Testing Fate

Part 12

*Selena’s POV*

“I don’t know if I can do this…” I said turned to Justin who was holding my hand firmly in his.

“You’re right. We’re doing it not you. We just have to act normal okay?” he said kissing my head as he knocked on the door of the address that Brayden ‘mother’ texted Justin.

As soon as the door opened and we were let inside I began to feel a million times worse than I did earlier. The fact that there were pictures of Breyden and his new family didn’t help. There were picture of them laughing, Christmas photos, birthday photos.

“Justin,” I whispered as my breath started to hitch a bit.

“I know it’s hard, but it’s okay,” he soothed as we walked through the house to the backyard where we would be setting up the party.

“Thank you both so much for doing this,” Leigh said as she handed us a banner to hang. “He’s really going to be shocked.”

“You really love him don’t you?” Justin asked.

“Like he was my own blood,” she said. The corners of her lips began to turn up before she walked away to go get some food ready for him when he got here in a little bit.

Justin and I began to hang the banner while trying to quietly talk to each other.

“This is so hard because I want to hate them because well, they have my son but at the same time they love him so much,” Justin sighed as he taped his side to the edge of the patio.

“I know. He’s happy with them but I can’t help but wonder if he would have been happier or would be happier with us, you know?” I asked as I copied his actions taping the banner up.

He nodded as he grabbed a roll of streamers to hang. “At the same time I can’t help but wonder if this was meant to be. Maybe he was never supposed to belong to us.”

“Who?” Leigh asked as she walked the sliding glass door with a bowl of chips in her hand.

“Our dog, Roger,” I replied quickly without thinking.

“What happened to him?” she asked.

“He um… he…” I tried to say but nothing was coming up.

“He ran away. This morning,” Justin followed along keeping our story going.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope you get him back,” she said with a heartfelt smile.

“Yeah me too,” I sighed knowing that we were not talking about the same thing.

Justin walked over to me as she went back into the house and kissed my head trying to make me feel better but once again failing.

*Justin’s POV*

I could see the hurt in her eyes plain as day and that killed me. I knew that she was hurt but I was hurt too; it wasn’t just her.

Eventually, family and friends of Brayden’s showed up and began talking amongst themselves. Leigh, however, was a gracious hostess and introduced us to everyone.

“Okay James just called me and said they are around the street. Everyone hid,” she said as everyone began hiding in any place they could find.

We all listened to the door open and Brayden and James voices filled the silence.

“Where’s mom?” he asked his little feet falling hard against the wooden floors.

“Maybe she’s in the back,” he hinted leading him out to the back.

We listened to the door slid before we jumped out and all yelled “SURPRISE!”

The funniest part was when he jumped 4 feet in the air.

Everyone laughed as he finally was able to regain his composer.

“That wasn’t funny!” he faked pouted trying to hold in his laugh.

“Welcome home baby,” Leigh said opening up her arms as he walked into them tiredly. “Look even our new friends Justin and Selena came.”

He turned to see us as a smile the size of Texas appeared on his face. He let out a shy wave before burying his face in Leigh’s shoulder.

Everyone one laughed once again but for some reason I couldn’t. This was the first time I was seeing him as my son.

I turned my attention over to Selena who had the same look on her face. I squeezed her hand letting her know what she wasn’t alone. She sent me a small smile before looking back at Brayden.

“You want to go home?” I whispered in her ear after we had been there for a while.

She nodded, sending me and apoligitic look.

“Hey, I think we are gonna head home. Selena’s not feeling all that well. It was great seeing you guys again. Hey Bray,” I said giving him a hug before waving to Leigh and James.

After he hugged me he want over and hugged Selena before whispering in her ear.

“I don’t know buddy. Why don’t you ask?” she said to him in a hushed tone.

“Ask what?” James asked watching as Brayden smiled.

“He wants to know if we can take him to the park later this week,” Selena spoke.

Leigh and James looked at each other. “Alone?” Leigh asked.

“Yes,” Brayden said smiling.

“Well, I guess we do need a break,” James said as he draped his arm around his wife.

“It’s well deserved. Don’t worry about anything. We will take good care of him. Just text me when you want to do it. Bye guys,” I said waving again as we walked out.

“He wants to spend time with us,” Selena said mostly to herself. “Maybe he does know after all.”