"It's my son?" I ask, choking slightly on the words as they come out.
JJ's eyes begin to well up as she snatches her phone back. "You could have just asked me about him Spencer. Why do you always have to be so damned rude?" she stands.
"JJ-"
"Yes mom, it's his son. All he had to do was ask about him, ask to see a picture..." She cuts her mother off before looking back at me with angry eyes. "but no, you had to snatch my phone because you can't stand being polite for just five minutes."
"Are you kidding me?" I say back, raising my voice as she laughs in my face.
"Spencer, you've been nothing but rude since the day I met you!" she raises her voice in response, pushing her mobile into her pocket.
"My obnoxious behaviour didn't bother you when you we're begging me to fuck you just weeks after that!" I shout back and Sandy gasps, scolding me as I stand and storm out of the room.
I make my way up the stairs still stomping as I enter my room, before remembering I now share with Henry.
Tears make their way down my cheeks as I silently scream and rip my hair out.
"Uncle Spence?" I lift my head from my hands to meet the wide eyes of the boy across the room.
"Henry." I say, not knowing how else to react. I climb from my knees and make my way toward him, taking a seat on the edge of his bed and wiping my eyes.
"Hey, buddy. What are you doing awake?" I ask, brushing his long hair from his clammy face.
"I couldn't sleep." his face scrunches slightly. "Is auntie JJ leaving again?" His voice is quiet, almost sad and I know that he's had the dream.
"No- no." I stand up again and make my way toward my bed, sitting on that instead.
Henry sits up again, his eyes following me across the room. "Promise?" He asks, a frown covering his small face.
"I promise. I won't let her." I state, pulling back my duvet and climbing underneath it.
Henry climbs out of bed and rushes across the room into my arms, hugging me tightly.
"I really don't want her to go again." He whines, climbing into my bed beside me.
"Me neither." I sigh, moving over so that there's more room for him.
The boy curls into my side before slowly drifting to sleep again.
***
When I wake in the morning, Henry is still sleeping by my side and the time is 9:30.
I leave him alone, climbing over him to get out of bed and change my clothes. I only change into another pair of sweatpants and an old t shirt my mother bought me, before making my way downstairs.
Sandy is the only other person awake, sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.
"Hey." I say, hoping she isn't mad at me for last night.
She lifts her eyes to my face as I take a seat facing her. "I'm sorry for last night i just-"
"Save it Spencer." she sighs, reaching over the table for her mobile.
"Sandy-" I stop talking when she places her mobile in front of me, a small baby covering the screen.
"This is Charlie and he is your son." She scrolls sideways showing me more and more images of the boy JJ gave birth to just under a year ago.
