I've Loved and I've Lost

Chapter 72

Danica POV

"So, what do you think?" I inquire, wiping my face with the back of my hand as I stare at the forest green room with brown accents. My clothes are covered in brown and green paint but my face holds the widest grin as I stare at my handy work. "You think Diane will like it?"

"I think she'll love it," Jackson smiles down at me, admiring my messy appearance. I hear a key in the door.

"Oh! That's Diane!" I rush over to the front door, skidding to a halt before opening it. "You're here!"

"And you're covered in paint," She chuckles as she looks me up and down. Liylah laughs as well, holding the straps of her backpack tightly.

"Come look," I urge and hold the door open wider. They step through the threshold and I bend down, planting a kiss on Liylah's head. I lock the door behind them before rushing to Diane's room. "So the paint needs to dry for the rest of the day and then we can move everything in tomorrow so you will have to spend time on one of the couches," I point to the couch that already has a pillow and a sheet.

I watch her with my hands clasped together and pressed against my lips, waiting for her to react positively. A few seconds pass before she turns to me with her eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh honey," I practically burst into tears as I pull her into a hug. She holds me tightly as her shoulders shake slightly.

"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,"

"Oh, wait till she cooks for you," Jackson muses with a smirk as Liylah climbs onto the barstool that sits at the counter.

Diane and I pull away and she smiles widely, shifting her glasses up as she wipes the tears from her eyes. "Thank you so much,"

"Of course, you're family now," I say with a shrugs. I then clap my hands, rubbing them together. "I don't feel like cooking so who wants pizza?"

Everyone raises their hand, Liylah being more enthusiastic about it than the other two. "Pineapple! Pineapple! Pineapple!" She yells with excitement. Diane nods her head in agreement.

"What? Pineapple?" Jackson looks at the girl with a scrunched up face of disapproval.

"You don't know what you're missing chump," Liylah says with a shrug, eliciting a laugh from Jackson.

"Alright, you two get started on your homework, I'm gonna clean up then call the pizza place. And Jackson, you need to organize our bedroom cause it's a mess," He nods before quickly following after me, the girls sitting side by side at the kitchen island.

I close my bedroom door behind us before I begin to strip out of my clothes. I hear Jackson moving around, the sound of cardboard boxing collapsing sounds like my room getting closer to be clean.

I chuck my paint littered clothes into the laundry before stepping into the shower. "Babe,"

"Yeah," I call out over the sound of running water. No response. "Yeah!" Maybe he didn't hear me. I move and peak my head out the curtain, jumping slightly as I see Jackson leaning on the door frame with a smirk. "No," I go back behind the curtain.

"What, why not?" He argues and I stick my head back out.

"Because my daughter and Diane are out there and you're supposed to be cleaning," I point a dripping hand at him.

"I can clean after," he argues, his pupils dilating at he nears closer. And for a millisecond, I think about giving in.

"Jackson Avery, go clean. And if you do a good job maybe you'll get a reward," He smiles and pecks my lips before running off to clean the room.