I was sitting watching TV thinking to myself when

Brayden came bursting through the door followed by

Justin. “Momma!”Brayden exclaimed running over

to me. I smiled as I picked him up and hugged him

“Hey baby! Did you have fun?”I asked. “Yeah! We

went to the park, and we got ice cream and then

Grandma Lynn said we could go get pizza for dinner

and we did and guess what?!”Brayden said hurriedly

and excitedly. “What?”I asked. “Daddy sang for

me!”Brayden said giggling. “He did! Well it sounds

like you had a fun day.”I smiled. “Yeah ‘cept it

would have been better if you were there.”Brayden

said as I smiled at him. “Aww I’m sorry, why don’t

you go into the kitchen there’s some fresh cookies

in there.”I said as Brayden’s eyes widened and he

jumped out of my arms and ran toward the kitchen.

“So he seems to like you.”I smiled towards Justin.

“Yeah we had fun today.”Justin said. “Good.” I said

smiling “You know you’re always welcome here or

whatever he’s your son and he’s already getting

attached to you.”I said sighing. “I know thank you,

trust me I’m not going anywhere I will be around for

him.”Justin said “but I should go back to my mom.”

“Yeah.” I sighed “You should tell him bye first.”

Justin nodded as he walked into the kitchen to see

Brayden.             After Justin left and I got Brayden

to bed I laid in bed trying to figure everything out.

Well I’m no longer worried about Brayden getting

along with Justin. Ever since he got home earlier he

couldn’t talk about anything else besides how cool

his dad was and how much fun he had with his dad

earlier. It was a good thing and it made me smile

at the bond they were quickly forming, but it also

made me sad because we should be a family. It

should be the three of us spending the day at the

park and getting ice cream. Sigh. I don’t know what

to do. I mean there’s nothing I can do I can’t take

Brayden away from Justin now. I just want to be a

part of it. I mean I still have my time with Brayden

and everything will be fine there, but as the days

drag on I find myself yearning for Justin more and

more. Why did I have to leave, if I had never left

then Justin would be able to trust me right now, but

would we be here today if I hadn’t left? Why are

there so many what ifs in life? Why can’t things just

be simple for once and go my way?              Justin

sighed as he walked back into his house and fell

onto the couch beside his mom. “What’s going on

in that pretty little head of yours?”Lynn asked

patting Justin on the leg. “I don’t know mom. Every

time I look at Abby I have so many mixed

emotions I don’t know what to do.” “What do you

mean?” Lynn asked sitting up to look at Justin. “I

want to be mad at her, I mean I am mad at her

what she did was irresponsible, but I can’t help to

think about how great she looks and how much I

just want to forget my anger and kiss her.”Justin

said as Lynn smirked at him. “Honey, you may

think what she did was irresponsible, but maybe you

should look at it from her point of view. She was

thirteen and scared and wanted to protect her baby,

she probably thought what she was doing was the

responsible thing to do at the time.”Lynn said. “I

don’t know I mean I don’t know how long I can do

this. I want to be around for Brayden, but every

time we are in the same place I always feel the

need to get out as soon as possible before I either

yell at her or kiss her.”Justin said as Lynn just

smiled at her. “This isn’t funny!”Justin exclaimed

noting the smile on his mom’s face. “I know, but I

think you know in your heart what you need to do,

and I think you’re just being stubborn. But I’m

going to bed.”Lynn smirked as she got up and

 walked away leaving Justin trying to decipher what s

he just said.            The next morning I had just

given Brayden his breakfast when there was a knock

on the back door and Brayden exclaimed “Grandma

Lynn.” As he jumped up and went to let her in. I

took a deep breath and slowly turned around trying

to prepare myself for whatever she could possibly

be here to say. “Hey Brayden!”Lynn smiled. “Can we

talk?”Lynn asked looking up at me. I nodded

“Brayden sit down and eat your breakfast we’ll be

right back.”I said as I motioned to the patio and

followed her out the door shutting it behind me.

“Abigail, Abby whatever you go by now…”Lynn

started. “Abby.”I smiled weakly sitting down next to

her. Lynn smiled at me “Abby, I want you to know

that I have always liked you. I was hurt and

confused when you left too, mostly because I saw

how much it tore up my son.”Lynn started as I

looked at the ground. “Please look at me.”Lynn

said as I slowly brought my head up to look at her.

“Despite what you might think I am not mad at

you.”Lynn said as I looked at her confused but let

her continue. “You had your reasons for what you

did and as a mother I can respect that. You owned

up to it and that takes a great deal of strength and

courage. All the guys have commented on what a

wonderful mom you are and all day yesterday all

Brayden did was go on about how great his mom

is.”Lynn said as I smiled. “He really is a great kid. I

guess I lucked out there.”I said. “Luck has nothing

to do with it. You’re a good mom, I can see that

and I haven’t spent any amount of time with the

two of you.”Lynn said smiling. “Thanks.”I said

smiling at her. “Anyway I just wanted to let you

know that there are no hard feelings between us

and I would like to get to know you as well as

Brayden, and also I can see how much you are tore

up right now and my guess is that that has a lot to

do with my son, but I want you to know regardless

of his stubbornness he will come around

eventually.”Lynn said reassuringly. “I’m not so sure

of that, and besides I can’t really ask much more of

him than for him to be a dad to Brayden.”I said

sighing. Lynn grinned and said “I know my son

pretty well and regardless of what you think he will

 come around I promise.” “That’s what everyone

keeps telling me.”I said as Brayden came out and

announced that he was finished eating. “We’re

having a cookout later today would you like to

come?”Lynn asked. “Yeah! Can I mom?”Brayden

asked getting excited. “Of course sweetheart.”I said

smiling at him. “Oh you’re invited too.”Lynn said

 looking at me. “I’m not so sure that’s a good

idea..”I said as Lynn cut me off “Nonsense I’m

inviting, I want you to come, and I expect you to be

there.”Lynn said lightly as she got up and walked

back across the yard before I could protest further.