Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Johnny.” Matthew calls my name.
“Johnny, fuck, man you there?” he says again. My phone slips out of my hand, and I drop to my knees, looking at the little boy who knows my name, yet I’m clueless as to who he is. Obviously, Sebastian is Melanie’s, and I’m left with even more questions than before.
“Hey, Luke, it’s Winnie. Johnny’s here. He called because my nephew took a bad fall from the jungle gym and is complaining of back pain.” She’s soothing her nephew while helping me with Luke. I really need to pull my shit together.
“Do you need me to head that way?” I hear Luke ask. She puts my phone to her shoulder and starts using her hands to go over every inch of Sebastian’s body, asking if this or that hurts.
“I think we’re good. I’m going to sit him up and go from there,” she responds.
“Alright, I’ll have my phone on me. Tell Johnny to drop a line. Him going silent is saying a lot.”
“You look like Abuelo,” Sebastian states, better than he was when he first feel.
“I’m going to let you go now.” Winnie drops the phone, hits the end button, and hands it back to me.
“Is he okay?” I ask. I’m going to get my answers when there aren’t little ears to hear everything. I’ve been around Briar enough to know when and how to keep my mouth shut, especially when it comes to certain words. Kennedy will not have a child who has a nasty mouth even though she’s been known to use said word before. If anyone says it around Briar when she’s around, we’re all getting the mom look.
“I think so. Nothing is broken, and he’s able to move his arms and legs just fine,” I’m told as Winnie looks at Sebastian. “What do you say, bud, are you feeling better?”
“Yeah, I tink so. Can I have snack now?” I let out a laugh as the uneasiness slowly dissipates from my stomach. No longer is there a rock lodged in my throat, either.
“Yes, you may have a snack.” I hold my hand out to Sebastian, offering to help him up.
“I big boy.” He shakes his head, sits up, and then uses his hands to lift the rest of his body up.
“Yeah, you are. How old are you?” I ask. My hand settles at Winnie’s lower back once we’re all on our feet. Her gaze goes from Sebastian to me, and a nervous look takes over her face.
“I almost four.” He shows me with his fingers, holding each one up at a time.
“Wow, you are a big boy.” I do the math in my head. Clearly, this is Melanie’s boy, and I know genes work in mysterious ways. Winnie’s sister had more strawberry-blonde hair, skin that wasn’t near the same tone as her sister’s, different color eyes, and Melanie never smiled.
“Auntie Winnie says I her baby.” He puffs up his bottom lip in a pout and crosses his arms over his little boy chest, stopping us in our short walk back to the bench.
“Well, you are, even when you’re bigger than me,” she tells him, tousling his hair, “Which won’t take long at the rate you’re growing.”
“I remember mi madre complaining all too well about the growth spurts I’d go through. I’d eat her out of house and home, and the next day, my clothes would be two sizes too small.” I’m trying to keep things light when all I really want to do is wrap my arms around Winnie, let her tell me exactly what is going on, and allow her to fall apart so I can put her back to-fucking-gether again.
“Your mom activated the whole family. I never stood a chance. I’d apologize, except I needed her, and I promise you we’ll talk more when he’s down for a nap.” Winnie goes to the bag on the bench, riffles through a few things until she finds what she’s looking for.
“I no nap. I big boy,” he says again. I’m guessing this happens quite often.
“Yeah, yeah. Apple sauce, veggie sticks, or crackers?” She holds out all three options, a pouch thing that you can twist the top off, cut vegetables consisting of carrots and celery, which what kid would eat that without a pound of some type of condiment, and then the crackers that have absolutely no flavor added to them.
“Apple sauce and veggies,” Sebastian tells her.
“Alright, we need to find some shade, though.” Watching my wife in mom mode is completely different than when it’s only the two of you.
“There’s a pavilion over there, or we can sit in my car with the air conditioning on.” Sweat is dripping down my back, and the sun is only getting hotter.
“Yes, yes, yes. Your car.” Sebastian jumps up and down, both fists full of snacks.