Alexander (25 page)

Jack felt so much pride in that simple statement he couldn’t stop from getting up and kissing Dad on the cheek. When he hugged him back, Jack felt the tears threaten to spill, but this time, he didn’t care or feel embarrassed by them.

“
Jack, there’s one more thing I wanted to tell you. You don’t only just have your mom and grandpa Tom anymore. You have me, my parents, who I think might already be getting you too much for Christmas, an aunt and uncle and all my relatives as well. You’ll have so many people pinching your cheek at Christmas you might change your mind about me adopting you.”

“
I’ll never do that. Never.” Jack sat back in the chair, suddenly exhausted. He’d not had a very good night the past few nights worrying about Dad and whether or not he’d change his mind.

Dad. Jack liked the sound of that. He never thought his mom would marry. She’d never even dated as far as he knew. She had friends, he supposed, but nobody who made her light up the way Dad did.

Jack was excited about his first real Christmas with a family and no matter what Dad said, he was looking forward to having family. He’d gladly have his cheeks pinched for a chance to be around a lot of people. Jack felt his body relax and thought he’d just close his eyes a minute before he called his grandda to come and get him.

Jack was thinking about having a brother or sister too as his mind grew fuzzy and his body more lax. Someone he could be the big brother to. He tried to open his eyes when he heard someone come in the room, but when Dad laughed, Jack let his body go. Yes, he thought drifting into sleep, having a family was going to be so much fun.

About the Author

Hello! My name is Kathi Barton and I’m an author. I have been married to my very best friend Sonny for at times seems several lifetimes – in a good way, honey. And together we have three wonderful children and then the ones we brought into the world - Paul and Dale Barton, Jason and Wendy Barton and Danielle and Ben Conklin. They have given us seven of the greatest treasures on Earth. They don’t live at home seven days a week! No, seriously, seven grandchildren – Gavin, Spring, Ben, Trinity, Sarah, Kelly and Kian.