Baby, I Think I Love You

“Oh, hey. Sorry, Eddy. I didn’t mean to startle you,” I apologized, embracing my daughter as she hugged the living hell out of me.

“It’s no big deal. I just expected you to be at home with Jasper, not here with Nate and Quinn.” There was a hidden question in his less-than-innocent comment.

“He had a court case. He’s been really busy lately, but it’s so he can buy Monique and Avery some presents,” I told him. Jasper loves being with the kids and me, but he just has work. That was it. Surely.

“But it’s Saturday. He should spend at least the weekends with you.” A snarl slipped into his voice, but it was probably totally unintentional. I did my best to ignore it.

“I think that’s my business and not yours,” I warned. He shrugged. “So how about you? What young lady is hopelessly wrapped around your fingers?”

“Oh, I’m still not dating. I’m focusing on being a good father. Right now Avery has just perfected his piano-playing. I’m thinking we’ll try the saxophone next.” Edwin smiled down at his son, who in turn grinned back up at him. It was just adorable.

“Mommy, I’m really good. Daddy’s so smart,” Avery told me happily. Edwin tousled his hair and Avery laughed, swatting his hand away, working hard to fix it. He had his daddy’s perfect, musical laugh. It could surely out-sing a piano’s keys any day.

“I know he is, honey, but daddy can also be a big idiot,” I teased, smiling as Edwin smirked.

“He is not!” Avery argued, making a face. “Dad’s the smartest man out there! He’s way smarter than Jasper! And he’s way nicer, too!” Now that caught me off guard.

“Avery, what do you mean, sweetie?” I whispered, confused and hurt. Edwin shushed him, but I pulled them both inside. “Edwin, what are you telling him?” I hissed, tugging him into the kitchen so we could be alone.

“Jade, I swear I didn’t say a thing bad about him. I actually wanted to talk to you about this. Avery thinks that Jasper, well... He thinks Jasper is the Devil and is after his and your soul. That’s not normal kid talk!” Edwin jerked himself from me, a tormented look in his eyes.

I shook my head, collapsing in a chair at the small glass table in the center of the small kitchen.

“Jasper doesn’t do a thing to him. They hardly even see each other!” I told Edwin, barely able to find my voice in my disorientation.

“Jade...” he murmured, kneeling beside me and taking my hands gingerly. “He told me that he kept having these dreams. He said he was a baby in the hospital room. A girl was in the bed, in a coma. Jasper came in, punched me to the floor, and jerked you and him to his side. That wasn’t always the exact scenario, but there was a nice pattern going on. The people in the dream were always you, me, Jasper, him, and usually Quinn. I don’t know what to make of this other than he has repressed memories and an overactive imagination, or he just wants his dad to be able to protect Mommy again, like it used to be.”

“Eddy, what happened to our little boy and our baby girl? They’re falling apart!” I cried, sobbing uncontrollably. I just wanted my family to have a normal life, but that was obviously asking too much.

“Jade, sweetie, it’s not your fault. It’ll be okay, I promise,” he whispered softly, helping me up. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I cried onto his chest. “I would never lie to you, no matter what anyone else has to say about it. Never.”

And I believed him...