scratch

Chapter 14 - The Past, Getting There (Kaden POV)

A/N: NOT EDITED.

Chapter 14 — The Past, Getting There (Kaden POV)

Playing with all the kids, until eventually its time to put Morgan and Ree down for a nap, John and David working our grill while Etta brings out other dishes. "Can I sit by you?" Tristan asks quietly, mumbled. "What ever you want bud," I reply just enjoying the small smile that graces his face. Once we're all seated, social worker, the Bradley's and the rest of us, eating, Margo — Donovan's sister — decides to break the tension that her family must be feeling, because at this point — Etta was on cloud nine. "So how long have you all lived here?"

"We don't live here, this is a vacation home," Etta said calmly while their hearts raced at that piece of information. "Oh so... not only are you wanting to make the kids leave their parents, you're — what? Moving them away?"

"Not now Margo," Donovan cuts his eyes at his sister, trying to silence her. "You want us — Sawyer and I — to come live with you? Like all the times?" Tristan asked me, the table goes quiet except for Vivian and Myles. I'm well aware of the social worker listening, so I think for a moment to get my words right, "Do you know how you came to live with the Bradley's?" I watch his forehead pucker.

"Yeah, and the lady in the place they put Sawyer and me in said that our grandpa took us from you, and you didn't think we were alive," his face serious and I wondered just how much he truly understood of what was going on right now. "Tristan we — Etta and I — want you to live with us full time, with your brother and sisters, and we don't live in New York all the time," his face puckered he looked to his plate.

"Will — will we see mom and dad again if we have to go with you?" he mumbles not looking at us, or the Bradley's. "Etta, the kids and I, we don't live in New York so you wouldn't see them everyday, but we can come back to visit them, we understand that you love them, and that they love you, but Etta and I, we love you as well and had you not been taken... we would have never given you awake Tristan." I answer as honest as possible.

"So if we go with you, we will see them again?"

"Yes," Etta and I confirm for them.

"Okay," he says with a sharp nod.

"Mom's a teacher and Dad teaches too," Sawyer started, drinking some juice before she finishes, "What do you and Etta do?"

"Well I'm an architect but I also teach at a university," I say not overloading him, "And I'm studying Chemistry," Etta finished.

"What about you? What subjects do you like Tristan?"

I couldn't believe their personalities, and all the mannerisms that he had that I knew was something I did as well. "Well... I like Math and Music," a big smile on his face. "When I was your age, I liked math as well, do you play any instruments?" nodding quickly, "Yeah guitar and drums!" he gushed. "Are you any good?" his head bobbed.

"Don't I?" he asked Donovan for backup. Gazing lovingly at Tristan, he turns to me, "He's good, and he takes lessons at his school."

"Sawyer, what about you?" Etta questioned.

She shook her head, "I don't play the drums and guitar, but I like to draw."

"I like drawing too!" Vivian chirped and slowly the awkwardness faded and when the kids ran off again to play, the social worker going with them, leaving Etta, Donovan, Katherine and I at the table. "You guys did an incredible job in raising them," Etta offered the compliment with her full heart, but Margo scoffed.

"You're all over the newspaper, how come no one has seen all these children you pulled out of fucking thin air?"

Looking at her, Etta just stands walking to where the children are playing, "My personal life is just that Margo, personal and private. I want my children, all my children to have their quiet lives outside of who I am."

"Do you — moving with them? Taking them away from everything they know? How can you do that to those children?" Katherine whispered, her voice strong.

"I can't put myself in your shoes, I can't. Everyone here, we are all victims of what Etta and your father did... they are our children, you raised them and we are grateful that they were with two people who obviously love and care for them, however they would have had that with us had the opportunity not be stolen from us."

"But it's not about what you were robbed of... it's what you're doing to two children you claim you love," I nodded, knowing at this point Katherine wouldn't understand and without knowing what we knew, they'd never understand. Standing, I left the Bradley's at the table, following Etta, continuing to bond with our children, knowing that no matter what was said, when we left, Sawyer and Tristan would be given to us.

______________

© 2015 new_season All Rights Reserved