PHOENIX

24| I OWE YOU AN APOLOGY

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

After settling Ethan back at home and making sure he was safe and calm, Jackson felt the weight of his earlier harshness towards Melissa heavy on his heart. He knew he needed to make things right, to acknowledge her role in bringing Ethan back unharmed. With a deep breath, he made his way to the living room where Melissa was sitting, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Melissa," Jackson began, his voice softer than before. "I owe you an apology."

She looked up, her expression guarded but curious. "For what, Jackson?"

He took a seat beside her, his gaze earnest. "For the way I spoke to you earlier. I was angry and scared, but that’s no excuse for snapping at you. You did the right thing by bringing Ethan back, and I should have thanked you instead of jumping to conclusions."

Melissa’s eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It’s okay, Jackson. I understand. You were worried about Ethan, and I didn’t help matters by not calling you sooner."

Jackson nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you for bringing him back, Melissa. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him."

Melissa reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don’t have to thank me, Jackson. I care about Ethan too, you know."

He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite everything, Melissa had shown compassion and concern for his family. He couldn’t ignore that, no matter how complicated their relationship had become.

"I know, Melissa. And I appreciate it," Jackson said, his voice genuine. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."