Page 86 of On The Run

“No, baby. It was perfect. I couldn’t imagine anything better. I’m just not ready for you to separate from me.”

He kissed my nose. “Then I won’t,tokki. I’ll stay with you as long as you need.”

Eventually, we did part, and we did take that much needed shower. And then much later, we exchanged blowjobs with each other. But for right now, we didn’t move. Max stayed inside of me until the last possible second, and even then, we latched onto each other for all we were worth.

Things still weren’t perfect. I knew I had a lot of healing left to do and that I had an uphill battle ahead of me. Pops was still really sick, and even if he did get that experimental treatment, it was no guarantee. But for the first time, I didn’t have to face it alone. I had Max. And Gray to an extent. And Max’s family. After years of it just being Pops and me against the world, we suddenly had a whole army on our side, helping us fight our battles. If there was any chance of us coming out on the other side of this, it was because of them. That allowed me to feel something I never let myself feel before: hope.

Epilogue

Max

Two Years Later

“Aiden Sewell.”

It sounded like half the crowd burst into cheers as Aiden’s name was called by the professor in charge of the social work program. And honestly, it may have been. The program was small, and Aiden’s cheer section took up over two rows. His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, but a small smile spread across his face as he climbed up the stairs to the platform to accept his diploma.

It had been a long two years, complete with tears, fights, nightmares, panic attacks, and bouts of depression, but somehow, we plowed through it. And now, after working his ass off, Aiden was finally here, graduating with his BSW. I knew there were times he wanted to just give up, but through it all, Aiden kept going, and now here he was. He was already accepted into a master’s program and would be starting in the fall.

I wolf-whistled as Aiden shook hands with the important-looking people on stage and accepted his diploma. He shot a glare out into the crowd, and I grinned. Fuck, I was so proud of him.

“Dad, you’re still doing it tonight, right?” Gray whispered as he tugged on the sleeve of my shirt. He was eight going on eighteen, and I had no idea how it happened.

“Yes, I’m still doing it tonight.”

Gray grinned. He was always close to Aiden, but their relationship only grew over the last two years. Even during the times that Aiden pushed me away, he never did with Gray. He was everything I imagined in a second parent for my son, and I could only hope he felt the same way. It was only about two months after the incident with Giovani that Aiden decided he wanted to move out and try to establish himself on his own. I understood it, even if I didn’t like it. But Manny had started the new treatment and it made sense for him to have a place to recover that was his own and not overrun by a 6-year-old.

I hated to admit it at the time, but it was the right decision. In reality, our relationship was brand new, and we really needed that space to help it grow into what it was now. It took another year and a half, but finally, about six months ago, Aiden agreed to move back in with Gray and me. We had been systematically turning it into our home, and just like we joked about years ago, Aiden even helped me start a garden.

The cheering died down as Aiden left the stage and the next name was called. I heard a sob and looked over to see my mom crying.

I raised an eyebrow at her, and she smiled and waved her hand at me. “I’m fine. I cried at all three of your graduations.”

“Not this hard,” Laura snarked, but I knew she was just as happy.

“Yeah, well, this is special.”

She was right. It really was. Manny sat on the other side of Gray. He also had tears running down his face. I couldn’t imagine how this must have felt for him. I knew there was a time we never thought he’d be here for this day, if it ever came. Not only was Manny here, but after two long and terrifying years, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, but the doctors were finally hopeful, and we all grabbed onto that with all that we could.

Finally, the last name was called and the whole crowd broke into cheers. I was on my feet the minute the graduates were dismissed. The whole crowd of Team Aiden was on the move to find him. And we were definitely a crowd. In addition to myself, Manny, and Gray, both my parents had come, as well as Laura and Jana, Bronx, Anna and Margie from the café, and even my sister and her family flew in from Hawaii. Aiden had only met her in person once before, but they’d video chatted weekly over the last two years and developed a close relationship.

What was even more surprising were the unexpected guests we received this morning as Aiden and I tried to hurry out to make it here in time. As I opened the door to usher Gray and Aiden out, I noticed an SUV parked in my driveway. Inside were Kai and Aspen Rinaldi, Aspen’s brother Sage, and two men I never met before.

Since they helped me find Aiden, we kept up a relationship with all of them. Aiden spoke to Sage regularly, as they were both going through some of the same stuff, and when Aiden was unwilling to open up to me, he would reach out to Sage. It didn’t bother me at all. I was just relieved he found someone he was comfortable talking to. Of course, he still went to therapy regularly—now he was down to once a month—but still, the more people that were here for him, the better.

I found Aiden first. He had immediately shed his graduation cap and gown and was standing in the middle of the crowd, with the gown draped over his arm and his phone in his hand. He was standing on his tiptoes, his eyes scanning the crowd. “Looking for someone?” I asked as I approached him from behind, my arms wrapping around him.

Aiden immediately melted into my embrace. He tilted his head back with his lips pursed, asking for a kiss. I obliged. “I’m so proud of you, love.”

Aiden grinned up at me. “I can’t believe it finally happened. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be done.”

“I always knew you’d do it.”

Aiden shrugged. “I still need to get my master’s.”

“And you’ll kick ass there too.”

Before Aiden was able to respond, he was surrounded by the rest of our family, everyone hugging and congratulating him. Despite the unshed tears forming in his gorgeous brown eyes, I’d never seen Aiden happier than he was right now. And he was looking so good. He completely rejected the idea of wearing dress clothes under his robes and had on tight gray jeans with artful tears and carefully placed patches, with a gray ombré T-shirt. He had gotten his septum pierced again and added nipple piercings to his collection. I heartily approved.