Second Time Around...

✨Chapter 37✨

Before going to look at furniture for Abel's room, Jax and Avery first stopped at the hospital to check on Abel since they didn't check in on him yesterday. Walking hand in hand through the halls of the hospital, Avery couldn't help but think about how wonderful her life was turning out to be. When she moved back to Charming, never did she think that she and Jax would basically pick up where they left off. Never did she think that she would be as happy as she was at that very moment. She would be the first to admit that she was scared to be stepping into the role of parent for a child that she didn't give birth to.

But all of that worry that she is feeling dissipated when she and Jax walked into Abels NICU room. Seeing him, so tiny and fragile, calmed her racing thoughts and canceled out any fears that she might hold about her future with Jax and Abel.
Releasing Jax's hand, Avery walked over to Abel's incubator and rested her hand on top.

"Hey there buddy." she whispered as Jax came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know that you're going to be a great mom to him right?" said Jax.

"God, I sure as hell hope so. I don't want to do anything that would make his life any harder. He's been through enough." said Avery.

"He has. But now that you are going to be by my side raising him, he will become anything he wants to be. He will have the mother that he deserves and he will grow up knowing that while he had a shitty start in life, the person he knows as his mother is his mother in every way, shape, and form." said Jax as he placed a kiss on top on Avery's head.

"You sound so sure." said Avery.

"Because I am. I think it was fate that brought you back in at the exact same time that my world was spinning out of control. Seriously Avery, I don't know how I would manage raising him alone." said Jax.

At a loss of words, Avery spun around in Jax's embrace and kissed him tenderly, pouring into it just how much his words meant to her and how much she loved the fact that he was so confident that she was what was going to be best for Abel.

Jax broke the kiss as the door to Abel's room swung open.

"Sorry to interrupt." said Tara as she walked into the room. "I was just needing to check his vitals.

"It's fine. How's he doing doc? He's looking stronger." said Jax.

"He's getting stronger everyday. In fact, I don't see why he shouldn't be able to go home in about 3 weeks if he continues to improve at the rate he's been going." said Tara smiling at Avery and then Jax.

"Thats awesome news!" said Avery rather loudly. It was clear that she was excited.

"Yes, it is. When he was born, the outcome looked bleak but you've got a fighter here Jax. This little boy was definitely sent here to change your life and those around you." said Tara

"You have no idea." said Avery as she smiled at Jax.

**********

Jax and Avery walked around Target, grabbing baby items and things that they would need for Abel's homecoming. Even though it wasn't guaranteed that Abel would be home in 3 short weeks, they neither wanted to waste the time they had in getting his room finished. After grabbing the last nautical crib bedding the store had, a dresser and crib that would both need assembling, anything that could remotely be considered nautical, bottles clothes, and pretty much anything and everything in the baby section, Jax paid for the items and the two of them loaded the items on the back of the truck before heading over to the hardware store to get paint and carpet.

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"What color are you thinking you want to paint his room?" asked Jax as they stood at the wall of paint samples.

"I was thinking of doing it crisp white." said Avery as she picked up a paint sample.

"What's the difference in 'cotton white' and "magnolia white'? Aren't they both white?" asked Jax.

"Well yeah, but the magnolia white has a slight hint of yellow in the color. The cotton white is pure white." said Avery.

"So, cotton white it is then..." asked Jax.

"Yeah. Now we need to figure out the carpet." said Avery.

"And what color are you wanting to do in there?" asked Jax.

"Well, I was thinking of doing hardwoods throughout the house. We can't afford to do the entire house right now so we can start with Abel's room. I want to find a nice run to lay on the floor but I am going to see what I can find online and have it shipped to the house. Target didn't have anything I liked and I doubt I'm going to find what I want here either." said Avery.

"Fine by me. But if you really want to do the floors all at once, you know I can pay for them right?" said Jax.

"I can't ask you to do that. Not after all that money you just spent in Target so that I could give Abel a themed nursery." said Avery.

"I know. And I'm not worried about the money Vee. Abel deserves the best and I'm giving you the power to make sure that he has it." said Jax as he pulled her against him, and gripped her chin with his index finger and thumb and tilted her head back so was looking her in the eyes. "I know you don't want to feel like you're not contributing  or whatever but listen to me babe... I only want the best for you and Abel. If that means I'm assembling furniture or slinging paint, then so be it."

"If I haven't told you today, I love you so much Jax. I don't know anyone who would do and say the things you do just to do so." said Avery.

"And I love you too baby. Now, we really need to get a move on if we're going to make it to mims dinner tonight." said Jax. "Which reminds me... are we picking you mom and dad up or are they meeting us at mom's?"

"They're going to meet us there." said Avery.

"Okay." said Jax.

"Okay." said Avery. "Well we have the paint color, let's go take a quick look at the flooring and see what we find so we can go get ready for family dinner."