Chapter Three: Settling In
For now everything was going fine. Emily kept Jackson for me while I patrolled and worked, she even watched him a little longer the third time she watched him so I could to Port Angeles and buy Jackson a car seat so the next time I could take him with me and he could pick out the stuff that'll be needed for his room. This week's patrol was hell, filled with questions that I didn't know the answers to or didn't want to answer. Patrol with Jake was the hardest, the accusation of cheating on his sister and asking what I was thinking.
When I got back to the house with Jackson or Jack as everyone had started to call him, we would work on cleaning out the spare room. He now had the old air mattress that was used when I had friends over when I was younger and his own space. I had called my mother and told her about Jackson. She had yelled at me for being so irresponsible, but turned the conversation to wanting to meet him and that she would call later to make plans to come down.
Rachel came by most nights to make and eat dinner with us. I insisted that I was capable of making a meal, but she brushed me off. Jackson loved that she was over so much; he always greeted her with a hug and a big smile. She kept telling me that Jackson needed a real bed and dresser, I agreed. The little guy was a trooper; he never complained that he didn't have an actual bed or a place his toys. When Rachel was over one night we had talked of going this Saturday to Port Angeles to buy him the things that he needed, he watched as Rachel and I talked patiently before speaking.
"Wachel? Would you go with me and daddy shopping?" He asked. Rachel smiled and happily agreed. Jackson nodded and smiled big, going back to eating his food. I smiled as that Rachel was happy with being asked to go. It sucked that I didn't get to spend as much time with my imprint as I used to. We didn't get to go out like we used to and that was another adjustment.
I was heading to the Black's now. Jack was in the back seat with some truck toy making noise as I drove. I pulled in as Jake came out of his garage. Things between us had been rocky, but we had smoothed it over when I explained everything. I put the truck in park and got Jack out of the back, setting him on the ground as Jake started to walk toward us. Jack waved when he saw Jake and Jake waved back with a grin.
"Hey Paul. Hey Jack." Jake said squatting down while holding out his hand for a high five. Jack enthusiastically high fived Jake's hand with a big grin. Jake pulled his hand back and shook it out like it hurt from the hit causing Jack to laugh satisfied.
"It weird seeing you as a parent, Mr. Macho." Jake teased and I smacked him on the shoulder.
"Leave my baby brother alone, Paul." Rachel called as she came out of the house.
"Hey!" Jake called indignant from being called a baby while I smirked.
"Wachel!" Jack yelled, running over to Rachel and giving her a big hug around her legs.
"Hey little guy. You ready to go shopping?" She asked brightly. Jack nodded excited and wiggled to be set down. Billy rolled himself out of the house.
"Morning Paul." Billy said and nodded to me.
"Morning chief." I said and nodded back.
"Now who would you be?" Billy asked as he looked at Jack standing next to Rachel. Jack slid behind Rachel's leg.
"Jackson." He replied shyly.
"Don't let him fool you. The shyness is a front." I smirked and Jake cracked up. Billy chuckled.
"Of course it is. He's your son." Billy joked. I shrugged and nodded.
"Do you know who I am?" Billy asked, turning back to Jack.
"Wachel and Jake daddy?" Jack asked and Billy smiled. He nodded; you make sure your dad treats her right, okay?" Billy asked. Jackson nodded somberly and gave Billy a small salute that had everyone cracking up.
"Well if we want to get anything done today we better get going." I said to get us moving toward the truck.
"We're gonna get me a new bed!" Jack exclaimed to Jake and Billy. They cracked up as he ran back to the truck. I shook my head and buckled Jack in while Rachel climbed into the passenger's door. We waved as we pulled out.
We pulled into a department store in Port Angeles. We started with the beds and sheets. His bed was a twin wrought iron frame. Jack picked out a navy blue quilt with dinosaur sheets and pillow cases. Next we went and got a set of black plastic bed tables and a dinosaur lamp shade. We also got a set of navy blue drapes for the window. My mother said she was going to bring down my old dresser, toy chest and lamp when she came down next week. Rachel insisted that we go look at paint so that the walls weren't white and boring. She and Jack decided on a medium shade of blue for the walls. I grabbed a can of quick dry paint in the color and we headed home.
I deflated the air mattress and took Jack's thing to put in my room till my got Jack's room set up. Rachel and Jack spread out the sheets on the floor to prevent the paint from making a mess. Then Rachel and I taped the edges of the molding and windows. Emily and Sam came over with Levi came over as we finished taping. Emily took the boys to the beach while Sam stayed and helped us paint.
Sam and I did the high parts of the way while Rachel did the lower part near the floor. While the paint dried Sam, Rachel and I went to work setting up all the things that needed put together. The paint needed at least three hours to dry so we set everything in the center of the room to wait. Emily came back and the boys sat and watched cartoons on the TV while Emily set to work in my kitchen to make dinner. When everything was set up Emily called us to eat.
By the time Sam, Emily and Levi left the paint was dry and Rachel told Jackson where everything should go so that there would be room for everything and so there would be extra space for Jackson to play on the floor. The bed was under the window with the bedside tables in either side. The dresser would go at the foot of his bed and the toy chest would go next to the closet. Rachel put the quilt and sheets washing machine and I assembled the bars that hold up the drapes and hung them. Rachel pulled them back so they didn't obscure the window. It was about eight when I helped Rachel finish putting the sheets and quilt on the bed. Rachel stepped back and took a picture.
"What are you doing?" I asked when she out her phone back in her pocket.
"A before and after picture." She said with a shrug and showed the pictures to me.
"Holy shit." I mumbled looking at the difference.
"We did well. Thanks for your help babe." I said, wrapping my arms around Rachel's waist and started kissing up her neck.
"Oh no, you don't. I have to go home tonight. Besides your son is down stairs." She said and swatted me away. I sighed and gave a final kiss to her lips before backing off. Rachel stayed a few more minutes before Rachel left and it was time for Jack to go to bed, but I had to talk to him about my mother. Jackson's birthday is next week while my mother's here and she is about bouncing off the wall with excitement to meet her grandson.
"Hey bud?" I said as I sat down on the couch next to him.
"It's not bedtime yet." Jack asked as he looked at me confused with a little pout.
"No, but I need to talk to you." I said and turned off the TV. He tilted his head to the side and blinked.
"Your grandmother is coming to meet you next week for your birthday." I said and Jack seemed to become even more confused.
"What a grandmother?" This surprised me. He didn't know what a grandmother was. Oh boy. Then I remembered what Miranda had said. Her parents had died two years ago, that means Jackson was maybe one year old and would have no memory of his grandparents.
"You know how I'm your dad?" I asked and he still seemed a little confused.
"Well I have a mommy and daddy, too." I said; he tilted his head to the side.
"My mommy is your grandmother." I said.
"She is your mommy? Why she not here?" Jackson asked.
"Because when people grow up they don't live with their mommies and daddies." Jackson still looked confused.
"Grandmothers and grandfathers are like older mommies and daddies that you don't see as often." This was the simplest way I could think to explain it to him. Jackson nodded.
"I think I like it how it is." Jackson said. I laughed at the statement.
"Give it some time, it'll make sense eventually." I said.
"Okay daddy." Jackson said. My breath caught in my throat. Jack has never called me dad before. He usually wanted for me to look at him or would poke me to get my attention. I smiled creeped onto my face. This was a great feeling.
A/N: In this story Breaking Dawn didn't happen, no alpha Jacob, two packs, no imprint. Just in case a situation comes up.
~Miss. E. Thompson