Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
There’s no judgment in his tone; he’s been a father figure to us over the last six years, stepping in where our own father couldn’t. But I can see the unasked questions swimming in his eyes. “Dinner is on the stove. Should still be warm,” he adds.
“Thanks, Baker,” I reply quietly, grabbing a plate.
“Luci mentioned she doesn’t have tickets for tomorrow’s game.” Damn it, I forgot to sort that out too.
“I got them,” Becker interjects calmly. “She texted me earlier, asking if they could add a ticket for Barrett. I’ve got them in my bag. We can leave them with you, Baker.” He explains, and I nod slowly, grateful. He must have sensed I was out of sorts after last night’s confrontation with Mom.
“Thanks, Beck,” I say, my voice filled with appreciation.
“I thought I could lighten your load a bit,” he sighs. “Especially since I need to add something heavy to it, and it ties back to Vivienne coming home.”
Becker rarely adopts such a serious tone unless it’s something significant. “Cole found a picture of you and Lorelei. He came to me and asked who she was. I told him she was his mom.” My fork drops as I stare at him, shock washing over me. “East, you need to talk to him. He’s expressed doubts that she ever loved him. I think he’s already concocted a story in his mind about why she isn’t here.”
“When did this happen?” I demand, my voice tense.
“The day before the carnival.”
“That was almost two weeks ago, Becker!” I push my chair back, my mind racing as I try to recall any changes in Cole’s behavior. Has he been acting differently? “You should have told me then.”
“Yeah, well, I needed to have more conversations with him before I brought it up with you. I didn’t want to get my head bitten off,” he shoots back, his eyes flashing with frustration. “You tend to go thermonuclear when she’s mentioned, and forgive me if I wasn’t in the mood for that. You proved that this morning when I asked if you thought she might dare show up with the demon grandmother.”
I wince, the memory of that conversation still fresh. I know I don’t handle discussions about her well.
Jackson nods in agreement. He’s called me out several times for my reactions. “I…I know. I’m sorry for how I reacted this morning. You didn’t deserve that. How did he find out?”
“He said you told him to grab something else and he opened that drawer. He’s been hiding it under his pillow for a few days,” Becker admits, sounding defeated.
Baker gives a quiet nod of agreement.
“East, he’s old enough to understand some of this. If you wait too long, the story he creates will only get worse. I’m sure it’s already bad enough. We know how that feels.” Kingston’s tone is grave, and I close my eyes, knowing he and Becker understand all too well. It took Dad a long time to share the truth with them, and they spun countless dreadful scenarios in their minds about why both their parents were gone.
“Is there anything else I need to know?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling the weight of it all. “Did he seem upset?”
Becker and Kingston exchange long, meaningful glances. “I won’t lose my cool. Just tell me.”
“He talked to Luci about her,” Becker finally admits.
“Fuck,” I breathe out, the realization hitting me hard. She definitely needs to stay out of my mess.
“Listen, he needs to tell you what she said, but… it really helped him. East, she knows how to talk to him. He trusts her, and she trusts him. Be careful not to break that bond.”
“You know what she said, don’t you?”
He nods slowly. “I do, but I’m not breaking their confidence. She did well.” He finishes simply. “Cole will share it with you when he’s ready.”
I slide my hands down my face, feeling the exhaustion wash over me. “I’ll talk to him in the morning. But you’re sitting with us to make sure he’s not hiding anything to protect my feelings.” Cole is incredibly empathetic and always worries about upsetting me.
“Okay.”
I rise to place my plate in the dishwasher. “I’m heading to bed. I’m done for the night.” First, I check on Cole, bending down to drop a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I’m so sorry, buddy. You deserve better than this.”
The following morning, after breakfast, I tell him we’re going to the big guy game room, as he calls it. “Yay, Daddy! What are we doing there?”
“Talking,” I reply, trying to keep my tone light.
Becker joins us, holding the frame that Cole had found. Cole’s eyes widen, and his little mouth drops open in a gasp. “Cole, it’s okay. Your daddy wants to talk to you about this picture. You can ask him anything you want.”
I settle him on the couch and kneel down in front of him. Becker hands him the picture. “Uncle Becker says this is my mom.”
I nod, feeling the weight of the moment. “She is. Do you want to know her name?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Lorelei. Lorelei Winters. She used to live two houses down. We grew up together after she moved there when she was eight.”
“Did you love her, Daddy?” His innocent question pierces my heart.
“Very much. She was my childhood sweetheart. We were together for a long time.”
“Did she love me?” He fidgets with his shirt, and I take his hands in mine, mimicking how Luci does it, hoping the gesture helps him focus. He always listens intently when she speaks.
“She loved you so much that she brought you to me to raise. She wanted to make sure you were taken care of and safe. Cole, before you were born, your mom left to live in France, which is really far away. When she left, she didn’t know she was going to have you. So I didn’t know either. I didn’t get to meet you until you were three months old. But the moment I did, I loved you more than anything in the world.”
“Is she still there?”