Always There - Part 2 || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 257: Everything Was Okay

Angela's P.O.V

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on Jaime.
She was perfect.

We had spent many days together before our formal introduction; many mornings of singing what felt like her favorite songs, afternoons filled with naps in the sunroom, and evenings of dinners we both craved, but when you finally hold your baby in your arms for the first time, it's nothing like you've ever felt. And I knew I would spend the rest of my life making sure she was as happy as the day she came into this world.

But there's only so much a mother can do.

After Jack passed away, I knew that life as we knew it was about to change forever; I knew what happened to little girls who grew up without a father, and I did everything I could to make sure that Jaime never fell into that, having known that feeling all too well.

So, for a little while, it was just to two of us, stuck inside this house with far too many memories that hurt my heart every time I stumbled upon them. I knew it was time for a new beginning for us both and the sooner the better.

It was important to now make our own memories together.

The day we moved into our new house, I was relieved at how welcoming our new neighbors were, having been worried that Jaime wouldn't have anyone to play with in our new neighborhood. There were plenty of kids on our street in our old town, and with her being an only child, I was nervous. I knew she was lonely, me being able to fulfill the role of her mother and a "friend" for only so long.

And who knows?
Maybe her best friend could live right next door.

As we pulled into the driveway, I could see her from the rearview mirror, looking around nervously as she clutched her favorite teddy. I hated seeing her so scared, but this was the best thing for us, I knew that. And she would see that. Eventually.

I hoped.

"You ready to go see?" I asked, flashing her an excited smile. She hesitated before nodding, seemingly relaxing into an accepting grin.
"You get your own big girl room and everything!" I said. Her smile grew, giving me somewhat of a sense of relief.

We weren't out of the car for more than five minutes before I heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet sprinting across the lawn. Two little boys, with their mother following closely behind. I felt better already, despite wishing she'd have some little girls to play with, they seemed harmless enough.

"Hi!" One of them yelled, reaching his tiny little hand out to Jaime. I stood back, watching to see how she would respond, ready to jump in at a moment's notice. She stared at him for a moment before finally reaching out, gently taking him by the hand and shaking it.
"Hi, my name is Jaime." She said softly. I peeked over at their mom who was already looking back, giving me an apologetic smile.

"Sorry." She mouthed. I shook my head.
"It's okay." I nodded. "They're fine."

"I'm Josh. What kind of games do you like to play?" He asked eagerly.
"Um.. all kinds."
"Okay great. We can play all the time now." She seemed to be okay with the idea.
"Who's that?" She then asked, craning her neck to see the other little boy, hiding behind his mother's leg.

Twins.
Oh, I could only imagine.

Jaime was hard enough as a newly single mother. I couldn't imagine two. Let alone two boys. But as he slowly began to peek out, I couldn't help but smile, suddenly hit with a rush of emotion as I was brought back to the many childhood photos that once hung on our wall.

He looked exactly like Jack as a child.
His eyes - big, bright, and beautiful.
His hair - somewhat longer than most boys his age.
His smile - timid and kind.