“Okay, Daddy.” That earned me a triumphant smile that warmed my heart even in this sticky situation. “He was hurt and needs his own space right now. So we are going to be close but we're also going to give him space so he can heal.”
He cocked his head, a thoughtful look crossing his adorable face, and then asked, “Can I see his owies?”
My teeth sunk into my lip as I tried to figure out how to explain that the healing I was talking about was mental, not physical. Suddenly, voices drifted up the stairs just as I heard the front door shut—a welcome distraction for me right then.
“Come here, boy, let me see you,” Gramps said. His voice, which was always so strong and full of wisdom, shook a bit with emotion, and tears pricked my eyes.
“Hey, Gramps,” Jett said in a deep, clearly emotional tone.
And everything I was about to say, needed to say, or wanted to say to my son was forgotten.
“Daddy!” He jumped off the bed and was running before I could stop him.
Hot on his heels, I raced out of my room to follow but slammed on the brakes at the bottom of the stairs as I took in the scene that unfolded, not leaving a dry eye in the room.
Griffin screamed, “Daddy!” as he launched himself at Jett,with no doubt in his mind that the man he adored would catch him.
And he did.
“Hey, Champ. I missed you,” Jett said, hugging Griffin to his chest.
An audible gasp echoed through the room as I sucked in a sharp intake of air. Jett looked over my son’s shoulder at the sound, his crystal blue eyes brightening with happiness—something that had been non-existent just days before—as he held my baby boy.
Of course, I knew he wasn’t a baby anymore at five—he always reminded me of that too—but to me, he always would be. Probably even when he was a grown man himself.
I watched as Jett closed his eyes, soaking in the moment, before he opened them, his gaze locking back on mine. A small smile tipped his lips, and those heart-stopping dimples made a quick appearance. I was lost in the depth of his stare for a second before the connection was broken as my son began peppering him with questions.
Jett sat down in one of the chairs with Griffin on his lap and tried to answer everything being thrown at him. We all moved into the nearby room, watching the exchange. Autumn, wanting to be with her big brother Jett, climbed onto his lap as well, though she let my child do all the talking.
Well, “let” is a strong statement. She wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgewise even if she wanted to.
While Tristan normally liked to do what the big kids did, he could also be shy at times, and he clung to Lyric.
Question after question was shot Jett’s way until Griff finally began to wind down. But not before he landed a blow to not only my heart, but I was sure to Jett’s and everyone else’s as well.
“Daddy, I knew you would come home. I wish we could live together again, but Mommy splained it all to me.”
With the intensity of the moment and how cute it was at times the way a few words came out, I didn’t correct the way he said, explained.
Then in one of his signature moves, when he really wanted you to listen and showing the amazing empathy he possessed at such a young age, Griffin placed both his tiny hands on Jett’s cheeks and leaned in closer.
“You have to heal the broken stuff first. Not just the owies, but so you’re not sad anymore.” I heard people's reactions, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my guys. “Then we can all be together again.”
My son may not fully understand, and I didn’t get a chance to explain it to him before he rushed from the room, but somehow, he’d caught on to the sorrow that Jett was feeling.
Jett’s large hand patted Griffin’s back as a tear streaked down his cheek. The fact that he didn’t hide from those emotions just made him more remarkable in my eyes.
He didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. I knew he didn’t know what to believe or think right now, but he did say the sweetest thing.
“I will always be with you and here for you, Champ.”
Griffin smiled. “I know.”
Autumn leaned closer. “I don’t want you to be sad either,” she whispered.
“Come here, sissy.” Jett pulled the little girl to one side, as he dragged Griffin into his other. And the three of them shared a beautiful moment together.
I was in uncharted territory.
