No Shame (Book 2 - No Regrets)

Chapter Twenty-Five - War Beginning

DOMINICK'S POV

Tyde and I spread out the quilt on the ground. We weigh the sides down with the cooler, Tyde's purse, and one of my college textbooks. Mollie skips over to where Aria is knelt by the headstone. Aria smiles as she helps Mollie down in a kneeling position on the grass. Together, the two place their hands together and bow their heads. I help Tyde prepare the sandwiches for today's lunch.

Tyde excuses herself to go out to the car. I stay and finish setting out the chips, bowl of potato salad, and snack-cookies. Tyde returns holding a white plastic bag. She sets the bag down and pulls  a small store-bought variety cake, she sets out candles and a lighter next to the plastic package. She gives me a small smile, "Birthdays only come once a year after all." I place my hand on top of hers, "Thank you." I say.

"Dominick," Aria calls out from by the grave. "you can come over and talk to her now." She says rising up. She helps Mollie to her feet and gently dusts the dirt and blades of grass and from Mollie's knees.

  Tyde places her hand on top of mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I kiss her cheek in silent grattitude as I stand up. "Best not keep her waiting, she never was very patient." I say. I grab the bouquet of flowers we brought with us.

"Oh I know just what you mean." Tyde says with a smile as she looks over at Mollie.

"Cake!" Mollie exclaims when she eyes the cake, she lets go of Aria's hand and excitedly begins to run over. Aria shakes her head with amusement as she watches Mollie throw herself into Tyde's arms. "Mommy, can I have cake?" She asks.

"After you eat your lunch." Tyde says, cradling Mollie in her arms. Tyde kisses the top of Mollie's head.

I walk over and sit in front of Nikki's grave. No fancy kneeling or bowing of my head. "Now that you're no longer a teenager, I guess I should start calling you Niccole." The tease would have earned me a sharp jab to the side with an elbow or an icy-unamused glare. I look back toward the pinic, Mollie sits on Aria's lap as Aria takes a big bite of her sandwich. "They're good. Both of them. I'm looking after them." I look back at her grave, I replace the wilting flowers with the new bouquet. "Happy Birthday, Nikki." I say and then I mouth the last three words. I get up to join my family in eating our lunch.

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TWO YEARS AGO: JULY 2015

"Oh no crying, Buggie." I soothe as I carefully set Mollie in her car seat. She cries and lets the pacifier drop out of her mouth. Her face scrunchs up in anger as I buckle her in. "Here take Pine." I say setting the stuffed animal on her lap.

I give her a kiss on the forehead before turning my attention to the diaper bag on the floor behind the front passenger seat. I mentally run though the list of items to have packed as I do a quick fifth-check through. Baby formula and snacks, check. Diapers and baby wipes, check. Extra diapers and extra baby wipes, check. Change of clothes and extra change of clothes, check and check. A mini-toy box of toys, check. Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses, double check. Once I am assured the diaper bag is well-packed, I move on to check the first-aid kit. The first-aid kit is well-stocked with Band-Aids, bandage wrap, rubbing alcohol wipes, bottles of distilled water, and every cream from lotion to numbing ointment.

Mollie angrily launches Pine from the car seat, I retrieve him from where he landed near the front and return him to Mollie's side. "You'll be happy once we get moving." I say to her as I close the back car door.

I walk around the car and get in on the driver side. I turn the key in the ignition, the car comes alive as a cheerful voice sings a nursey-rhyme. I start the CD back to the beginning, "Daddy's getting your favorite song." I say loud enough to be heard over the music and her crying.