Remember Your Worth | Jackson Avery

fifty-seven

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you, Karen.."

"It's Kelly."

"I'm sorry, Kelly. I do not know you, and do not feel comfortable enough to give you my number and meet with you. Now, if you'll excuse my wife and I, we need to go."

"I'm free Saturday. We can meet at a coffee shop or whatever. I'll bring the yearbook to show you."

"And.. what school did we go to, again?"

She hesitated.

"Hi!"
I stepped between them, smiling in her face.

"Oh, hi, excuse me." She peeked around me at Jackson.

"Exactly, excuse you. We're leaving, and you're clearly some fan who can't even tell him what high school he went to. If I have to say excuse me again, it's gonna be between you and whatever I push you into."

She gasped. Jackson shrugged when she looked at him for backup. She huffed, turning on her heels and walking off.

"Between you and whatever I push you into?" He quoted.

"I said what I said."

I shrugged, leaving out the door.

~

My head crashed into my pillow, wanting to sleep the day away. The children's laughter hit me causing me to groan.

"Babe, it won't be that bad." He assured.

"This was your idea. Of course you don't think it'll be that bad."

"Come on, they're here."

I lazily followed him to the living room, plopping on the couch. The door opened revealing an annoyed Meredith as the kids came in.

"I take it the drive went well." Jackson smirked.

"Don't even start. It was filled with the baby shark song and the boys arguing about who's the best, DC or Marvel."

"Sage, please, tell me you have Oreo's." Tuck pleaded.

"They're in the second cabinet."

He and Joey ran off to the kitchen while Zola, Bailey and Ellis took their shoes off.  Mer kissed them goodbye, leaving.

They got their snacks, parking their butts in front of the TV. Tuck and Joey played on their phones, going back and forth about some game.

"It's been a nice while and no one has died or severely injured themselves. I'm leaving." I told him, going to the room.

I was fifty minutes into Beetlejuice, wide awake. Rae laid next to me, knocked out. She'd follow me into the room, wanting to be away from the others.

I heard a loud thud. I made sure Rae would be okay in the bed before getting out. I opened the door, stepping into a dark hallway.

"Why are the lights off!?" I shouted, walking through the hall.

I got no response, prompting me to hold onto the rail as I made my way down the stairs. Coming to the bottom, I saw everyone holding lights.

Jackson stood at the end, holding a bouquet of roses. I smiled ear to ear, rounding the banister and walking up to him.

"Beautiful.." he kissed me.

"You are the love of my life, I'm sure you know. I love you with everything in me. You've given me four amazing children, and I don't deserve any of you. It brings so much joy to my soul, knowing that I'm spending the rest of my life with you.

"I know you're tired of me saying it but I love you. I thought the lights and stuff was too corny; there was some voice in back of my head saying that you wouldn't like it but by that smile, I know I did not fail."

"No, you did not."

"Don't deny me, okay?"

He reached on the couch, grabbing a little box and popping it open. The ring was beautiful; my mind looking for a reason that he bought it.

"I know what you're thinking, and that's why I said don't deny me. There's nothing wrong with your ring, I just wanted to buy you another one."

"I appreciate it, truly. I wish you didn't waste your money on me, though. I would've preferred it was stuff for the kids."

"They're set for a while, babe. This is about you.."

He handed me an average sized box. I opened the lid, quickly covering the lingerie inside.

"Well, thank you, beautiful." I thanked him, calling him my nickname.

He laughed, letting the kids run off while he approached me. He engulfed me into a hug, whispering in my ear.

"Put on the set, and don't say anything about the whip cream.."

"Whip..." I whispered.

"Whip cream.." he nodded.