My Devotion

14. Soup

Jackson is sleeping by the time I make it back into the room. So I sit in the chair by the bed like I had early and eat my sandwich, a nurse comes in and leaves a food tray for him for when he wakes.

The food didn't last long since I was hungrier than I thought, but I slowly sip on the fruit smoothie while scrolling through my phone playing a random game on it.

"You know." Jackson's voice makes me jump and I look up to see him watching me with a sorry face.

"Know what?"

"I think you found a keeper. Figuring he left the room to chase after you?"

"Yeah, Drew did find me and went with me to the food court then walked me back here." I smile lightly. "He knows about the baby because I kept telling him he doesn't want me but he claimed he did."

"How did that go?"

"Literally, he just stated he liked kids."

Jackson laughs lightly then closes his eyes with a deep breath.

"You probably shouldn't laugh if it hurts." I frown.

"Best to still laugh the pain doesn't last too long and besides life would be boring if I couldn't laugh." Jackson gives a soft smile.

I tell Jackson what Drew had said and he barely nods. During such, I moved the little table over with his food tray and was surprised the soup had stayed warm but there was some type of pouch under the main bowl thing. Makes sense why the nurse wasn't bothered with waking him to eat.

"He sounds perfect." Jackson hums once I told him what happened between Drew and I.

"But that should be a red flag though right? Jackson, how could he truly like me? It doesn't make sense to me how he can be so kind and wanting to date me even though I told him I am starting over and pregnant. I thought most of the time the pregnant thing threw off people."

He shrugs. "I could see and understand wanting to make sure he isn't a creep but honestly, I don't get that vibe from him."

"Yeah but you didn't get a bad vibe from Bradus either, neither of us did." I sigh and sit back in the chair with the rest of my smoothie.

"Adina, he wasn't the one for you. Bradus never once looked at you the way I saw Drew looking at you before you went to get food. By the way did you actually eat and not just that in your hand?"

I laugh lightly and nod. "Yes I ate. What do you mean by the way Drew looks at me?"

"I was hoping you ate and not just have that smoothie."

"Rest assured I had a sandwich." I nod. "Now what look?"

"The same one Dad always looked at Mom with." Jackson smiles and then looks down at this food that he has continually stirred around in the bowl.

My eyes burn at the mention of our parents. Closing my eyes, I can still see their faces and hear their voice that now seems like a whisper across the wind. I shake my head lightly and wipe my eyes, before getting a drink from the smoothie to clear my throat of the lump.

"I didn't notice that."

"You wouldn't you're still timid, but I can promise he looks at you the same Dad had Mom. That is a look that I would give him my blessing to marry you instantly because he has that look of true love."

"We just met." I deadpan.

"So? True love knows no bounds at all and there are many people who fall in love instantly. Do you remember the story of Mom and Dad?"

I nod.

It is a story that Mom used to tell me as a bedtime story but I didn't know it was their story until right before Mom passed first. Mom would say how Dad had seen her at the grocery market where she worked at the time and made sure to come in everyday to just get a couple items so he could talk to her. Finally she had agreed to a date with him and he proclaimed his love on the date to which she laughed at him since she said there is no way he could. Dad had always said it was love at first sight and just grew into more as they got to talk. They had married within three weeks of knowing each other because Mom had fell hard and fast too. Their love never once dimmed through the years.

"Like I had said before Adina, there is no set time." Jackson smiles breaking me out of my thoughts.

"I know."

"So? Did you finally agree to a date?" He smiles wide.

"I did and he mentioned Friday night, even exchanged numbers."

Jackson does a quiet clap then grimaces at the food in front of him.

"It isn't that bad." I state, it at least has smelt good.

"It is vegetable soup." Jackson sighs.

"Just try it and stop being a baby." I shake my head laugh.

"I am not."

"Are too." I stick my tongue out at him as he crosses his arms over his chest having put the spoon down. "Do I need to get a nurse in here to help feed you?" I can't help but tease.

"No." Jackson huffs.

"What about Sephia?"

"What are you talking about?" Jackson looks away from me and picks the spoon up.

"I see how you will ogle her when you came to my job a couple times."

"Did not, besides she had a ring on."

"That is because she doesn't have a right ring finger, lost it in an accident. That morning you saw the ring was when her cousin brought it in for her, it was her grandmothers she inherited. So not to lose it she slid it onto her finger and it was the only finger it would fit."

Jackson looks back to me and smiles lightly.

"I mean I can put in the good word and let her know for you?"

"No. I can ask and get my own date thank you very much." Jackson huffs and smiles.

It makes me happy that my big brother might, possibly, get a date depending but I will just watch and see from a distance. He deserves to be happy too and I know he has dated before but they didn't work out either for him.

"Now eat your soup." I sass and he huffs.

"Couldn't have been tomato soup or something else." He takes a bite finally and then gets a shocked look.

"Not bad is it?" I laugh as he gets to eating it fast.

"I didn't think vegetable soup was good."

"That is because you get grossed out by looking at it. Like I've been saying for years it doesn't taste bad, it just doesn't look good." I laugh as he seems to not pause for anything while eating it.