Page 36 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
I sit cross-legged next to him, sketchpad balanced in my lap, but my eyes keep drifting from my half-formed drawing back to my son. After everything we’ve been through the last few days, moments like these ground me, anchoring my spiraling thoughts.
“Mama,” Eli says, not looking up from his paper as he colors in the mane of his newest horse. “Did I tell you Cole told me about his daddy?”
My pencil stills mid-stroke, a faint sense of surprise washing through me. I set down my sketchpad, shifting to better see Eli’s face.
“No, honey. What did he tell you?”
Eli lifts his head, his blue eyes thoughtful and serious, far older than they should be for a child his age. “He said his daddy died, too. Like mine.”
My heart squeezes painfully, but I force my expression calm, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “He did? Well, that must’ve been hard for Cole, just like it’s hard for you sometimes.”
Eli nods, fidgeting with the crayon in his hand. “What about your daddy, Mama? You don’t talk about him. Did your daddy die too?”
My breath catches, Eli’s innocent question digging unexpectedly into a wound I’d buried long ago. I stare down at my hands, fingers twisting nervously together in my lap as I search for the right words.
“I…I didn’t really know my daddy, baby,” I finally manage, my voice barely above a whisper. “I never had a daddy to protect me. That’s why I always tell you about my mommy—your grandma—instead.”
Eli studies my face, his small brow furrowing as he processes my answer. After a quiet moment, his gaze drops back down to his drawing, his voice soft and hesitant.
“Mama, do you think people can be mommies or daddies without having babies?”
I blink, momentarily caught off guard, trying to make sense of his question. “What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“I mean…” Eli hesitates, picking nervously at a worn edge of his drawing. “Do you have to have a baby to be a mommy or daddy? Like…what if there’s already a baby who doesn’t have amommy or daddy? Can someone just decide to be their mommy or daddy?”
My heart pounds in my chest, emotions swirling chaotically as his words sink in. Eli has always been insightful beyond his years, but deep questions like these still manage to surprise me.
“Why do you ask, honey?”
He shrugs, not meeting my eyes. “I was just asking. Do you like my horse? It’s the brown one with the baby.”
I exhale, accepting the abrupt change in subject, grateful for the reprieve as I lean in to examine his drawing. “It’s perfect, baby. The baby horse looks just like the one we saw earlier.”
Eli’s face breaks into a bright smile, pride shining clearly in his eyes. “I’m going to name all the horses while we’re here.”
“That’s a great idea,” I tell him, ruffling his hair affectionately. “I think the horses will like having names.”
He nods eagerly, attention shifting back to his drawing. Silence settles comfortably between us, but my thoughts remain tangled in the conversation we’d just had. Eli’s questions weren’t random, and it’s easy to guess who inspired them.
I hadn’t stopped to think about Eli’s attachment to these three men. It’s only been two days, and I’ve been so consumed with fear and financial worries that I haven’t paused to notice the deeper connections forming right under my nose. My chest tightens with a blend of anxiety and guilt. Eli has spent his life isolated, craving interactions beyond just the two of us. And here he is, finally getting it—connecting with three men who seem genuinely good, even if it’s only temporary.
The thought twists uncomfortably inside me. But how can I deny him this chance, even if it is brief? Whether Liam, Cole, and Jax leave us here or help Morales move us somewhere else, either scenario ends with Eli returning to isolation. He deserves to experience something normal, even if it can’t last.
“Mama?” Eli’s voice startles me from my thoughts, his small hand resting on my arm. “You okay?”
I blink rapidly, forcing a smile as I reach out and squeeze his hand. “Yeah, baby. I was just thinking.”
Before he can press further, a deep voice calls up the stairs. “Ava! Eli!”
“We’re coming!” Eli hollers at the top of his voice as he scrambles from the bed, his drawings forgotten. “Come on, Mama!”
Laughing, I rise from the armchair and follow Eli as he darts toward the stairs. For now, I’ll push aside my worries and fears, allowing Eli to have this small moment of happiness. After all, I remind myself, he deserves every bit of joy we can find, right?
Eli takes the stairs two at a time, his small feet pounding against the old wooden steps. By the time I reach the bottom, he’s already sprinted into the living room, eyes wide with curiosity. I trail behind, stepping into the open space that connects the kitchen, dining area, and the cozy living room.
Jax is sprawled out on the worn sofa, fiddling with the remote control, frustration clear on his face. The television flickers between static and random channels, the audio crackling unpleasantly.
Eli skids to a stop beside me, scanning the room. “Where’s Liam?”
