Page 18 of Other Side Of Never
Isaiah continued, twisting around to face me on his knees, “Next year, Dad says we’ll invite everybody to our house and have cake.”He rubbed his little hands together.“And presents.”
I looked up at Aaron and noted the guilty look on his face as Isaiah launched himself off the bench.
My lips pressed together tightly as Aaron met my eyes.
“Yes,” I replied to Isaiah as I held Aaron’s gaze.“Next year you’ll have a lovely party with all the people who love you.”
“Yup!Grandma says she’s coming next year no matter what Dad says.”
Aaron’s face paled.
Nadine swayed toward him, her delicately arched brows crashing together over her eyes as she looked up at Aaron.
“Okay, Isaiah, that’s enough,” Kian interjected quietly.“Why don’t you tell Bridge what you got for your birthday?”
Isaiah unleashed his finger guns and pointed at Aaron.“My brother from another mother bought me Nerf guns.We had a turf war on the beach!”He grinned, revealing his gap-toothed smile as he raised his arms in the air and did a little victory dance.“I’m the king of Sage Ridge.”
I did a second take.“You lost another tooth!”I exclaimed.
His eyes lit up.“The tooth fairy left me a dollar!”
“You’re so lucky!”
Aaron reached out a hand, tousled Isaiah’s hair, and said gruffly, “Later, buddy.”
“Later, brother,” Isaiah mimicked Aaron’s tone, then turned and planted his face in Nadine’s round tummy.“Bye, baby.”
Nadine laughed, her hand coming out to gently cup Isaiah’s tawny head.
Breaking away, he held out his fist to Aaron for a bump.
Aaron’s face creased into a smile exactly like Kian’s as his big fist met his little brother’s and theatrically exploded back.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough for Isaiah because he threw his arms around Aaron’s long legs.“I have the best brother and the best dad.”
Aaron scoffed out loud.
Nadine’s eyes widened as she looked from Aaron to Kian’s stricken face then looked away.
Kian’s chin dropped to his chest, his wide shoulders tense as boulders.
I hummed in my throat, unfairly furious with Aaron and frustrated beyond belief it wasn’t nearly my place to address it.
I knew what Wren had gone through, as well as the pressures Aaron had grown up with, but the blame did not belong to Kian alone.
Blaming him didn’t change anything.
It wasn’t right.
And it had the potential to blow back on the little guy wrapped around Aaron’s legs.
“I love you,” Isaiah whispered fiercely, his eyes closed.
Aaron’s chin dropped to his chest as his hands went to his hips.
Nadine shifted closer to his side, murmuring, “Aaron.”
Aaron’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as his chest expanded with his deep inhale.Bending down, he heaved Isaiah up into his arms and hugged him tight.“I’ll be at your party next year, buddy.I love you, too.”
