Open Skies Box Set, Volume Two by Becca Jameson

Author:Becca Jameson [Jameson, Becca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Becca Jameson Publishing

Chapter 15

Deacon found Raeann wandering in the living room after Katia fell asleep. She stood in front of a wall of pictures and stared at them. “My mom took a lot of pictures when we were growing up.”

Raeann jerked her gaze to him.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay.” She pointed at a family shot from when he was about ten. “Is this your brother?”

“Yes. Aaron. He was four years younger than me. Thirty-six.”

“Is he the one who was killed in the car accident?”

Deacon nodded. “He and his wife, Cici, were killed instantly.”

“Oh, God. That’s so sad. He was your only brother?”

“Yes.” Deacon strolled over to the couch and dropped down, leaning his head on the back and staring at the ceiling. Guilt consumed him.

Raeann came to his side, sat next to him, and took his hand. “Your parents are raising his kids.”

Deacon swallowed. “Because I’m an asshole.”

Raeann flinched but she didn’t respond. She rubbed the back of his hand gently for a while. “You’re not an asshole,” she finally murmured.

He turned his head toward her. “Really? How else would you describe me? My dad has dementia. My mom has her hands full. She can barely take care of my father, let alone two kids. My parents need to move to a facility with partial care so she’ll have help with my father.”

Raeann didn’t release his hand as she leaned into his side and set her head on his shoulder. He didn’t deserve her kindness. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. God, he loved her scent. “Told you. I’m an asshole.”

She swatted at his chest. “Stop it.”

He wiggled his arm out from between them and wrapped it around her. “I’ve been in denial. I just couldn’t face it yet. I’ve known for a while that things can’t go on like this, but I’ve been selfish.”

She tipped her head back and looked at him. “Understandable.”

“My mom… She is so torn. I know it. She wants to be able to raise them. She joked for years that neither of her sons was going to give her grandkids, and then Aaron met and married a woman younger than him. Mom was overjoyed when they had Katia followed by Teddy. And then…” He swallowed back emotion.

Raeann rubbed his chest.

Deacon continued, the words tumbling out now that he finally opened the vault. “I never thought much about having kids. I figured if it happened it happened. But I’m forty. By now, I’d assumed it would not. And now…”

“It’s a tremendous commitment, Deacon. No one would blame you if you couldn’t do it.”

He dropped his head back again. “Yeah. I would. And I love those little munchkins. I need to stop dragging my feet and step up to the plate. They need me. Sometimes life throws you challenges and you just have to catch them. I need to find a care facility close to me, get a larger house, and figure out daycare and shit.”

Raeann leaned her head against his shoulder. “That’s a lot, Deacon.

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