“I get that. Trust me, I understand, Lash.” She sighed. “I just want the best for them all.” She forced a smile to her lips.
Lash groaned and moved toward her. He stood directly behind her, and just having him close was a comfort to her.
“Tell me what you want,” Lash said.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I do. I can’t have you sad on me.”
She leaned back against him. “There are some things in this world that you’re not going to be able to fix, Lash. I know you.” She rested her head against his chest. “We’ve got to allow him to grow and to do his own thing, even if it does go against everything we want for him.”
“Did I ever mention that I think parenting sucks?”
“You love being a daddy.”
“Yeah, and that’s why I know what is best for our babies.”
Angel rubbed his chest. “Do you think he can’t handle it?”
“I know Anthony can handle it. That kid can handle anything. That’s not the problem.”
“Then what is the problem?”
Lash opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. She knew she had to be patient.
“I don’t want him to go,” Lash said. “He’s my son. I don’t, he’s mine. I don’t want the Nomad Chapter to have him.”
Angel cupped his cheek and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”
“I don’t quite love myself right now.”
She went back to stirring her milk as she saw the heat rising. “There is only so much we can do for them. At least we both know we’ll be there for him if he decides to go.”
“I don’t want him to go.”
She didn’t want Anthony to go either, but like his father, he could be pretty damn stubborn.
Angel removed the milk from the stove and made her way into the pantry, finding just the right chocolate chips as well as the vanilla.
Lash stayed by her side, touching her back, her shoulder, her stomach. Whenever he was like this, when he wasn’t happy about something, he often came to her. She had no problem with him being close. This was how they were, strong together. Always together.
After adding the chips and vanilla to the pot, she put it back on to heat and gave it a quick taste. It was so good, but it needed a little more sweetness.
She rushed to the fridge and pulled out her maple syrup. Once back to the milk, she added a little and gave it a taste. Perfection.
Angel wasn’t done yet though. Nope. Pouring into their mugs, she rushed back to the fridge, put the maple syrup back inside, and then grabbed the cream from a can, some marshmallows, and some sprinkles.
After giving each mug a nice generous squirt of cream, a few marshmallows, and some Christmas sprinkles, she was all set. She placed them on a tray, and Lash carried them through to the kids. Angel grabbed her cookie jar and followed him.
Connor was already eating the cream as she opened the jar. He took out a cookie, as did Chloe, and then Anthony. She sat beside Lash on the sofa, leaning against him for support, and watched her kids.
Anthony sat on the floor, his hot chocolate on a coaster. Chloe held hers and took delicate sips. Connor, well, she didn’t even know if he got to taste his with how fast he was eating and drinking.
“Can I have another cookie, please?” Connor said.
Angel laughed. “Dig in.”
Even if they ate all the cookies tonight, it wouldn’t be any hardship making a whole new batch.