Spark in the Dark

Chapter 195

After making it out of California, Juice stopped at a small motel and they checked in before taking the kids swimming in the outdoor pool there. Abel was a pretty good swimmer on his own, so Juice held onto Ally while Shawn had Thomas. When they got hungry, Juice ordered a pizza and they ate at one of the tables on the pool. Ally fell asleep in her stroller after Shawn had fed her. Juice cut up some pizza into tiny little bites for Thomas to feed himself.

"What are we doing next, Aunt Shawn?" Abel asked curiously.

"I think we'll hang out here for tonight and then tomorrow morning go see some animals at a zoo. What do you think about that?"

"Good," he said and took a bite of pizza. "Will Daddy be there?"

Shawn didn't know how to answer his question. She and Juice had decided not to tell Abel anything until they got to where they were going. They figured it would be easier on him if he knew he would still have a home, even if it wasn't with his parents.

"Don't chew with your mouth full, okay Abel?" Shawn said quietly.

Abel swallowed his food. "Sorry. Is Daddy coming then?"

"Not tomorrow, buddy," Juice told him. "He asked us to take you to see the animals while he's working. What animal do you hope we see tomorrow?"

Abel began to talk about all his favorite animals and Shawn gave Juice a thankful look. He nodded and gave her a smile as he reached to hold her hand.

"I know one thing we're doing tonight," Shawn started when Abel was finished. "Taking a bath. Thomas is covered in pizza sauce."

Abel giggled, making Shawn feel relieved. At least for the moment. The longer they could wait to tell Abel about Jax the better. Shawn wondered for a moment where he was. Or if he was even still alive. Her eyes became teary for the millionth time that day and she put her sunglasses on again to keep Abel from seeing.

After dinner, Shawn pushed Ally's stroller back to their room while carrying Thomas. Abel hadn't been ready to go back yet, so Juice offered to stay at the pool with him a little longer. She got Thomas cleaned up and into his pajamas. Ally had woken up from her nap by then and, once Thomas was settled down watching cartoons, she gave her a bath, too. Shawn wasn't surprised when Thomas fell asleep on his own. It had been a long day for everyone.

Juice opened the door to the room and Abel came in quickly. Shawn put her finger to her lips to let him know to stay quiet since his brother was asleep. Juice offered to get him ready for bed. In the middle of tucking Abel in, Juice's cell rang. Shawn took over for him so he could step outside to talk.

On the outside, Abel saw Shawn smiling as she read him a bedtime story. On the inside, her heart raced and her cheeks felt hot. Juice's phone ringing was the first time anyone had reached out to them since they had left TM that morning. She knew what Jax's plan had been and knew what the phone call was probably about, but that didn't stop her from hoping something had changed.

Once Abel's eyes had closed, she stepped outside with Ally. Juice had never come back from his phone call and Shawn had a feeling that no news was not good news this time. She saw Juice sitting with his back to her on the nearby stairs. After quietly pulling the door shut, she walked over to him.

"Juice?"

He looked up at her. He didn't need to say anything. Juice's red eyes gave him away. Shawn's face crumbled as she sunk down on the step next to him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple as she bounced Ally in her lap.

"How?" Shawn asked.

Juice hesitated to answer, but he knew she needed to know. She needed to closure. "Semi. Just like his old man. Same stretch of highway and everything."