Page 113 of C is for Comfort

We snuggle on the sofa together.

“I’m not totally sure. He was upset because he’s decided not to move in with Lexi and me.”

Spence raises his eyebrows. “Really? Why?”

“Because we’ll have more financial security without him.” I hang my head. “I didn’t do enough to talk him out of it, Daddy.” My shoulders become hunched. “He’s right. We will be better off without him, but I still should have tried harder. We would have made it work. I know he’d never intentionally let Lexi and me down.”

“Why would you be better off?” Spence asks.

“He’s a model.”

“I know.”

“So he doesn’t have a regular income. Some months are great. Others are pretty terrible for him. Archie and I have covered his share of the rent more times than I can count. He always pays us back, but I don’t think I could afford to cover his share of the rent on my own.”

“That makes sense.”

I run my hand through my hair. “Not that I would have said any of that to him. I wanted to keep living with him. We’d have made it work,” I reiterate.

“I’m sure you would have done, sweet boy,” Spence says. “It sounds like Blake is putting you and Lexi first.”

I sniff. “He is. He always does. He might look like a chaotic disaster, but he would do anything for Archie, Lexi, and me.Anything. He’d never let any of us down.” I suck in a breath. “But I let him down.”

“How?”

“I was dumb and told Mum and Dad that he wasn’t going to live with us, and then they gave him a really hard time. They’re always hard on him. I should have kept my mouth shut.” It’s my turn to cry. “I should have…” I give up.

Spence rubs my shoulders and holds me tighter.

“And then I let him run off.”

“You let him?”

“Okay, I couldn’t stop him.”

“That’s better, sweet boy. Don’t blame yourself for things that are out of your control.”

I sniff and nod.

He moves his hand so he’s stroking my hair. His gentle touch helps to calm me. I close my eyes and snuggle closer against him.

“Thank you for coming, Daddy.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here, comforting you.”

“I’m so glad we met.”

“Me too.”

Lexi’s question from this morning pops back into my mind.Willhestay?I hope Spence will. I hope it with all my heart.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too. Do you need anything?”

“Just you.”

He kisses my hair. “Are you feeling any better?”