Ryan
As The rehearsal dinner came to an end and everyone began getting up from their chairs to linger and visit or leave, I turned to Sam and reached for her hand again. I’d held it earlier in the night for reasons I still didn’t fully understand. I’d just needed to touch her at that moment, and she had seemed both happy and freaked out when I did it. Now, she just looked at me with a curious, little grin.
“Hmm? What’s up?”
I swallowed, nervous. I hoped she didn’t take this the wrong way.
“I was thinking,” I began slowly. “Maybe you and Henry should sleep at my house tonight.”
She froze, tensing her entire body, and then she narrowed her eyes, her suspicion obvious.
“Why?” she asked in a low tone.
There were a million reasons why I wanted her and Henry with me in my home, but the main one I knew she wouldn’t lose it over was, “I want to keep you guys close until Bill has been found. With the wedding tomorrow, I don’t want to risk anything happening. It’d give me so much peace of mind.”
She continued to study me for several moments, as if trying to sus out if I was being honest or not. Eventually, though, she relaxed and released a long sigh.
“Yeah, I suppose that makes some sense,” she agreed. “I wouldn’t want anything else to happen when Henry and I are by ourselves. I don’t want him scared or hurt.”
“Me either.” I nodded, trying not to appear too eager. “So, that’s a yes?”
She bit her lip and grinned. “Yes. We’ll stay with you tonight.”
“Great.” I sighed in relief. “Should we grab Henry? We can stop by your house and pick up some things before we head to my place.”
“All right,” she said. “Henry’s still with my parents. Let’s go over and get him.”
We crossed the room to where Sam’s parents were standing with Henry. Sam thanked her parents, and they left, then she took Henry’s hand and bent down in front of him.
“Hey, buddy, what do you say to us having a sleepover at Ryan’s house tonight?” Sam asked. “Would you like that?”
Henry frowned, clearly confused, but then his lips turned up into a wide, excited smile.
“Yeah!” he exclaimed. “A sleepover would be fun!”
“Good!” Sam replied. “We’re going to go home and grab our things and head over.”
“Okay!” Henry nodded, his eyes wide with excitement. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his little feet.
Sam stood and turned to me. “Let’s go.”
We went and said our goodbyes to Jason and Mandy. Once again, Jason looked like he wanted to drill us about what was happening, but Mandy stopped him by effectively distracting him while Sam and I hurried away.
I followed her in my car as she drove to her house, where I waited while she and Henry went inside and packed a few bags. Then, they followed me to my place. When we arrived, we parked, and as Henry got out of Sam’s car, he stared up at my house with wide eyes.
“It’s big,” he gasped in awe.
I stood next to him and gazed up at the house, trying to see it through his eyes. I’d grown up there and was used to the place, but it really was a cool, old house with its white pillars along the front porch and white stone façade.
Looking down at Henry, I said, “Let’s go in and check it out.”
“Okay!” He immediately hurried up the front steps. I glanced back at Sam and saw her grabbing their bags out of her car. I rushed over to grab them from her.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “You don’t have to…”
“Doing it, anyway,” I told her with a grin and a wink.
She smiled and rolled her eyes, but she didn’t argue further. We walked together up to the front door, where Henry was waiting eagerly to go inside. I opened the door, and he rushed in.
“Wow!” he cried, stopping in the entryway and spinning in a circle as he stared up at the tall ceiling.
I chuckled. “You like it?”
Henry spun around to face me and declared, “Yes!”
Sam laughed. “Okay, buddy. I know you want to look around, but it’s way past your bedtime, and we’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
Henry’s face fell. “Ahhhh, but I’m not tired!”
Sam arched a brow. “I don’t want any arguments. Ryan, can you show us a room Henry can sleep in?”I nodded. “Oh, yeah. We’ve got a few, but I think I know which one he’ll like best.”
Henry appeared curious at that. “Really? Can I see it?”
“Of course! Follow me, bud.”
I led both of them up the stairs to the second floor and down the hallway to my old bedroom from when I was a kid.
I opened the door, and he trotted inside ahead of me. The room was clean and orderly, which it definitely had not been when I was younger.
Dad had kept it about the same as it had been when I’d left for college, though. Posters of old bands and action movies still hung on the walls, and some of my action figures and collectibles were still out and on display on shelves and dressers.
“Cool,” Henry said as he took in my old room. “Was this yours?”
I nodded. “It was. Is this a good room to spend the night in?”
Grinning, Henry replied, “Yeah, I like it!”
“Good,” Sam said. “Let’s get you ready for bed, then.”
Henry was less hesitant as Sam helped him get into his pajamas. I showed them a bathroom down the hall where he could brush his teeth and use the toilet.
I hung back and floated in the background as the two went through their evening routine.
I felt a little bit awkward, but I was also grateful that I was able to at least witness this.
It was a peak into the intimate moments of their everyday lives, when it was just the two of them. I was eager to be part of it, but I knew I had to be invited and that hadn’t happened quite yet, but I was getting close. I just had to be patient.
Once he was ready, Sam took him back into the bedroom to tuck him in. She sat on the edge of his bed and brushed her hand over his forehead.“Okay, baby,” she said in a soft voice. “You’re going to be a good boy and go to sleep, right? No messing around.”
“I’ll go right to sleep,” Henry promised her. “I promise, Mama.”
She smiled and pressed a kiss to his head. “All right. Goodnight, sweetie. We’ll see you in the morning, and we’re going to have such a fun day!”
Henry grinned, his little nose crinkling. “Yeah!”
Sam glanced over to me, hovering by the door, and waved me over.
“Come say goodnight,” she said.
Surprised but happy, I crossed the room and stood beside the bed.
“Goodnight, buddy,” I murmured.
Henry gave me a tired smile. “Goodnight, Ryan.”
Sam stood, and Henry’s eyes began to flutter, the excitement of the day catching up to him. He was asleep before we even made it to the hallway. I closed the door carefully, so I didn’t accidentally wake him up.
“Thanks,” I whispered.“For what?” Sam asked.
“For letting me be part of that,” I explained. “For letting me say goodnight to him.”“Of course,” she replied, reaching out and taking my hand in hers. “Ryan, I want you to know that I genuinely want to talk about you being in Henry’s life. I think it would be good for him, and I’d like to have you around.”
I froze, my heart racing as I stared down at her in surprise and delight.
Swallowing, I mumbled, “You have no idea how happy that makes me, Sam. I swear, you won’t regret this.”