A/N: It's finally here! Enjoy <3 Feel free to check out my newly created Instagram and website in my bio. I'll be posting bios, moodboards, memes, etc., about my works. Love ya <3
Simon's POV
To no surprise, Rowan was clutching the brown teddy bear that Vince had gotten him. He went everywhere with that thing, so much so that I don't even think he bothered to care about the other stuffed animals and gifts he accumulated from anyone else.
He stretched his little arms up toward Vince, beaming up at him. Vince had tensed at first before crouching down to meet his eye level. I had bent down too, ruffling the top of Rowan's head.
"Hey bub," I told him. "Look who I've brought."
Rowan let out a little giggle before bouncing up and down. Aspen had put his hands behind him as a precaution if he fell, but his son remained upright.
"Un un!" He had called out again before grabbing onto Vince's shoulders. "Up up."
Although his p's sounded more like b's, it was apparent he wanted Vince to pick him up. Vince had glanced between the rest of us nervously before hesitantly reaching under his arms. It took him a few seconds before he finally scooped Rowan up in his arms, obviously something he wasn't used to at all. He shot Aspen and Sarah a nervous look, to which they both laughed.
"He hasn't shut up about you since that night," Sarah told him. "Holding him is the least you could do."
With the number of times I had held Rowan, he was surprisingly calm in Vince's arms, holding the doll up to his face before leaning his head on Vince's shoulder. Usually, he'd try and kick or bounce in my arms, but Rowan looked ready to fall asleep right there.
Aspen rolled his eyes. "He kept asking about you, even as I tried putting him to bed. I swear it's that stuffed animal. He'd sit and wait for it as we washed it in the laundry room too."
Vince looked down at Rowan. "You really like that bear, don't you?"
With a pout, Rowan brought the doll to both of their chests, humming in agreement.
"He sure does, couldn't wait to show it to you," Sarah said before tilting her head in the direction of the door. "Xavier's inside with the kids. I'm sure he's already attacked the dessert table. Luckily, I made extra; I hope you're hungry."
"I'm starved," I told her before glancing back at Vince. He was trying to support Rowan's head as he lifted his head at the sound of food. "Let's head in."
Sarah and Aspen had already stepped inside, but I could sense Vince's hesitation. If he hadn't been carrying Rowan, I feared he'd refuse to enter the house again. Although I was ready to stop him from leaving anyways, I could see that same look in his eyes, the same way his shoulders tensed up. It was precisely how it was the first time Sarah had invited us over for dinner and how he looked before he took off.
Family dinners were supposed to be normal, but for Vince, those were uncommon. And if he had, they weren't pleasant experiences.
Turning to him, I reached my hand up to his cheek, guiding his eyes toward mine. "Hey."
He blinked. Resting against Vince's chest, Rowan held up his free hand to wave, letting out a small "hi."
We laughed at that before I looked back up at Vince. "You'll be okay. Let's go before they think we took off with their child."
He smiled. "I'm surprised they trusted me in holding their child."
"Oh, don't be silly, this wasn't the first time. I think he likes you more than me."
He shook his head. "I doubt that."
"Come on," I motioned to the door with the tilt of my head. "Food's probably already cold."
He nodded. His eyes fell to my hand before glancing back up at me. With a soft smile, I reached my hand over, taking his in mine. Things like that were like reading an open book with him; other times, it was like a labyrinth. I squeezed his hand before heading inside the house, him and Rowan in tow.
Xavier was on the couch with Jonah and Lilah, picking at a plate of desserts before glancing at us. He gave us a soft smile, but I could tell he had been crying just as—if not more than Vince had in the garden. Xavier's face was splotchy and swollen, his shoulders hunched over as he sat there. I felt terrible for not checking in on him after their mother's passing, knowing that he didn't have anyone else to depend on besides Vince or me to cry it out. He didn't have a mate to come home to.
"I'll take Rowan, go make a plate," I told Vince. He glanced between his brother and me before nodding. He went into the kitchen where Aspen and Sarah were standing, looking at the plates of food on the counter. Rowan didn't protest in my arms, especially when he saw Jonah and Lilah behind me. He squirmed a bit as I set him down beside them, walking around the coffee table to sit beside Xavier.
"Hey, you feeling alright?"
He scratched the back of his neck, the half-eaten piece of cake still sitting on his plate on his lap. Lilah had tried to grab it, but Xavier shooed her hand away. "I'll be alright. I think I cried all the liquid I possibly could from my eyes."
"It's okay to cry about it. I know how much she meant to you."
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad he could make it, though. It made it easier, with him here, you know."
I patted his arm. "I'm glad he's back and that he was there for you too."
He nodded, and we watched as the three kids babbled to each other. Despite being relatively older, Jonah and Lilah seemed to understand and communicate with Rowan easily, that, or they were just that good at pretending. Rowan still had that stuffed bear beside him as he and Jonah played with a few of the toys Rowan had lying around.
"How is he?" Xavier's words were quiet, almost as if he feared Vince hearing us from the kitchen. "He took it pretty badly when she...when she left. He was freaking out, and I didn't stop to ask how he really was feeling. I was too busy trying to calm myself down and trying to get him to see you in the garden."
We watched as Vince said some things to Sarah, smiling slightly as Aspen awkwardly clapped his back. Xavier and I chuckled at the gesture. "He cried a lot, talked a lot—about a lot of things. About your mother, about what happened before I left and after that. I think he was just scared of missing being there for the both of you."
Xavier hummed. "It wasn't like we could've anticipated this. Sure we knew she was going soon, but...."
He trailed, but I understood what he meant. "He'll be okay. It might take a little time, but he'll be fine. You both will; you're both strong."
"I'm glad you're here," he said. "I think he needed this; we both did. And I think it was about time. He missed you a lot, although I don't think he'd admit it out loud."
I didn't correct him as Vince stepped away from the kitchen, holding two plates. He handed me one before sitting on the opposite couch. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I grabbed a little of everything."
"Thanks." I looked down at the assortment of options. "I could've grabbed a plate, you know."
"Figured I'd make up for you having to deal with my snot-fest."
