Chapter Fifty

Collier


I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR and heard footsteps walking across the floor. The door opened quickly and standing before me was the woman I was in love with. I kissed her and followed her inside and closed the door. I turned and heard little taps running across the hardwood floor towards me. I looked down and saw the other person I loved, her son.

“It’s like he’s been waiting on you to get here.” She looked down at Parker. “I told you Collier was coming to tuck you in.” He lifted his little arms up to me. “I don’t know what you’ve done to him, but since we’ve been in New York, he won’t go to sleep until he sees you.”

“Hey there, little man.” I bent down and picked him up. “What are you doing up?”

“Dada.” I looked at Chloe and she looked at me smiling.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.” She reached for his hand. “Are you okay Baby?”

I cleared my throat. “Yes.”

“Here,” she reached for Parker. “I’ll take him.”

“No. I’ll put him down.” I walked into the other room and placed Parker in his crib. “Hey, little man, I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m always around.” He was dancing in his crib and laughing.

“What is going on in here?” Chloe walked in smiling. “Parker Alexander, do you know what time it is?” He laughed louder.

“Mama,” he called out followed by another loud laugh.

“Shhh Parker. It’s late and Aunt Taylor and Uncle Jason are next door trying to sleep.” He laughed out loud followed by a high pitched screech.

“Honey, let me try.” I picked him up. “Hey, little man, what’s going on?” I tried walking with him, but he was still wide awake and laughing.

“I don’t know why he’s so excited.”

“He’s okay, baby.” I smiled.

“Here honey, let me take him.” I handed him to Chloe. She started walking and rocking him in her arms and blowing in his eyes.

“Where did you learn that?”

“Your mom. She said she used to do you the same way. She said it calmed you down and within minutes you were asleep.” We looked down at Parker and he was yawning. “See.” She placed him in the crib and rubbed his stomach.

“He’s beautiful, Chloe.”

“Thank you. When I look at him, I don’t see the mistakes I made or how much Orlando hurt me. I only see love.”

I looked at her and then at Parker. “CJ, I wanted to go for a walk and--”

“I’m sorry. I forgot. Let me change my shoes and get Mrs. King.” She started walking away, and I grabbed her hand. “What’s wrong?” She turned and faced me.

“I was going to do this in the garden.”

“Do what?” I brushed her cheek. “What’s wrong, baby?” She looked at me with those big brown eyes and I saw my future.

“Everything is right.” I looked at Parker and took a deep breath. “You and Parker mean so much to me.”

“We love you, too.”

I took another deep breath. “Parker and I bought you something.”

“You and Parker bought me something?” She smiled.

I reached inside my pocket and put the ring in my fist. “Yes and I think that’s why he’s so active. I told him we were going to give it to you tonight.”

“Okay.”

“I have to tell you, I wanted the yellow one and he kept pointing to the white one. So we compromised. Close your eyes. No peeking.”

“I’m not peeking.”

“Hold your hand out...okay open your eyes.” She looked down at the very large yellow diamond ring sitting on a narrow band of white pave diamonds, and didn’t say anything. “Honey…honey…are you okay?”

“What is this?”

I took a deep breath. “I asked Parker how would he feel about having me around…permanently?”

She was still staring at the ring. “And what did he say?”

“He smiled and spit up on me.”

She looked up laughing. “I see.”

“I wanted to make sure we were on the same page, so I asked your parents to interpret his response for me. They said that was the Jacobs’ way of welcoming new people into the family.”

“Really.”

I got down on my left knee, took her left hand in mine. “CJ, I’m in love with you, and I love your son. I wasn’t ready the first time I met you. But thank God, He brought you back to me. I have you as a friend, and now I’m ready to be your husband, your partner, your lover and Parker’s father. If you and Parker will have me, I promise with God’s help to be the best in all those roles. Chloe Marie Jacobs will you marry me?”

She took a deep breath and I saw tears fill her eyes. “Collier Benjamin, I’m in love with you, too and yes, I’ll marry you and yes, you can be Parker’s Dada.”

I placed the ring on her left ring finger and stood up. I pulled her close, kissed her and heard laughing. We turned and saw Parker sitting up laughing and clapping his hands.

“Hey, little man, looks like Dada and Mama are getting married.”