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~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack’s birthday was a bittersweet occasion. On the one hand, the team came together to help the little guy celebrate, and it was always good to see everyone and catch up on what they’d missed between phone calls. On the other, there was the glaring reminder that Mia wasn’t there and never would be; at least not physically. Her spirit, though, Brian was pretty sure she was around on the day.
Brian loved his son more than anything, and he wouldn’t trade him for the world, but on his birthday he missed Mia fiercely. It wasn’t that she’d been the love of his life or that they’d even really been a couple. They hadn’t been, but she was his friend, one of his best friends after he threw his life and career away for the second time. Her getting pregnant had been an accident that happened in a moment of much needed mutual comfort. They’d stayed together because he didn’t want her to be alone and she didn’t want her baby to grow up without his father. Dom would just shake his head, but he never said anything about it one way or the other. Although there were times that Brian would catch a look on Dom’s face that he couldn’t read and it made him wonder what the other man really thought.
Mia’s pregnancy and labor had gone fine, but it all went to hell just after Jack was born. She’d started hemorrhaging and the doctors couldn’t stop it. Mia had used the last of her strength to pull Brian to her as she laid her other hand on her newborn son’s head and whispered, “Giacomo, his first name is Giacomo, after my father.”
Brian had nodded and blinked tears from his eyes as he pressed a broken kiss to her lips. Mia had smiled peacefully at Brian, pressed a kiss to the baby’s head, and took her last breath. He just held their son after and cried.
“Daddy!”
Brian shook the memories away and smiled as Jack came barreling towards him. He braced himself and caught Jack in his arms when he took a flying leap, confident that his dad would catch him. Brian always had and he prayed that he always would.
“Hey, bud,” Brian murmured. “What’s up?”
Jack bounced in his arms. “Uncle Dom’s almost here. I can hear his car!”
Brian snorted. One thing Jack had definitely inherited from both sides of the family was a love of cars. Well, anything that went fast enough to do something stupid on really. For a kid who had just turned eight, he knew his way around an engine like a boss. Seriously, Jack could put some master mechanics to shame if Brian let him.
“Yeah? What’s he driving this time?”
Jack gave him a look that was pure, exasperated Mia and Brian’s breath caught. Before he could get sucked into the memories again, Jack said, “The Chevelle.” The duh was clearly implied, but unspoken.
Brian bit his lip to keep from snickering. Clearly, his son had been spending too much time around Rome and Tej. Their sarcasm was rubbing off on his kid. When he had himself under control, he said, “Must means he plans to stay a while.”
Jack bounced in his arms again and beamed. “Maybe my wish will finally come true,” he said before he clamped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide and starting to shine with tears.
Brian’s eyebrows went up. “Dude, hey. Jack, what’s wrong?”
Jack just shook his head, hands still over his mouth. Brian could hear the rumbling purr of the Chevelle now and knew he needed to get this sorted before Dom came inside. He never took it well when Jack was upset.
“Buddy, work with me here,” he cajoled. “You didn’t say anything wrong.”
“I almo tobd you by wid,” he mumbled from behind his hands.
Brian shook his head. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
Jack sighed and let his hands drop. He looked down and said sullenly, “I almost told you my wish.”
Brian breathed out in relief and pressed a kiss to Jack’s head. “It’s all right, Jack. You didn’t say anything, so you’re good.”
Jack looked at him hopefully. “So it could still come true?”
Brian wrestled with his desire to reassure his son that wishes really worked and the desire to tell him the truth that it didn’t really matter. Finally, he settled on a diplomatic, “Anything is possible.”
Jack seemed satisfied with that and wiggled to get down when they heard the Chevelle turn off. Brian set him down and shook his head when Jack took off for the front of the house at a run. He’d mostly given up trying to keep Jack from running everywhere. The kid had manners and knew when to use them, but he pretty much forgot them when he was at home and with people he trusted. Not that he was ever rude, he was just…exuberant.
“Uncle Dom!” he bellowed as he slammed through the screen door and launched himself off the front porch into his uncle’s waiting arms. Dom had also never dropped him and Brian knew he never would.
“Little Buster,” Dom said with a smile as he hugged his nephew.
Brian scowled at the nickname, but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like he’d ever get Dom to stop. He looked around and asked, “No Elena?”
Dom grimaced. “No, but she sends her love.” He looked down at Jack who’d slid out of his arms. “And she sent a gift for you.”
Jack looked up at him. “Did you two break up?”
Dom coughed and Brian facepalmed. Tact. His son lacked it. Dom rubbed the back of his head; one of his biggest tells that he was uncomfortable. “Um, actually we did, Jack.”
One of Brian’s eyebrows went up. This was the first he’d heard that they’d been having problems.
Jack wrapped his skinny arms around Dom’s waist and said, “I’m sorry. Is it still okay if I talk to her?”
Dom hugged him back. “Of course it’s alright. Just because she and I aren’t together anymore doesn’t mean she broke up with you. She’s still part of the family. We just didn’t want things to be awkward, not for your birthday.”
Jack rested his chin on Dom’s hip as he looked up at him. “But it’s okay for some other time to be awkward?”
Brian choked on a laugh, but managed to swallow it. Dom, however, just stared at Jack for a long moment. He noted the hint of mischief in Jack’s blue eyes and grunted as he picked him back up. “You’re a little snot sometimes, you know that?” he said as he dug his fingers in Jack’s side.
Jack squealed with laughter as he tried to wiggle away. “Nooo! Don’t tickle me! You’ll make me pee!”
Dom stopped immediately. Sadly, he knew from experience that that wasn’t an idle threat.
Jack squirmed his way back down to the ground and headed for the house. He said over his shoulder, “Uncle Rome and Uncle Tej are in the garage. Uncle Han and Aunt Gisele went to get the cake, but that was a while ago. Not sure what they’re up to. Now that you’re here we can start the grill!” Jack entered the house, leaving Brian and Dom standing on the porch staring after him.
“How old is he again?” Dom asked like he didn’t know.
Brian snorted and grinned. “Eight going on thirty-eight. I swear sometimes he’s the most mature one of us all.”
Dom grinned back at him. “That’s his mama shining through.”
“Yeah.” Their smiles dimmed, but Brian nodded in agreement and pulled Dom into a rough hug. “Good to see you, brah.”
Dom gave him a squeeze and pulled back. “You, too.”
As he headed back to the car to get his bag, Brian asked, “So you and Elena?”
Dom grimaced again, but answered, “Hobbs showed up and offered her a job just after Jack’s birthday last year. She took it.” He looked down at his shoes. “Six years. We had a good run, but she’s still a cop at heart. I don’t really blame her, but we didn’t part on the best of terms. We’re getting back to good, but we’re not quite there yet. It still stings, you know?”
Brian blinked at him. Even though he hadn’t seen them in year, he had talked to both of them a few times and neither one had mentioned any of this. What the hell? “Dude, why didn’t you say anything? What have you been doing? Where have you been?”
Dom shrugged as he entered the house and Brian followed. “I didn’t want to drag anyone else into it. I told Jack the truth; she’s still family. I didn’t want anyone to treat her differently. I’ve just been cruising, trying to make my peace and figure out where I want to land.”
Brian rubbed his neck. “Have any luck with that?”
Dom looked up from the clothes he was putting into the dresser in his room. “Need any help with the garage?”
Brian smiled at him. “Anytime. You know you’ve got a home here if you want it.”
Dom just looked at him for a long moment then nodded. “Thank, Bri.”
Brian nodded back and then just stood there for a minute, before he shuffled his feet and pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ma gonna go see what Jack’s getting into. It’s too quiet.”
~*~
Dom grinned and nodded as he went back to his unpacking. Being there, deciding to stay…it felt right. For the first time in a year, Dom felt like he was where he was supposed to be.
He stilled, a pair of boxers clutched in his hand, and bowed his head. “I miss you so much, cara mia. I hope you know what a good job Brian’s done with Jack. He’s a good kid. Gonna be a fine man. You’d be proud.”
Dom sighed and crossed himself before he got back to work. He had to get the grill fired up soon.
~*~
Jack ducked down the hall before his dad saw him and went into his room. He was fit to bursting, he was so happy. Uncle Dom was going to stay! He wanted to jump up and down on his bed, but he’d get in trouble for that and his dad was on his way to check on him. Instead, he stood there for a second before he grabbed the journal his Aunt Gisele had given him when he was five and dropped down onto his stomach on his bed. He’d just turned to a blank page when his dad stuck his head in the doorway.
“You all right, bud?”
He grinned at his dad. “Yep. Gettin’ hungry.”
His dad huffed. “You’re always hungry.”
Jack waggled his head side to side a little. “True, but I don’t always get to eat Uncle Dom’s BBQ chicken.”
Dad snickered at that. “Well, you’ll have more chances now. He’s gonna stay with us for a while.”
Jack beamed and bounced up from his bed to hug him. Now, he could let it out. “Awesome!”
Dad grinned down at him. “Yeah, I thought you’d like that.”
Jack stayed where he was, his smile slowly fading. “Um, you think before we get the food going we could maybe go visit Mama?”
Dad closed his eyes and cupped the back of Jack’s head. He just rested his cheek on his dad’s hip. “Yeah, Jack. We can do that. Just you and me, or do you want Uncle Dom to come with?”
“The three of us, but I got something to say to her that you both can’t hear.”
“Sure, bud.”
Uncle Dom solemnly agreed to go with them and they headed out after letting Uncle Rome and Uncle Tej know they were leaving. Jack giggled at the look on Uncle Rome’s face when Dom warned him to stay away from the grill. Uncle Han and Aunt Gisele would hopefully be back when they got home, too. He hoped they weren’t getting into trouble.
Those thoughts left him the closer they got to the cemetery and he started thinking more about his mama. He knew what she looked like because of all the pictures they had, so he knew he looked a lot like her, but had his dad’s blue eyes. He didn’t know what her voice sounded like, though. That made him sad sometimes. He’d like to know if the voice he heard when he talked to her sometimes was really hers or just what he thought she might sound like.
Dad and Uncle Dom promised to stay on the path while he went up to the headstone alone. He sat and laid the calla lily he’d picked from the garden down in front of the stone.
“Hi, Mama. It’s been a year. I know we should visit more often, but it makes Daddy sad. And I know I can talk to you at home whenever, but today’s special.”
He plucked a few stalks of grass while he talked. “Uncle Dom is home to stay. He finally told Daddy he and Aunt Elena weren’t together anymore. It’s really sucked keeping that secret for so long, but Aunt Elena thought he needed time and I guess she was right. I’m sad that he’s still sad, but I think being here will be good for him. As long as Mr. Hobbs keeps Aunt Elena safe, then I’m happy for her. If she gets hurt, though, I’m not sure what would happen. Mr. Hobbs would get a beating, that’s for sure.”
Jack paused and frowned at the headstone. “I almost let my wish slip today. I didn’t, but it was close. You already know that I want Daddy and Uncle Dom to be happy together. I’ve seen how they look at each other sometimes when the other isn’t looking and it’s the same way Uncle Han and Aunt Gisele do, the same way Sammy’s parents look at each other. I just don’t know what to do to make that happen. Do you have any advice, Mama?”
Jack sat there for a little bit before he felt a light brush of a hand over his head. He tilted his head back and smiled at the fuzzy outline he could see. “Mama.”
Mia’s spirit smiled at him and he felt tears stinging his eyes, but he held them back. He didn’t want to miss seeing her. Her voice was a mere breath of sound, but he heard her anyway. “They’ll figure it out, baby. Just give it some time.”
Jack nodded. It wasn’t what he’d wanted to hear, but his mama was probably right. She was an angel after all.
She smiled at him again. “You’re growing up so fast, Jack. I am so very proud of you. I love you. You know that, right?”
Jack sniffed. “I know, Mama. I love you, too. I miss you.” She was started to fade and he felt the first tears start to fall. “Do you have to go?”
“I do, baby. But I’m never very far away. I’ll always be there when you really need me. Take care of your dad and your uncle. They need all the help they can get.” She brushed a kiss over his forehead and each cheek before she faded from sight.
“’Bye, Mama,” Jack said softly as he started to cry. He was sad, but he was happy, too. His Mama sounded just like he thought she would and now he’d really seen her with his own eyes, not just in a picture. Best birthday ever.
~*~
Brian stood next to Dom on the path and watched Jack talk to the headstone they’d put up for Mia.
“It’s weird, but this seems to get harder every year,” Brian said.
Dom looked at him. “Why do it then?”
Brian shrugged. “Because he asks. Because she should be here and she’s not and I want him to have some kind of connection to her.”
Brian swiped a hand over his eyes and bit his lip, breathing hard through his nose. He was usually more pulled together than this. For some reason, this year was hitting him particularly hard.
Dom’s hand landed on the back of his neck and he let himself be pulled into Dom’s side. Resting his head on Dom’s shoulder, Brian watched as Jack looked up and smiled. He was talking to the air and Brian blinked then stared harder. It was almost like he could see an outline of a person sitting with Jack. But that was impossible. Right?
Jack started to cry, but before Brian could move towards him he felt something like a kiss brush against his cheek and heard a voice he never thought to hear again. “You’re a good father, Brian. I’m so proud of both of you. Don’t let my memory stand in the way of being happy. Dom won’t turn you away. Make Jack’s wish come true.”
Brian stood there, frozen and swallowing hard. Dom went stiff next to him and it was a few long, tense minutes before they looked at each other. Did that just really happen?
“Did you-“ Brian started.
“Hear Mia?” Dom finished.
They nodded at each other, both at a loss for words. Brian looked at Dom for another beat before he blinked and started making his way towards Jack. He felt Dom at his back and didn’t mind the hand he put on his shoulder. Whatever had just happened could wait for later to analyze. As emotional as the day had been, it was also a time to celebrate.
Brian knelt next to Jack and put a hand on his back. “You okay, bud?”
Jack nodded and wiped at his eyes as he leaned into him. “Yeah. Can we go home now?”
Brian nodded as he stood and picked Jack up. He tiredly buried his face into Brian’s shoulder. “Sure. You say what you needed to say?”
“Yeah.” Jack turned his head enough so he could be heard clearly. “We had a good talk.”
Dom kissed his fingers and laid them against the smooth granite. “Mia always was a good listener.”
Jack smiled wanly at him. “I’m glad you’re here, Uncle Dom.”
Dom rubbed his hand over Jack’s head as they headed for the car. “Me too, Little Buster.”
Jack fell asleep on the way home and didn’t wake when Brian got him out of the car. He figured the little guy was drained and laid him down in his room. He’d wake him up when Dom put the chicken on the grill.
Laughter could be heard from the backyard and Brian pressed a kiss to Jack’s forehead before heading towards the noise. Changes were coming, he could feel it, but this feeling of family would always be constant. He’d get through anything as long as he had that. He grinned at Dom as he took the offered Corona, knocking their bottles together in a silent toast, and settled next to him with their shoulders touching.
Even with the bittersweet memory of Mia being gone shadowing it, today was good day.
-30-