s eyes fluttered open and he smiled. He was lying in the corner of the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. Shannon was curled up in his lap with Henry asleep on her chest. After they discovered his temperature was going down, it didn’t take long before their son was finally zonked out. They had tried to put him in his crib, but Henry protested, so they’d tried to lay him in his bouncer, and again he woke up.

It was clear Henry wanted his mommy and he wouldn’t settle for anything less. After Jonathon had gotten settled in the corner of sofa, he pulled Shannon down on his lap sideways. She settled Henry on her chest, his favorite place. Jonathon couldn’t blame him; it was his favorite place, too. It didn’t take long before they both settled into him, and then Shannon fell asleep. He hadn’t even realized that he fell asleep too, until the moment his eyes fluttered open. Reaching out, he grabbed his cellphone off the end table and opened his camera.

Stretching out his arm he took a picture of the three of them and surprisingly neither one woke up. He looked at his screen and felt his heart explode. Shannon’s arms were wrapped protectively around Henry and she was snuggled up under Jonathon’s chin. Something caught his attention that he’d never noticed before. Looking closely at himself in the picture, he recognized that look, but he hadn’t seen it in a long time…contentment, happiness.

He decided to share it on social media, which he didn’t do often. For the caption he wrote:

No place on earth I’d rather be. Just missing our girl.

He put his phone down and realized he had to use the bathroom. With a gentle touch, Jonathon lightly shook Shannon. He watched her big green eyes flutter open. “Hi,” she whispered. “We fell asleep.” Shannon’s voice was rough and scratchy from sleep.

Jonathon hugged her close, kissing her forehead. “I fell asleep too. I don’t want you to move, but I have to use the bathroom.” He helped her stand and then moved down the hall to the bathroom. When he was done, he stepped back out into the living room and found Shannon asleep on the couch with Henry on her chest. Jonathon knew it was a risk, but he reached out and picked up Henry. Very carefully, he snuggled him to his chest and carried him down the hall into his room. Placing Henry gently in the crib, he backed away slowly, saying a little prayer of thanks that he was still sleeping.

In the living room, Jonathon scooped Shannon into his arms and carried her into their bedroom. Laying her down, he took her processor out and set it on the nightstand on her side of the bed, then pulled the covers up and over her. He laid down on his side and pulled Shannon into his arms before falling back asleep.

Chapter Eighteen

Shannon

Shannon was bringing beers to one of her tables when Jonathon and his best friend, Hunter, walked in. She gave them a smile while she finished serving her table. After she handed the two guys their beers, she went over to Jonathon and Hunter. She wasn’t sure how to act, but Jonathon decided for her and pulled her close. A warm feeling settled in her chest as he placed a kiss on her lips.

“Hey, baby,” he whispered against her mouth.

“Hi,” Shannon said. She looked behind her. “Hi, Hunter.” He wore a dopey grin on his face.

“Hey, Shannon.” After grabbing them a couple of beers, she went back to stocking the refrigerator and the shelves. Her brother came out and talked to the guys, which made her happy. Were they going to ever be friends? Maybe, but Michael loved her and knew that she loved Jonathon, and he wanted her to be happy. She was happy, blissfully so, and she wanted to tell Jonathon that she loved him, but she was scared. What if he didn’t feel the same? What if this was like last time and they were just fuck buddies who shared a child?

Her stomach turned at the thought. As if he could sense she was troubled, Jonathon stepped back behind the bar and grabbed her chin, tipping her face up. “What’s wrong, baby?” Jonathon brushed her bangs back and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Talk to me.”

Staring up at his beautiful face, she felt her heart burst in her chest. She clenched her eyes shut, then opened them and took a deep breath. “I love you, Jonathon, and I’m scared you don’t feel the same way. I’m scar—”

“I love you, too,” he said, placing a finger against her lips. “You, Josie, and Henry are my everything.” He brought his mouth close to hers and whispered, “I love you.” He kissed her with a tenderness that curled her toes. It ended too quickly for her, but they were behind the bar with an audience, and a captive one at that.

“Gross.”

Shannon let a choked out laugh before reaching out to slap at Michael, who was staring at them with a disgusted look on his face. He then gave her a wink before disappearing into the back again.

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