Page 120 of Timeless

“No. He knows better.” I stood firm. I would drag him back down those stairs if I had to.

Jax was looking at me now, like I shouldn’t force the issue. I shook my head. I knew my son. I had brought him up. And how he just reacted was not okay.

I turned, ready to make Jack face his father. Just as I took a step, I heard his footsteps running down the stairs and then half a second later, he flashed past me.

I quickly turned around to see Jack stopping, and I couldn’t help but smile. He was standing just outside Jax’s personal circle. Jack knew all about personal circles. He would ask me when he was allowed to break a circle. And right now, he was doing what he was taught, he was standing just outside Jax’s circle and he was carrying a brown box.

I had no idea what was in that box. But I couldn’t help Jax right now.

I saw Jax take a deep breath. He was going to break the silence.

“Do you know who I am?” Jax’s voice didn’t even waver with nerves. Like always, his voice was calm and steady. But he wasn’t sure. He didn’t know if Jack knew who he was.

Jack nodded. I felt like a huge weight was lifted off me. Like I hadn’t failed Jax. Jack knew he was his father.

“I have stuff for you,” Jack said, his voice lower the normal.

Jax glanced at me but I had no idea what Jack had in that box. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Can I come into your circle?” Jack’s nerves were in his voice. He wasn’t sure what to do.

Jax looked up at me, having no idea what Jack was asking him. I opened my mouth.

“Amber taught him some weird circle shit.” Cole decided to badly explain what Jack meant and threw a dirty look my way.

“Yeah, Amber, why did you teach him that?” Tyler glanced at me.

“It is not weird circle shit and I’ll have you know it was mandatory for his preschool,” I informed my brothers and then looked at Jack, who was looking back at me, unsure what to do.

“Jack, explain to Jax what the circle is. He doesn’t know what you mean,” I said softly to Jack, giving him some encouragement.

Jack turned around, looking up at Jax “Everyone has an invisible circle around them and you don’t enter it unless you ask. Can I enter your circle now?”

Jax nodded, and I was sure I was getting a lecture later for making Jack stick by that rule.

“Mom stole your stuff.” Jack dropped the box in front of Jax, and then sat down. “Don’t worry though, I stole it back.”

Oh, my god. What the hell has he been taking? I wanted to groan. God knows what is in that box.

Jax lowered to his knees in front of him.

“Mom takes my stuff, too.” Jack tipped the box upside down on to the floor. He then went quiet. I knew what Jack was doing. He had a question for Jax but he wasn’t sure how to say it.

Jax’s eyes darted up off Jack and on to me. I put up a finger for him to be patient. Jack would speak. Jax looked back at him.

“Um, do you know who I am?” Jack tilted his head, waiting for Jax to answer him.

“Yes.” Jax didn’t really give the kid much more information. I wanted to whack Jax for that. Who gives a six-year-old a one-word answer, when they are clearly looking for more?

“Then can I—“ Jack looked over his shoulder at me. And then slowly turned back to Jax. “Mom said I was allowed to ask you questions. Can I ask you questions?”

“From what I’ve heard, you know everything about me.” Jax started to relax. “But as always, your mom is right. You can ask me anything.”

Okay, what questions did Jack have that I couldn’t answer? Suddenly, I felt nervous again.

“Why did you save Mom?” Jack placed his hands in his lap. “Mom did the wrong thing. When you do the wrong thing, you get punished. Why did you get punished instead?”

Well, Jack always knew Jax went to prison because of me. I guess he always knew about what was right and what was wrong. So, he knew Jax going to prison for me was not fair.

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