“Doubt?” I hear a tinge of fear in his voice.
“No way.” I kiss his cheek. “Just trying to be a responsible human.” I laugh.
“We are, don’t worry. Now watch the Yorkie about to hop over a pole, it will be great for your mental health.” He indicates with his head to the screen.
Connor groans as he reappears in the room with a bottle of juice. “Seriously, you two.”
He flops onto the sofa, and we all evaluate each other. “Get used to it, my little prince,” I inform him.
“Yeah, got the memo.” There is a subtle smile on our son’s face. “Yes, the frisbee competition is next.” He seems to be lost again in the television.
“All stakes are on this round. This spaniel is the youngest in the competition, and if he wins, then this underdog will beat the odds,”the commentator announces very seriously.
Examining Ford’s face, and he can’t keep it in. He loses it, laughing in hysterics. Then Connor follows, and the domino hits me.
We’re together, hanging out on a normal day, a family.
Completely content.
The way it was meant to be.
Completely unaware that sometimes life decides to throw you something unexpected at the wrong time more than once.
17
BRIELLE
Walking into my hotel room, I sigh through my frown.
I’m exhausted, disappointed, and my stomach has been turning since late this morning. After weeks of preparation, I feel like it all went out the window.
Dropping my purse on the desk in the room, I attempt to smile at the flowers that Ford had delivered while I was at day one of my Bar exam yesterday. The last few weeks, I’ve studied my ass off, and I felt ready. I was always going to stay in a hotel near the test location so I wouldn’t have to worry about the commute. Of course, Ford took that as his cue to upgrade my room to a suite in a fancy hotel.
The idea was that after I finished my last exam today, Ford would meet me here for a little celebration and an extra night just us in a hotel room. But I’m not in the mood to celebrate.
I’ve failed. I know I have.
Yesterday, I killed it and felt my answers were on point for every question that I had to write out. Today? It started with my stomach bothering me, before I struggled to focus. In the end, I just filled out the multiple-choice answers not to leave anything blank, but my head was half absent.
I run my fingers along the card tucked between the roses.
You’ve got this. I’m proud of you.
Love you, Ford.
P.S. Connor loves you too, but the flowers were my idea because I plan on doing a few things to you later ; )
The sound of a keycard swiping on the door alerts me that Ford must have arrived only a minute or so after me.
Looking up, I see him swing the door open, drop his bag, and offer me his arms wide. “There’s my lawyer.”
Something inside of me cracks, and I run to him as tears fill my eyes. I bury my face into his chest, and Ford freezes for only a second before his arms wrap around me, walking us back into the room. I hear him kick the door closed, and he tucks my head under his chin to instantly soothe me, with his hand stroking my hair, before he plants a soft kiss on the top of my head.
“Shh, what’s going on?” His voice is soft as I weep in his arms, with the sound of his heart under my ear.
“I failed,” I mumble against his shirt that now has tears making a mess of the fabric.
“No, you didn’t.”
