Chapter 8
Chey walked back into the kitchen and both Burt and Jaxon were able to see how much better she was after the bath.
“Cheyenne are you hungry?” Jaxon asked, already starting to move around the kitchen opening cabinets and searching for food.
“I can cook,” Chey said moving toward the stove herself.
“No,” Burt said standing and taking her elbow he guided her to a seat at the kitchen table. “You should take it easy for a while. Jaxon knows his way around the kitchen.”
“Oh, well thank you both again for staying the night and watching over me. I have to make some calls and find out what I’m going to do. Now that Preston is gone, I don’t really know where to start. I know I’m going to have to talk to someone to find out about the benefits package. Not to mention the funeral.”
“It’s already taken care of,” Jaxon said. “I do have some bad news though. It’s about the house.”
“What about it?” Chey asked almost dreading what Jaxon was about to tell her.
“It was purchased using a special grant that only soldier’s can use. Since a soldier is no longer living here…”
“They are going to take my home away?” she asked resting her hand on her stomach.
“Don’t worry,” Burt said shooting an evil eye at Jaxon. “We’ve come up with a solution, if you’re willing to take the help. Jaxon has a house that has more than enough room for you and you’re baby.”
“No, I can’t…I mean thank you for your generosity, but I can’t ask you to do that. I will be fine; I’ll just have to find some work and maybe get some help from social services. There’s really…”
“I can’t let you do that,” Jaxon said sitting an omelet in front of her. “Listen Preston was my best friend. He asked me to take care of you if something happened to him…”
“I thought you didn’t know about me,” Chey said looking confused.
“I didn’t until I went to Preston’s lawyer. He told me a while ago that if anything happened to him to go to his lawyer. The lawyer had a letter for me telling me about you. He asked me to take care of you; he said that you meant more to him than his next breath. I don’t take my promises lightly, so when I promised him I would take good care of you I meant it.”
“Really, thank you…” she started about to try to convince him that she could take care of herself.
“I’m not taking no for an answer Cheyenne. So to get us off to a good start why don’t you start calling me Jax?” Chey sat there looking at the man her husband had trusted with his life and hers. She wondered how much Preston had told Jaxon about her history. She knew her situation was grim, with no family she really had nowhere to go but back to her old life and that was too dangerous. She knew she was going to have to swallow her pride and accept the help that was offered to her.
“Okay,” She said. “In that case you guys can call me Chey.”
“Good, now Chey you go ahead, eat that food and well tell you some stories about your husband that he probably kept to himself.” Burt said with a smile he knew the best way to morn was to hold on to the happy memories.