The mont the jet landed in Ludus, Jamal felt sothing inside him ease slightly.
Ho.
He exhaled slowly as he unfastened his seatbelt and stood up.
His body still ached from stress and lack of proper sleep, but none of that mattered now.
He was finally ho.
And Dawn was waiting for him.
The thought alone made warmth spread through his chest.
A few minutes later, the jet door opened.
Cool evening air rushed in imdiately.
Jamal stepped out onto the stairs and his eyes instantly searched the airstrip.
Then he saw them.
Dawn stood beside one of his cars parked a short distance away. Josh stood beside her holding her hand.
Just seeing them standing there waiting for him made sothing settle peacefully inside him.
The mont Josh saw him, his entire face lit up.
"Daddy!" he scread excitedly.
Then he broke into a run.
Dawn laughed softly and hurried after him.
Jamal’s chest tightened painfully at the sight.
God. He missed them so much.
He barely made it down the stairs before Josh reached him.
Jamal bent imdiately and caught him easily in his arms.
Josh wrapped himself tightly around his neck.
"Daddy!" he squealed happily.
Jamal laughed softly and hugged him tightly against his chest.
"There’s my boy," he murmured warmly.
Josh pulled back imdiately to touch his face like he needed to make sure Jamal was really there.
Seeing Josh’s reaction, one would think Jamal had been away for months or years and not a day.
"You ca back!"
"I told you I would."
Josh grinned brightly.
Jamal kissed his forehead before finally lifting his eyes to Dawn.
She had stopped a few steps away from them and was watching them with a grin.
Dawn smiled softly at him when their eyes t, and for a second everything else faded.
All Jamal could think of was his love for her.
He walked toward her slowly with Josh still in his arms.
The mont he reached her, he shifted Josh properly to one arm and pulled Dawn against him with the other.
Then he kissed her deeply like he had been starving for it.
Dawn lted into him instantly.
Her fingers curled lightly against his shirt while she kissed him back softly.
"Daddys kissing mommy." Josh giggled loudly in Jamal’s arms, reminding them that he was still there.
Jamal finally pulled away reluctantly and rested his forehead briefly against Dawn’s.
"I missed you so much," he murmured.
Dawn smiled softly. "I missed you more."
Jamal kissed her forehead this ti before finally stepping back slightly.
"How long have you both been waiting?"
"Not too long," Dawn assured him. "We got here only a short while ago. Tom dropped us off when he confird you would be here in less than an hour."
Jamal nodded.
Then she looked at him properly again. "Ready to go ho?" she asked softly.
Jamal smiled imdiately. "Yes."
A few minutes later, they were all inside the car.
Dawn drove while Jamal sat beside her.
Josh sat happily at the back still chattering nonstop about his ti at the playground.
Jamal and Dawn laughed softly as they listened to him.
Josh continued dramatically, "And Uncle Harry said I can co again!"
Jamal smiled. "Looks like sobody had the ti of his life."
"I did!" Josh announced proudly.
The car filled with soft laughter and Josh’s excited little voice as he continued talking about every single thing he saw at I-Global.
Jamal listened quietly.
And for the first ti since he saw the news of the explosion at the hotel, he finally felt fully relaxed.
This was what peace felt like.
Dawn beside him, and Josh talking endlessly was what being at ho felt like.
Eventually Josh’s voice grew softer and slower and eventually he beca quiet.
Jamal glanced back and smiled faintly when he saw Josh asleep against his seat with his little console still loosely in his hands.
Dawn smiled too. "I’m surprised he lasted this long. He hasn’t had his nap today. He fought sleep for as long as possible because he wanted to see you first."
Warmth spread through Jamal’s chest again.
He reached back gently and adjusted Josh properly before turning back toward Dawn.
Then he asked quietly, "So... how was your date with my mother?"
Dawn smiled knowingly. "Exactly as you predicted."
Jamal laughed softly. "Overthinking?"
"Terribly."
He shook his head with amusent. "Were you able to calm her down?"
"I tried my best," Dawn admitted softly. But chose not to talk about the guilt Candace felt toward Jamal since she believed it was sothing they needed to clear up themselves.
Jamal looked at her. "I’m sure your best was good enough. What about therapy? How did that go?"
Dawn exhaled softly. "It went really well actually."
"That’s good."
Silence settled comfortably between them for a mont before Dawn spoke again.
"So tell properly," she said softly. "What happened? How did you feel when you saw her? I an, I was overwheld rely hearing her voice."
Jamal chuckled quietly and leaned back properly into his seat.
Then he started telling her everything.
How shocked and relieved he had been when he walked into the suite and saw her.
And eventually he told her about the argunt between him and Stefan.
Dawn listened quietly.
By the ti he finished, she sighed softly.
"I understand why Stefan wanted secrecy," she admitted thoughtfully. "Especially after what happened. He probably just wanted to protect her."
Jamal nodded. "Yeah. I know that. But it’s not us he should be protecting her from. How would he feel if I found out about her safety and kept it from him?"
"Yeah. I get you totally. And I’m still glad you pushed them to call ," she continued softly. "Because honestly..." Her voice softened further. "I can’t imagine how I would’ve been feeling right now if I still thought she was dead."
Jamal looked at her without saying a word.
Dawn smiled faintly. "Genevieve has been part of my life for as long as I can rember. Even if so mories weren’t exactly pleasant..." She shook her head slightly. "She’s still not soone I want to lose."
"I know," Jamal said softly.
Silence settled again briefly.
Then Jamal grinned suddenly. "I’m going to be Stefan’s best man by the way."
Dawn laughed happily. "And I’m Genevieve’s maid of honor!"
They both stared at each other for a second then burst into laughter together.
"Well," Jamal said with amusent, "I guess we’ll be walking down the aisle together too."
Dawn giggled. "They may be getting married before us," she teased lightly, "but we’re already ahead."
Jamal raised a brow.
"We had a child first."
Jamal burst into laughter. "That’s true actually."
Dawn grinned proudly. "None of your friends can beat that."
"No one," Jamal agreed seriously. "But I think after Stefan and Genevieve we would be next. I don’t see Callan and Emily getting married anyti soon. And I don’t think Mari would be ready either."
Dawn glanced at him at the ntion of Mari.
"By the way, thank you for sending Mari over by the way."
Jamal smiled faintly. "She helped?"
"A lot," Dawn admitted honestly. "She was really there for ."
Jamal nodded slowly. Then sighed softly.
"I’ve hardly spent any proper ti alone with her in a while."
Dawn glanced at him briefly. "You miss her?"
"Yeah," he said easily.
Then he pulled out his phone. "I should thank her for being helpful and let her know I’m back. Maybe we can hangout soon."
He dialed her number.
The call barely rang once before Mari picked up.
But imdiately she whispered urgently, "Hey, Jam. I’ll call you back soon."
Jamal blinked.
"What?"
"Jax is sleeping right now and I don’t want to disturb his sleep. He hasn’t slept in a while," she whispered again. "If it’s urgent, we can text."
Jamal smiled, "It’s not urgent. Call when you can. I’m ho."
"Great. Love you," Mari said then the call ended quickly.
Jamal laughed as he lowered the phone. "She’s with her boyfriend."
Dawn smiled, "Jax. Half the ti we spent together she was talking to about him. She loves him a lot."
Jamal laughed softly. "Yeah. She does. I’m actually eager to et him," he admitted. "Mari seems really smitten."
Dawn laughed. "Why do you sound so surprised?"
"Surprised? I won’t say I’m surprised. It’s just so wonderful seeing her in love. It’s her first ti feeling this way about a guy."
Dawn glanced at him sideways thoughtfully.
"What?" Jamal asked when he noticed the look she gave him.
"Uhm, you really never developed feelings for Mari at any point?"
Jamal looked at her with imdiate disgust. "Absolutely not."
Dawn burst into laughter. "Why are you giving that look? It’s just a question."
"She’s practically my cousin. That would be incest."
"You’re not blood related."
"We don’t have to be. Family is family," Jamal said firmly.
Dawn giggled. "You shouldn’t ever react like that in front of Callan and Emily. Don’t say that."
Jamal chuckled softly. "Fair point."
Then he leaned back properly into his seat again and exhaled softly.
"I honestly can’t wait for everyone to settle down properly in Ludus again," he admitted. "Communication is becoming too stressful with everybody scattered everywhere."
"Callan and Emily would be attending Stefan’s wedding, right?"
Jamal nodded, "I believe so."
Dawn smiled softly. "That’s good then. By the way, I offered to help Stefan plan a surprise proposal for Genevieve when they get back."
Jamal grinned, "Really?"
"Yeah. I should assist my soon-to-be brother-in-law."
Jamal chuckled, "Does that an Stefan is going to be my brother-in-law too when we get married?"
Dawn giggled. "I guess so. That would make him a part of the family by marriage since he refuses to believe he is a part of it, right?"
Jamal smiled. "Right."
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