Broken Halves

Chapter Forty-Six

POV: Dani

Groaning, I throw back my head in despair and close Jorden's laptop that I stole off of his desk. "What's wrong?" I hear him ask as he emerges from the bathroom, fully dressed but running a towel through his damp hair. "You need a haircut." I observe causing the brunette to scoff.

"I know. I had an appointment with Lydia for today, for both Faolan and I, but he threw the biggest tantrum when she arrived that I ended up carting him away to the time out corner and dismissing Lydia with an apology. Now she's busy through the next week." I hum in response as Jorden throws the towel into the hamper before dropping down onto the bed on his side. He lays on his side, facing me, with his elbow bent supporting the weight of his head.

"What has you all frustrated?" He asks as I run my hand through his hair in an attempt to unknot it. Jorden has always kept his hair short, but wavy because when it grows to be longer, instead of falling in curls down the side of his head like Faolan and Cole, it would just be a mess and flop everywhere.

"I don't know what theme to pick for Faolan's birthday." My little boy turns three in three weeks and I am a terrible mother for just now attempting to plan his party. Jorden snorts and shifts so he lays on his back staring up at the ceiling.

"Just do animals again, he loved in then he'll love it now." I scoff and bring my hand down hard to whack his shoulder which has Jorden tensing and sitting up to rub his wounded limb. "What was that for? I'm trying to help you." I only roll my eyes before explaining my actions.

"The keyword you said was again. He already had an animal themed party, we can't do that again. Just like we can't have another ocean themed party again." Which we did for his second birthday. Jorden sighs before the laptop off of the bed to the nightstand table on his side.

"Alright then, do a knight themed party. Faolan would love the medieval decorations. You girls can all be princesses and I can pull out Cole's old sword and knight Faolan into the brotherhood." His idea isn't bad at all. A few days ago Faolan stumbled upon Cole's sword which I was wrapped up in the top shelf in the closet. I was cleaning in there and brought everything down causing my curious toddler to discover the weapon. Of course he was instantly intrigued and found a new obsession in knights and sword fighting after Jorden bullshitted some story as to why we had the sword after explaining what it was.

"Good idea." I say simply causing Jorden to once again scoff. His eyes shine with humor when I look over at him and he has a goofy grin on his face as he beings to speak. "Good idea, I'd say it's a damn near perfect idea. Of course animals will always hold the boy's heart, but being a knight is his current obsession and nothing will make that boy happier then becoming one on his birthday."

"You're right," I say simply. "Where am I supposed to get decorations for that?" This time Jorden has no great ideas as he flops down in bed once again and raises the sheet to cover him. "Ask Rowan, she is full of crazy surprises." I laugh quietly and nod beside him. "You're right about that, the perfect example would be the triplets." Jorden releases a snort and bends over in an attempt to control his laughter.

"Thank the Goddess you didn't have triplets. We can barely handle Faolan let alone another two of him." I laugh at well trying to imagine us running around with three crazy toddlers. "You wouldn't have made it." I begin to laugh so hard tears leak from the corner of my eyes. Jorden follows suit and soon the room is filled with the sound of laughter as we struggle to regain our breath.

Just as we begin to breathe normally again, Jorden hurls one final joke that has us launching into another fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Cole might be the most phenomenal guy I know, but he wasn't that good, he couldn't make three in one shot." Throwing a pillow at Jorden I crumble further as he falls right off the edge of the bed.

Not only fifteen minutes later we are both laid out on the bed, quiet as we begin to settle down for the night. Jorden's crippled hand is cradled to my chest as I massage his joints gently in an attempt to lessen some of his constant pain. Surprisingly, throughout the years we have spent playing house and building our lives around each other, we have never talked about those few nights down in that cell where Jorden was on the brink of death.

"How do you fight on?" I question him quietly causing him to open his eyes and turn his head to look at me. "How have you not struggled mentally with what happened that week? If you are, you should speak about it. Verbalize what happened, maybe it would help you. If you would like to talk it through, I am willing to be your ears."

Jorden swallows deeply before angling his head back up towards the ceiling. "I did talk it through." He mummers quietly. His words cause reassurance to sweep over me. "Great. Was it with Cole after it happened?" I question curiously. Jorden shakes his head and I see his fist ball up as if he is fighting off pain. "Your dad?" I question further. Once again Jorden shakes his head.

"Brooke." His words wash over me causing shock to settle in my gut. "Oh," I breathe deeply reminded that for the past few years, Jorden had shared a life with another girl. Much like we are laid right now, sharing a bed, Jorden had underwent this same experience with someone else who held his heart.

He closes his eyes, signaling to me that he is about to fall asleep. "Ok." I whisper dropping the conversation to lean over him to turn off his bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness where I follow him into the dreamland.

"Dani my love, I will see you soon." Cole... 

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