Saint - Finding the Normalcy Within the Abnormality

Chapter 14

       We hung out all day and even went out to Chipotle for lunch. We went baby shopping slightly. My mom ended up buying me a maternity shirt and a baby carrier while I bought a few socks and mittens I thought were cute. When we got home I felt my phone vibrate as soon as I walked inside. I give Axton a weird look and he scowls at my mother before pulling me into a kiss.

       "Why is she here?" He whispers to me after he releases the kiss.

       "We talked. We made up," I say and he smiles back at me.

       He kisses me once before greeting my mother with a nod. I sit on the couch tired since it feels like I have been standing all day. I rub my ankles and Axton notices. He sits on the coffee table taking my legs and putting them in his lap. He began to massage my ankles rolling them out. I ask about his day temporarily forgetting about my mother who was still in the room. Axton talked about his practice and the undefeated streak in basketball and school. He also says a lot of people are asking where I went. When I asked him what he says he replies that I'm probably asleep in his bed. It wasn't a lie but the context made my face heat up.

       "My last game is coming up soon. I want you to come," He says and I frown slightly.

       "I thought the season didn't end until early March," I say and he nods.

       "My last game not the teams. I need to get a second job soon so I told coach I want to quit," Axton said and my heart fell.

       "I didn't want you to give up anything Ax," I said leaning in and rubbing my hand across his cheek. He leaned into the touch subconsciously.

       "Well I did," He says and I give him a small smile for reassurance. "I love you."

       "Ax I-," I hate myself why can't I say it.

       "You don't have to say it back Jake," He responds after seeing my hesitation.

       "Axton I don't know what my life would be without you," I say instead. I can tell this satisfies him when he kisses me.

       Glad the topic had changed my mother cleared her throat. She signals me with her eyes to ask Axton but I decided tonight is not the night to ask him about something like that. Especially since I can't even recuperate his feelings like I should. My mother left right before dinner promising to call. We ate chattily and happily. Axton and I took a shower together and prepared for bed. As I was getting dressed I felt him behind me. He kisses my neck softly and I can feel the smile in it. Sometimes I find it crazy how happy Axton can get just by being with me. My phone rang and I grabbed it seeing it was from my mother which is expected. I answer with no hesitation. I rest my phone in the crook of my neck that way I have both of my hand to get dressed.

       "Hey, sweetheart what're you doing?" She asked casually

       "Ax and I just got out the shower," I reply. There's a tense silence before she let's go a breath and tells me to take care of my cold.

       As she says this Axton cracks the window. It wasn't a lot and his room is really stuffy since we are upstairs. I gave him a look and he passed me on of his sweaters in response. I snatch some random pajama bottoms as well.

       "When's your next appointment?" She ask again after regaining her composure

       "February eighteenth. I'll be six months by then. I need to start buying a crib and stuff but I want to move into our apartment first," I tell her glancing at Axton who seemed to be looking outside but was most likely eavesdropping. "I don't want to move with a baby, ya know?"

       "Where are you guys thinking?"

       "Axton's dad owns some apartments," I tell and she simply hums in agreement

       "Well you know what they say about Asians," She says making me frown.

       "Was that suppose to be funny?" I say and she goes off on a tangent on how it's just a joke.

       I found an excuse to hang up on her and went to Axton. I gave him a back hug wondering what he's thinking about so hard. He placed his hands over mine. He rubbed them for warmth before turning his neck slightly to get a look at me. I bury my face in his neck and breath in his scent. This causes our little boy to start moving around wildly.

       "You wanna go out?" He asks and I nod.

       He dresses me warmly before throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a jacket over his bare chest. We made our way to his car and just drove around for a while. The night is still pretty early yet the sky is dark and the stars are twinkling brightly. Axton grabs my hand and kisses it. We arrive at the same lake we always go to but due to my cold Axton thought it better to not get out of the car but instead look at the stars through his skylight. I snuggled into to him. He strokes my hair and kisses my head. And that's how our night ends. Looking up at the stars while holding each other.