16. Courtney

Chapter 16

Courtney

C hristmas morning

We came close to losing it all. We came close to ending it and never seeing the love we have for each other through.

And thank god Jack knew better than I did. While I sat here thinking he never grew up, he grew up faster than me.

I lay awake early the morning of Christmas Day, waiting to hear little footsteps come running down the hall. I lay awake waiting for Jack to stir next to me. I lay awake waiting for the dawn of today to bring forth a new life for all of us, one where the three of us are a family once again.

When Jack told me he never put the divorce papers through, I had a moment of sheer terror. All this time we were still married? And then I thought back over the last year and found myself remembering how much I missed him. Yes, I was mad. Yes, I left five years ago and sat in my own anger and bitterness. But when he showed up this year with a different attitude from the start, I allowed myself to wonder about the what ifs.

Those what ifs bring us to today.

Jack Fristoni saved Christmas.

I hear little feet running down the hall, right past my bedroom door and around the corner. “Santa came! He made it!” Joey calls out, and I giggle to myself.

Groaning, Jack comes to life. “What time is it?”

“Five thirty.”

“No fucking way.” His voice is husky. We’ve only had about three hours of sleep. Once we decided we were going to stay married, we made up for lost time, touching, tasting, and teasing into the wee hours, not giving a damn what time it was, a decision that we’re paying for right now.

“Yes fucking way. Get your ass up; he’s not going to wait.”

Jack rolls over, throwing his arm across my middle, stopping me from leaving the bed. “Do we have time for a quickie?”

I chuckle and push him away. “Quickie doesn’t exist in your vocabulary. Come on, I’ll give you a blow job after we open presents.”

He picks his head up quickly. “You better swear to that, Mrs. Fristoni.”

Mrs. Fristoni . My heart races, and my blood runs hot in my veins. “I love that name.” I kiss him and quickly slip from his hold, chuckling as he groans. “Get that under control,” I nod to the erection I see him stroking, “and come meet your son in the living room for Christmas presents.”

I open the door and call out to Joey. “Don’t open anything until I get there!” I run to the bathroom then head toward the kitchen for coffee. Jack comes in a moment later, hair a shaggy mess, a five o’clock shadow covering his face, and shirtless. I narrow my eyes.

“You’re not playing fair.”

He shrugs, grabbing the mug from me and filling his coffee. “Too late now. You’re stuck with me.”

I shake my head, dodging his grabby hands, and find Joey pulling his stocking apart. “Hey! Didn’t I tell you to wait?”

“I’m just looking! Hurry up! Where’s Dad?”

“He’s putting on a shirt,” I say loudly as he enters the room.

“No time for clothes today, Joey!” He places his mug down on the table and claps his hands loudly before rubbing them back and forth. “Let's see the goods!”

“Come sit with me!” Joey cries, and Jack grabs his coffee before taking a seat on the floor next to Joey and all the presents. I sit on the couch and pull out my phone, ready to take some photos.

The wrapping is flying and the toys are bursting from the room. Joey always gets spoiled, being the only child, and especially because he gets presents from both of us. I find myself thinking that next year may look quite different.

“Is that everything? Wow, Joe, you’ve been opening for almost an hour!” I say, tired just from looking at all the stuff.

He gets up quickly, pulling two presents from behind the tree. “I have two more, but they're for you and Dad.”

I sit up, and Jack stands, coming to sit beside me. Joey comes over and wedges himself between the two of us. “This one’s for you, and this one’s for Dad,” he says proudly as he hands us two small, square gifts. We look at each other then begin to open the gifts. I unwrap an ornament, and my breath catches as I realize what it reads.

Our First Christmas Together, 202 4

With tears in my eyes, I struggle to understand what Joey was thinking with this gift. “Joe, this is beautiful, but first Christmas? I don’t understand.”

Jack holds his up, which also reads First Christmas Together, and he looks just as confused.

“Well, it’s our first Christmas back together. As a family. I wanted to make sure we had ornaments for the tree.” Tears fall from my eyes and I let them. I’m done hiding from my son; he deserves to be in this family relationship too.

“This is beautiful, baby.” I hug him and he holds me close. Jack wraps his arms around the two of us, and I choke back a sob.

“Does this mean you’ll stay, Dad?”

“I’m actually glad you asked, Joey. My other gift to you this Christmas is to say, yes, I am staying. How do you feel about me living here with you and your mom?”

“Yes!” He pumps that fist in the air like usual. “Does this mean mom can have our last name? It’s so weird that she uses Becker.”

I close my eyes and take a breath before I open them once more. “Actually, baby, my name never really changed, and I’m a Fristoni like you.”

“I have one more gift. Joey, can you get it for me?” Jack asks.

Joe's eyes light up and the two of them seem to have a silent conversation before he jumps from the couch and grabs his stocking, digging to the bottom and pulling out a small box before handing it to Jack.

“Coco, I need you to make this official again please.” He hands me the box, and when I open it, I gasp. Inside is my wedding ring, the gorgeous diamond band Jack bought me the day we decided to get married.

“You kept it? ”

“I’ve been hanging on to it since the day you left. Some part of me knew you were done, but it almost felt like you left it for me to find and bring back once we were both on the same page.” He slides it onto my finger. “I’m there, baby, and I need you to say it back to me.”

I bite my bottom lip, loving this man more than I ever thought possible. I nod, accepting the ring. “I’m there too. I love you, Jack.”

“I love you, Coco.”

“And I love you both! You’ve made this the best Christmas ever!”

THE END