Jacob,
My sweet baby boy, I love you so much! I wish I could be there with you this Christmas and every other day, but that’s not possible. At least, it’s not possible for you to see me, but I promise you, I’m with you wherever you go.
“Except for the bathroom,” Jacob giggles, causing the room to burst into laughter. Maybe we’re the ones making this harder than it has to be.
“Yes, except for then.” I kiss him on the forehead before continuing.
I hope you aren’t too mad at me for leaving you. Miss Melanie promised me she would help talk to you so you would know that I didn’t want to leave. I wish I could have lived forever so I could see you grow up. I’m sure you’re already huge compared to the last time I held you in my arms.
Whenever you miss me, remember that you can talk to Blaze and I will hear you. And if you miss me at Christmas, look to the top of the tree because that’s where I will be.
You were the best thing that ever happened to me. I will love you forever and ever, no matter where I am.
Love,
Mommy
I wipe the tears from my eyes and see everyone else doing the same. Jacob’s body sinks against my chest. He’s not crying, but he’s also not saying anything. “Buddy, are you okay?”
“Yeah, kinda.” He turns to look at me, his face very serious. “Do you think my angel mommy is happy that I have you as my every day mommy?”
Before I can say anything, Xavier joins us on the floor. “Jacob, I think that if your mommy could have picked anyone to love us the same way she did, it would have been Melanie. In a way, she kind of did, but that’s a story for when you’re a lot older.”
I slap him, wishing he could have left well enough alone. I know that now I’m going to be peppered with questions until I figure out a way to explain the situation to a five-year-old.
“Well, I’m glad she picked Mama Melly to love us,” he says, wrapping his an arm around each of our necks.
I have no clue how long we sat on the floor like this, but when I look up, I see headlights backing out of the driveway and the house is empty.
“Here, let’s put her where she belongs,” I say, taking the angel from Jacob and handing it to Xavier. I hold Jacob in my arms as Xavier climbs the ladder. We watch as Xavier carefully places the angel on the top of the tree. And just like Alyssa did last year with the star, I spend a moment telling him to move it this way and that, making sure the angel is perfectly straight in her place.
“She’s beautiful.” Jacob sighs, wrapping his arms tighter around my neck. “She even looks like my mommy a little bit.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that Alyssa hunted to find this exact angel, with shorter dark hair and green eyes. It’s not the Victorian style angels that flood the shelves at the holidays, this one is a bit more contemporary and edgy, just like the woman she symbolizes.
I carry Jacob to the couch and lean against Xavier when he sits next to me. The three of us sit in the dark, the only light coming from the glow of the fireplace. I look up to the angel watching over us as the guys fall asleep, thankful that she’s trusted me with these two amazing men.
A Note From Sloan
Thank you for taking the time to read Fragile Bonds! If you enjoyed it, I would love it if you could help spread the word by reviewing it on the site where you purchased the book. If you purchased on Amazon, it is lending enabled so you can share it with a friend.
If you do leave a review, I would love to hear your thoughts! You can reach me at [email protected].
Links to my other titles:
Isthmus Alliance Series
Unexpected Angel
Unexpected Protector
Unexpected Consequences
Truth or Dare #1
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About the Author
Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s body. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.
When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.