Broken

Chapter twenty-three

Elliott

After the tease fest I made the girls go through, they slept the whole night and half the following day. I let them sleep because I wanted them relaxed, especially Jessie. Sarah pulled me aside while they slept and the kids played in their room and asks me what happened at the hospital. I break and tell her the truth about Jessie and about the other baby she lost before she met Reese. I told her everything and she promised to help keep it a secret.

She promised to help me keep Jessie relaxed when I'm not around. She now understands why I snapped at the questions, why I've been cautious with her. She now understands everything that's going on. I let my guard down and she held me until I couldn't cry anymore. I took a shower to hide the evidence of my puffy eyes and was joined by Jessie.

"Did you sleep well," I ask softly as I caress her stomach.

"Mmhmm," she hums sleepily and rests her forehead on my shoulder. "Will you make your yummy apple cinnamon pancakes, please?"

"Of course, anything else you want," I ask quietly as I rub her body down with a relaxing body wash.

"Just you," she says breathing in my fresh clean skin.

I kiss her forehead and she hums in content. "Are you feeling alright Jessie," I ask with concern, worried about taking it too far the other day.

"Mmmm, just completely relaxed, even the twins are relaxed since the whole thing with Ryan," she says in a soothing whisper.

"That's good to hear," I say with relief.

"Elliott, is something bothering you that you're not telling me," she asks with concern, caressing my face.

"I just didn't sleep well. I was worried I took it too far with you and Mollie," I say quietly, telling part of the truth. I don't want her to worry.

She lays a gentle kiss on my lips and her eyes search mine before she smiles lightly. "You're protecting me from something, aren't you," she asks softly and I sigh, lowering my eyes. She lifts my chin with an understanding smile and says quietly, "I won't push anymore."

"I don't deserve you Jessie," I choke quietly and she giggles innocently.

"I love you, now please come make me pancakes," she says with a smile and I return it, feeding off her bubbly energy.

We exit the shower and she raids my clothes for something comfortable to wear. I don't mind, I think she looks cute in my clothes. We walk together down to the kitchen, Mollie is already eating something Sarah made for her, upon my request. The girls were coloring in the living room and I get to making the pancakes Jessie asked me to make.

Jessie hugs at my back while I cook, tracing her fingers over the faded scars from the coffee shop. "I invited a friend of mine from the hospital I did my residency, before I joined you in the shower. I just needed to see an old friendly...,"

"Hey, you don't have to explain anything to me, okay. I would love to meet your friend, you could definitely use the distraction," I say with a smile, looking at her over my shoulder.

"Thank you," she says with relief. "She's bringing her wife and twins they're around Macy's age."

****Okay this is where keeping track of things are going to be extremely hard. Each book is off a few years with each other. Bare with me and if I make a mistake, please be polite about it because I won't hesitate to block your comments. Some of you may remember in my other book Skye met Peyton at a bar after losing her fiancee, she forgets she met her as a child. Wink wink.****

"Hey, feel free to invite your friends, even if I'm working. All I want is for you to be relaxed," I say with a smile.

The doorbell rings an hour later while we were all laughing together watching Finding Dory. Jessie and I get up to answer the door. As soon as it opens twin girls rush passed us. "Peyton, Kennedy we have manners," the woman with longer hair says in a stern tone. She sighs in disappointment and smiles lightly at us. "I'm sorry, they're usually mild mannered."