A Vow of Silence

Chapter 20.

Jax

I blinked a few times as the morning sun lit up my bedroom. I've been waking up alone the past couple of nights but this morning was different. This morning, Nicole lay right next to me. Her bare back indicated just how much company I really had last night.

I smiled to myself as I cuddled up closer to her and inhaled her scent. Her skin was soft underneath my touch and her smell reminded me of vanilla. It was a miracle I even got her to stay last night without her leaving me to go home. But it felt nice to wake up to someone, and even better that it was her.

I peppered her shoulder with soft, light kisses until she started to slowly wake up. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyes, but when she was fully awake she gave me a lazy smile. "Good morning," she said as she rolled over on her side.

"Good morning," I said caressing her face. For a while we just laid there, not bothering to say words. It felt nice, it was like a different level of intimacy. One that I'd been craving for a while.

She was so delicate with me as if I was fragile when I was far from it. She held me close to her chest and ran her fingers through my hair. She planted sweet kisses on my face and lips that went straight to my heart first rather than the usual place. I'd never been held like this before, hell, I'd never been the little spoon.

At first, I thought it was strange when she threw her body over mine in the middle of the night like I was some kind of body pillow. But it was the fastest I'd ever gone to sleep, so I guess psycho Happy was on to something.

"I have to get up," Nicole groaned.

"Just five more minutes," I protested in response.

"Um, it's either I get up now, or Abel walks in on us. You decide."

I rolled over on my back as I thought about my son walking in on us. Nicole and I only had a blanket to shield our bodies from being exposed. I didn't feel like having that kind of conversation with my five-year-old, so I reluctantly let Nicole out of the bed. She disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, while I threw on some joggers. I hadn't slept like this in ages, so I decided to throw on a pot of coffee as Nicole got ready.

However, as I stood there assembling the pot, I heard keys jingling in the door. My mom walked in shortly after carrying a duffel bag on her shoulder. I was confused as to why she was here since it was nowhere near the weekend, and Nicole was already here.

"Hey ma," I said skeptically.

"Hey baby," she said planting a kiss on my cheek. I noticed that her duffel bag was empty, so it just furthered my confusion.

"Picking up stuff for the boys?"

"Um no, just grabbing some of your laundries." She walked towards the closet and started to empty the laundry basket contents into the bag.

"Why?"

She turned to look at me, "because," she lowered her voice. "Nicole hasn't been following any of my instructions. I showed her everything from top to bottom, a monkey could do it. But she ignored me and switched detergents, and I don't want the boys to get a rash."

I snorted, not thinking that my mom was actually being serious. But the look on her face let me know that she absolutely was. None of the laundries had been cleaned badly. They were stain-free and they smelled nice, I don't see what the heck the problem was. "Mom, is this really about laundry?"

Gemma stopped and stared at me blankly, "what else would it be about?"

"I don't know, I just feel like you give her a really hard time. She's doing her best, and she's good for the boys."

"Jackson, she is a stranger around my family. She needs to know how we do things around here."

"Mom, it's just clothes. Besides, she's done more than anyone could have asked from her." Gemma scoffed and continued to shove clothes into the duffel bag. I rolled my eyes and walked up to her to take the duffle bag out of her hands and empty the clothes back into the hamper.

"Mom, I mean it, you need to cool it on Nicky."

"Nicky?" she questioned. I internally groaned, instantly regretting calling her that in front of my mom.

"Mom, it's just a nickname."

"I don't think that's true Jax. You're getting awfully comfortable with your "employee," she said bending her fingers around the word. "You just lost your wife, she shouldn't---"

"She isn't doing anything that I don't want with her," I said growing defensive at the mention of losing Tara. My mom looked surprised at my tone, and somehow I found it within me to deliver my next few words calmly. "I'm not trying to replace Tara. Nicole works right now, for everyone. She's getting Abel to open up more. Thomas is counting, and the house is clean. Everyone is fine."

Gemma looked at me skeptically for a moment, squinting her eyes at me. "What is she doing for you?" I exhaled through my nose so that she could clearly see that her question irritated me, but then she softened. "Baby," she cupped my cheek, "I just want to make sure that the right woman is around my boys."

Before I could respond, Abel came running down the hallway. He was dressed for school and Nicole came up behind him with Thomas on her hip. "Hey buddy," I said tossing Abel in the air as he burst into a fit of giggles. I held him in my arms as I walked over to Nicole to plant a kiss on Thomas's head.

"You ready for school today?" I asked Abel. He nodded his head repeatedly and I chuckled at his excitement. I helped Nicole outside with the boys and got them both buckled in for her. Ratboy was outside ready to follow them when they drove off.

I gave Nicole a kiss on her hand as I waved goodbye to them. However, once I walked back into my house, I completely forgot that my mom was still inside. And she'd watched the whole thing. I hadn't done anything wrong, but anyone with eyes could see how comfortable I was around Nicole.

"So, that's what she does for you," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't start ma," I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

"Jackson-"

"Mom," I said interrupting her lecture, "I got this. I know that you're just looking out for me, and I know that having Nicole here has been an adjustment. But please, don't ruin this for me."

"I would never," she said still trying to interject.

"Mom, don't ruin this one for me."