I was sitting watching TV thinking to myself when
Brayden came bursting through the door followed by
Justin. “Momma!”Brayden exclaimed running over
to me. I smiled as I picked him up and hugged him
“Hey baby! Did you have fun?”I asked. “Yeah! We
went to the park, and we got ice cream and then
Grandma Lynn said we could go get pizza for dinner
and we did and guess what?!”Brayden said hurriedly
and excitedly. “What?”I asked. “Daddy sang for
me!”Brayden said giggling. “He did! Well it sounds
like you had a fun day.”I smiled. “Yeah ‘cept it
would have been better if you were there.”Brayden
said as I smiled at him. “Aww I’m sorry, why don’t
you go into the kitchen there’s some fresh cookies
in there.”I said as Brayden’s eyes widened and he
jumped out of my arms and ran toward the kitchen.
“So he seems to like you.”I smiled towards Justin.
“Yeah we had fun today.”Justin said. “Good.” I said
smiling “You know you’re always welcome here or
whatever he’s your son and he’s already getting
attached to you.”I said sighing. “I know thank you,
trust me I’m not going anywhere I will be around for
him.”Justin said “but I should go back to my mom.”
“Yeah.” I sighed “You should tell him bye first.”
Justin nodded as he walked into the kitchen to see
Brayden. After Justin left and I got Brayden
to bed I laid in bed trying to figure everything out.
Well I’m no longer worried about Brayden getting
along with Justin. Ever since he got home earlier he
couldn’t talk about anything else besides how cool
his dad was and how much fun he had with his dad
earlier. It was a good thing and it made me smile
at the bond they were quickly forming, but it also
made me sad because we should be a family. It
should be the three of us spending the day at the
park and getting ice cream. Sigh. I don’t know what
to do. I mean there’s nothing I can do I can’t take
Brayden away from Justin now. I just want to be a
part of it. I mean I still have my time with Brayden
and everything will be fine there, but as the days
drag on I find myself yearning for Justin more and
more. Why did I have to leave, if I had never left
then Justin would be able to trust me right now, but
would we be here today if I hadn’t left? Why are
there so many what ifs in life? Why can’t things just
be simple for once and go my way? Justin
sighed as he walked back into his house and fell
onto the couch beside his mom. “What’s going on
in that pretty little head of yours?”Lynn asked
patting Justin on the leg. “I don’t know mom. Every
time I look at Abby I have so many mixed
emotions I don’t know what to do.” “What do you
mean?” Lynn asked sitting up to look at Justin. “I
want to be mad at her, I mean I am mad at her
what she did was irresponsible, but I can’t help to
think about how great she looks and how much I
just want to forget my anger and kiss her.”Justin
said as Lynn smirked at him. “Honey, you may
think what she did was irresponsible, but maybe you
should look at it from her point of view. She was
thirteen and scared and wanted to protect her baby,
she probably thought what she was doing was the
responsible thing to do at the time.”Lynn said. “I
don’t know I mean I don’t know how long I can do
this. I want to be around for Brayden, but every
time we are in the same place I always feel the
need to get out as soon as possible before I either
yell at her or kiss her.”Justin said as Lynn just
smiled at her. “This isn’t funny!”Justin exclaimed
noting the smile on his mom’s face. “I know, but I
think you know in your heart what you need to do,
and I think you’re just being stubborn. But I’m
going to bed.”Lynn smirked as she got up and
walked away leaving Justin trying to decipher what s
he just said. The next morning I had just
given Brayden his breakfast when there was a knock
on the back door and Brayden exclaimed “Grandma
Lynn.” As he jumped up and went to let her in. I
took a deep breath and slowly turned around trying
to prepare myself for whatever she could possibly
be here to say. “Hey Brayden!”Lynn smiled. “Can we
talk?”Lynn asked looking up at me. I nodded
“Brayden sit down and eat your breakfast we’ll be
right back.”I said as I motioned to the patio and
followed her out the door shutting it behind me.
“Abigail, Abby whatever you go by now…”Lynn
started. “Abby.”I smiled weakly sitting down next to
her. Lynn smiled at me “Abby, I want you to know
that I have always liked you. I was hurt and
confused when you left too, mostly because I saw
how much it tore up my son.”Lynn started as I
looked at the ground. “Please look at me.”Lynn
said as I slowly brought my head up to look at her.
“Despite what you might think I am not mad at
you.”Lynn said as I looked at her confused but let
her continue. “You had your reasons for what you
did and as a mother I can respect that. You owned
up to it and that takes a great deal of strength and
courage. All the guys have commented on what a
wonderful mom you are and all day yesterday all
Brayden did was go on about how great his mom
is.”Lynn said as I smiled. “He really is a great kid. I
guess I lucked out there.”I said. “Luck has nothing
to do with it. You’re a good mom, I can see that
and I haven’t spent any amount of time with the
two of you.”Lynn said smiling. “Thanks.”I said
smiling at her. “Anyway I just wanted to let you
know that there are no hard feelings between us
and I would like to get to know you as well as
Brayden, and also I can see how much you are tore
up right now and my guess is that that has a lot to
do with my son, but I want you to know regardless
of his stubbornness he will come around
eventually.”Lynn said reassuringly. “I’m not so sure
of that, and besides I can’t really ask much more of
him than for him to be a dad to Brayden.”I said
sighing. Lynn grinned and said “I know my son
pretty well and regardless of what you think he will
come around I promise.” “That’s what everyone
keeps telling me.”I said as Brayden came out and
announced that he was finished eating. “We’re
having a cookout later today would you like to
come?”Lynn asked. “Yeah! Can I mom?”Brayden
asked getting excited. “Of course sweetheart.”I said
smiling at him. “Oh you’re invited too.”Lynn said
looking at me. “I’m not so sure that’s a good
idea..”I said as Lynn cut me off “Nonsense I’m
inviting, I want you to come, and I expect you to be
there.”Lynn said lightly as she got up and walked
back across the yard before I could protest further.