(Hey:) I hope you guys like this chapter because this is honestly my top favorite right now, and just to warn you....get some tissues.... ;)
ps. That music if for later in the chapter, but whatever whatever. I'll let you know when to play it if you want:)

'My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.' -Job 16:20-21

Chapter Eight

~

We finished eating.

Our convos weren't that special as I guess we noticed we were hungrier than we thought and we just wanted to eat from the long day. The rain never progressed, so even though it was only six, we figured we should find a hotel.

"Did you see any on the way here?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"Wasn't paying attention." I shaped my lips to one side and I got out my phone looking up different hotels around Annapolis. "Found any?" He asked me.

"There's one half a mile away. We could stay there...." Right when I said 'WE'....it got me thinking if Aspen wanted to stay in the same room as me and save money. I did have a budget, but staying in the same hotel room with a guy I meet yesterday??

That's like....crazy.

"We could share a room," he suggested after a pause. My face turned pink as I avoided eye contact with him. "We'll save money since I know you're on a budget..." 'Is he reading my mind??' I looked up at him.

"You don't mind?" I asked him. That's all I could say.

"Not at all, I mean, can split it half and half...." I stared at him and I looked back down at the cost. '$350 for a night.....that's $175....that's not so bad for running water and a bed,' I calculated.

"It'll be $175," I told him without looking up. "For one night." He nodded as I looked up at him.

"Yeah...you want to stay there?" He asked me. I shrugged poking my lips out.

"I don't mind," I said honestly. "We have to let the rain pass anyway." He nodded with a chilled smile.

"Right."

We paid for our meals separately, but Aspen offered to leave the tip (which was a healthy ten bucks) and we left back in the rain to the hotel; it didn't take long to spot. Just down the street enough for us to see and we headed inside.

The name of the place was something I couldn't pronounce, but it was nice and descent. Better than a motel, but not high dollar like a lux hotel or anything.

Aspen went to the front counter and asked if we could do a walk-in. Thankfully they excepted and we paid up front and I handed him my part of the 350. and he handed his in as well and they passed him our card as a key. Aspen passed me mine and I told him, "Thanks," as we handed to our room.

"It's the 4th floor," he told me. I nodded. We headed to the elevators and I pushed the 'up' button and Aspen couldn't not stop smiling.

"Hey....can I tell you secret?" He asked me. I looked at him.

"Well, I have no one to tell," I joked looking around. He laughed as the elevator opened.

"Hahaa! Right, well..." We stepped back letting a family of four walk out with friendly smiles as curtesy. "I have....a secret fear." I looked at him totally surprised as the elevator began closed.

"Are you serious?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. He nodded hiding his lips. I mean, as muscular, confident, sweet, (and cute) Aspen was....HIM having a secret FEAR is something I couldn't believe.

"Yup," he started swaying on the balls of his feet then his heels. I glared at him with a grin.

"Well what is it?" He paused looking at the elevator door as it hit three.

"Elevators falling." I busted out laughing.

"Elevators? You're afraid of them??" I asked him so surprised. Our door opened and we stepped out.

"Yup." I kept laughing.

"Omg, I didn't know that!" I smiled looking at him. He chuckled by my laugh. "If anything, I would think you're not afraid of anything." He shook his head.

"Oh no, of course I am. I've been afraid of elevators for as long as I can remember. I don't remember WHY I always was, but one time, my parents and I were at this hotel for my aunts wedding in Florida..."

I looked at him as he led the way to the hotel room....a small smile on my face as he talked.

"And it was my family and another and it wasn't cramped in there, until the elevator stopped between two floors." I gasped smiling as that's so rare.

"Are you serious??" I asked him. He nodded licking his lips.

"Yup. So then I panicked and it took like 20 minutes for the firemen to get us out. It was scary," he said cringing. I had to laugh.

"OMG that's crazy!" I commented. "Being stuck in an elevator? How did you ever get out? How old were you?" He chuckled as if it surprised him.

"I was only seven and the elevator had an emergency 911 call in it. As I look back on it, it's something I should laugh about as it wasn't that bad but I was seven, so now I'm basically traumatized for life," he concluded. I kept laughing.

"Hahaha! Wow Aspen. The boy with a ring that says 'Whom shall I fear?' Is afraid of elevators of all things," I joked crossing my arms. He really laughed then unlocking our room.

"Haha, but it's understandable!" He protested. "Right?!" He let me walk in first.

"Oh yeah totally. Totally," I nodded violently. He laughed.

I heard him close the door behind us and to our right was the bathroom and on the opposite side of that was a slide closet, then a two step hallway and it opened up to a one bed room room, with a sofa couch by the windows and a footrest, and a desk with a chair sided with the TV.

"It's not bad..." Aspen stepped in front of me putting his bags down. "For $350 plus tax." I smiled as I slowly made my way to the bed.

"Yeah..." I said quietly. I know Aspen was thinking the same thing I was at the same time, but I was more quiet about it.

'There's only one bed...' I thought to myself fidgeting with my backpack. 'Whose gonna sleep in it?' I examine it as it was a queen (I haven't slept in a queen size bed since I moved out of Kelly's place) and yes it could've held the both of us since I was twig....but....what would Aspen say?

"Couch ain't bad either," he commented jumping in it. I looked at him. "I wouldn't mind laying here," he adjusted himself closing his eyes. I just stared at him. 'Is he offering to sleep in the chair??' "I'll sleep here," he looked at me for confirmation. I turned a shade of pink. "You can have the bed if you want it," he said trying not to sound like I HAVE to.

"Oh...uh..."

'Say something Amanda!'

"Thank you....I mean...you don't have to-" he answered quickly.

"Nah it's fine. I've slept on couches before and this is actually the most comfortable one I've meet in awhile," he said truthfully patting the arm rest. "Not gonna hurt me." I smiled titling my head at a 45 degree angle as I didn't know if he was serious or trying to make me feel good and I shrugged accepting it.  'It's just his common personality to offer the bed to the lady,' I conclude in thought.

"Oh...hehee, if you say so..." He looked at me smiling and I looked at him and suddenly something inside me felt warm...warm and fluttery....like....a ton of butterflies riding on rainbows and it gave me goosebumps. I brighten and grabbed my backpack and I yelled quickly,

"First dibs on the shower!" Aspen laughed as I ran off.

"Ah you cheated! I wasn't ready!" Before I went in the bathroom I looked at him from the door,

"Ladies first."

He laughed as I couldn't help but smile jumping in the bathroom closing the door (locking it) and turning the shower on super high. I breathe in and out hanging onto the counter over the sink.

"What the world are you doing Amanda!?" I asked myself quietly. "Sleeping in the same room as a guy WHO ALREADY GRADUATED." I was in the shower backing myself up.

"But he's extra sweet," one part of me said.

"Well get rid of him! No telling WHO ELSE he has done this too! I'm telling you... Paid. Assassin."

"He is not an assassin. He lend me his jacket! His jacket girl!? What guy has done that TO YOU in the past? Name one..."

No comment.

"Exactly."

After 15 precise minutes I stepped out and loosen my beach blonde hair from its pony tail that laid down on my shoulders. I brushed it out and I looked in my bag for some bed clothes. If I was with Vanessa, we'd call it a night in oversized t-shirts from the lost and found and that's it, but I decided (since I was with a cute paid assassin) I'd wear my baby blue tee with black night shorts. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and cleaned my huge glasses that seemed to correspond with my big infant chocolate brown eyes.

I walked out the bathroom dragging my backpack with me to find Aspen still sitting in the the chair watching a game show. He looked at me, and when he did he seemed to be at a lost. I ignored him though as I placed my backpack on the wall and got out my water and my phone and I said looking at it,

"It's you're turn Aspen. I left you some hot water." He smiled getting up.

"Thank you good ma'am," he told me getting up. "I knew you'd think of me"

I chuckled as he walked passed me with his bag and I laid out on the bed totally exhausted as it was only 7:34pm. I decided to chill until Aspen got back and could chat for a bit, so I got on my phone and listened to some chillstep thinking about Kelly actually.

'Mom was great...' I thought of her, my body facing toward the ceiling. 'She was so nice and understandable. How could she not have children of her own? Rather that married?' I thought about all our good times and even one incident I accidentally called her Kelly a few days after I was home.

***
'I'm hungry," she said her naturally curly brunette hair long on her chest. "Want something?" We just came home from church.

"Hmmm, take out?" I asked her. She got out her phone.

"What would it be?" I really thought about tapping my chin.

"Chinese?" She smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that." I smiled chuckling.

"Thanks Kelly, you're the best!" She looked at me quickly, exaggerating a sigh.

"Oh honey PLEASE don't call me Kelly. I'm your mom now. I'll except Mom, Mommy, Mother, Mum," I laughed as she said that abnormally fast. "Any of those, just anything EXCEPT my name. I hear that FAR too many times a day at work and I DEFIANTLY do NOT want to hear it from my child too!" She pretended to be hysterically sad. I laughed getting off the bar stool to hug her behind the counter and she accepted.

"Haha! Alright. I love you Mom," I hugged her in my 5th grade voice. She hugged me.

"Love you too darling," I felt her smile down at me.

***

The whole thought made my eyes tear up and some how I ended up facing downward with my whole body sunken into the bed and I don't even know I was breathing, rather that, I don't even know HOW long I was thinking of my past with Kelly, because suddenly I heard Aspen come out the bathroom and I had to quickly recover.

I heard him chuckle when I lifted off the bed rubbing my eyes hopping they weren't red and he asked me,

"Fell asleep already?" I forced a chuckle.

"No I was just thinking about stuff," I told him. He nodded setting his stuff down.

"I understand." I nodded as I sat on my knees with my hands in my lap and he went right back in the chair....I kept looking at him as I actually couldn't get my eyes off him as I never saw him in shorts (basketball shorts trimmed in navy blue) and just a black t-shirt to go with it. We were almost matching, except my blue was lighter.

He closed his eyes and I kinda did want to talk so this time, I decided to start the conversation which actually takes a lot of courage for me....

"Hey Aspen..." He looked at me.

"Yeah?"

'Shoot! What was I about to say!?'

"Uh...." Aspen shaped his head a little to the side and I widen my eyes slowly.

'Ask something!!'

"You want to be an engineer right?" That's the first thing that blurted out my mouth. He nodded.

"A mechanic, yes ma'am," he replied. I nodded.

'Okay, now just keep things rolling.'

"What made you want to do that? Not that it's not, not cool or anything I'm just curious," I said quickly just in case he took it the wrong way. He chuckled lifting his chin at me.

"Haha, yeah I understand and I honestly don't know. I like fixing stuff. Mechanical stuff. The technology world amazes me and natural resources. That must explain the 97 grade point average in Environmental Science this year," he said almost to himself.

I chuckled.

"Haha yeah. So that's what I want to do. Be an oil mechanic offshore. Dad did it, so why can't I?" He asked himself. I shrugged.

"Don't know," I replied encouragingly. He smiled at me glancing at the tv and I looked at it too as someone was moments away from winning $25,000 dollars. While that was going on, I was thinking about what Aspen said and it quickly got me thinking about his parents still and even his car.

"You have a car right? In Richmond?"

He nodded looking at me not saying anything.

"How did it end up there? I'm sorry," I apologized as I always seemed to be asking him the same questions that for some reason could never be answered. He eased a smile.

"Nah it's fine, and I missed my flight," he explained. I nodded still sitting on my knees facing him.

"Right, right continue..." He shook his head not believing it.

"I was SUPPOSE to have a flight to Richmond from Dallas Texas as that's what I paid for..." He paused a while and it seemed as if his deep blue eyes were shinning into a little sadness.

"Oh...well....how'd you miss it?" I asked him pressuring him to keep going. He sighed.

"I overslept..." He paused. He began to stare at the floor under his feet and I forced a chuckle.

"Hehe, typical. So what did you do?" He forced a frown, hunching his elbows on his knees, covering my mouth.

"I bought a new ticket. Since it was so last minute I needed something fast and quick, so...I got one to Philadelphia. I was ready in a week." I nodded as that was believable.

"That's smart," I commented. "I bet you were upset." He nodded.

"Of course....but I guess it was it all worth it..." He said quietly. I looked at him.

"How so?" He looked at me sweetly.

"I never would've meet you..." I just stared back at him turning a bright red, the heat on my checks appearing.

'HE CAN'T BE A PAID ASSASSIN AFTER THAT COMMENT!?!'

I kept staring at him and he stared at me with a smile and I honestly couldn't take it. I gulped looking away, my eyes quivering. "It's early...but I guess we better head to sleep, now that our route may be a bit off because of the rain." He nodded.

"Yeah...you're right." He stood up and began to walk over to the closet and there were two spare blankets. When he came back a second time I studied him and I gave him two pillows off the bed from the four I had and he chuckled.

"Thanks." I nodded with a small smile. He walked back to his chair as I scratched the side of my face totally indecisive trying to hide it.

'Look at him girl! Look!' A part of me yelled. 'You CAN'T let him sleep on that!'

'But we can't share a bed. That's like....awkward,' another part of me protest as he put a blanket on the sofa first.

'True, but he carried YOUR bag, ALL day! AND he saved you from almost getting hit by a car! Let. Him. In!' I just kept staring at him sitting crisscrossed on the bed biting my bottom lip.

'I'm not...' I shrugged grabbing my water. He began to fluff his pillow and he sat down straightening his blanket and I hunched my shoulders looking at him, letting out a sympathetic sigh.

'Aspen's a good guy. I trusted him this much, so why can't I now?' As he began to try and get comfortable I sighed blinking slowly.

"I'm sorry..."

'What are doing Amanda?'

"We can share the bed..." He looked at me, his deep blue eyes a little bigger than normal.

"You sure? I mean, I don't mind."

'Say okay. Say OKAY.'

"No it's fine," I nodded.

'What the heck!'

"You can." He got up as I moved over to the left side of the bed making room for him. "Besides you paid $175 for this. I think a bed is worth the money more than a couch." He laughed walking over with his pillows.

"Haha. You're right," he smiled at me, his vampire type teeth showing.

'Holy shoot.'

I settled in my place as he placed his pillows back on the bed and I guess you can say it was pretty awkward by now. I mean, I wanted to put a pillow or something in between us so we wouldn't touch even by accident, but he was so cute I WANTED to be by him at the same time. I haven't slept in a queen size been since Kelly (excluding the hotel from last night) and I defiantly never shared it with another guy who was a year older than me...rather that, ANY guy!

How did all this happen?

It was 8:46pm by now as we both laid in the bed with an imaginary line between us. Him on his side, me on mine.

He laid by the nightstand and I was closer to the wall and the tv was off by now, but Aspen left the light on as he was reading. I turned over to see him, sitting upright in bed reading The Bible with squinted eyes picking at his thumbnail as if he was nervous or thinking and I laid on my pillow, chills running down my arm as I was freezing cold.

"What are you reading?" I asked him trying to have a reason to look at him. He didn't look at me.

"The Bible," he replied even though I knew the answer. I shifted trying to warm myself up.

"Which book?" He glanced at me.

"Psalms," he looked back down at the book. "I enjoy it because it's like miniature poems and letters to the people and I like it. Almost like healthy words of encouragement," he thought. I blinked a few at him. 'Aspen needing encouragement? He's always happy, optimistic. Why would he need that?' I guess by me staring him, he couldn't help but look at me back and he straighten a bit.

"Are you cold?" He asked me with playful suspicious eyes.

"No," I lied. He chuckled lowly.

"Well you do to me," he pointed at my arms. I glanced down.

'Darn you goosebumps.'

"Oh...well...I guess I am," I eased a chuckle. He nodded getting up out of bed and I sat up to see what he was doing. He grabbed his jacket off the chair and he went over to the air conditioner and I saw him turn the nod just a bit and the air cut off. He came back over and handed me his jacket.

"Here you go," he offered. "It'll get warmer in a few minutes." I looked at his gentle blue eyes and slowly took it.

"Thank you..." I said quietly.

"No prob."

He sat back in bed reading the hotel's Bible again, as I began to put his jacket on once again. 'Why is Aspen so sweet me?' I kept thinking putting my left arm in. 'He literally just turned up the air for me! Is he even cold himself?' I looked at him placing my arm through the other.

"Are you cold?" I asked him trying to be calm. He glanced at me with a mischief look.

"I'm fine, but I can't leave you here freezing," he said looking back at the book. "That wouldn't be so nice." I chuckled zipping the jacket.

"Right....you're right..."

It was quiet amongst us for a while and after me of just resting my eyes, I heard him close the book and I opened my eyes to see him put it away and he let out a breath with his hands pressed together on top of the covers and he rested his head on the back board with his eyes closed. I figured he was praying, but Aspen always looked that way in his spare time.

'I wonder why he looks that way?' I still looked at him. 'Is he falling asleep? Praying? He looked that way on the plane, the bus, and now. Is that just something he does and he doesn't realize he's doing it?'

Suddenly he stopped and whispered, "Amen." And he went over turning off the lamp, his back to me as he didn't say anything as he must've didn't see me still being awake.

I checked my phone as it was only 9:02pm and I wasn't tired AT ALL and I wasn't sure if it was because I was secretly nervous of Aspen or it was just something about the summer. It was funny, because I heard Aspen on his phone typing something and even though he might've been tired, I asked anyway,

"Ah Aspen?" He stopped typing.

"Yes?" I bit my bottom lip.

"Are you....are you sleepy?" He turned over. Even though all the lights were out and I could only see the outline of his head corresponding with his built arms he replied,

"Nope." I smiled.

"Wanna talk?" I saw his cheeks puff out.

"Why not?" I smiled turning over to look up at the ceiling and I felt him do the same.

"Ask me a question," I told him. "Anything." I heard the excitement in his voice.

"Alright.... What do you want to be when you grow up?" He asked me. I shaped my lips thoughtfully.

"As in my career or something else?"  I heard his head move on the pillow.

"Career." I let out a long sigh.

"I don't know. I kind of want to be a chef..." I admitted. I imagine him blinking surprised.

"Oh really?" I nodded as if he could see.

"Hmmmhuh," I said through my lips. "All Vanessa and I watched at the foster home was Food Network and we enjoyed it. Even Kelly said I had thing for the kitchen," I thought about it. I heard him turn toward me.

"So you like cooking?" I nodded looking over at him.

"Yup." My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I saw Aspen's contagious smile creep across his face and I had to do the same. "I love cooking. I like doing this with my hands." He chuckled.

"That's nice. What's you're favorite dish to make?" I really thought it about.

"Hmm, probably pasta. Anything related to pasta or even sweets like baking," I looked back up at the ceiling. "I'm good at it. It's fun." He chuckled.

"Would you make me anything?" He asked me. I busted into laughter holding my stomach.

"You want ME to cook for YOU?" I asked him behind laughs. He laughed by mine.

"Well sure. I mean, I can't cook at all. It'll be cool to have a dish by a friend, especially if it's good."

Friend. He called me friend.'

"You can't cook?" I asked Aspen so surprised.

He shook his head. I smiled kind of too big.

"No way. There has to be something you're good at," I told him. He continued to shake his head hiding his lips.

"Well..." He looked passed me. "I'm good at making pancakes." I really started laughing. "Like...you don't know pancakes until you had MINE." I laughed tears.

"Seriously! Pancakes? It had to be that? What about grilled cheese, or spaghetti? Something easy," he already began to shake his head.

"Nope. Just pancakes," he said proudly. He watched me laugh as I honestly couldn't help it. 'Wow. A guy as cute as Aspen can't cook. I guess it is true no one's perfect,' I had to think. Aspen kept looking at me, but then he shifted the other way as I finally calmed down and he turned on the light.

*That music at the beginning of the chapter is specially for this section after this..It makes it more...movie like;) Sorry. Keep reading:)*

"Ask me a question," he said getting up to get a drink of water. "My turn." I keep laying in bed watching him.

"You mentioned you missed your flight earlier correct?" I asked him.

He nodded drinking a bottled water. He must be hot.

"Well how did your parents feel about that?" I asked him. "Weren't they mad you missed your plane?" He finished drinking the water not looking at me walking back over to the bed. He sighed.

"No..." He said getting under the covers. He didn't look at me as the tone in his voice changed from cheeriness to straight-forward-ness in two seconds and it honesty scared me.

"Oh....they didn't mind?" I asked him laying on my side. He laid his head back on the board looking up at the ceiling as if he was somewhere else.

"No..." He said the same way. I kind of regretted asking that question, but I really wanted to speak to him.

"Oh....do they know you missed it?" He paused for awhile.... A long while...

A scary...long while.

It made my stomach turn of anxiety and nervousness. The butterflies in my stomach riding on rainbows suddenly changed to a drop in my feet. He swallowed before answering and he looked right into my eyes with a blank face, but his eyes...his deep ocean blue eyes looked of sorrow and grief.

"My parents....my parents are dead...." I widen my eyes not believing him.

"What....?" I barely whispered for him to hear. He didn't look at me, turning away back at the ceiling, his head on the board.

"My parents are dead..." He whispered again, his eyes watering. I shook my head getting up a little on the bed looking at him. "Their dead..." He said again as if he was still surprised himself a tear leaving his left eye. I just stared at him....speechless.

Aspen lost his parents and he was now mourning for them and I didn't know WHAT to do...but I didn't want to make anything worst so I kept my mouth shut, and let him speak. He shook his head not believing it himself looking down at his hands, but everything was beginning to make sense.

The first time I asked about his parents was at the burger joint and I asked him how his parents felt about him going to school in Dallas and he paused before answering until we were cut off by the dessert.

I then ask him AGAIN about his parents on the bus, but I cut him off by the rain.

Then he was cut off AGAIN when I ask before we almost got hit by a car!

Maybe he needed this moment alone to let it all out....maybe he did...

Because this was a judge free zone.

Aspen's tears kept trickling down his face to the sheets and I HAD to ask, "What... what happen?" My eyes began to water as well as I couldn't see Aspen like this AND NOT feel anything and he took a big breath crossing his arms.

"I....I got a call while I was in Texas...."

I nodded slightly listening.

"And....and I was happy thinking it was a call from my parents," he forced a vibrating smile. "And I said on the line, 'Mom! Dad! I finished my interview for the college! I think they might accept me!'....." He paused wiping his cheeks. "And....and I was thinking I was going to a 'Congrats son!' and 'I'm so proud of you darling....' But...but instead... it was.... It was a doctor...."

I shook my head sucking in my bottom lip knowing the worst was coming.

"And...And he told me...'I'm sorry, but....but is this Aspen Baker?" I kept shaking my head as he had on an angry face looking toward me, but not looking at me. "Yes, I replied. And just two minutes ago I had parents beside me, but the second he told me, 'Your parents Mrs. Sara Baker and Mr. Chad Baker....." Aspen paused before finishing, "Was killed in an 18 wheeler accident....everything within me...stopped."

I gasped as my stomach felt as if it was stabbed by a dagger, but I KNEW Aspen's condition was 100 times worst....in the heart...

He really began to breakdown, his face in his hands.

"I just didn't understand-I don't understand," He sobbed. "I dropped the phone-I collapsed on the floor... All thoughts of the college was gone, all thoughts about ME were gone..." He pointed to himself. I looked at his watery pink eyes overflowing with tears, red face, and heavy lump on his throat. "I didn't even say goodbye Amanda.....And that's what gets me the most...I didn't. Say. Goodbye...." He looked straight at me. "I didn't." I folded my eyebrows sitting on my knees looking at him and I wanted to hug him or something, but some other thing was holding me back.... But I didn't know if was me....or I was just too distraught.

"I'm so sorry..." I whispered to him but it seemed as if he ignored me, or didn't acknowledge me, but I didn't mind.

I couldn't mind.

"I just don't get it..." He took a quick breath wiping his face. "My parents were good people-very good people," he clasped his hands together looking up at the ceiling. "And God just took them away from me....! Why would he do that?!" He asked so passionately yet confused.

I honestly didn't know what to say.

"We went to church every Sunday-we had partnerships around world-we sponsored children in Africa-we gave money to the church....." He looked at me shaking his head. "So why would he take them away?" He whispered so quietly his voice cracking.

'Go to him Amanda....comfort him.'

"But I can't..." He whispered hiding his face. "I just....can't...." I leaned in closer.

"You can't what....?" I asked quietly. He looked at me pausing.

"Stop loving Him...." I gasped as that hit me....hard. "I can't stop loving God for what He did. The devil has been picking at me every-which-a-way Amanda and that's why you see me do what I do," he sniffed. "I constantly have to pray to keep my mind focused on Him. Yes more than half the time I don't want to, but I have to....I can't help it...I can't...because...." He paused sobbing some more and suddenly I found my myself hugging Aspen into me....

I was on my knees in the bed beside him, my torso on his broad arm, my right hand wrapped around his other shoulder, my left hand around his face. He laid his head on my on my pelvis and kept crying....unable to stop.

"I'm going to keep loving you Lord....I am..." He somewhat shouted. "I am...."

Fairly quickly like right on cu, I saw a flash of lightening show through the window and a baby roar of thunder and I rubbed Aspen's hair with my thin fingers placing my head on top of his as he grabbed ahold on my shirt and I whispered my tears falling past my cheek onto him and I closed my eyes and whispered,

"It's okay Aspen....He's listening....He is..."

After all.....this was the judge free zone.

~~~

(Oh. Em. Gee. Literally crying right now...and I'm the author:'{
But bye guys<3 Tell me your thoughts on the chapter! It's literally my fav right now:) See ya:)