New Beginnings ✅

29. Picking Up the Pieces

The sun filtering in through my windows and the smell of bacon wakes me up the next morning. Upon sitting up my head begins to pound thanks to all the crying I did yesterday. I sigh, climbing out of bed and walking into my bathroom to retrieve my Advil but after moving every pill bottle I own I realize that it's clearly not there. "Lovely" I grumble as I turn and leave my bathroom.

Now I'd have to face Josh with a pounding headache. I take a deep breath and walk out to the kitchen where Josh is busy preparing breakfast. "Morning" he greets me. "Your plate is on the island" he points. I look up and sure enough I spot a plate of bacon and eggs, not to mention my Advil.

"Can I have some water?" I ask as I take a seat on the bar stool. He nods, filling me a glass and sliding it towards me. I grab the pill bottle and shake two out before popping them into my mouth and washing them down. "Did you come into my room this morning?" I ask once the pills are down.

"Just to grab that" he explains, pointing to the bottle. "I woke up with a headache."

"Me too" I reply, biting my lip as I hunch over my food. "Josh" I begin but he cuts me off.

"I'm sorry" he interrupts. "I know that it doesn't make up for what happened last night but I just-I need you to understand how truly sorry I am. Looking back at what happened yesterday it's easy to see that you were right but I'm trying so damn hard to be a good father to Jackson. The last thing I want is for the kid to grow up thinking his father doesn't give a shit."

I nod in understanding. I wouldn't want Liam to think less of me either. "I get it" I assure him. "And it makes me sick that she's using him to get to you" I add disgustedly. "You're too good for her."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Obviously I'm not. Maya you deserve so much more than me, you deserve so much more than this" he insists. "I promised you that I would be there for you and since Tiffany showed up I've been unreliable and-."

"Josh" I cut him off, reaching out and placing my hand over his. "Baby breathe" I insist with a soft smile. "I forgive you for what happened yesterday. I love you and I don't want to let her come between us but I need you to realize that if it happens again this will be a different conversation. I can't keep putting myself or Liam through this, especially not with how attached he is to you. If I can't rely on you I can't be with you. He needs stability...he needs a father figure."

"I know" he nods, situating our hands so they're intertwined. "I promise it won't ever happen again."

"Good. Now really, how is Jax?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"He's fine I guess" he shrugs as I dig into my breakfast. "Tiffany hasn't called me freaking out yet. I think you were right last night when you said that he wasn't really sick. When I showed up she seemed to totally forget why I was even there and she couldn't even come up with the name of the medication she gave him. I went in and took his temperature as soon as I got there and it normal. Not even the slightest bit elevated. I thought it was just the medicine doing it's job-."

"He wasn't sick" I reply bluntly. "It takes what? Ten minutes to get to her place? There's no way in hell that his temperature would've been completely normal, not that quickly" I explain. "What did the two of you do anyway?" I press. "Since he was asleep."

"We talked for a bit. She tried to get me to tell her stuff about you but I wouldn't budge. Finally she went to sleep. Jax woke up about an hour later and I fed him and we hung out. When Tiff woke up she insisted I stay for dinner and I felt bad turning her down."

"She plays a good damsel in distress I'll give her that" I snip, reaching for my glass of water. "Do we have anything stronger than this?" I ask as I down the rest of the glass.