Getting to Know You // Braddison

FortyOne.

~ addison pov

"Hey love, are you free to talk for a bit?" I heard my mom say as she walked into my room. I nodded as I held Jacob in my arms who had just fallen asleep for a nap after playing at the park all afternoon. I laid him down in his room before walking back towards my mom. We both sat on my bed to talk, something which we weren't able to do too often due to our busy schedules.

"Before talking, I just want to apologize for not being around as much these past few days. It has been so hectic, but I thank you as always for watching Jacob for me." She nodded, always telling me that it wasn't a bother but I felt bad leaving him with her. With everything going on though, I needed to take some days off to myself because I mentally wasn't okay. I had to process everything and be stable before having my son around.

"I just wanted to speak to you about Bryce.." she said, not surprising me at all. My mother didn't involve herself much in my love life, unless she felt like she needed to. She absolutely adored Bryce and felt like he was the best addition to my small family, but like any normal mother would be.. she was worried about the talk around Bryce lately.

Because we hadn't been able to speak much since his return, I didn't have much answers for her. But I hoped our conversation tonight would clear up a lot of misconceptions. "I don't know what to think about everything.. I love him so much, and that I know for sure. But we haven't spoken about that video going around.. and last night, we were fine.. so I want to say it was fake. He didn't have that need to defend himself like he was guilty of anything."

I felt like I was in a daze last night. I had fought to get Bryce back and I didn't want to ruin the moment. We needed last night, but we couldn't live in a fantasy any longer, things weren't okay between us.. and we had to be open. about everything. I knew I had a lot to say as well, I couldn't put the blame all on him.

"In regards to the arrest.. um, we haven't spoken about that either." I said it like I was embarrassed of him. Which I wasn't, but speaking about it with my mother was a bit weird. I didn't want her views of him to change, but I could understand if she now saw him in a negative light. But this didn't define Bryce, he was so much more than this mistake.

"With everything going on, I just want you to make the best decision for yourself. You are a mother and you can't only think about yourself now. And if he is going to be in Jacob's life, he also needs to think about him as well. If Bryce is going to be that father figure to him, he needs to be a better influence. You guys are young and mistakes will happen, it is understandable but you need to have that important conversation of how you two grow from here and work towards being better versions of yourselves." My mother was always honest with me, and I loved that about her. Her words were truthful even if they did hurt. I did have to demand more from Bryce, not only for myself but for Jacob. I didn't want to judge him on this, but he couldn't be having slip-ups like this.

"I love him and I do want him in my life. I want to make this work and I think we can." I said, my mother pulling me into a hug. She told me how happy she was for me about finding someone. She was always my biggest supporter in life and I knew she was always in pain seeing me with Keith with everything he put me through. But things were different with Bryce, he loved me and treated me right. These obstacles were ones we could work through, I wanted to be by his side and grow together.

"Okay I love you and I will let you go. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She said sweetly, giving me one last hug before heading out. I smiled as I was so thankful for her. But I knew I should've brought up my chance of pregnancy. I sighed, hating that I was hiding this from everyone. The only person who was aware of it was still only Mads, but tonight I would have to tell Bryce.