The Choice (29 page)

Taking in Chase’s features as we pull back onto the main road that will take us to our room, I feel
slightly anxious. The worrier in me is nervous about the discussion I know we’ll have to have. This arrangement I’ve made with Lucy is a life changing one, not just for me and JT, but for Chase as well.

As we pull in to a space at the hotel, I wait in the truck while he checks us in and gets our room key. Still lost in my thoughts, I follow him to our assigned room and walk in ahead of him,
turning to see him smiling at me.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, studying my features. “You’ve been really quiet since we left.” Holding the gaze of the man I love with my whole heart, I take a deep breath and watch him slowly stop in front of me.

“Chase,” I say softly, my voice wavering.

“
Yeah?” he says, tilting my head up to look at him. “What’s wrong, Baby?”

“We need to talk
.”

“I need to tell you something,” Sophie whispers, her voice still shaky.

“Tell me, Baby,” I say immediately, worried about what’s gotten her so anxious.

“When Luce took me in the kitchen, she asked me to sign a paper saying that if anything happened to her, I’d be JT’s guardian,” she explains.

“Yeah,” I say, waiting for the rest. I’d known as JT’s godmother, Sophie would become responsible for him in the event of Lucy’s death.

“Well,” she continues. “She had her lawyer add in the paperwork that if she returns to rehab, she’s signing her rights over to me immediately.”

“Wow. That’s pretty big, Babe,” I say as I rub her shoulders. “It was a responsible decision for her to make, though. I’m glad she thought of it. Maybe it will keep her motivated to stay sober?”

“No,” she shakes her head incessantly as the tears begin to fall freely now. “Baby, you don’t understand. She didn’t say if, she said when. She’s planning on this. She’s giving up. She’s giving him up, Chase.”

“Sophie,” I try, but she’s slowly falling apart in front of me.

“Chase, this is going to break his heart,” she
says softly, covering her mouth with her hand as gentle sobs rack through her chest. “He’s always going to wonder what he did wrong, why he wasn’t enough for her.”

“
Shh,” I whisper, pulling her over to the bed and onto my lap. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she straddles me, weeping into my shoulder. “Baby, it’s going to be okay.”

Holding her as tightly as I can, I do my best to try and calm her. I know the emotion running through her isn’t only for JT, but for her own childhood.

“How can she do this to him?” she asks, cementing my thoughts. “He’s never going to get over this, Chase.”

“Baby,” I say softly, brushing my hands down her golden strands. “If anyone can help him through this, it’s you.”

“No, I can’t!” she cries. “I’m not even strong enough to get through my own shit, Chase! How can I possibly help him?”

“Look at me,” I say, pulling away slightly.
As she rises from my chest, she’s still sobbing into her hands. “Baby,” I whisper, gently moving her hands from her face. “Look at me.”

Rubbing her face clean of tears, she tries her best to calm down. Cradling her face in my hands, I gently run my thumbs under her eyes. My heart breaks at the sadness her emerald orbs hold.

“Sophie, the way you love, Baby?” I start. “You do it with your whole heart, every single ounce of it. There’s no way that won’t be enough for him,” I say. “Will he have questions? Of course he will. Will he be angry? Hurt? Yes, there’s no question of that. The thing he has that will save him is you, Sophie.”

“
Chase,” she whimpers. “I don’t know if I can do it. What if I mess him up worse?”

“Not possible. You love him too much,” I say softly. “Lucy might be sick and we may not understand her sometimes, but she did the best thing she could by giving him you, Sophie. She knew when she made that choice he’d never want or need for anything. She knew you could help him get through it like nobody else and she knew you wouldn’t have to do it by yourself.”

“Thank you,” she says, choking back another sob. “I know I should have talked to you before I signed the papers, but I couldn’t not sign them, Chase.”

“
Baby, were you worried I’d be upset with you?” I ask, searching her eyes as I feel her shrug.

“It’s a big deal, Chase,” she starts. “Did I think you’d leave me over it? I didn’t real
ly think so, but I figured you would have liked to have been part of the whole decision making process.” 

“You didn’t really think so?” I say, shaking my head at her. “Sophie, when are you going to accept the fact that you’re stuck with me, Sweetheart? I’m not ever going to leave you. Never, Baby.”

“Chase-”

“Never,” I repeat. “There are exactly three things that would make me leave you and this isn’t one of them.”

“You have a list?” she asks, finally giving me a teary smile.

“Yes and I already know you wouldn’t do any of them,” I chuckle.

“Well, what are they?”

“Have an affair,” I start, loving when her face scrunches in disgust.

“Agreed,” she says immediately. “Next?”

“Try to kill me wi
thout being provoked,” I smirk.

“Agreed,” she rolls her eyes, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Next?”

“Do something horrible to one of our babies.”

“You’ve thought about having babies with me?”

“Hell yeah,” I say, honestly not expecting her surprised expression. “I can’t wait to have babies with you.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” I start, giving her a grin before tickling her neck with my scruff. “I would have already knocked your ass up months ago if I didn’t think you’re freak out on me.”

“I wouldn’t have freaked out,” she says, playfully smacking my chest.

“Cool! Ditch the pills then, Princess,” I tell her, laughing at her panicked reaction.

“Definitely not doing
that
yet,” she says before eyeing me suspiciously. “Are you one of those guys who gets off on pregnant chicks?”

“Nah,” I shake my head, smiling. “I’m one of those guys who gets off on you.”

“I love you,” she says, softly brushing her lips over mine.

“I love you, too, Baby.”

***

“I think Sophie and Chase are telling everyone they got engaged this weekend,” Analise says from her side of the car.

“I thought everyone knew already?” I ask as I change lanes
and get off at our exit.

“No,” she responds. “They haven’t told anyone in Camden yet. They’re waiting until after JT’s party.”

“Good thing you told me,” I laugh. “I probably would have let the cat out of the bag and not even known it.”

“Don’t worry,”
she snorts. “Sophie will let it out of the bag before anyone else does.”

Glancing over at her as we stop at the light, I watch as she scrolls through her phone.

“I love you,” I tell her, kissing the hand she’s resting on the console between us.

“I love you, too, Baby,” she smiles up at me.

Returning her attention to her phone, she lets out a frustrated huff before shaking her head and tossing it into her purse.

“What’s the matter?” I ask as I watch the light turn green.

“No signal,” she says. “I was supposed to call Sophie and tell her when we’d be there so we could meet them for breakfast, but I haven’t been able to. Can you try calling Chase?”

“Sure,” I tell her, using the hands free to dial my cousin.

He answers on the second ring, telling us they’ve already made it to the diner and are waiting for us.

Five minutes later, we’re pulling in next to his truck.

“Are you nervous?” I ask Analise as I see her starting to fidget.

“A little,” she admits and I’m not surprised. Today is the first time she’s seen Sophie since their fight. Although I knew things would be back to normal in no time, the experience was so foreign to them I could understand her unease.

“It’s going to be fine, Love,” I promise as I hold my hand out to help her from her side of my car. “Zip up, it’s cold,” I tell her. Immediately, she zips her open jacket up over her. “Kiss me,” I whisper against her lips, loving the way they slide over mine like silk. “Good girl,” I say, pulling away and taking her hand in mine before making our way to the entrance.

As they come into view in a booth on the other side of the restaurant, Ana’s hand squeezes
mine nervously. Pulling her closer to my side, I lean over and kiss her reassuringly on her cheek, smiling when I hear her let out a giggle.

When I turn back to face them, Sophie is already out of the booth and making a beeline towards us.

Immediately, she wraps her arms around Analise, pushing me out of the way and making me laugh.

“Don’t make it weird,” she whispers. “I love you, Banana,” she says, the nickname I’d never heard making
Analise smile widely.

“I love you, too,” she replies with a teary smile. “You haven’t called me that in forever, Soph.”

“I only pull out the Banana on special occasions,” she says, causing them both to laugh at their inside joke. “Come and sit with us.”

Hand in hand, I watch as they make their way over to the booth Chase is waiting at. He’s watching Sophie with that dopey look on his face, so I know he’s good.

“Hey man,” I smile at him as the girls slide into the side of the booth facing him.

“Hey,” he chuckles at them, standing to give me a quick, brotherly hug. “I guess you’re sitting over here with me.”

“Yeah, looks like it,” I agree in amusement as we watch the two of them holding hands, laughing at something we didn’t hear.

Chase and I discuss the upcoming bid in Houston for a moment while they catch up before the waiter makes his way over with their breakfast.

“Sorry,” he says. “We didn’t hear from you so we ordered.”

“It’s cool,” I say, waving him off before facing the waiter. “Hi, how are you?”

“Good, thank you,” he smiles. “Can I bring you anything?”

“Yes,” I nod. “We’ll both have coffee with milk. She’d like a small orange juice with a bagel with cream cheese, two scrambled eggs and a bowl of fruit. I’ll take a Denver omelet with an English muffin.”

“Yes, sir,” the waiter says, returning my smile.       

“Thank you,” I say, returning my attention to the ta
ble and joining in on the conversation concerning the day ahead of us.

Looking over at
Analise, I catch her staring at Sophie’s engagement ring for the third time this morning. I can’t help but notice when my heart skipping a beat.

***

“Hello, my Sweet Girl!” my Aunt Debbie smiles widely at me from the dining room table where she’s drinking a cup of coffee.

“Hi Aunt Debbie,” I say, returning her smile as I lean down to give her a lingering hug. “How are you doing? I miss you!”

“I miss you, too, Doll,” she says. “I’m going alright. How are you?”

“Good,” I smile. Watching her eyes wander over to Chase, she gives him a warm smile and returns his hug.

“Hey Handsome,” she greets him, causing us both to laugh when she pats his muscular arms and whistles.

“Hi,” Chase chuckles. “How are you?”

“I’m doing just fine, Honey,” she responds, pointing at the chairs across from hers. “You kids have a seat. Lucy will be right back. She’s back there getting
JT changed.”

“Do you want me to give y’all some privacy?” Chase offers. Before I can tell him no, my Aunt Debbie beats me to it.

“Did Sophie tell you what she’s signing?” she asks bluntly.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Then you sit your handsome behind down in that seat,” she orders, making us laugh. “Just because you’re not signing anything doesn’t mean this doesn’t concern you, too,” she explains. “Especially now that you’ve put an iceberg on my favorite niece’s finger,” she winks, smiling at my guilty expression. “Thought you’d sneak that by me, didn’t you? Not a chance, Sophia. That thing could take out the Titanic!”

“We were going to tell everyone tomorrow,” I explain with a giggle.

“Well, your secret’s safe with me,” she says, flashing us another wink. “I’m real happy for you both.”

“Thank you,” Chase and I say at the same time, both of us beaming.

Once Lucy joins us, we go back over the paperwork a second time making sure everything is signed properly. As Lucy and I complete the final signatures, I feel Chase’s hand squeeze my thigh reassuringly. After Aunt Debbie completes her role as notary, she hands us each our copies and the sound of deep exhales from the four of us it the only sound to be heard. In the silence, however, the air is thick with the anxiety of the choice we’ve all just made. It’s not been said aloud, but the expressions surrounding us are all the same. They all scream the three words we’re all afraid to speak.

Now we wait.
..