look at the other pictures too, and after a while, I thought it would be a good idea to let him know that we could still visit his mother.
“If you want to, we can go say hi to mommy someday. There’s a special place where every angel has its home, other than in heaven.”
“Where?” he asked, his eyes widening with excitement again.
“It’s a place called the cemetery. It’s where we can go visit our angels on earth and bring them flowers and little presents,” I told him.
“Can I bring mommy flowers and Hulk?”
I smiled. “I know she’ll love him. Whenever you’re ready to go, buddy, we’ll go visit her, okay? Just tell me when and I’ll take you to her.”
Ira nodded, still looking at the pictures, keeping his thoughts to himself.
I wanted to give him the time he needed to fully comprehend everything, so while he looked at the pictures, I brushed through his blond locks and enjoyed having him close to me.
Without Leah, Ira wouldn’t be with me now, and I had to thank Henry for bringing him to me, the guy she had been with while she gave birth to Ira.
I was so damn grateful to have him, and like I had imagined, I wasn’t able to keep my tears from rolling down my cheeks.
Hell, knowing your son would grow up without a mother was hard for me too, but I had so much love to give to him, and I would never stop loving him.
Not even when he was ready to move out for college.
I’d be one of those annoying dads who had to check in on their kids twenty-four-seven.
“Daddy? You said this is a happy story,” Ira said, worry filling his eyes.
I smiled, brushing my tears away and nodding. “It is, bud. It’s a beautiful story and it’s okay to cry when something’s very beautiful,” I explained.
“So…did you cry when you saw Rooney? Because she is beautiful just like mommy.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at his comment, and there was no way I could deny that.
“I didn’t cry, but I was close,” I told him, grinning.
Leave it to Ira to make a conversation light and fun.
“I love you, Ira,” I whispered against his head, hugging him tightly as he leaned into me more.
“I love you, Daddy. And I love Mommy too.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Wells
Ira was excited to sleep at Grandma’s house and he was already waiting by the door for me to finish packing his bag.
I had told him that I was meeting Grant for the night, and when he asked why he couldn’t come with us to the bar, I had to explain that bars weren’t where four-year-old boys were allowed.
He tried to bribe me saying he would behave and not talk about his favorite superheroes, but I had to disappoint him.
Though, most of the adults there would definitely love to talk about things like that.
“Can we go now?” he asked, holding on to the doorhandle while looking at me with his head tilted to the side.
I walked over to him and nodded, holding his backpack filled with toys toward him so he could hang it over his shoulders.
While he did, I put on my shoes and coat. “You’re starting to get a little impatient, huh? How about we take things slow? We got time, you know, buddy?”
He frowned at me and reached for the doorhandle again.
“I’m four,” he stated, as if that would justify the fact that he was more impatient than ever.
I chuckled as I grabbed the little duffle bag and nodded at the door. “Let’s go. I can tell you don’t mind being away from me tonight.”
He didn’t answer while he opened the door and stepped out, but once he reached the stairs, he turned and looked at me with a gentle smile. “But I will only sleep once at Grandma’s, Daddy. Don’t be sad.”
This kid.
His character was changing right in front of my eyes and I loved every second of it, even though I wanted him to stay the same forever.
“I’ll try not to be,” I said with a grin, locking the door behind me.
As we got downstairs, Ira was about to push open the door when Rooney pulled at it from the outside.
We were both taken aback from seeing each other after last Sunday night, and neither of us said a word but kept staring at each other.
“Rooney!” Ira called out, hugging her legs.
It took her a moment to greet him back, but once she tore her eyes off mine, she looked