With the diaper bag and my purses's straps embedding itselves into my left shoulder, I carried Abel on the right side of my body to prevent the reasonably heavy bags from hitting him.
Once I entered the kitchen, I stretched out my arm, causing the bags to slide down my arm and onto the kitchen table.
I adjusted Abel in my grip, bringing him over to his high chair so I could prepare him a bottle that much quicker using both hands.
Linda reached her desired destination and strolled up the pathway to her daughter's home.
She opened up her purse, rummaging around for the key Mel just had made for her.
When it was in her hands, she unlocked the front door and entered the home.
"Mel bear, are you and Abel almost ready to go?," she asked, peaking her head around the kitchen's doorway.
I nodded, taking a seat at the table next to Abel's high chair with his bottle in her hands.
"Yeah, I just need to feed Abel first and then we can head out."
You're all proabably wondering where the hell we're going this morning, right?
Today marks the first day of visitation.
I could finally visit and hold my husband, and I couldn't be more excited.
Not seeing his bottle in my hands, Abel started to reach for the thermos that was on the table in front of him.
I smiled as I watched him squirm in his seat, overwhelmingly eager to get my thermos that was filled to the rim with my required dose of caffeine in his possession.
"That's my bottle, handsome. This is your bottle," I stated, bringing the bottle's nipple to his mouth.
My mother joined me at the table and took a seat across from me.
As I watched Abel devour his bottle, I could feel my mother's eyes on me.
I shifted my attention toward her and she smiled.
"What is it? Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"
"No, Mel bear. You just look beautiful. You always do."
"But..."
"What makes think there's going to be a "but" in that statement?"
I raised my eyebrow at her, adding my signature smirk to the mix.
"Cuz I know you, ma. You look beautiful, but... Go ahead, I can take it."
Linda finally broke down and told me what else was dangling from the tip of her tongue.
"But, you look a bit tired, Mel. You know both Me or Gem can take Abel more often whenever you feel like you need more sleep. That's our grandson, we'd be happy to do it. Since you've offically started treatment a week ago, you need all the rest you can get."
"Mom, I appreciate the concern, I really do. But, Abel isn't the cause of my insomnia."
"Then what is?"
"I haven't been able to sleep straight through the night since Jax was incarcerated. It's not the same sleeping in our bed without him."
The four of us, ( Gemma met us there), were escorted to the visitation room by one of the many male correctional officers.
Before I entered the room with Abel in my arms, I could slowly feel his diaper growing heavy.
"Excuse me, but is there a restroom closeby where I could change my son?"
"Go down the hall. It's the first door on the right."
"Thank you."
Gemma and Linda turned around at the same time when they no longer heard the sound of Mel's heels hit against the floor.
"I'll be right back. I need to go change Abel."
The women nodded, taking a seat at the first vacant table they laid their eyes on.
Jax made his way to the visitation room, feeling his heart beat harder against his chest with every step he took.
He looked through the closed door's window, sussing out only his mother and mother-in-law.
Where's Mel and Abel?
She told him she was coming.
If she wasn't, she would have made sure she contacted him about her and their son's absence.
The guard opened the door, pressing his hand against Jax's back, moving him into the room.
He removed his cuffs, allowing him to go over to his family without seeing him restrained.
Jax practically jogged over to the table due to his excitement.
Gemma and Linda stood up to give him a hug.
"Hey sweetheart."
Gemma threw her arms around her son and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey mom."
She pulled away, and took in his new appearance.
He no longer had his full beard.
She touched the side of his face, feeling the slight scruff underneath her fingertips.
"Do you like it?"
"It brings me back to when you were in high school and you kept bitching about how a beard wouldn't come in fast enough for you."
He smiled, giving his mother another hug.
"Okay Gem, you gotta share. He's my son now too," Linda joked, rounding the table to reach the both of them.
Gemma pulled away to let Jax give Linda a hug.
"How are you holdin' up in here sweetheart?"
They pulled away to look at each other in the eyes.
"Taking it day by day."
The three of them took a seat at the table.
Jax's eyes were glued to the entrance door, yearning to see his wife and son emerge from the other side of it.
"She's here, Jax. They both are. She just took him to the nearest restroom to change him," Gemma stated, seeing a look of relief wash over him.
"Good. How is she doin'? I know she insists that she's fine, but I know I'll get the actual truth from the both of you."
Gemma and Linda looked at each other before looking back at him.
"She's doing okay. Like you, she's taking it day by day. As you know she had her first round of treatment recently. The meds the doctor has perscribed tends to make her drowsy, but that child of mine refuses to give into it especially when she has Abel. She'll drink her weight in coffee and engery drinks before she allows sleep to compromise time with her son."
He smiled, seeing that visual appear in the front of his mind.
"That sounds like Mel."
Linda reached into her purse and pulled out a picture.
"Here. I'm not sure if you're allowed to have pictures in here, but I figured this would help you end your days on a high note."
Jax took the photo from her hands, discovering it was a picture of his wife and his son sleeping side by side.
"Thanks Linda."
"No problem."
Jax opened up the pocket of shirt located on his right pec, slipping it inside.
Entering the visitation room from the other side gave me the perfect opportunity to sneak up and surprise my husband.
I made my way over to the table on the tips of my toes to prevent my audible heels from spoiling my plan.
I came up behind him and slowly wrapped my free left arm around his neck, bringing my mouth next to his hat covered ear.
"I'm missing you too damn much, Teller."
A huge smile formed on his face and he turned around.
He got up from his seat, bringing himself in front of Abel and me.
Jax took my face in his hands and planted a tender kiss on my lips.
"I'm missin' you too, darlin'," he mumbled against my mouth before giving me one more kiss.
He took Abel from my grasp, lifting him up in the air, causing him to giggle.
He lowered his arms, giving our son a kiss against his head.
"We'll give you a minute," Gemma stated, getting up from the table with Linda following right behind her.
We both took a seat next to each other.
My hand touched each side of his face to touch the scruff he was currently rocking.
"You got rid of your beard."
"It's not the only thing I got rid of."
"What do you mean?"
He pulled off the dark blue hat he was wearing, revealing his short blonde hair.
I smiled, moving my right hand to his hair, running my fingers through it.
"What do you think?"
"I love it. It brings me back to when we were in high school."
"My mom said the exact same thing."
"You know what they say, great minds think alike."
"Jesus, I miss you so fucking much."
"Not as much as we miss you."
Once Abel was asleep, I finished putting away the fresh laundry from the dryer.
I entered our bedroom, setting the large folded stack of laundry onto the bed.
I picked up Jax's black duffel bag from the bench that was placed at the foot of the bed since it did take up the entire seat alone.
Once I turned with it in my hands, a stack of letters tied with a red ribbon fell onto the bedroom floor.
I bent down and picked it up, pulling out the small note that laid on top of the letters.
These letters were between John and Maureen, and Maureen wanted Jax to read them to discover the "truth".
Should I?
Shouldn't I?
I untied the ribbon, allowing it to fall to the floor.
Before I had the chance to let my nosiness come into play and begin reading them, my cellphone started to ring from the top of the dresser.
I placed the letters back where I originally found them and put the duffelbag inside the bottom of the closet.
Once the closet doors were closed, I picked up the phone off of the wooden countertop and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, I'm principal Whalen calling from the Durham Elementary school regarding Ellie and Kenny Winston. Is this Melanie Teller?"
"Yes, this is she. Is Kenny and Ellie okay?"
"Yes, they're fine. Today is early dismissal and their father nor their grandfather has yet to show up. I've called them multiple times, and their phones go straight to voicemail. When I asked The kids if there was anyone else I could call, Ellie gave me "Aunt Mel's " phone number."
"Say no more, Mr. Whalen. I'm on my way."
Ellie and Kenny filed into the house, making an attempt to hang up their bookbags on the hooks by the front door.
Since they are not tall enough to reach the hooks, I set the carseat down onto the floor, hanging each one up myself.
"Okay, since it's Friday, do you guys have an idea on what you'd like to do? Your dad and grandpa are gone for the weekend on business, so you both will stay here."
"Anything?"
"Anything."
"Can we go to funtown?"
"Absolutely."
"Can we have pizza for dinner tonight too?," Kenny asked, sitting down on the couch.
"Consider it already ordered."