Page 25 of My Heart To Heal

He turns to look at me and shrugs.

‘Jonah, what’s wrong?’

He takes a deep breath and considers his words.

‘Am I going to see Daddy soon?’

Oh. That’s the firsttime he has ever asked that question. I haven’t heard from Bax in months. I texted him to tell him we were moving and that he could call me if he wanted to know where or to discuss his son, but he never did.

‘Um, do you want to see him?’

‘No.’

‘Okay.’ I smile softly and open up my arms to him. He climbs up onto my lap, and I stroke his hair. ‘If you don’t want to see him, why are you asking, honey?’

‘Bowie went to see her mama today, and I haven’t seen Daddy in a long time,’

‘Jonah, listen to me. I’ll never make you go and see Daddy if you don’t want to, not anymore. If you do want to see him, you can ask me, and I’ll call him, okay?’

He nods yes and wraps his little arms around my neck.

‘I love you, buddy, you’re my best friend.’

‘Love you, Mama.’ Releasing me, he sits back, ‘Can we make cookies?’

I laugh at the change of subject. ‘Right now?’ He nods as I check the time. It’s just after one in the afternoon — plenty of baking time. ‘Okay, honey. Go wash your hands.’

‘Oh, that’s a good one, baby.’

I sit back and watch as hegoes to town decorating the cookies while I make up little boxes. He’s decided he wants to give them out to our family here.

‘This one is for Nick.’ He grins, and I school my features.

‘You want to give some cookies to Nick?’

In fairness to the Grinch across the hallway, he has always been nice to Jonah. He holsters his hatred of me in favor of lowering to eye level with my son and showing an interest in whatever Jonah wants to talk about, which is usually animals, because he loves them, and he knows Nick is a vet.

‘Yeah, he’s our friend.’

I inhale. ‘Well, he’s our neighbor.’

Jonah’s little shoulders drop, and he frowns at me.

‘People can be friends with their neighbors.’

‘Yeah…’

‘Grandma Lynnie and Grandpa Merv are friends with Uncle Buck and Aunt Lucy.’ My heart swells as I hear him call them by the names they insisted on him using.

‘Okay, sweetie, we can give cookies to Nick.’

Nick

‘Nick.’

I look up in time to see Jonah running into my office, grinning. I smile at him as I hold up my hand to high-five him. I’ve been enjoying bumping into him in the hallway and around town. He’s cute as fuck, and if he’s not proudly showing me his latest fashion choices, he’s asking me about what animals we have at the clinic right now.

As his hand connects with mine with a satisfying slap, I hear the soft voice I’ve been dreaming about.

---