Page 29 of The Biggest Secret
Crash.
“Uh oh, Momma.”
And there’s the flow.
Sighing I walk into the kitchen and see the juice spilled on the floor along with the cup Dom was trying to fill. “Baby, you need to ask me to help you if you need something.”
“I sorry, Momma.” He looks at me with big eyes. I dry his hands with a paper towel and scoot him out of the kitchen so I can clean up.
“Go sit with Aunt Addy, I’ll bring you juice in another cup.” I hear the front door open and shut, hushed voices and then footsteps. Heavy footsteps. My heart speeds up because I remember those steps. A construction boot appears in my view and then his face as he bends down to help me wipe up the remaining juice on the floor.
His electric blue eyes pierce me and my breath catches. Does he know how much he still affects me?
“I think there are cleaning wipes under the sink, otherwise you’re going to have a sticky mess here.” He grabs the soaked rag from me and tosses it into the sink, while I reach underneath, grab the wipes and swipe the floor quickly.
Standing, I try to avoid looking at him until I can get my heart under wraps. This is the first time I’ve seen him since our heated discussion, and I’m unsure why he’s here and what he wants to say next.
Just as I start to ask, Dom comes running back in.
“Momma, I thirsty!”
Smiling, I hand him the cup I just refilled with what didn’t spill from the bottle. “Here ya go, baby.” He takes the cup and then looks up at Adam.
“Hi,” he says softly.
Adam tenses but has a soft look on his face. He bends down, all six foot three inches of him, to appear smaller.
“Hey pal.”
“Juice,” Dom says, shoving his sippy cup into Adam's face.
He takes the cup and acts like he’s going to drink it but Dom shrieks out, “Dats mine!”
“Oh, sorry bud, I thought that was my cup.”
“Silly,” he replies but lingers a moment longer studying him. Can he see the resemblance? Then he squeals and runs from the kitchen.
Adam stands to his full height watching Dom as he leaves the room, staring for a long moment.
I take him in, I can see the longing on his face, wanting to follow his son. Wanting to just touch him, hold him.
“How do we tell him?”
My heart clenches and I know exactly what he’s asking. “I think we just tell him in simple terms.” I swallow down the emotion that’s rising again. “You and him need to spend time together. He won’t understand logistics, but he will understand once he starts seeing you often. He absorbs a lot even if he doesn’t have much of a vocabulary.”
He nods, it’s small but I see it. Dom comes skidding back into the kitchen again, shooting his empty cup into the sink like it’s a basketball.
“Hey! Easy on the house!” I half heartedly chastise him.
He turns to Adam. “You hoop?”
“He means do you play basketball?”
Adam smirks at my simple explanation then turns back to Dom with awe. “No, pal, I played football.” His eyes flick to me, then back to our son. “Would you like to learn?”
Dom nods with eagerness and then throws his arms up signaling for Adam to pick him up. He does with ease, and my heart squeezes tight in my chest at the sight of them. Two blond hair blue-eyed studs; two peas in a pod.
“I’ll teach you.” He glances at me again. “Don’t let Jackson near him, I get first dibs.” He gives me that smirk I fell in love with years ago, and it makes me happy to see him smile.
