Ever After

Chapter 22: Forgiving

I wake up in the morning I assume  and I'm alone. "Emma?" I say groggily. I look at my phone seeing it's only three in the morning. I get up opening the door. "Emma?" I wonder into Sadie's room and there she was curled up at Sadie's side." I smile softly at them before quietly shutting her door and head omg back to Emma's room.

I reach for the handle but I hear something smash downstairs. I freeze but slowly walk down the stairs anyways. When I get to the kitchen I can hear whispers. "Damn it...there goes that...." I step out to see Jackson kneeled down next to a broken plate with some food.

"Watch your feet. I don't want you to get cut." I slip on some shoes before grabbing a pan from the rack placing it on the stove. I grab to chicken beasts from the fridge plopping them down in the pan. "What are you doing?" I look down at him. "I'm cooking the dinner I never had. You wasted your food so I figured you'd probably like something too." He just nods and goes back to cleaning. The kitchen stays in a dead silence.

When the breasts are done I put them on two separate plates and find some mash potatoes to make. I throw it together handing him a plate before taking mine to the table. I sit crossing my legs as I eat as usual. He watches me as he eats as well. I clear my throat but that doesn't seem to change his gaze. "Must you stare at me?" He blushes before mumbling a sorry and looking down at his food. I take bite of food before grabbing his arm. "Oh jeez Jackie." He looks down at the gash on his hand. "Does it need stitches?" He asks softly. "Let's hope not." I sigh pulling him to the sink washing it off.

"Jackie don't move that hand. I'll be right back." He nods. I head upstairs grabbing a pair of tweezers. He looks at me funny. "What are those for?" I hold his hand flat bring them to his hand. I pull out a piece of glass. "That's what they're for." I pull out all the glass wrapping his hand in a paper towel before towing him upstairs to the bathroom. I unwrap the paper towel sighing. "A bit deeper and you would have needed stitches." I pour peroxide on it before wrapping it softly.

"It's gonna leave a scar though." He huffs. "As long as I'm okay right?" He laughs and I nod with a smile. "Right." He looks up at me and I look at him too. "Thank you Teagan." I swallow. "Of course. I'm gonna go finish my food." I say before putting the stuff away and heading out of the bathroom. I sit at the table picking at my mashed potatoes when he leans against the doorframe.

"Teagan?" I look up at him. "Yes?" He plays with the bandage on his hand. "Can we talk about this?" I look back down at my food. "What's left to say?" He smiles. "Everything." He huffs. "If I lose you....there's a lot that I haven't said." I drop my fork. "Okay." He steps forward a bit. "That first night we hung out. The night we screamed pros and cons of Romeo and Juliet. I sat in my car for an hour in a gas station parking lot." I shake my head. "Why?" He smiles. "Because I had been so excited that I left my house an hour and a half early. So I pulled over. The whole time I sat there I couldn't answer this one question. What made you different? When I got to your house an hour later I still couldn't answer that question but when I seen you. When you opened that door for me...."

He takes a breath. "I knew the answer to the question. You were so happy to seem me. Like maybe I was lying about ever coming but I was there and you had this grin that lit up my world Teagan." He watches me carefully.

"And when I left...I smiled so wide that I couldn't focus on anything else. I actually got pulled over for reckless driving. The cop gave me a warning but when I saw your name light up on my phone I was right back in my happy  place letting that feeling just wash over me."

I huff. "Why does this matter now?" He steps over to me. "Because I still feel the same Teagan. I'm always rushing to see you. I'm always so happy with you. When you call I feel like the luckiest man in the world. It matters because no matter how much we've changed Teagan no matter what happens around us my heart will always feel like it's waited forever to find you." He leans into me and I huff. "I'm scared..." He smiles. "Of what?" I look down at my hands but his head still touches mine. "Of losing you. Of allowing myself to forgive you again." He smiles.

"Love have I ever strayed from you?" I shake my head. "You own me Teagan. I bend to you. Listen to what your heart tells you. I'll respect that decision." I think for a second before swallowing. "My heart doesn't want to live without you. It doesn't know how." He lifts my face to look at him. "That's exactly how mine feels." We lean into each other kissing softly and maybe it seemed wrong but my heart would rather be hurt repeatedly by him than ever live a day without him. That's what love is I guess.

"Teagan I love you." I smile. "You've got a lot to prove Jackie." He hums. "I know but I'm thankful that you're giving me a chance to prove it." I shake my head. "Don't thank me. I love you." We kiss again but before too long Emma interrupts us. "Daddy?" He rushes to her. "Woah there Emma." She frowns. "What happened to you're hand?" He sighs. "I broke a plate and that's why I don't want you in the kitchen you could get cut. I'm okay. I promise. Let's get you back to bed." She nods and he scoops her up.

I cup my face huffing. A piece of me hates myself. I just keep giving in. I can't ever fight him. I just wish things could go back to when I first met him. This money's gone straight to his head. I push my plate away standing up. I take the plates heading to the garbage. I open it going to empty the plates when he catches my wrist.

"Hey you've barely touched your food." I shrug. "I'm not hungry." He cups my face. "Don't do this Teagan." I look up at him. "Do what?! I just said I'm not hungry! What you gonna force me to eat too?!" I say dropping the paper plates in the trash before stepping past him heading to the bedroom.

I flop down in bed pulling the blankets over me. I shut my eyes laying my head against the headboard folding my arms. I hear him creep in and I feel his weight. "Zane used to force me to eat." I say calmly. "I used to feed the food to the dog we had. I could barely lift myself most days. I watched myself slowly whether away. Nothing they did could help me. Until I met you. You found love in a hopeless place and it saved me." I can feel the tears as I open my eyes softly. He pulls me into his shoulder. "I'm not her anymore." He hums. "I know love."

I grip his shirt. "Maybe I shouldn't say it but I'm nothing without you." He cups my face rubbing his nose against mine. "No love. You are everything without me. I drag you down and I make you so unhappy. But I'm trying. I really love you. I spend my whole life trying to make things up to you."

I smile slightly and he brushes the hair from my face. "Now let's get you tucked back into bed." I huff. "Have you slept?" He shakes his head. "Unfortunately there's only one pillow though..." I wrap my arms around him letting my face fall into his chest. "We only need one." He pecks my head. "You are my world. No matter what I say. You were right and sometimes I let the money get the best of me but I would never. Ever. Trade this family for anything. I love you." I giggle softly. "Your voice vibrates." He laughs some too. "You're perfect to me Teagan."

He lays down softly bring me with him. "Don't you ever think otherwise." I hum. "Listen all you have to remember is if Emma or Sadie had a boyfriend how would you want them to be treated. Treat me like that. If he broke their hearts you'd kill him." His jaw locks. "Damn right!" He huffs. "If anyone treated any of you the way I have lately I'd kick their ass. Baby I'm trying though I've just been stressed. Things will get better." I smile. "I know Jackie. Now come on let's get some sleep. You've got to be tired." He nods softly. I lean up kissing him before cuddling back into him dozing off softly.

Enjoy!