Chapter 145 Part 145
Asher
Cassidy had brought him clothes, and he used the bathroom adjacent to her hospital room. He showered, brushed his teeth, and spent the night in the hospital with her.
She whimpered in her sleep, saying Grover’s name, and the reality struck him that she was still trying to heal from her ordeal, as well. He hadn’t known that, hadn’t even considered that she wasn’t still a victim of her own abuse.
The next morning, Jeanette discharged her and Henri, and he crawled through town. He wasn’t going to take any risks with both of them in the truck. Emerson was still sore, and he didn’t like the way she hissed over every bump in the dirt road.
“He won’t break, Asher.”
“I told everyone to stay away so you can have some time to adjust with having him home,” he said.
“I appreciate that.”
Asher unclipped the entire seat, and carried it with Henri inside the house. Emerson walked ahead to his bedroom and she took Henri once Asher had unclipped him. They stood in front of his crib, and watched him sleep, both of them smiling.
The light was back in Emerson’s eyes, and Asher felt relieved. The last time they’d spoken, he could see the pain in her eyes. He couldn’t lie to himself anymore. He did love her, but he was scared. His fear stemmed from his other life, a life that had been too good to be true, and it hadn’t been true. There were days when he wondered if the life he was living now was even real?
“Do you want to stay for coffee?”
“Sure,” Asher said, following her to the kitchen.
Emerson busied herself with the stove-top kettle, getting cups out, and making their coffee. Asher leaned against the doorframe and watched her. It was easy to remember how good they’d been together. The smile on Asher’s face started naturally, and he had to keep himself in check to stay where he was. In the past, he’d walk over to her, kiss her neck, and wrap his arms around her, and he wanted to do it now.
“Here you go,” Emerson said, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Thanks.”
He sat down at the table and sighed. When he glanced up, Emerson was looking intently at him. He couldn’t look away, her gaze held him captive, and he could see so much emotion in her eyes.
“You can sleep on the couch if you want to stay tonight,” she said, after a while.
Asher smiled. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure how to ask you because I do want to stay tonight. It’s his first night home.”
“Asher, there’s nothing in this world that you can’t discuss with me, especially when it comes to Henri. He’s your son, too.”
“I appreciate that. I’ll just get my bag from the truck,” he said.
Emerson resisted the urge to laugh, and he smiled sheepishly at her. He headed outside, grabbed his bag, and headed straight for the bathroom to change his clothes.
When he returned, Emerson was rummaging in the fridge. “What are you doing?”
“Well, we’re going to want to eat at some point,” she said.
“I’ll help, you shouldn’t overdo it.”
Asher gave her a look that meant she shouldn’t argue, and for a moment, he could see that she wanted to. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and guided her back to her seat.
“Tell me what you want and I’ll find it,” he said.
“Yes, Sir, Drill Sergeant.”
Asher laughed, and shook his head. “Haven’t heard that in a while.”
“Well, I’m not giving you Morbid to keep you company tonight,” she said.
Asher laughed again, as he took the box of fish from the freezer, and turned to look at her with a frown. “Fish?”
“What’s wrong with fish?”
“You want fish tonight?”
“Yes, I’ll steam some vegetables to go with it,” she said.
“Alright,” he said, and returned the box to the freezer. “I’ll pop it into the oven a bit later.”
Emerson excused herself, and Asher went to the living room. He heard a thud from her bedroom, and before he knew it, he flung her door open, and knelt next to her.
“What happened?”
“I was trying to move the stupid box,” she said.
Asher picked her up in his arms, and put her down on the bed. “Lift your shirt.”
“I’m fine,” she argued.
“Lift it, so I can see if you hurt yourself.”
She hesitated and Asher lifted her shirt. He’d seen her at her best and at her worst, none of that mattered to him. Her skin was marred because she’d given him a son. The scars on her body would always be beautiful.
“Your wound seems okay,” he said softly.
“I didn’t think it would hurt so much to move one stupid box,” she said, something else flickering in her eyes.
“You just had major surgery, Emerson. You have to rest and heal. That’s why I’m here. I’m here to do the heavy lifting now.”
She smiled, and he could see she wanted to say something. “It is kind of your turn.”
He grinned, and pushed the sides of the plaster around her wound, and lowered her shirt. He sat down on the edge of her bed, and sighed. “You almost gave me a heart attack, woman.”
She grinned. “I’m sorry.”
An hour later, they woke Henri to feed him. Asher watched in rapt fascination as Emerson bathed him, and dressed him in a onesie that read ‘My Daddy’s a cowboy’.
Every time Henri made a sound, Asher was wide awake, and they took turns feeding him. At some point, they’d both fallen asleep on the couch, Emerson leaning against Asher’s side with his arm holding her tight.
He woke up first, smiling, even before his eyes opened. He’d missed that the most. Her presence against him. He closed his eyes again, and tightened his arm around her.
He woke up again much later, Emerson now gone. He could hear her talking to Henri, and he stood up and stretched. She appeared a few minutes later, and he took Henri from her.
He looked down at his perfect son, and trailed his finger over his little clenched fist. “I wish things could be different, little guy.” Henri yawned, and made a sucking motion with his mouth, making Asher smile. He understood now how his father could never hate him, no matter what.