Be With Me

Chapter 99

James opened the door of the kitchen to find Rafaela cooking dinner. Her smiling face still made his heart race. He put Colton on the floor and the boy took off running.

"Ava!" Colton yelled searching for his older sister.

"Hey..." Rafaela said low when he approached her. James wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing her lips after.

"How was the day?" He asked then not letting go.

"It was alright." She said. He pecked her lips again, profiting of the time they were left alone. Soon, Ava would be bursting in the kitchen to request his attention.

"How's Taylor? What did the doctor say?"

"She's fine. The infection is completely gone."

"Thank God." He said relieved.

"Daddy... daddy..." They heard a girly voice yelling and steps running towards the kitchen.

"Yes, sweetie!" He yelled from the kitchen when he heard her.

James crouched knowing Ava would appear at any minute. As she did, she ran to him and held him tight with her tiny arms around his neck. James spread kisses all over her face, making her giggle.

"Hello there my lovely princess." He said sweetly and Rafaela smiled as her daughter let go of her father and span around, showing him the princess costume she had bought her.

"Wow... you look beautiful!" James exclaimed with his eyes wide open to pretend some amazement.

"Mommy bought me this today!" She said.

"She did?" James asked back and Ava nodded.

"Mommy, what have you bought for me?" Colton asked.

"It's in the living room Colton!" Ava told him, grabbing his hand. "Come daddy, come!" She then called James. "Daddy... come!" She said again.

"I'm going." He giggled a bit and then kissed Rafaela's lips one more time. "I'm going to check on them. Is Taylor sleeping?"

"Yeah... she's in the stroller. She's used to their noise you know..."

Until dinner Rafaela amused herself hearing the kids so excited to be playing with their father. According to what she could perceive, they were playing some fighting. Ava was the princess, Colton the prince and James the monster that tormented them. Sometimes she laughed when she heard them laugh loud too. Her house was so full of life now, they were so happy, but Liam was never forgotten. Ava already knew she had had an older brother. To her, he was in heaven now with the angels and grandfather Virgil, they spared her the fact that some woman had murdered their brother. She was too little for sordid details or to be afraid of people.

After dinner, the kids would be too tired, and they would collapse on the couch. The TV was theirs until they fall asleep. Usually, James would take Ava and Rafaela Colton and finally, they would come back downstairs for a little time for themselves. The fireplace was burning, rain was still falling outside. Taylor was still sleeping, and they curled on the couch, with just the fire as a light and the TV. Rafaela snuggled against James's chest and he wrapped an arm around her. They'd profited of the quietness and silence whenever they could. With three children inside the house it was hard to have a quiet moment for themselves.

"Isn't that the prison where Kelly is?" Rafaela asked as she recognized the building. James grabbed the remote and turn the sound up a little.

"...the woman known as the murderer of James Hetfield's son, was found dead in her cell this morning..." The woman on the TV explained.