Chapter {47}

Emrys Belle:

"Aj." I gasped and fell to my knees.

I took him in my arms and squeezed him tight. Pulling away to check for any injuries. I took his hand and lifted it up seeing as there was a bright blue paw patrol plaster wrapped around his index finger. I gave a questioning look to which he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Umm paper cut?" he spoke looking down to the ground.

I let go of his hand pointing to the sofa for him to sit down on. He made his way to the sofa stepping away from the shadow of his uncle Alex. Aj's eyes lifted up before he could sit down, I knew straight away who caught his eye and was waiting for the worst.

"Dad–" Aj started, the tension felt in the room.

I just stood there in shock waiting for the bomb to be dropped.

"Yes, sweetheart that's Damon." Everleigh was quick to jump in holding Aj back from jumping into Damon's arms for a hug.

"You remember Damon honey." she picked him up and turned him away from Damon holding him to her chest.

I was holding back the tears that were threatening to arise.

"Damon honey could you turn the kettle on, please? And perhaps get some snacks ready for this little one?" Everleigh enquired to her son who just looked very confused by the situation, his eyes never leaving my son's figure.

With a quick nod, he pushed himself off the wall and headed to the kitchen.

"Alexander, why don't you help your brother out. Keep him there until we are done with Aj," she added next.

"But mum, I'm tired," he whined.

Everleigh simply gave him a stern look any mother would give her child and he was off to the kitchen following orders.

She placed Aj back on the sofa, helping him take his little bag off. I took a seat next to my son with Everleigh on the other side of him, Asher, Paul and the rest present took their seats around the living room getting ready to hear of Aj's adventures.

"Aj, you need to tell mommy what happened. Why are you not with Auntie Mia?" I started softly to not scare him.

"I left."

"You left? On your own?" I continued, thinking of ways to murder my sister.

"Yeah. I took the train." he started proudly lifting his head up to meet my eyes.

"How did you manage to take the train Aj?" Everleigh asked next.

"I went to the station." he shrugged as if it was nothing.

"You took the train from New Jersey to here? And no one stopped you? No Adult wondered why you were on your own?" I pushed.

"No." Aj sat further on the sofa.

"Did any adults ask you why you were on your own?"

"Yeah. I said my daddy is Damon Mortimer and my grandpa and Grandma are Ash and Leigh Mortimer. They all left me alone."

Asher couldn't help but let out a chuckle making me and his wife send him a glare.

"Don't encourage him, Asher," Everleigh warned.

"You got to give it to the boy, was a smart move to keep safe." Ash defended himself.

"Yes or one way to get kidnapped and held for ransom." Leigh sassed back.

I continued to ask Aj questions about how he got the money saying he stole it from my mother's purse and how he got from the train station to the Mortimer residence and how he got through security.

"But Aj, why did you do all that?" I finally asked.

He dropped his head to his hands and started crying. I sat him on my lap seeing as the bump was in the way I sat him higher on my belly and placed his head in the crook of my neck, my fingers placing his hair behind his ear, something I knew would calm him down.

"Why Aj?" I whispered to him.

"Because I wanted to see you and daddy." he hiccuped out.

"Oh, baby." I cooed and rubbed his back.

"I don't like Steven. He's mean." he continued between tears.

"I know honey. You could have said that you really really wanted to come back home. I would have figured something out." I assured him.

Aj pulled himself away from me, a question clearly on his mind.

"Why doesn't daddy remember me?" he shot out of the blue.

I looked at Everleigh with a worried look, I had hoped that he didn't catch up on that.

"Aj, bubba, Daddy got a big bump on his head and he lost all his memories," I explained to him in a way that would not worry him too much, I'm not going to approach the Melodie situation with him, that would be too much.

"So daddy doesn't remember being a daddy?" Aj tilted his head trying to grasp the situation.

"Yes, Daddy has forgotten a lot of things and it might take a while before he remembers. So you can't get too upset if he doesn't play with you or remember who you are. Okay, baby? He still loved you very very much, it's just playing hide and seek with him." I continued to explain to him.

Aj nodded his head looking back down to his hands.

"Does he remember you, mommy?"

His question hit me straight in the heart, of course, I knew the answer to Aj's question but I refused to believe it.

"No Bubba, daddy doesn't remember me either." I sighed sadly.

"Oh." was the last words that came out of Aj's mouth before he shut himself off and cuddled up to me.

Everleigh Mortimer:

My husband came down to the kitchen with his laptop in hand, his beautiful blue eyes smiling down at me.

"Is she still on the phone?" he enquired about Emrys.

"Yes, she's been giving a piece of her mind to her mother and sister for the past–" I took a look at my watch " –I would say 45 minutes."

Asher nodded and took a seat by the end of the kitchen island looking in the direction my eyes were cast.

"Is he still not talking?" he was referring to Aj who was sat at the little kiddy table we had in the far corner of the kitchen by the bay windows for when we have the grandkids over, happily colouring some books in that were laying around.

"Not a word since earlier. I still can't believe he took the train from Jersey to here all by himself. A very determined little boy, wanting to do everything by himself." I sighed cleaning up the last of Aj's snacks.

"You know exactly who was like that." Asher hinted.

"Sadly I do." I gave a sad smile.

Talking about Carter was always a sour subject, even over twenty years later. I am forever grateful for having him in my life and for all the things he did for me and my children. Yet, I always feel sadness for all the things he missed out on, especially with his daughter and now grandchildren.

"What about Damon?" Ash asked next after a beat of silence, both of us taking a dark trip down memory lane.

"Claimed he had a headache and went to his room to rest. I'll check on him in a couple of hours." I confirmed, silence falling back down on us.

I felt Asher take my hand in his, no words needed between us. A gentle squeeze was all the communication we needed.

Our moment was interrupted rather abruptly and loudly by no other than Melodie herself strutting into the kitchen, ranting and raving.

"Why isn't Damon responding to my calls? I've been waiting for him for three hours in town!" She all but yelled at our face.

I could feel the anger rising in my blood. Asher gave my hand one last squeeze before standing up to kiss the top of my head.

"Save the murderous tendencies for the basement Angel," he whispered in my ear, making his way towards Aj who was covering his ears with his hands because of Melodie's shrill voice.

I don't blame him, I wish I could do the same and be swept away by Asher into the garden but sadly I'm an adult and have to play along for Damon's mental health.

"I'm sorry to hear that Melodie but we have had to deal with certain urgent matters that took up all of our time, even Damon's. Because of that, he has had to rest and certainly didn't mean to forget to meet up with you on purpose."

I finished with a smile, my hands itching to reach for a kitchen knife.

"Oh, well I hope all is settled now." Melodie's anger settling down, seeming to remember who she is talking to.

"All is under control, thank you for asking." I politely responded, walking over to the bin to rid myself of the empty snack packet.

"I just really wanted Damon there to help me pick a dress for the gala next week. We had fittings today that I had to push back."

Crap, the gala, I completely forgot.

"Well, I'm sure you could get yourself another fitting. As you said, there is still a week no need to rush." I turned back her way and saw her take a bottle of juice out the fridge as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to do in my house.

The itch of reaching for the knife came back. Not long before she can go and never come back, I kept repeating to myself. Damon will soon realise he loved Emrys, I can see it in his eyes when he looks at her, plus with Aj in the house again it might jog his memory which is what we are all hoping for.

If my son is anything like his father he won't forget the love of his life for very long. Mortimer men have strong feelings and I know something will trigger him to remember and even if he doesn't he will fall in love all over again with Emrys, this baby on the way only enforcing that.

________________________________

Another update! whoo! Next one will be up on inkitt soon!

Also, today i was called a bitch by a fellow reader on His hers ours, said reader did not appreciate that i put most of the story down.  I know a lot of you were upset about it, i get that i really do but calling me names and then going on a little rant does not sit well with me. No hate to the person we are entitled to our opinions but remember that what you say online can be hurtful, now i being Me will respond like the smart arse i am. But for someone else it could really hurt them. Please be careful with your words xx

I hope you enjoyed Everleigh's point of view, I missed her x

So Aj left by his own accord!

What will happen next?

will something happen at the gala?

Thoughts? predictions?

as always, stay home and stay safe!

xoxo

follow me on instagram to be the first to know about updates!