ด้วยรักตลอดไป (With Love, Forever)

Jeff

Seeing him like this, standing under the dim glow of the balcony light, his hands gripping the railing like it was the only thing keeping him upright, made my chest ache.

I squeezed his shoulder, grounding him. "You won't lose her, Jackson."

His eyes, dark and weary, met mine. "You don't know that."

I inhaled deeply. "No, I don't. But I know you. And I know how much you love Xinxin. You've been there every single day, every scraped knee, every bedtime story. You didn't just show up when it was easy." My grip on his shoulder tightened. "And if the law has any sense at all, they'll see that too."

Jackson let out a shaky breath and looked away, blinking rapidly. His jaw clenched like he was trying to hold everything back, but I could see it—the weight pressing down on him, the exhaustion of fighting for so long.

"She was fine without her all this time," he murmured. "We were fine."

I didn't know if he was trying to convince himself or me.

"And you still will be," I assured him. "No matter what happens, you and Xinxin will get through this. She loves you, Jackson. That's not going to change."

He let out a quiet laugh, but it was hollow. "She asked me if I was still mad." His voice was raw. "She saw me lose my temper this morning. I didn't mean to, but—I hate that she had to see that. That she had to feel like this was her problem to worry about."

I sighed. "She's a smart kid. She picks up on things."

"Yeah." His fingers curled into fists. "I hate that she had to."

Silence stretched between us, filled only by the distant sounds of the city.

After a moment, I nudged his arm lightly. "Come inside."

Jackson exhaled slowly. "I don't know if I can sit there and pretend everything's fine."

"You don't have to," I said simply. "Just be there. Xinxin needs to see you, not the battle you're fighting."

He closed his eyes for a second, then nodded.

I slid the balcony door open, and the warm scent of my mom's cooking greeted us. Xinxin was still at the table, her plate barely touched, but she looked up as soon as Jackson stepped inside.

"Daddy."

Her voice was small, careful.

Jackson's face softened instantly. He walked over and crouched beside her chair, resting a hand on her back.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said gently. "Are you okay?"

She hesitated, then gave a tiny nod. "Are you?"

I watched as Jackson's throat bobbed, the weight of that question hitting him.

Then, somehow, he found his smile—the real one this time. "I am now."

Xinxin studied his face for a moment, then, as if deciding something, she put down her chopsticks and scooted closer, pressing her small forehead against his.

"Don't be mad, okay?" she whispered.

Jackson exhaled, wrapping his arms around her. "I won't, baby. I promise."

Mae and I shared a glance, and without a word, she picked up the serving spoon and started scooping food onto Jackson's plate.

"Eat," she instructed, setting the plate in front of him.

Jackson chuckled under his breath, finally sitting down beside Xinxin. "Yes, ma'am."

I sat across from them, watching as Xinxin finally took a bite of her food, the tension in her small shoulders easing just a little.

Dinner passed with a quiet sort of warmth. Jackson ate slowly but finished everything on his plate—probably more out of obligation to Mae than actual hunger. Xinxin, too, ate more than I expected, though she still wasn't quite her usual bright self.

By the time the dishes were cleared, it was getting late.

"We should head home," Jackson finally said, gently brushing Xinxin's hair back. "It's been a long day."

Xinxin looked at him, then at me. "Can we come back again?"

I smiled. "Of course. Anytime you want."

She nodded, satisfied, and hopped off her chair.

Mrs. Luo handed Jackson a small container wrapped in a plastic bag. "Take this. You'll get hungry later."

Jackson opened his mouth to protest, but she shot him a look, and he wisely shut it, accepting the food with a quiet, "Thank you, Mrs. Luo."

I walked them to the door, Xinxin slipping her tiny hand into Jackson's as they stepped outside.

Jackson turned back to me, exhaustion still clinging to him, but his shoulders looked a little lighter than before. "Thanks, Jeff. For everything."

I waved a hand dismissively. "You don't have to thank me."

He scoffed. "Yeah, I do." His gaze softened slightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten.

I swallowed, pushing past the sudden weight of the moment, and grinned instead. "You'd survive. Barely, but you would."

Jackson chuckled, shaking his head.

Then, Xinxin stepped forward and, without warning, wrapped her arms around my waist.

I blinked, caught off guard for half a second before I knelt down and hugged her back.

"Goodnight, Mr. Jyff," she mumbled into my shirt.

"Goodnight, Xinxin," I said, squeezing her a little before pulling back. "Get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded, then turned to grab Jackson's hand again.

I watched as they walked down the hall, Jackson keeping a protective hold on her small fingers. He glanced back once, offering me a tired but genuine smile before they disappeared around the corner.

I stood in the doorway for a moment longer, staring at the now-empty hallway.

Then, with a quiet sigh, I shut the door behind me.

My mom was already tidying up in the kitchen, humming softly.

"They'll be okay, won't they?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

She glanced at me, eyes kind but knowing. "They will," she said simply. "Because they have people who care about them."

I nodded slowly, my fingers absently tapping against the doorframe.

Yeah. They did.