"Can I pick two?"
"I don't see how that works, but sure."
"Irony and depression. And sympathy. And stress."
"Hey, you can't-"
"Just did."
"So what about irony?"
"Irony? This." Luke leans in and places a gentle kiss on Ashton's cheek. "Ironic, right?"
"Uh... Sir?" A feminine voice says. Luke whips around to See Bella standing there.
Luke's eyes go wide."Huh? Yeah. Uhhh.... What?"
"Your son- the boy- he's awake."
Luke's stomach was jumping after kissing Ashton, even if it was just on the cheek. So what? "I'm coming." He follows Bella, waving Ashton behind him.
Bella and Luke walk into the room. "Sorry, Sir, only family aloud." Bella slammed the door in Ashton's face.
"Daddy? Is that you?"
"Yeah, Baby. Its Daddy."
"Daddy, my chest hurts." Jacob pushes on his wrap that covers his entire abdomen.
"I know, Baby. Don't push on it. Its broken. Its gonna hurt for a while."
"Where's Uncle Ashy?"
"Outside, Baby. Has not aloud in."
"But why not?"
"Because he's not a mom, dad, sister or brother. He's a... A family friend."
"But friends are nice, too. And sometimes, friends are better. Sometimes family woves you too much."
"Jacob, you can never be loved too much."
"Yeah-huh. 'Cause sometimes people smover you wiv love."
"But love won't kill you. Being smothered will."
"But I don't wanna die, Daddy, but I fink it might hurt less."
"Jacob..." Luke says, tears bubbling to the surface. "Don't say that. Don't ever say that."
"But it will."
Luke touches his arm where gaues is wrapped all around. "I know the feeling. Trust me, I know, but promise me, promise that you'll never say that again. Never."
"Whatever, Daddy."
Luke stares at Jacob with an ice cold look. "Don't you ever, ever say that again."
"Why not?"
Without warning, without symathy, Luke's tears poured. His stress and depression had overwhelmed him. He couldn't hold it back anymore. "I'm sorry, I can't handle this. I need a break."
He walked out of the room, to the elevator, out of the building and to his car, discarding everything in the process. He drove to the bar, and finally let go of years of stress, frustration, sympathy and depression.
He just couldn't help it anymore. His whole life had all but collapsed. Depression, stress and frustration had overwhelmed him.
"Can I have a beer, please? I've had a really long day."
