Moral Devotions

Epilogue| Macy

Two Years Later

"I don't wanna wear this!" Axel yells, throwing the clothes onto the floor.

I sigh and slump onto his bed. "Bubb-"

"No!"

I see a figure appear in the doorway. "Okay, little dude, what's the matter?"

"I don't wanna wear that!" He points to the clothes scattered across the carpet.

"And why not?"

Axel's face turns bright red in anger. "'Cause I don't wanna!"

"Let's take a walk," Declan says, putting his hand out. Axel's head falls forward as he pouts and slowly walks over to Declan. A few seconds later they're gone and I'm still sitting on my six-year-old's bed, heaving an exhausted sigh.

A few minutes later, laughter echoes up the stairs, followed by the sound of footsteps running down the hall. In a flash, tiny arms are thrown around my neck as Axel launches himself into my lap.

"I'm sorry, Mama."

I lay my cheek against his hair as Declan skids across the hardwood in his socks. "It's okay, Bubba." I kiss the top of his head. "Let's pick out a new outfit."

"That's okay, I'll wear this one."

"Are you sure?" I ask as he slides onto his feet on the floor.

"Yeah, Mama."

"I'm gonna go finish up breakfast," Declan says as I help Axel into his shirt. "You got it from here?"

I smile up at him. "Yeah, I got it from here."

After helping Axel brush his teeth and fix his bedhead, we head downstairs where the smell of chocolate chip pancakes fills the room. Declan sets a divider plate in front of Axel, filled with a pancake torn into pieces, syrup, and some strawberries.

I step up beside him at the stove. "Everything all good?" He asks, flipping a pancake.

"Mhm." I nod, leaning up on my toes to peck him on the lips.

"How are you doing?"

I shrug. "Fine."

Declan gives me a pointed look as he sets two pancakes on a plate and hands it to me. "Don't lie to me, sweetheart."

"Really, I'm fine." I chuckle. He presses his lips to my cheek before returning to cooking. I sit down next to Axel at the counter and dive in.

Today is a hard day, for three reasons.

Number one: It's the anniversary of Axel's dad's death.

Number two: On this same day, one year ago, my uncle was found dead in his bed, just two days before he was to be sentenced to prison. He overdosed.

And the hardest part of today, reason number three: My baby boy is starting kindergarten.

"He's gonna be okay," Declan reassures me later when we're pulling into an empty parking spot. After throwing the gear shift into Park, he unbuckles and turns to look at Axel in the backseat. "You ready, little dude?"