Forced To Marry My Cousin's Fiancé

Chapter 66: Chapter 66

Lane opened her eyes when she felt a gentle kiss land on her cheek. The handsome face of her son, Calvin, greeted her with a wide smile spreading across his lips. She couldn’t help but smile back the moment their eyes met. Waking up to her child’s face was the highlight of her day.

Lane spread her arms wide, and Calvin immediately got the hint, nestling into her embrace.

"Good morning, my dear Calvin," Lane said, hugging him tight.

"Good morning, my dear Mommy," he replied, squeezing her back just as hard.

They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for a few moments until she finally let him go.

"Why are you up so early, sprout?" she asked sweetly.

"Mommy, sorry if I woke you up," he apologized.

"But Mommy, I want some milk."

She reached out to stroke his hair.

"You never have to apologize for that, baby," she told him. "If you want milk, don’t hesitate to wake me up and tell me, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Calvin chirped.

Lane rose from the bed and ran a brush through her hair, which now hit right at her shoulders.

It used to be much longer, but she’d cut it after having Calvin and had kept it at that length ever since. She picked up her son, set him on the floor, and took his hand as they walked out of the room together.

They were alone for the weekend. Mae usually headed home every Friday night to be with her own family, so Lane was totally hands-on with Calvin on the weekends.

She didn’t even drop by her small coffee shop, leaving her two employees to hold down the fort. Weekends were strictly for quality time.

Her coffee shop wasn’t huge, but it stayed busy. It was in a killer location, and the coffee and pastries they served were top-tier. Lane had originally dreamed of opening a full-blown restaurant, but she realized that kind of business would eat up all the time she wanted to spend with her son.

She wanted to be there for him so he never felt like anything was missing. Since his father wasn’t in the picture, she refused to be too busy to take care of him herself.

When they reached the kitchen, she lifted him onto a chair. "Stay put, alright?" she told him. Once he nodded, she got to work on his milk.

Even though he was four, he still preferred a feeding bottle. He knew enough to feel embarrassed about using it around other people or when they were out in public, but Lane let him decide what he preferred at home.

"Mommy is going to whip up some breakfast, Calvin," she said. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Vegetables, Mama," he replied. "So I can grow up big and strong really fast."

She arched an eyebrow at that. "What’s the rush to grow up?"

"So I can keep you safe from the bad guys, Mommy," he answered.

"Why? Is someone bothering Mommy?" she asked. She wanted to know where this was coming from and why he suddenly felt the need to be her bodyguard.

"I’ll shield you from the people who make you cry," he told her.

Lane was floored by his response. "M-make me cry?" she stammered.

He nodded eagerly. "I saw you once, Mommy. You were crying."

Her jaw dropped. She was stunned that he’d actually caught her, especially since she tried so hard to hide it.

Sometimes she just couldn’t help it. When the past came rushing back and her chest felt tight, she’d let the tears fall just to clear the weight. She never imagined her son was watching. At such a young age, the boy was incredibly sharp.

"So when I grow up, I’m gonna fight the people who make you sad. I can’t stop them now because I’m small and you told me kids have to be kind."

Calvin’s words felt like a warm hand pressing against her heart. She never expected a toddler to say something so profound. She reached out and lovingly stroked his head.

"Don’t worry about growing up yet, my love. Just enjoy being a kid, okay?" she said in a tender voice.

"I’ll handle the tough stuff. I’m the one who’s going to protect both of us."

Ever since he was in her womb, she had promised herself that she would protect him no matter what. That promise was exactly what gave her the strength to walk away from the people who caused her pain. It wasn’t just about her anymore. It was about her child.

"Okay, Mommy. You protect us first. But when I’m already big, I’ll protect you so you won’t cry anymore. Because you said when I cry, your heart hurts. I feel the same way, Mommy. My heart hurts too when you cry," he said.

Lane didn’t say a word. She just stared at her son, her heart overflowing with pure joy. She might not have been lucky in love, and the man she wanted might not have loved her back, but she was blessed with this child.

Even at four years old, his love for her was fierce. She knew that as he grew, that love would only get stronger, and just like he said, he would always be her protector.

_______

Once Lane made sure she’d packed everything for their outing, she slung her tote bag over her shoulder and headed out to find her son.

Every Saturday was their family day. If they weren’t hitting the mall or the park, they were heading to the beach. Today, they were going to the local park because that’s what her son had asked for when she gave him the choice. She was happy to oblige because wherever he was happy, she was happy.

She already had the car loaded up with their gear and the picnic blanket. As for the food, she decided to just hit a drive-thru.

She’d wanted to cook, but she was running low on time and Calvin had specifically requested spaghetti and chicken. They didn’t do fast food often for health reasons, even though she had craved it constantly when she was pregnant with him.

Lane shook her head to clear her mind before her thoughts could wander too far into the past.

She walked into the living room and found Calvin sprawled out on the sofa, totally focused on his coloring book.

"Calvin," she said to get his attention.

He looked up, eyes bright. "Are we leaving now, Mommy?"

When she nodded, he scrambled off the couch. "Mommy, can I bring my coloring book with us?"

"Of course, Calvin," she promised.

"Thank you!" He didn’t even need to be told to pack up his crayons. That was just how Calvin was. He always took the initiative. Even at home, he’d take his glass to the sink after a meal or grab a cloth to help wipe down the table. She never forced him to do it, but he watched her and Mae so closely that he just started imitating them.

Lane let him carry his own things as they headed out. She lifted him into his car seat and made sure he was buckled in tight before hopping into the driver’s seat.

They made a quick stop for fast food and then made it to the park. It was later in the afternoon, so the heat had died down. There were already a few families and couples scattered across the grass.

They found a good spot, and she smiled as she watched her little guy help her spread the blanket over the Bermuda grass.

"Mommy, can I go play now?" he asked the second they were done.

"Go for it," she said. "But stay where I can see you, okay? And what do we do if a stranger tries to talk to you?"

"I won’t talk back, Mommy. And I definitely won’t go anywhere with them."

She gave him a proud smile. "Have fun, baby."

He took off running. Lane sat down on the blanket and pulled out her phone to snap a few pictures.

She sent them to his godparents, Noah and Ava. She’d kept her promise to name them as his godparents, even if they couldn’t make it to the actual baptism.

She kept an eye on him as he started playing with some other kids, checking in every few minutes. A notification popped up from Ava.

My godson is getting so big!

A second later, another message came through.

He’s such a handsome kid. I just hope he doesn’t grow up to be a heartbreaker. I hope he doesn’t take after his father.

The smile vanished from Lane’s face. Any mention of Calvin’s father felt like a physical punch to the gut.

She was about to text back when Calvin suddenly came running toward her. She was startled when he threw his arms around her in a tight hug.

She set her phone down and looked at him, her heart sinking when she saw tears welling up in his eyes.

"What’s wrong, Calvin?"

"Mama, don’t I have a Daddy?" he asked in a tiny, heartbroken voice.

Lane froze. Before she could find the words, he kept going.

"My playmate asked who I was with. I said just Mommy. He asked where my Daddy was, and I told him I don’t have one. He said... he said maybe you found me in the trash because I don’t have a Daddy."

Lane pulled him close and took a deep breath. "Of course not, Calvin. I didn’t find you in the trash. You came from right here," she said, placing his hand on her stomach.

"But why don’t I have a Daddy?"

Lane opened her mouth and closed it again, her mind racing.

"Just remember that Mommy loves you more than anything, okay?" That was all she could manage.

"I’ll explain everything to you when you’re older, I promise. How about we play a game?"

She managed to distract him, and he eventually forgot the question, but Lane couldn’t shake it.

She knew this wouldn’t be the last time he asked. She knew one day he’d go looking for the truth, and she needed to be ready for that conversation.

Later that night, after Calvin had fallen asleep in the car and she’d tucked him into bed, Lane stepped out of his room. Her phone started buzzing in her pocket.

It was her mom. She answered it immediately.

"Hello, Ma?"

"L-Lane, honey," her mother, Eleanor, whispered. Her voice was trembling so hard it sent a jolt of pure anxiety through Lane’s chest.

"Ma, what’s wrong? What happened?"

"It’s your Dad. He had a heart attack. We rushed him to the hospital, but he still hasn’t woken up," her mother sobbed.

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