Chapter Eleven

Kaden

 

Bringing Ashley to the graves where my wife and son were buried was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do aside from actually burying them. I feared what she would think or say, but she handled it with such grace. I shouldn’t have expected anything less from Ashley. What I didn’t expect was that she would fully understand the young love Gabby and I shared. And not only did she understand it, but she accepted it.

When she told me, she couldn’t marry me because she wanted to find that kind of love and that she wanted me to find it again, the image of me and Ashley popped into my head because I have already found that love, again. And she’s right, it’s not the same kind of love, but it’s just as meaningful. The only difference is, with Gabby I went in head first, while with Ashley, I have kept her at arm’s length.

I felt the ring burning a hole in my pocket, but knew no matter how understanding Ashley is, asking her to marry me for real at a cemetery is a no-no. I tried several times to tell her how I felt once we left, but she avoided me the rest of our time at my parents’ house. She put Tristan between us on the plane and slept the entire drive back home.

She left Sunday morning early with Tristan, leaving me a note saying she needed to buy him school supplies. I used the quiet time to get myself together. I need to make it clear to Ashley that I want more with her. I have lived so long with the guilt, blaming myself for my wife’s death, that I don’t even know what it feels like anymore to just focus on my own happiness. Speaking with Gabby’s family was a huge turning point. When they told me they wanted me to be happy, I felt like I was finally set free. Danielle is Gabby’s identical twin sister, part of why I had to move. I couldn’t handle seeing her around, the same face as my wife, but still living and breathing. Her telling me it’s ok to love again meant a lot to me.

“Kaden! Look what Auntie Hayley got me.” Tristan comes running into the house holding a backpack with the letters UFC sewn onto the back.

“That’s awesome!” Tristan runs back outside, so I follow him to see where he’s going. I walk outside to see Ashley’s hood popped open and the sweetest ass bent over the front of the car. She is in tiny white jean shorts and as she reaches onto her tippy toes to look farther inside, a bit of her ass cheeks peak out causing my dick to twitch.

“Ahem.” I make a noise in my throat, and she stands up, turning around to look at me. I’m not sure what happened but Ashley is covered in what looks like grease. She puts her hands on her hips, letting out a loud huff as she frowns.

“What happened?” I attempt to wipe some of the grease off her nose but it’s pointless, it just spreads worse leaving her looking cute as hell.

“I don’t know. The oil light came on, so I thought I would check the oil but I can’t find where it’s located.”

I chuckle at her obvious frustration. “Let me have a look.” I open the cap to the oil, pulling the dipstick out to check how much is in there, and see it’s extremely low, which makes sense since it all seems to be on my driveway.

“You definitely need more oil. When was the last time you got an oil change?”

Her nose scrunches up in confusion. “I’m not sure. One time I needed a new tire and they were running some special on oil changes, so I got it done… Maybe like a year ago?”

I break out in laughter at that. I mean, it’s not funny but it really is. “Ash, you are supposed to get your oil changed like every three to six thousand miles.”

Her face grows even more confused. “Really? I read once it said recommended, but I didn’t know it was actually required.”

I laugh even harder, shaking my head at how clueless she is. “Why don’t you bring it by my mechanic this week? I will let him know you are coming by. He can do a tune-up, oil change, and make sure everything is running ok.”

She shrugs her shoulders. “Ok, but I’m paying for it myself.”

“Whatever you say.” I will be calling him ahead of time to make sure he charges the services she gets done to my card.

When we get inside, Tristan is in the living room with school materials spread out all around him. Pens, pencils, notebooks, crayons, markers, it looks like my living room shit out the Target back-to-school section.

“Damn, kid. You got enough stuff there? I hope you plan to get straight A’s with all those school supplies.”

He just laughs while filling his backpack.

“I guess I went a little overboard,” Ashley says sounding nervous. “I’ve never been able to buy him everything he needed. I promise I am going to pay you back the money you gave to Giovanni. I have already figured out a budget and payment plan. Now that I bought him his school supplies, I am going to focus on saving for a place for us and the money to pay you back.”

“Hey, stop. I don’t give a shit about what you bought him or about you paying me back. Did you get everything he needs?”

“Yeah, he’s fine,” she says quickly.

“Mom, you said you would buy me clothes and shoes once you get paid. Don’t forget!”

“So, you didn’t get him everything he needs?”

“He has his clothes from last year. They will be fine until I get paid.”

I remember when I was in school and every kid would show up to school on the first day sporting new threads. There’s no way I am letting Tristan go to school in last year’s clothes when I can help.

“Let’s go.”

“Go where?” Ashley asks.

“To the mall. We need to get Tristan clothes and shoes. Let’s go.”

“Kaden, I will handle it. He’s fine.”

“I know he’s fine but I want to do this. So please stop arguing and get your ass in the car, please. Tristan! Let’s go, Bud.”

The mall is fucking crazy! Everybody is doing last minute school shopping. Moms are yelling at their kids to try on clothes, kids are arguing they hate collared shirts. A dad is arguing with his daughter that the skirt is too short, while the daughter pouts. A little boy no older than Tristan is begging for two hundred dollar shoes because they are made by his favorite basketball player. It’s great!

After we pick up all the clothing necessities and Tristan picks out the shoes he wants (and no, they aren’t the two-hundred-dollar basketball shoes), we head to the food court to eat dinner where we run into Hayley and Liz.

“Oh, my god, is Kaden shopping at the mall willingly?” Liz and Hayley both laugh at Liz’s dumb joke.

“Don’t hate because I am here while your husbands are where exactly?” I look around dramatically.

“Very funny, but they actually are here. Thank you very much. They are getting our food with Bella and Marco. I made Caleb come to hold all the bags. I am freaking exhausted. I can’t believe I still have like two months to go.” Hayley rubs her round stomach.

“Bella showed him the new dress she wanted out of the Victoria Secret catalogue I left on the counter and he nearly blew a gasket, insisting he join us to ensure she doesn’t buy the dress.” Liz rolls her eyes. I laugh at the image of Bella showing him a piece of lingerie and him almost having a heart attack.

“Why did you get dragged here?” Hayley asks.

“He didn’t,” Ashley huffs. “He made us come here.”

I smile wide knowing I got my way. The looks on Tristan’s face when he got to pick out all the clothes he wanted was worth it. Ashley and Tristan are mine to take care of and once we get time to ourselves to talk, Ashley will understand it’s no longer her against the world. It’s now her and me against the world.

“Tristan, let’s go get food. Ash, pull a table over and we will join them for lunch.” I give her a quick kiss on her lips and walk away with Tristan before she can argue.