Unbreakable

Chapter Eight

                                                     Chapter Eight

Learning, Living, and Loving 

“Colton Wilson we are not discussing this any further. Hope and I are playing like we are married, this means that we have to pretend. She has to come with us to the funeral!” he snapped at his son who was complaining about me going to the funeral with him. It was a stressful week, getting Colton into the school he needed to be in and explaining the story we had come up with to all of our more nosey neighbors.

            We were settled on the idea that Colton was a product of Jeremy’s first marriage and that he was spending the rest of the year with us because of his mother’s work schedule. They seemed to accept our cheesy excuse, but without some sort of understanding from Colton, this wasn’t going to work. I understood he was young, his mother had died, and now his grandparents, but there were more than just him in the world which had lost people they cared deeply about. I wanted to tell them about my past and what I had gone through, but it wasn’t the right time.

            Jeremy seemed to understand that I was trying, which I was honestly.

            “Are you ready?” Jeremy asked his son while grabbing his bags for the trip back to Philadelphia. Not to my surprise, he rolled his eyes at him and nodded his head. We had gone to Walmart and bought him some sort of electronic device to keep him occupied all week. Because it was in the middle of the week, he wouldn’t start school until after we got back from the funeral. My mind raced at the thought of meeting Jeremy’s whole family and during such a hard time.

            As we were boarding our plane Jeremy took Colton’s hand and as I went to take Jeremy’s, Colton pulled them farther in front of me. This was going to be a long gruesome process. I really just wanted him to be civil and not think that I was trying to take over him or his father.

            “Brez said that we were put into first class because they felt bad about my parents,” Jeremy called back to me noticing that his son had pulled him further in front of me.

            “That is nice of the bureau because I wouldn’t be able to afford them if I weren’t under cover. Don’t get me wrong, we are being paid hefty, but I still am paying all my bills for the house I am not occupying at the moment.” I said hastily, trying not to show my annoyance.

            Jeremy and Colton had been sleeping in the spare bedroom of the house because Colton would wake up with night tremors. It was better him sleeping with the boy instead of waking up the whole house.

            After being seated in our seats and having the flight attendant a bottle of water, we were comfortably waiting to land in Philadelphia. I prayed the flight would go fast and thankfully it did. I was awaken by the poking of a small finger in my ribs.

            “Hope, wake up!” a squeaky voice exclaimed in my ear.

            “I’m up, I’m up!” I shouted opening my eyes and standing up. As I looked around confused, the boys started laughing and everyone was staring in my direction.

            “Jeremy how you could condone such behavior,” I chided playfully, the smile obviously on my face. When we were escorted off the plane, I went to wait for the baggage claim while Jeremy went to look for his sister who we would be staying with.

            “Well look at her Jer, isn’t she a hottie!” exclaimed his sister as I picked up our luggage. I ignored her comments as she picked up Colton. The way he wrapped himself around her was in a loving way. It was as though she was his rock and everything that kept him sane.