Recollection

Once dried and dressed in a t-shirt of Andy’s and a pair of pants Niki brought over, Ashley toweled off and we hobbled back into the living room.

Ash threw Andy the keys to his car and told him to grab his overnight bag out of the trunk. Hunter was still whining and I wanted badly to hold him, but with one screwed up hand that was difficult.

Ashley lifted Punk in his arms and set him in my lap. Keeping his hands nearby, I caressed my son’s face.

“Hey precious.”

He recognized my voice and belted out a huge squeal and began to reach his hands in my direction. I let him grasp onto my finger and he let out a good sized laugh. Andy came back a few minutes later and tossed the overnight bag on the floor.

Ashley took this time to quickly shower and change into something else as Andy laid a blanket out on the floor adjacent to me.

He returned and laid out on the floor next to his newfound son and the three of us watched as Hunter played.

Amongst the time watching both father and son together, I had fallen off to sleep. When I awoke, darkness had prevailed. I couldn’t see anyone anywhere. My senses and body went on red alert.

‘Hunter? Ash?” I cried. “Andy?”

I heard a door scrape open somewhere behind me and Andy appeared at my side, a sleeping Hunter in his arms.

“It’s okay sweets! We were just outside on the balcony.”

“Where’s Ash?”

“He had to step out.”

I never heard him leave and a wave of odd sadness stretched over my skin.

“He’ll be back!” Andy stated sensing the change. “Punk’s been fed and changed and had a quick bath too.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“A, you’ve been through hell! It’s the least we could do for you.”

Smiling a bit, Andy came close enough for me to touch the soft skin of my precious son. He said that while I was in the hospital, the spare bedroom had been outfitted with everything I needed for both Punk and myself.

"It'll be a little cramped with everything in there, but the guys and I can do a bit of re-arranging now that Ashley knows."

I gave a slight nod.

"We should get him to bed."

I placed a soft kiss upon my son's forehead and watched as Andy went into the spare bedroom to lay Hunter down in the crib. Returning a few moments later to sit in a nearby chair, we were silent with one another for quite a while, the tv and our breathing the only sounds around.

We eventually heard a soft knock and the front door open. We watched as Ash stepped through. Pleasant exchanges were made and Ash asked where Punk was. We pointed him in the right direction.

I watched as he made his way there. It seemed like he was in the room for an eternity or more. I felt horrible and I deserved to be! I had deprived Ash from so much. My entire pregnancy and the first five months of his son’s life.

Now that he finally knew the truth, he was making a sure attempt at making up for lost time.

Notes