Kingdom Come Undone

Well Enough Alone - Part 2

I was cleaning up our dishes when I heard Alison's Facetime ringer knowing it must be Jacob's bedtime. Alison shot down the stairs moments later as she was checking her email upstairs. The joy that exuded from her around him warmed my soul. I hoped that Jacob could feel how much his mother loved him. That at no point in time did he feel less than. That all he ever knew was her pride.

After finishing up a few minutes later, I rushed upstairs to officially change into pajamas to match Alison. I washed off my makeup feeling like myself again as the small pimples and bags under my eyes returned. It made me feel lighter. Knowing that I wasn't hiding myself or putting on a show for others. That for her, I was helplessly and irrevocably me.

She was curled in a ball on my couch speaking to him, her left hand tucked beneath her chin as she stared at him in awe. Jacob was talking wildly about his day as she pieced together his frequently unintelligible words between his animated expressions. From the other side of the phone, I mouthed if I could join. Alison sat up, patting the spot next to her before placing her arm around my shoulder.

" – but he vited me to his houth. Hi Emlee." I waved as he continued, "Dis weekend. Daddy said to athk you."

"Hey Em." Carter interjected, "I know you know his parents better. Just wanted to make sure it would be cool with you if he went."

"Did you get your sticker today, Jake?" She asked, winking the moment Jacob turned from the screen.

"I talk too much."

"Okay, Bug. Let's do better tomorrow then. But you need to get your stickers the rest of this week to go to the sleepover. Do you understand?"

"Aw of dem?"

"All of them." Carter stated, rubbing the top of his head, "You've done it so many times before. It's not going to be a big deal." He nodded, cuddling further into his dad's shoulder. "Didn't you have a question for Emily? You were telling me on the way home?"

"What's up?" I sat up, resting my chin in my palm to display further interest.

"We do maf dis week?" He phrased it as a question but felt more like a statement.

I looked at Alison as she rested her chin on my shoulder to speak to the side, "He wants to do his math with you. Most likely tomorrow. He can't really say it well, so he avoids it."

"Of course! Is it for your homework packet this week?"

"Deres ten pwoblems for us."

"Oh, we can do ten problems in no time! Can't we?" He nodded excitedly. "How about we have a night of the week each week that's our math night? I'll make sure to come home early just so I can help you. How's that sound?"

"I wike dat."

"Good. Do you have a day you want? Or should your Mommy and Daddy choose for us?"

"Mommy and Daddy!"

"See? That's what I thought too. Guys?" I offered up to the group.

"Every other Thursday is in-house speech with you, right Car?"

"Yep. So we don't mess up this week at all, Al, how about we do Tuesdays? Then he has something every other day of the week?" Carter asked as Alison turned toward me to make the final decision.

"Tuesdays sounds great. What time do you need me home to get on Skype or whatever?"

"We're usually done with dinner over here by 6. That gives you time to get home without having to be here right when he gets out of school, you know?"

"Hear that, Jacob? We're going to work on Math tomorrow at 6. Sound good?"

He smiled with all of his teeth as Alison wrapped up for the night, "Baby? We talked so much about your fun sleepover this weekend that we didn't get a chance for a goodnight book. Can we do it first thing tomorrow night?"