Page 118 of Timeless

“Already, I guess I’m up,” I said and dropped the hand towel on the kitchen island. “And Jack is going to be in a foul mood. So, I excuse his behavior,” I said to all of them but mainly wanting to say it to Jax.

I walked up the hall just as our doorbell rang.

Okay. This was going to go fine. I could do this. I could totally do this. My hand landed on the doorknob and I pulled my wooden front door open.

Immediately, Jack’s arms were wrapped around my waist. The motorcycles were pulling away, each one that left meant you could hear yourself think more. The man standing on my door step, the president by the patch on his chest, was waiting.

“Um, thank you,” I said to the man, who had driven hours and a full state to deliver Jack.

“King knows he is safe?” the man questioned me and then handed me Jack’s backpack.

“Yes, of course. Thank you so much,” I said with a nervous smile to a man who looked terrifying.

He nodded and headed back to his car. I was quick to close the front door.

“Mom, did you see how many motorcycles there were?” Jack jumped onto a stair and started taking his shoes off. “It was a full charter, Mom. I counted.”

“Jack, I need to talk to you.” I kept my voice steady but continued to watch him as he undid his shoelaces.

“That man’s name was Rat, Mom. Do you think that is a good biker name or a bad one?” Jack was so excited. So excited he couldn’t focus on undoing his shoelaces.

“Jack, I have to talk to you.” I lowered myself in front of him, as he sat on the stair.

“I need Will to Google Rat, see if we can get his records.”

“Well, Jack, his name won’t be Rat in the system.” For some reason, I decided to point out this fault in his plan. Maybe I should have picked out the fact that there was no longer a Will to look into Jack’s Rat interest.

“Mom.” His eyes flashed up from his shoes. “Are Uncle Cole and the rest still here?”

I knew the boys and Jax could hear every word that was being said right now.

“They are in the living room.” I helped him take off his shoes.

“Uncle Cole! I need your help!” Jack screamed out at the top of his lungs.

“Jack, do not scream inside!” I was nearly deaf in one ear now.

“But I need Uncle Cole to carry me to the living room.” Jack said, like that was the most obvious reason for him to be screaming for his uncle.

“Jack, you have legs and can walk.”

“My legs are achely.”

“Achely is not a word, Jack.” I stood up. “Come on, you can walk to the living room.”

“But my legs are achely!”

“Jack, that is not a word. Ache is a word but you can’t just make up the English Language.” And I was in mom mode.

“Uncle Cole!” he bellowed out again at the top of his lungs. “I can’t walk!”

And Jack ignored me. What a surprise.

“Cole, do not listen to him!” I yelled, just in case my brother did listen to Jack. “Jack, we have a guest and I need you to get up and walk to the living room.”

Jack groaned in disgust. “I told you, Mom! I told you over and over. I won’t play with Lucas! He licks all my toys!”

I smiled. “It’s not Lucas, Jack.”

---