Harper & Lee Plus Three

Shattered

I looked in the mirror and took a few selfies, then went into the girls' room.

"I think we're all set!" Lee said.

Ella and Zophia were twirling around in the pretty red dresses we got them. Even though I didn't like them matching, if they wanted to, I allowed it. They looked so cute. I was kind of hoping for another girl, even though Lee wanted a boy. Only three days until my first ultrasound.

"Mommy! Help!" I looked behind me and saw Lukas fiddling with the tie around his neck.

"Oh, Lukas! Have Daddy help you," I said.

"I already did. He just undid it for the second time," Lee said, chuckling. "Come on, little man. Let's get you fixed up again."

I looked at my sweet family. I was so excited to finally get a little alone time with Lee. It was New Year's Eve, and it was also Lee's mom's birthday. We were going to go out with everyone for a nice dinner, and then the kids were staying at their house for the weekend. It was a dream come true.

We got everyone in their coats and into the car, then Lee started making the long drive out to the restaurant. It was an hour away, and we were getting a blizzard tonight.

"So have you picked out any more houses to look at?" Lee asked.

"Umm. No. Because I like the three we're already looking at," I said.

"Harper, I told you that I wanted to look at houses closer to my parents. They don't want to drive an hour and a half to see their grandkids."

"That sounds like a them problem and not an us problem. I'm not moving to a shitty part of town with bad schools just so we can be closer to them and the house that's been in your family since the 1800s that they refuse to sell."

"Even if you take my parents out of the equation, it's still a far drive to work for me from all of them. I want to be closer to downtown."

"So what? Your car gets good mileage. Put on your big boy pants and just deal with it!"

"That's easy for you to say, when I'm the one who works five and six days a week and you don't work at all."

"And I'm the one taking care of those kids all week while you're at work!"

"To earn money, which I use to pay for you to stay home with the three kids, soon to be four. God, I feel like you're just so ungrateful sometimes."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are! It's like no matter what I do it's never enough. I work all week and then you complain that I'm not taking enough care of the kids. Then I take care of the kids and give you some alone time, and you complain about where I'm taking them."

"Yeah, because what parent brings three two-year-olds to Hooters? Apparently one who is dumb enough as you!"

"Hey, I deserve to have a little fun once in a while too!"

"Yeah, which you can do without being such a dickhead and bringing your kids to a restaurant that has a bunch of girls with their boobs out!" I said.

"Dickhead!" Ella asked from the back seat. "Dickhead! Dickhead!"

"Ella, no!" I said, turning around to face her. "Bad word. Don't say that."

"Why do you always treat me like shit in front of the kids? You're setting a bad example!"

"Because my boyfriend is acting like one! That's why!"

"Yeah, and so are you!" he said, looking my way. I rolled my eyes and looked at the snow-covered road. "You're seriously the worst when you get like this!"