“Man hug?” he jokes.
I pull him into me and hug him tightly, crimpling his hair.
“Not the hair!” he complains.
I notice Blaze’s ears perk up, and she runs off toward the side of the house. Seconds later, we see Ash bolt through the lawn with a happy Blaze following him.
It can only mean one thing—she’s here.
Staring down at the dirt, I try to regain the courage to look her in the face and push away any unlawful feelings I have toward her. She turns the corner, but before her, I see a little boy running across the lawn chasing the dogs.
It’s her son, no doubt. He’s very small and looks nothing like Adriana. If I remember correctly from the times I met Elijah, he’s the spitting image of him. Now I understand why it’s so hard for Adriana to move on when she has a son who’ll forever remind her of the man she loves.
“Eric!” Andy yells. “Mama let
me bring Ash!”
Eric runs over and pulls Andy into an embrace, burying his head into his hair much to Andy’s annoyance.
A moment later, Adriana appears, wearing cut-off denim shorts, white Adidas sneakers, and a T-shirt which reads ‘Keep Calm and Call Batman’ with a bat logo beneath it. My heartbeat, which has momentarily stopped the moment I laid eyes on her, begins to drum inside my chest the closer she walks toward us. Her presence is powerful and magnetic with its force, and is exactly what has been missing today, or perhaps, for my entire life.
Standing on the porch, she quickly introduces Andy.
“Oh, darling, he’s gorgeous. How did you pop that boy out of your tiny vag… frame of yours?” Penny corrects herself.
“He was cesarean, so all intact, Penny.” She winks as Penny raises her hand to applaud her with a high-five.
It’s refreshing to see her relax, but she has yet to come my way. The moment she does, I’m a bunch of nerves, and she knows me well enough to sense how uncomfortable I am.
I did ruin things. Again.
“Andy, come here for Mama, please.” He lets go of Eric’s hand and runs toward Adriana. “Andy, this is my good friend, Julian,” she introduces me, her eyes meeting mine with a genuine smile.
Andy squints his eyes, staring at my face.
“Mama, he looks like Bruce Wayne,” he says, tugging on her sleeve.
“He does.” She laughs, keeping her gaze fixated on mine, and in hers, I see forgiveness.
I kneel to his level. “Hey, buddy, nice to meet you.”
“Are you Blaze’s daddy?” he asks.
“I guess you could say that,” I reply.
“I don’t have a daddy. My daddy has to work in heaven forever.”
My heart is torn when he says the words, and I see Adriana’s face fall instantly.
“I’m sure you’ve got plenty of people who love you just like your daddy. Do you want to get some treats for Blaze and Ash?”
He nods his head in excitement, his momentary admission overcome by feeding the dogs.
Hazel comes over and smothers him with her kisses, and he’s off again.
I turn to Adriana, willing my apology to be said. “Adriana—”
“I shouldn’t have run off. I’m sorry,” she interrupts.