Hello my readers! I'm terribly sorry about the incredibly delayed update! I had a terrible combination of writer's block and a hectic work schedule -_-. I will be updating most of my stories between tonight and tomorrow since I will have the day to myself. Just a heads up, this chapter takes place about a week after Charlotte was born. I hope I didn't disappoint and you all enjoy chapter 35!
Every nerve in Jax's body ignited with nervousness as he approached the closed hospital room door. His blue eyes looked through the small window in the center of the door, finding Marni sitting upright in her bed, watching television.
The two of them haven't spoken since Marni got out of surgery yesterday. She said she wanted to be alone and he granted her that unfortunate wish. He deserves that and more. But, he couldn't take it anymore. The gravitational pull that he felt the moment he met Marni refused to be ignored any longer.
Jax let out a burst of strained breath that radiated inside of him. His hand latched onto the metal door handle, thrusting it downwards.
"Hey."
She closed her bloodshot eyes, internally pleading that when she would open them again, he would no longer be standing in the doorway.
Marni opened her eyes, adverting her eyes to the doorway.
Nope. He was still there.
"Hi," she replied, glancing at him for a brief moment before bringing her attention back to the television mounted on the cieling in the corner of the room.
Jax shoved his hands in each of his pockets, his feet taking compact steps towards the hospital bed.
When he was about four feet away from her, Marni looked at him from the corner of her right eye, no doubt her way of telling him that was close enough without ever having to open her mouth.
"Do you need me to get you anything?"
"I'm fine, thanks," Marni picked up the remote from the side of her, and began flicking through the channels.
"Babe, we have to talk this shit out."
"We already did. I told you what the plan was before I landed myself and Charlotte in here."
Jax closed the remaining distance between them, snatching the remote out of her hand, switching the television off to get her full attention.
"Marn, us splitting up isn't a solution."
"Sure it is. You don 't see it that way because it's not what you want."
"We split up before, remember? No one benefited from it. We're better together."
"It was different that time, Jax. I broke up with you because I was scared to pursue a relationship with you. This time around, you cheated on me with another woman. Call me crazy, but I'm not one to put up with infedelity."
Jax sat down on the bed, taking her face in both of his hands, each of his thumbs stroking the skin on her cheeks.
"I will never hurt you again, Marn. I swear. Just give me one more chance, baby. Things will change, I promise. Don't you think our family deserves another chance?"
Marni shook her head in disagreement, removing his hands from her face with her own.
"Jax, things will never change with you. It's just a matter of time before you fuck up again and you'll ask me to forgive you. In a wierd way, you cheating was a blessing in disguise. Better I'd get out now rather than later. "
"You don't mean that."
"I do. Like I said back at the house. We will raise our kids, but we won't ever get back together again. Just because you love someone more than anything, doesn't mean they're good for you. "
Present: One Week Later:
A string of profanities left Jax's mouth as his truck attempted to bob and weave through the cluster of cars parked in front of the Bryant Elementary School.
After a solid twenty minutes, Jax finally found a vacant spot outside the tall silver and black gates surronding the playground.
He turned the key, cutting the power to the ignition. He got out of the truck, making his way to the opposite side so he was visible for Abel.
He leaned against the hot metal of the car door, pulling out his cellphone from inside his pocket.
Today could be the day Marni would change her mind and take this broken man back.
No new calls. No new messages.
He let out a heavy sigh as the schoolbell rang throughout the entire building.
An astronomical number of kids filed out of each door of the school.
Jesus Christ.
Jax doesn't think he'll ever get used to many kids go to this school.
Abel stopped in his tracks once he saw his dad waiting outside the playground for him.
The children eager to get home bumped into him unknowingly pushed him closer to his father.
He wanted anyone but his father to pick him up.
He was angry with him and wanted nothing to do with him.
Jax was the reason Marni was leaving.
The reason this family was no longer whole.
"Hey buddy," Jax greeted, opening the back door for Abel.
Abel ignored his father, tossing his bookbag on the floor.
"How was school," Jax asked, still making an effort to spark a conversation.
Nothing.
Abel didn't budge, buckling himself in his car seat.
Reaching the highest level of frustration, Jax shut the back door.
Jax looked in the rearview mirror at his son.
"Buddy, how long are you going to give me the silent treatment?"
"I'm mad at you daddy. You hurt mommy and now she's going to live some where else. We're a family. Families are supposed to be together."
"Abel, I'm doing everything in my power to get mommy to forgive me. It might take a while, but I won't give up. You have my word."
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"You love mommy, right?"
"I love your mom very much."
"Then why would you hurt her? You shouldn't hurt people you love."
"You're right. Your dad can be a jerk sometimes. I don't realize I messed up until I made the mistake."
"You're not a jerk, daddy."
"Thanks Abel."
"You're worse than a jerk."
Abel exited the elevator before Jax, running down the hall to his mother's room with a bouquet of purple orchids in his hands.
Jax sprinted after him, scooping his son in his arms, throwing him onto his shoulder, causing Abel to break out into a fit of laughs.
They stepped into Marni's room, finding her in a deep slumber.
Abel stopped laughing, shhing his father, who wasn't even speaking.
"Be quiet, daddy. Mommy is sleeping," he held his pointer finger to his sealed lips.
Jax put Abel down, putting the flowers in the already packed glass vase on the window sill.
Abel stood on his tippy toes, trying to reach his mother to give her a kiss.
Jax lifted up his son, letting him give his mom a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Since mommy is sleeping, can we go see Charlotte for a little while until she wakes up?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Jax set his son back on the ground. His fingertips pulled a couple of fallen strands out of Marni's face, giving her a tender kiss on her temple, inhaling the intoxicating smell of her favorite Herbal Esscence shampoo and conditoner.
He stood straight, taking his son's stretched out hand, exiting the hospital room.
Marni opened her eyes, feeling a tear fall down her face, onto the pillow underneath her head.
Jax and Abel opened the door to the incubation chamber where Gemma was reading a book to Charlotte in the rocking chair.
She stopped reading and closed the book, setting it on top of her purse.
"Hi grandma."
"Hi baby," Gemma bent down, giving her grandson a hug and kiss.
When Gemma let go of Abel, he went over to Charlotte, kissing the protective glass surrounding her.
"How's my other girl," Jax asked, looking at his daughter.
"She's good. The final surgery went really well. The doctors are saying she should be able to go home in a couple of weeks. Charlotte's only a week old, and she's already a badass."
"She takes after her mom, that's why."
Gemma nodded in agreement.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell happened to your hand," Jax lifted up his mother's bruised and wrapped right hand.
"I slammed it in the car door."
"The car door being.."
"The car door being a whore's face.. you remember, the one you tapped a week ago?"
"Yeah, I remember."
He stood next to Abel, looking down at his growing daughter.
"I got something for you, Char."
Jax pulled out his wallet, removing a picture from one of the pockets.
After searching around the room for a few minutes, Jax finally retrieved some tape from the cabinet on the other side of the room.
"I figured this is this first thing you should see when you open your eyes for the first time."
He taped a picture of himself, Abel, and Marni from career day at Abel's school from a couple of months back.
Abel was sitting on his shoulders, his mouth and teeth bright red from the snow cone he just eaten.
Jax had his free arm around Marni, holding her close.
That day was a great day and he was going to make sure he will make more days like this in the future.