A Ruin Of Roses (Used to be: My Mysterious Husband)

THIRTY-SEVEN

𝙳𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗, 𝙸𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍, 𝟷𝟸:𝟺𝟸 𝙿.𝙼 𝚂𝙴𝙿𝚃 𝟽𝚝𝚑 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟾
[𝙿.𝙾.𝚅 𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙴]

"That's so nice of you," Jill says, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I doubt they will show up, though," she adds, her skepticism evident. I shrug, sitting next to Jaxon and gently grabbing his hand.

"If they come, they come. I wasn't trying to push them into anything," I reply, offering a weak smile. I understand Jill's doubts, but I genuinely hope that this family can heal and reunite.

Just then, a voice breaks the tension in the room. "We're here," Sean says as he steps into the room. His eyes immediately lock onto Jaxon, and a heavy sigh escapes his lips. The remorse in his eyes is palpable.

"Daddy," Jill says, her voice soft and filled with emotion. Sean looks at her, tears welling up in his eyes, and he steps forward, wrapping his arms tightly around his daughter. It's a heartfelt and emotional reunion, and I can't help but feel a pang of relief for their family.

"Mrs. Lune," I say with a weak smile, and she approaches me, enveloping me in a warm hug. "Please, Lillian is fine," she whispers. Her empathetic touch and understanding demeanor make me feel more at ease.

"Is he Jaxon's?" she asks, her eyes drifting toward Jayden.

"Sadly, no. I had Jayden when I was eleven," I mumble, feeling a mixture of shame and regret.

"Oh, no," Lillian says, her voice filled with sympathy. She reaches out to rub my hand gently. "Jaxon is a good father to Jayden, though," I say, trying to find a silver lining in the situation.

"I missed him," Lillian whispers as she runs her fingers through Jaxon's hair.

"I think he missed you too," I reply with a weak smile. The atmosphere in the room begins to lighten as the family starts to come back together.

"Dustin, Jake, Hurley, Harley, this is Rose, Jaxon's wife," Jill introduces me to the rest of the family. Their gratitude for helping reunite their family is evident.

"Thank you for knocking some sense into our dad. We missed Jaxon so much," Dustin says, expressing their shared sentiment.

"It's not a problem," I mutter modestly, feeling a mix of emotions as I look around the room.

As I glance over their shoulders, I notice Sean standing at the back of the room, his face reflecting a heartbroken look.

"Give me one second," I say, excusing myself as I walk around them. I approach Sean and, in a hushed tone, I ask, "Mr. Lune, will you walk with me?" He nods, and I open the door for him.

"No one has ever made me think the way you did," Sean confesses as we start walking down the hallway.

"I didn't want anyone to separate like that. I lost my father to cancer, and it was the hardest thing I ever had happen to me," I tell him, looking up at his troubled expression. "And you deserve to get to know your grandchildren."

"You're a sweet girl... Jaxon got a good one, just like I did with his mother," he says, his eyes glazed over with regret. "To think I was so blinded by my power that I lost two of my children because of it." Tears slide slowly from his eyes, and I wrap my arms around him in a gentle hug.

"He will forgive you," I whisper, providing what comfort I can. He slowly hugs me back, his arms wrapping around me as if we've been family forever.

"I like you a lot," he chuckles. "Now, let's go in there and meet my first grandchild," he says, determination in his voice.

"Before we go in there... the boy sleeping with Jaxon is not his son. He's my son. I had him when I was eleven," I confess, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I share the truth with Sean.

"Who did it?" he asks, his voice filled with anger, clearly aware of the painful circumstances surrounding Jayden's birth.

"My stepfather," I mumble, my voice quivering.

"Oh my..." Sean's anger radiates from him as he processes the information. "Don't worry, we got that taken care of," I assure him, though deep down, I know the wounds are far from healed. He relaxes, and the warmth returns to his face.

"Whether he's Jaxon's boy or not, he's my grandchild," Sean says, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we walk down the hall back to Jaxon's room. The tension of the past is slowly melting away, making room for the possibility of a brighter future for this fractured family.

𝙳𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗, 𝙸𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍, 𝟼:𝟸𝟺 𝙿.𝙼 𝚂𝙴𝙿𝚃 𝟽𝚝𝚑 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟾
[𝙿.𝙾.𝚅 𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙴]

"Jayden, honey, let's go get something to eat with Dustin, Hurley, Harley, and Jake," I say, gently grabbing Jayden's hand. It feels only fair to give Sean and Lillian some alone time with Jaxon, especially after the emotional reunion we just witnessed. As a group, we walk out of the room and down the hallway.

"So, little dude, what's your favorite sport?" Jake asks, trying to strike up a conversation with Jayden.

"Football," Jayden says with a grin. (he means soccer, not American football.)

"Me too," Hurley chimes in, sharing a common interest.

Harley takes a moment to ask me a more personal question, her voice low and thoughtful. "How many kids do you want to have?"

I consider her question for a moment. "I never really thought about it... The most I'd go for is eight," I admit. Her eyes widen at my response. "If I was still a single parent, I'd probably want only two. But it all depends on how Jaxon reacts to it," I explain, making it clear that Jaxon's feelings are essential in making such a significant decision.

"I've never thought about having kids. I guess it's because I'm scared I'll have twins or something, being a twin myself," she confesses.

"I can understand that. I had an aunt who had sextuplets," I say with a chuckle. Her eyes widen in amazement. "It's terrifying," I add, and we both share a laugh as we stop at the cafeteria.

Jayden looks around at the food options and flashes a bright smile. "It's weird being pregnant now, though. I will say that it's almost like I'm not pregnant. Since I had Jayden, it's not as bad as the first pregnancy. I mean, don't get me wrong, morning sickness is the absolute worst, but once that stops, it's not that bad," I explain, offering her some insight into my experience.

"I can see that," Harley nods in understanding. We find a table and take a seat, appreciating the opportunity to relax for a moment without worrying about Jaxon. It's incredible how far we've come in such a short time. It hasn't even been a year, but it feels like my life has changed dramatically.

I glance at Jayden, who is smiling as Dustin leads him around to choose his food. I let out a contented sigh, feeling that my life could become perfect once Jaxon wakes up. The support of these newfound family members, including Sean and Lillian, makes me hopeful for the future, and I can't help but look forward to the adventures that await our growing family.