A Perfect Storm

Chapter Twenty-Three

-October 18-

Jaxon had gone outside after lunch with Elizabeth and Satchmo while I cleaned up, once I was done I stepped outside to join them, Jaxon was down in the yard throwing a ball for Satch and Elizabeth was sitting at the table watching him play. "He definitely loves having a dog" I stated as I sat down.

She nodded, "oh yeah, definitely" she agreed. We talked for a few minutes before just watching Jaxon happily run around with Satchmo. Neal was missing so much, and it had only been 2 months.

"So, what do you think about getting him an anklet? After a month I thought it'd a good idea" I asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"He doesn't need one"

"Imagine 10 more years of this"

".....maybe ask about the anklet in a couple years." She smiled a bit, I knew she was joking about it.

-Friday, October 31-

As soon as I stepped inside after work Jaxon slammed himself into me, "when are we going?!" He asked, eager to get headed out. "I already ate dinner and it's Friday so I don't need to do my homework till Sunday"

"Well can I eat?" I questioned.

"No" he smiled.

"Jaxon, let him have dinner, you need to get ready still and so does he. You'll still get to go tonight" Elizabeth told him as she pulled him off me.

"Okay" he sighed then went upstairs.

"I didn't know he got this excited for Halloween." I stated.

"Oh, well, you know, he is an 8 year old and it is free candy" she smiled, I laughed as she said that.

After I had dinner and got changed I took Jaxon out trick or treating. He was clearly having a lot of fun that night, collecting candy and talking about all sorts of things to me as we walked around. Sometimes when he'd tell me something he had only recently learned in school I'd pretend I didn't know it already, just so he would feel happy. When we got home he sat his bag down on the coffee table, "Elizabeth! Can we watch a Halloween movie tonight?" Jaxon questioned as he dropped onto the couch.

"sure, buddy. Just go get cleaned up and into your pajamas first, okay?" As soon as she said that he ran upstairs.

"You know he asked you because he knew I'd say no"

"Yes, I do" she grinned.

"You are already the perfect mother" I smiled at her.

"I know" she kissed me after saying that.

"Eww" Jaxon said from the stairs.

El and I laughed a bit, "just come down here" I told him and he hopped down the remaining steps and sat on the far side of the couch this time, so Elizabeth and I could sit together. "Can I have some of my candy?" Jaxon questioned.

"Yeah, but just a piece" I handed him the bag.

"You guys can have some too. If you want"

We thanked him before all choosing a movie to watch. Everything was starting to feel normal again, I still had my wonderful wife who would be having our child in a few months and we also had Jaxon. What more did we need. We were about halfway through the movie when I felt Jaxon lean against me, fast asleep. "He looks so peaceful when he's asleep" Elizabeth pointed out.

"hopefully it means whatever happens in his dreams is better than his life awake." I stated

"Peter!"

"what? It's true, he just turned 8 and already lost so much. It's not his fault he's had a rough life."

El nodded, "well I'm sure we can get things to look up from here."

I nodded in agreement, "Hopefully. I'm just worried that all that happening to a kid will make him always waiting for his life to be turned upside-down again. I mean so far he's had six different homes, and been moved around nine times, I'm just worried he'll live the rest of his life worrying about if he really will stay in one place for ever or if it'll get taken away from him."

"I'm worried too, but he'll be okay"

After we finished the movie Elizabeth headed up to bed and I carried Jaxon to his bed before joining El for the night.

-November 22-

-Diana's POV-

I had taken Elizabeth out shopping for things for the baby today, once we got back to her house I helped her bring everything inside. "How's it coming?" Elizabeth asked as she stopped in front of a room with an opened door.

"Good, Peter's an okay helper" I heard Jaxon say as I joined her in the doorway. I saw Peter shaking his head at what Jaxon had said as he painted a wall.

"What did you buy?" Peter looked back to ask.

"Come see, we'll put it in our room for now" Elizabeth answered. I set the bags down in their room then went back to what was becoming the nursery.

"I guess I'll let you have a break" I heard Jaxon say before laughing as Peter left the room. I let him go by me then entered the room.

"This looks nice. You excited?" I asked Jaxon, sitting next to him.

He nodded, "yeah, it'll be like having a brother..but he's not related to me.."

"Or, know how Theo's like a cousin to you? And you also consider them an aunt and uncle? He'll be like your cousin"

"But I live here"

"Cousins don't have to live apart"

"But...none of my friends live with their cousins" he seemed confused.

"All families are different" I smiled. "So, are you going to get a haircut soon?" I joked, pushing some of his hair out of his face, it was nearly to his shoulders now, on his birthday it was just around his ears like he usually had it.

"Never" he stated with a incredibly straight face.

"Really?"

He nodded, looking at the ground now, "I don't want it cut, my dad was with me last time I had it cut....I don't want to anymore"

I frowned, "alright" I didn't really know how to answer. I couldn't imagine how hard this was on him.