The ache in the man’s voice was clear and his regret was profound and honest.
“Are you… are you going to try to take Newt from me?” Isaac asked softly, his voice racked with fear.
Sheridan quickly shook his head. “No, no, absolutely not. You’ve been an amazing big brother, Isaac. I can see that just by all the things you did for him when he was born. You were and are the father he should have had from the beginning. I’m just sorry it had to fall on your young shoulders. I’m thinking life with Jillian meant you didn’t have much of a childhood yourself.”
Before Isaac could respond, the courtroom doors swung open.
“Isaac!” Newt yelled and then he was running. Isaac met him at the spot where there was a small swing door leading to the front part of the courtroom. He caught him up and held him.
“Oh God, I’ve missed you,” Isaac said softly.
“Are you coming home now?” Newt asked. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.
“I’m absolutely coming home, Newt,” Isaac said, then he kissed his temple. I glanced up to see Nolan, Dallas, and Sawyer standing by the main doors. Dallas’s gaze caught mine and he smiled warmly. I had a million things I wanted to say to him in that moment, but they’d keep until we were home.
Because there was no doubt I was going home too.
But not to the big ugly house on the water that hadn’t ever really been home. I was going wherever Isaac was going, and I knew in my gut that place included my brother and the man he now called family.
“Spit on it,” Newt demanded, then he was horking into his palm. Isaac automatically looked at me with a you gotta be kidding me look. I shrugged my shoulders. His look promised retribution and then he was spitting into his hand and shaking Newt’s.
“I promise I’m coming home,” he said.
“And we get to stay with Nolan and Dallas and Loki and Sawyer and Gentry and Snotrod and Mad?”
“I’m last?” I called out to Newt. “I’m last on your list? Behind Snot?”
Newt giggled and shrugged.
“Yes, we get to stay with Nolan and Dallas and Loki and Sawyer and Gentry and Snot and, most definitely, Mad,” Isaac said as he flashed me a smile. I felt my insides go impossibly warm.
Isaac’s eyes fell on Sheridan, who was looking at both him and Newt with blatant want. But the man continued to hang back. It was Isaac who returned to us. When he was once again pressed up against my side, Newt still in his arms, he said, “Newt, I want you to meet someone. This is Aaron.”
“Like our name?” Newt asked, and Isaac nodded.
“Hello,” Newt said, then he stuck out his hand.
The spit-covered one.
Sheridan didn’t even hesitate to take it. “Hi, Newt,” he said, his voice cracking just a little.
Isaac put out his hand next… also his spit-covered one. “I’m Isaac, Aaron. It’s very nice to meet you.”
The man nearly crumpled in relief. His eyes looked watery as he said, “It’s so very nice to finally meet you both.”
I put my arm around Isaac’s shoulders and then leaned down to kiss his temple. He put his free arm around my back. “Aaron, this is my boyfriend, Maddox.”
Aaron and I shook hands.
The older man couldn’t seem to stop looking at his grandsons, but he seemed to catch himself because he fished around in his pocket and pulled out a business card and handed it to Isaac. “Um, I know it’s too soon after all that’s happened, but if you ever want to talk or need anything, anything at all, would you…would you call me, please?”
Isaac took the card. Aaron stared at him for a long beat, then Newt. He quickly patted Newt on the knee before saying, “Well, I should leave you to it.” He turned to go.
Isaac glanced at me, and I quickly pulled his hand up to my lips and kissed the back of his knuckles. “Go get him, baby,” I said softly. He nodded, then he was handing me Newt and hurrying after Aaron. He stopped him about halfway between the front of the courtroom and the exit. I only overheard a little bit of their conversation, but it was the most important part.
The part where he invited Aaron to come have dinner with his family.
I looked at Newt. “You ready to go, buddy?” I asked as I gave him a squeeze.
He nodded and then grinned at me.
It was a bit of an evil grin.
“What?” I asked.
“You still gotta get punished,” he said slyly.
“For what?” I asked as I squinted my eyes at him.
“You said a bad word.”
I smiled when I remembered the moment right before I’d carried Newt into the ambulance when I’d said the word damn and he’d called me on it. We’d both agreed my punishment could wait until Isaac was home.