Until Lilly (Until, #3)(44)

“He already knows we were making him breakfast,” Jax says.

“So?” Ashlyn says back, sticking out her tongue.

“Hey, now, none of that,” Lilly says, smiling and walking to the bed carrying a tray that has pancakes with chocolate chips, eggs, and bacon, along with a small box that is wrapped in blue paper and a card.

“Happy birthday, Daddy,” Ashlyn singsongs, climbing up onto the bed.

“Thank you, baby,” I say, pulling her up onto my lap.

“Happy birthday,” Jax says, climbing up onto the bed as well, and I pull him into my other side and kiss the top of his head.

“Thanks, little dude,” I say, my voice hoarse.

“Happy birthday,” Lilly says, looking between the three of us before her eyes meet mine, and I can see that tears are filling them.

“Thank you, babe.” I mouth the words to her because I can’t seem to speak. She nods before setting down the tray.

“Can I have some of your pancakes?” Ashlyn asks, and I look down at her and laugh.

“Me too,” Jax says, making me laugh harder.

“There’s more in the kitchen. I’ll be right back,” Lilly says, leaving the room. She comes back a few minutes later with another tray, this one with three plates, two juices, and a coffee. She sets the tray on the bed before climbing up to sit facing us. We all sit on the bed eating breakfast, and once we are done, I set my gift and card on the bedside table and take the plates into the kitchen, telling them that I would be right back. When I come back to the room, I sit back down with a kid on each side of me. I put the gift in my lap so I can read the card. On the front of it is a guy in jeans and a shirt; there is a little window, and when opened, the shirt says SuperDad. I smile before putting down the card, picking up the box, and looking at it for a few moments.

“Are you gonna open it?” Ashlyn asks, looking worried. I feel Lilly rub my leg, and I look at her and smile. I start to tear the paper away slowly.

“Dad, just open it,” Jax says, eyeing the box like he wants to take it out of my hands and do it himself. I finish opening it and pull the small box out, lifting the lid. Inside is a pendent on a ball chain. “It’s backwards,” Jax says. I use one finger and flip the pendent over, and on the other side are three stones going down the center of it. All three different colors each represent the three people surrounding me.

“Do you like it?” Ashlyn asks, sitting up on her knees.

“I love it,” I tell her, looking up from the pendent into her smiling face.

“That one is Jax. This one is me. And that one is Mommy,” Ashlyn explains, pointing out each stone.

“Are you gonna put it on?” Jax ask.

“Yes,” I whisper, taking it out of the box, holding it up, and looking at it before I slide it around my neck.

“You look pretty,” Ashlyn says.

“Boys don’t look pretty; they look handsome or cool,” Jax tells Ashlyn.

“Nuh-uh, Mommy says Daddy is the prettiest boy that she ever saw.” My eyes go to Lilly and I raise an eyebrow; she shrugs before covering her mouth, laughing at the look Jax gives her.

“Boys aren’t pretty, right, Dad?” Jax asks me, and I turn to look at him. I don’t even answer him; I just drag him to me, tucking him under my arm and kissing the top of his head.

“Thank you, guys, for my gift. I love it,” I say, kissing Ashlyn’s forehead. She wraps her little arms around my neck, hugging me tightly.

“Lobe you, Daddy,” she says, and my eyes start to burn.

“You’re welcome, Dad,” Jax says, hugging my other side.

“Can we go to the zoo?” Ashlyn asks, pulling her face out of my neck and making me laugh.

“You always want to go to the zoo,” Jax says.

“The zoo is fun.”

“The zoo is lame,” Jax returns, and they both jump up so they are standing on the bed and proceed to argue back and forth. I lean forward, grabbing Lilly’s hand, dragging her up to me.

“Thank you for this,” I tell her, running my fingers down the side of her face.

“You’re welcome; we love you,” she says, laying her head on my chest, her fingers picking up the pendent to look at it.

“Thank f*ck,” I whisper into her ear.

“Dad, we’re not going to the zoo, are we?” Jax groans, flopping down onto the bed dramatically.

“Not today, little dude.”

“But, Daddy…” Ashlyn whines.

“Ashlyn Alexandra, no whining,” Lilly scolds, and Ashlyn crosses her arms over her chest in a pout.

“But I want to see the wions.”

“If you keep up the attitude, little miss thing, you won’t be going to the zoo for a very long time,” Lilly says, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at the look on Ashlyn’s face.

“Come here, baby.” I hold out my hand and she flops down on top of me, making me grunt.

“How about we go do something that everyone will like doing?”

“Like what?” she asks.

“Well, we could go fishing,” I say. I haven’t gone fishing in a while, and I know that it’s something that Jax enjoys doing.

“Yay! Fishing!” Jax yells.

“Are we gonna fish for salmon?” Ashlyn asks.