Page 106 of Soft
Inside, I got him settled in the playroom and told him to wait. The onesie had been sitting in a box in the back of my car for the perfect moment.
The look on his face when he saw it made all the waiting worth it. I would remember it for the rest of my life.
After getting him changed, I grabbed his favorite book and a warm bottle of milk. I tucked my boy close to my chest, then read to him until I felt all the tension drain from his body, bit by bit.
He shifted in his sleep until his head found my lap, which was something he did when he was deep enough under that his body just went looking for comfort. I put one hand in his hair and kept it there as a weight to remind him of my presence.
My thoughts shifted to the events of the day. Auden and Moseley had both texted me with details of what all was said. It was really great to have the background story, so I knew how to help my boy.
His parents had called today and torn down his confidence. Auden stepped in and handled it with more grace than I wouldhave managed. But Auden wasn't always going to be in the room. Moseley wasn't always going to be down the hall.
I needed to know my boy would be safe from those fuckers in the future. They didn’t get to have access to him. They didn’t get to tear him down.
Looking around his playroom, I thought about how he’d built this space to manage his feelings alone. He had a whole house to be alone.
The thought hit me like a ton of bricks:He shouldn’t be alone in this house.
The thought had been circling for a while, moving closer every time I left at night. I’d been patient about it.
But there was patient and there was passive. Today had tipped the balance.
I pulled out my phone with my free hand, careful not to shift my lap. The Princess Pack group chat had been quiet since the morning when Gracie had dropped some outfit ideas in the chat he wanted feedback on. I typed without second-guessing myself, despite the way it would change the mood of things.
Paxton:Quick question. Is it a bad idea to just fully move in with Grizzly?
I watched the dots appear almost immediately. Then all at once, the way it always went when the Pack had an opinion.
Doyle:PAXTON WELLS! IS THAT EVEN A QUESTION?
Princess Aster:Oh thank god! Someone finally pointed out the obvious.
Fisher:do it do it do it do it
Ean:This is not a question. This is a statement. Move in!!
Doyle:I have been WAITING for this text. Pierce told me to stop bringing it up, but I KNEW.
Doyle:This is Pierce. I said to let them figure it out on their own schedule. My boy is being bratty.
Doyle:Semantics!!
Byron:Paxton if you don't move in I will personally drive down there and do it for you.
Princess Gracie:Yes!!! Do it!!! You should be together every day!!!
Doyle:Your boy needs you there. Full stop. Stop commuting to the love of your life.
I stared at the screen for a moment. The group chat had devolved into a string of enthusiastic emojis and at least one gif that Doyle had sent of a person running toward a house. I turned my phone face down against my thigh and looked at my boy.
The clouds on the onesie rose and fell with each of his even breaths. He had one hand tucked under his cheek, and Wells pressed against his chest.
I turned my phone back over and texted Pops.
Paxton:It's go time.
The response came back in under a minute.
Pops:Figured it was coming. Still got moving boxes in the garage. Your room is mostly empty already since you've been living out of a bag for weeks.
