Page 78 of Aria

“Noah, you don’t have to thank me. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

Half of his mouth curved upward, as if he wanted to smile but didn’t quite have the energy. “People talk about how hard it is being a single parent,” he said, propping his ankle up on his opposite knee. “They talk about trying to work a full-time job, getting the cooking and cleaning in, helping the kids with school, trying to be present for all those special moments. But they don’t talk about moments like this.”

My heart stammered as I studied him, drinking in his words.

“I can juggle all those other things,” he continued. “But not this. I couldn’t do this alone. If I didn’t have you, I…”

His voice trailed off, and I gave his arm another squeeze to let him know I understood. “I’m here,” I assured him. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

We sat together in silence until the nurse fetched us an hour later.

Seeing Sam in his hospital bed with a bandaged head and arm cast was heartbreaking. He was so tiny, his legs only taking up half the bed space. Despite his condition, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning when we walked inside the room.

“Daddy! Miss Chelsie!”

New tears threatened to spill. He was sohappy… even after all he had been through.

“Oh, Sam, you’re so brave,” I told him while Noah made a mad dash to his bedside.

“Sammy,” Noah rasped out, climbing onto the bed and pulling his son into his arms. “My brave guy.”

“I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to fall. I hope you’re not mad.”

“I’m not mad, Sam.” He peppered kisses along every inch of his face. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“They gave me a popsicle and said I was a good boy.”

I beamed at him through misty eyes. “You’re a very good boy. You deserve it.”

“Miss Chelsie, come sit with us. It’s like a slumber party.”

Hesitation gripped me briefly. Would I be interrupting a significant father-and-son moment? I wasn’t Sam’s mother. I wasn’t Noah’s girlfriend.

Where did I fit in?

I eyed the narrow available bed space on the opposite side of Sam and carefully approached.

Right here, I thought as I laid down, my body barely fitting in beside him.

At the end of the day, I supposed titles didn’t matter. I loved Sam. I cared greatly for his father. Maybe I would never be exactly what Sam needed in his life, but I would never stop caring about them both.

My arm wrapped around Sam’s small frame, my hand reaching for Noah. He took it, squeezing with affection. Our eyes met over the white lump of hospital bedsheets, and for one powerful second, everything felt perfect. Absolute. It felt as if the universe had strategically placed me on this bed with these people at this exact moment.

What did that mean? I’d felt a similar feeling while leaving Noah’s house the other day.

Home.

It was confusing, and I couldn’t begin to understand it. The bed was squeaky and uncomfortable, the blanket scratched my skin, and yet… I had never felt more content.

“Miss Chelsie?”

“Hmm?” I answered.

“I love you.”

I hadn’t been expecting those words; I wasn’t used to being loved. In my experience, love was control, abuse, and violence from Ian. Love was toxic.

This wasn’t any of those things.

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