My chest swelled with pride and I glanced at Tate who had his hand over his mouth. I could see the emotion welling in his eyes as he watched our son.
“Are you sure you want to do that, buddy?” I said as I put my hand on Matty’s shoulder. “He’s your favorite, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but I don’t need him anymore.”
“You don’t?”
Matty shook his head and leaned against me as his gaze shifted to Tate. “We’re safe now, Papa. Daddy and me. So we don’t need him anymore. Right Daddy?”
Tate swallowed hard and nodded before he managed to say, “Right.”
Matty smiled brightly and then turned his attention back to Jamie. “Can he come play with me in my room?”
“Why don’t you ask him?” I suggested.
Matty straightened and again got close to Jamie. “Wanna come play in my room?”
I didn’t expect the little boy to actually respond, but he shocked all of us by nodding and then he put his hand out. Matty took it without hesitation and then got off the couch. Seth helped Jamie down and Matty began to lead him past Tristan, but Jamie tugged him to a stop and then handed the doll to Matty. We all watched in stunned silence as he tapped his sister’s leg. He waited until she finally turned her head to look at him. His little fingers began flying in a rapid succession of movements that lasted only a few seconds. Nicole sat up a little bit and then looked around. Her eyes lifted to Tristan before they shifted to Matty. She signed something back and then Jamie held out his hand. She took it and climbed off Tristan’s lap. Jamie reached for Matty’s hand with his free one and I watched my son lead his new friends to his bedroom, Bullet and Storm on their heels.
“Wow,” I heard Memphis say, but my eyes were on Seth because the second the kids were out of sight, his face fell and he covered his eyes with his hand. A harsh sob escaped his throat.
I put my arm around his shoulders. “Seth…”
“Sorry,” he said in a choked voice and I could tell he was struggling to keep it together. But I suspected that after everything that had happened, that was the last thing he needed.
“Don’t be sorry,” I whispered to him and then I pulled him against my chest. He instantly let out an agonized cry and began sobbing. I barely noticed when Memphis, Tristan and Brennan got up and left the room, presumably to give Seth some privacy. Tate satdown on Seth’s other side and put his hand on Seth’s back in a gesture of comfort.
Several long minutes passed before Seth calmed down and when he finally straightened, Tate handed him some tissues. “Thanks,” Seth murmured as he began wiping at his face. “I saw that gun this morning and thought it was real and she was pointing it at Ronan…” he began, shaking his head. “It all happened so fast and then she was on the ground and Ronan was doing CPR.”
Seth paused as he sucked in a deep breath. “At the hospital I thought Ronan was going to be arrested and then the aunt and uncle show up and said they were taking the kids…”
Fresh tears began to fall and Tate got some more tissues. “They’re safe now, Seth. Ronan too.”
“I thought I could give them up if I had to…”
“You won’t have to,” I interjected. “Those fuckers aren’t getting them back,” I insisted, even though it wasn’t something I was completely sure of.
Seth nodded and fell silent and I knew what he really needed was Ronan.
“Go call Ronan, Seth,” I urged. “You can use our bedroom for privacy.”
Seth looked at me and swiped at his eyes one last time. He began pulling out his phone when Matty appeared, Jamie and Nicole in tow. He stopped at Tate’s side.
“Daddy, Jamie and Nicole are hungry. Jamie likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but the red jelly, not the purple. Nicole wants bananas on her sandwich.”
All three of us were rendered momentarily speechless. Tate managed to recover first and he asked, “How do you know that’s what they want, buddy?”
“They said so.”
“They spoke to you?” Seth asked, trying to keep his voice calm and casual.
Matty nodded. “Nicole talks funny but Jamie said she said the word bananas.”
Tate and I exchanged glances and then he was quickly getting up. “Okay, I’ll make them right now.”
As soon as Tate had moved out of the way, Seth moved over so he was closer to Matty. “Matty, can you do me a favor?”
Matty nodded.
