The Stake of Us

Ch 5: Traveling

Sunlight flittered through the blinds in Tristain's room, it was an early Saturday morning. If this had been any other morning, he would have already been up and watching his Saturday morning cartoons.

But last night's sleep had eluded him for so long that now his body demand it. So instead, he lies half awake until he hears his mother.

"Knock knock," his mother says as she simultaneously walks into his room.

"Good morning, Tristan." She sits on his bed; she touches his forehead with her soft hand

"You look better." She comments, tussling his hair

"G'morning, mom." Tristan happily responds

"Get yourself cleaned up and come down for breakfast." She smiles softly "your dad has a surprise for you."

"A surprise? What is it?!" Tristan asks gleefully, his excitement bubbling in his tiny body.

"Get ready, come downstairs and find out yourself." His mother answered with laughter in her voice

Tristan hastily jumped off his bed, a blur racing to the bathroom.

"Don't break anything!" She yells after him but smiles as she sees her son's spirit lifted.

Not long after, Tristan bounces down the steps to find his dad talking to his mom beside the kitchen counter.

"Are you sure about this?" She asks her husband, twisting both her hands in front of her body.

Jacob leans down, his hand caressing the side of her jaw gently kissing her forehead "Yes, we'll be careful." He spoke softly into her hair.

"Dad!" Tristan rushes to his dad excitedly as soon as his feet touch the last steps.

Tristan runs into his father's arm who picks him up laughing "Morning to you too, buddy!" His dad greets

"Mom said you have a surprise for me?" He said looking at his mom grinning.

His mom smiles, but her smile looks tighter on her face than normal. Her eyes glance at her husband once more, he gives her a reassuring smile and nods in return.

She lets out a soft sigh before telling them, "Be careful both of you and be back before dinner." She said and walks to her stove, not trusting herself not to say anything further on the matter.

Jacob looks at his wife before whispering to his son "Go get your shoes on, we're going out. I'll be right with you." Jacob lowers his boy back to the ground; he watches as Tristan runs to the back to get his shoes.

He makes his way to his wife and places his hand comfortingly at her waist, she spins around a worried look still painted on her face.

He lightly runs his fingers through her hair, holding her gently as he looks into her eyes.

"He needs to learn, Amy. He's growing each day and his hunger will strike then what? You've seen what happened yesterday. We need to do this now. Please have faith in me." He leans into his wife, his forehead touching hers.

"I have faith in you, Jacob. Of course, I do. I can't help but worry. I know you're doing the right thing." She said to her husband, her eyes locking onto his.

A soft smile reaches his lips.

"Thank you." He whispers before kissing her. His hands are behind her neck savoring the softness of her lips.

A kiss that didn't last too long, her eyes flutters open as her husband's hands eased from her hair. "I love you, be careful." She said

Jacob steps away "I love you too. We will be."