Dean felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he was about to break. He bubbled over, all of the anxiety inside of him, letting loose. “I have a three and a eight-year-old at home,” He pinched the bridge of his nose, but Dean could already feel the headache coming on. “They haven’t stopped crying and my head is just spinning. We just moved here, after losing their mother in the line of duty.” Dean’s hand went to his chest, not that it helped. Every time he thought of his wife, it felt like someone reached into his chest and squeezed. “My oldest child won’t stop yelling for cereal, and the youngest, well, he’s not stopped crying for his mama. I don’t know what to do. What do I do?”
Dean didn’t know why he was sharing his life story with the boy, but he felt the tears ready to fall. If they started, he couldn’t stop them. “I’m sorry,” he swiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I guess I needed to just vent to someone.”
“I understand,” the boy said. “Sometimes you can’t help falling apart. It’s only human nature, especially when we keep pushing it down, after a while… boom.”
The young man smiled, and Dean couldn’t help returning, maybe it was the boom or maybe there was something to spilling your guts to a stranger.
“Uhh, soo listen…” The kid sounded unsure now, “So I’m a babysitter and a good one at that, CPR certified and all, my name is Owen.”
His hand went into a bag slung over his chest Dean had missed initially, and he pulled out a notebook he put it in his mouth and rummaged around for a pen. Dean watched as the kid scribbled something down then ripped the page out and handed it to him. “It’s my number, since you’re new to the area, if you ever need any help, please don’t hesitate to call me. I’d be glad to help you.” His smile was genuine and Dean gladly took the piece of paper. He looked down at it and slipped it into his pocket.”
“Thank you,” Dean said, and meant it.
The boy nodded. “Anytime, but, even if you never call… take care.” Owen waved as he walked away from Dean.
Dean turned to his vehicle and walked over to his door, unlocking it with his key fob. He got inside and tossed the bag onto the passenger seat, then started the car and backed out of the parking spot.
Maybe there was something to letting it out, It didn’t take the weight off, but he didn’t feel like he was five seconds from losing his mind. Being a mother and a father to his two kids was something he never thought he’d have to face. He wasn’t sure how he was going to deal with it all on his own.
You’ll do what you have to do. And that was all he could do, but still, he worried that he would have more meltdowns, just like the one he had in the parking lot back there. God he hoped not, for his kids’ sake, he would be strong.
Dean pulled into the driveway and put the car in park, He looked in the rearview mirror, he didn’t want anyone else to know he’d cried. Dean wiped his face for good measure and plastered on a smile.
“As good as I’ll get,” he muttered. He shrugged and grabbed the bag before getting out of the car. He had just made it to the porch when he heard the screaming coming from inside the house. He stopped on the porch, and groaned. Man he’d really hoped they would have cried themselves out by now.
Dean sighed as he opened the front door, he dropped the bag with the groceries on the table in the foyer and headed to the living room.
“Daddy’s back,” he said. His three-year-old son was bawling in his mother-in-law’s arms, while the eight-year-old daughter was in front of the t.v.
Dean knew he should limit her screen time, but right now it was more than he had energy for.
“I hope he didn’t cry the whole time I was gone,” Dean said, lifting the toddler from his mother-in-law’s arms. She looked like she had taken a beating.
She shook her head and smiled, although it was frayed around the edges. “Not at all,” she said. “He just wanted his daddy. That’s all.”
And mommy was what neither of them could bring themselves to admit.
Dean looked down at Asher. His little boy was almost four, but he knew something was wrong. He knew his mom was gone. As he shifted him from one hip to the other, he thought about Owen.
It was possible he would need to make that call sooner rather than later because he might just need to find someone that could help him out. Sadly, he wasn’t able to do it all on his own and his in-laws were also grieving the loss of their only child. Dean needed help, and maybe Owen was his savior.
Also by Rheland Richmond
Stories Of Us Series
A Family For Keeps
His Instant Family
Christmas For Keeps - A Stories Of Us Christmas
The Family We Make: A Stories Of Us Valentine
A Family Of His Own
Amber Falls
Stranded With His Boss
Coming Soon
His Reluctant Family
Holding On To His Manny
About the Author
Since she was a little girl, Rheland Richmond entertained herself with any book she could get her hands on. She has written for as long as she can remember, and now she finally gets to share some of those stories with other people.
She loves a good happily ever after. Because she believes love and light should touch everything. She is an obsessive reader and would never have considered writing if it wasn’t for all the authors that inspired her and the thousands of books she has devoured along the way.
When she’s not reading, she’s caught up in all her guilty pleasure TV shows. Or catching up with her sibs wherever
