Begin Again (21 page)

She didn’t remember a Jared.
Most of his friends back then quit hanging out with him because he was getting high all of the time.

“Well
, I reached out to him. I just needed someone to help me out for a bit. I didn’t want to call you because of Abby, and I was still a bit of a train wreck. He gave me a place to stay, helped me get a job, and took me to my NA meetings. I didn’t know why he was so willing to help me until he shared his story, but I’m glad and grateful he did. I know I have a lot to make up for and that it may take time, but I want to get to know you again. I’d like to see Abby too, but that’s your call. I’m serious about my sobriety this time. I’ve started writing music again and playing guitar. I haven’t done that in a long time, but it was just like riding a bike. It’s a good outlet for me.

There was a pregnant pause between them. She decided to give him a little.
“I have a son. You’re an uncle to a beautiful two year old boy named Joey.”

“
You named him after Dad?” She told him yes. “So does that mean you’re married?”

“No, not married.
It’s a long story, but his dad and I are together. His name’s Dylan and he’s been so good to the three of us. I love him very much.” It felt good to say it out loud.

“Well
, I’m happy for you, JoJo. Next time will you call me? Maybe we could meet for lunch sometime. I’d love to see you. I have to go, though. I need to get ready for work. I know it’s going to take time, but I love you and I’m sorry for everything that has happened. Thank you for looking after Abby; I’m positive you’re taking wonderful care of her. She looked a lot like you when she was really little and she used to love when I played guitar and sang to her.”

Journey could hear his emotions slipping.
Something she never remembered him doing before. “She sings to Joey a lot at bedtime. I love her, Cash. She’s my girl. I promise I’ll call you. I just need a little time, but I promise I’ll call you. I-I love you.”

“Take all of the time you need. I love you too, JoJo. Kiss her for me and tell Joey that his uncle can’t wait to meet him, when his momma is ready to let that happen
, of course.”

Journey turned the phone off and rolled over on the couch.
Her mind was working overtime. Her brother sounded well on the phone. He hadn’t called her JoJo since she was maybe ten or eleven. She wanted to see him badly, but wasn’t sure she could handle it just yet. For so long she’d lost all hope of her brother cleaning up his life.

She cried
; she cried for all the time she’d lost with her brother and she cried because she was frightened that it was all a trick. Their parents had left them both sizable inheritances. Journey had been living off of a portion of hers for the past two years. She even found a financial advisor to help her invest some of the money for the kids to go to college someday. He probably didn’t have any left at all. What if it was all a ploy so he could get money from her? She didn’t think she’d be able to handle it if it was all a game.

Dylan and the kids were due home anytime now
, so Journey went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face and dried it off. She walked out to the kitchen to start dinner and hoped that when Dylan got home she wouldn’t still look like she’d been crying. She wasn’t looking forward to telling Dylan about her brother. He had made his feelings about Cash well known, and she didn’t think he’d be receptive about her meeting him for lunch.

She wouldn’t go behind his back, though.
Journey would never lie to him about seeing Cash because she really wanted to see him. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she did want to see him. To make sure he was okay with her own two eyes.

Journey was just putting the chicken in the oven when she heard the front door open and Abby’s happy chatter.
Dylan smiled at her when he walked through the door, but then it quickly fell. He came towards her, his brow furrowed. He put Joey down on the floor and stopped in front of her. “What’s wrong? You’ve been crying.”

“Um
, well—can we talk about this after the kids go to bed? I promise I’ll tell you everything, but I want to wait until the kids are asleep.” She hoped that he would accept that for now.

“
All right, but everything’s okay…right?”

Nodding her head she smiled
. “Everything’s great. Did y’all have a good time at your mom and dad’s?” She picked up Joey, who ran up to her smiling. He babbled on and on—Journey caught only a few words he said. She kissed his cheek and sat him down to greet Abby.

“We had a great time, Mommy.
Dylan’s momma let me help her bake bread and then we watered her plants. She said the next time I came over that Care Bear could come, too.”

“That’s great, honey. Why don’t you go wash
up? We’ve got a little bit of time before dinner, but then you can put your clothes away that are on your bed, okay?” Abby didn’t have a lot of chores. She just was responsible for putting her clothes away and some dusting.

“Okay.” She was down the hall in a flash, the bathroom door slamming shut behind her.

“The door, Abby!” Journey called down the hall.

Abby’s muffled
“sorry” came through the door. She wrapped her arms around Dylan’s waist and breathed in his woodsy scent. Smiling into his chest, she felt his arms wrap around her, holding her tight. “Was Joey good for you?”

“Yeah, my dad bought one of those monster trucks that kids can drive for him.
He can’t drive it yet, but dad pushed him all around the backyard. It was really cute to watch.”

He pulled his phone out of his back poc
kets and brought up some pictures. Joey was holding onto the steering wheel, a big slobbery grin on his face, and Charlie pushing it, looking up, smiling. It was the same smile that Dylan had and it was the smile that Joey was going to probably have when he was older.

“Oh my gosh, this is so cute.
Look how happy they both are.” She handed him his phone back.

“Dad’s really happy to have a little boy around, if you can’t tell
,” he said with a laugh.

Journey reached up to kiss his lips and left him in the living
room with the kids while she finished making dinner.

***

Dylan collapsed on top of Journey. Holding his weight off of her with his arms, he pushed some of her hair out of her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glassy, and her lips turned up in a sleepy smile. Kissing her lips, he felt her whimper against him as he pulled out of her. He got rid of the condom and pulled on his pajama bottoms. When he turned back to the bed, Journey was slipping her nightgown over her head. His dick started getting hard again as the gown slid down her beautiful, nude body.

He left the room and went to the bathroom to clean up himself and use the facilities.
After washing his hands, he walked silently into Joey’s room. His boy was passed out. He was on his back with his arms and legs spread wide. Joey was getting too big for the crib. His little arm was sticking through the bars. Carefully he picked it up and threaded it back through the bars. Leaning down, Dylan kissed his forehead and smiled.

Across the hall he peeked in on Abby
, who was curled up on her side. She was clutching her doll to her chest. He walked in and pulled her blanket over her. He left her room and went back into Journey’s. He was hoping she was ready to talk about whatever had her crying before they got back earlier, but when he stepped back inside he knew it wasn’t going to happen: Journey was already asleep.

He knew better th
an to take too much time coming back. The girl fell asleep almost immediately after making love. Crawling in bed, he pulled her so her back was up against his chest. Kissing the back of her head, he snuggled against her and let sleep overtake him.

It had been two days and Journey still hadn’t told Dylan why she was crying.
They just hadn’t had a free moment alone. He had to work late the past two days after one of the men on his crew got hurt. Dealing with all of the workman’s comp stuff was tiring but necessary. He was getting his paperwork ready for their receptionist to send out in the morning when Luke walked in, sitting in the chair across from him.

“
How’s it going? We haven’t seen much of you lately.”

“
I know. You know how it is. How are my sister and niece?” He was going to have to make it a point to go see Bellamy and Care Bear.

“They’re doing great.
Bellamy’s really starting to show already, but her doctor swears that there’s only one baby in there. She’s much more relaxed this time around, at least so far. We just take it day by day. We’re done after this one, though. Cari has been talking to Bell’s stomach and every night she brings out different toys to show him or her. I still don’t think she completely knows what’s going on, but we’re glad she’s at least showing interest. Of course that could change as soon as the baby comes, but we’ll see. “

Dylan hoped and prayed every day that his sister’s pregnancy went well.
He could understand them not wanting to do it again after this baby was born. He never wanted to know what it was like to be constantly scared that you were going to lose your baby.

“
Why don’t you guys come over Friday night? I know Abby would love to see Cari. We can order some pizza or I can grill some burgers and brats on the grill.”

Luke told him he would talk to Bellamy and get back to him. He watched his friend get up and walk out of his office to head home to his girls. Dylan got back to work on the papers he had to finish filling out so he could leave too.

After he left
, he ran home to check on things. He hadn’t been there much lately. Even though he had the spare bedroom set up for Abby and Joey, it was just easier for him to stay at her house. He went inside and went to his room to grab more clothes. Despite telling her not to, Journey always did his laundry for him. Most days she even packed his cooler for him with sandwiches, chips, fruit and a big bottle of Gatorade. She didn’t need to, but he loved that she wanted to take care of him. To help her out, he usually cooked dinner or kept the kids occupied while she did.

They definitely worked as a tight unit.
He didn’t know how it was possible that he felt as strongly for her as he did in such a short time. It was like he’d known her forever. Loving her so much already scared him because what would it feel like over time? Hell, he loved all of them.

He lay down
on his bed just for a second. He’d get up in a second.

“Dylan! Dylan!”
He woke with a start. What the hell was happening? “Dylan!” Jumping out of bed, he ran out into the living room and smacked right into Journey, knocking her to the floor.

“Damn, baby
, are you okay? What are you doing here? Who’s got the kids?” He’d only lay down for a minute, so he had no clue what she was freaking out about. He helped her off the floor and he noticed she was crying.

“I-I d-didn’t know wh-where you were.
Your phone ke-kept g-going straight to voicemail and you weren’t responding to my texts.” Her eyes were wide and glassy.

“I must’ve turned it off accidentally. I came here quick to grab some clothes and to lie down for a minute.
I must’ve dozed off.”

“Dozed off?
It’s midnight. Nan had to come home from work so she could sit with the kids because I thought maybe something had happened to you. I was scared and I panicked. I was going to call your family, but I didn’t want to worry them.” The tears rolling down her cheeks broke his heart. He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her.

He wondered if this had anything to do with her parents dying.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to fall asleep for that long.” Dylan cupped her face in his hands, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. “It’s okay, I’m okay.” It worried him that her body was still trembling.

He led her to the couch and went to get her a shot of whiskey.
That would help calm her a little. Joining her on the couch, he handed her the glass and watched as she shot it back in one gulp. She coughed a little as she handed him the empty glass. “Is that helping, baby?”

“I’m sorry I freaked out.
I just thought that-that—you know what? Never mind, it’ll make me sound crazy.” She wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“Journey, look at me.” It took a minute before she looked at him with her baby blues
. “It’s completely understandable why you would freak out. Don’t be embarrassed. I’d probably react the same way.”

She nodded her head
and then buried it in his neck. She held on to him in a grip so tight it was like she was trying to keep him from blowing away.

“Come on, honey
. Let me grab my bag and we’ll take my truck back to your place. We’ll come get your car tomorrow, okay?”

“
Okay. Thank you.”

He went to get his bag and made sure that the lights were all off and the doors locked.
Grabbing Journey’s hand, he pulled her off of the couch. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her out to his truck.