Where He Belongs

~Twenty-Five~

A/N: Eek! I did it again. Clearly I have to put update dates or else I'll just forget when I'm supposed to! Thanks for hanging on with me! And the first person to comment last chapter was @CakeFetishist (did I spell that right? 😳). Thanks for commenting! You rock!

Peace Out, Girl Scouts

~Kate~

Dinner wasn't as easy and laid back as it usually was.

In fact I felt pretty ackward. Emory and Emily didn't notice the tension, chattering away at each other. Or, babbling for the most part for Emily. "There's a baby in aunt Xena's tummy, Daddy." Emory told me excitedly. "I was in your tummy right?"

I nodded my head, bittersweet memories in my mind. "Em in momma's belly?" Emily asked, head cocked to the side.

"That's right, honey." Replied Jeffery, dipping a strip into a Cheyenne pepper and ranch mix.

"Are you gonna have another baby in your belly like aunt Xena?" Asked Emory excitedly. "I think I'd like a brother."

"I don't know, honey," I replied. "Eat your food."

"You should ask my other dad." Emory decided. "'Cuz that's how you have babies. I know."

"How do you know that?" I exclaimed, concerned about what exactly he knows.

"You know Devin? The big-boy who comes here on Wednesday afternoons, after school? He says that daddies put little seeds inside of mommies to have babies. He says that even though you're a boy, you're my mommy 'cuz I was in your belly."

I furrowed my brow. The boy was ten which was why I understood the crazy bits about seeds, but that was a lot of information to pass onto a younger child. Especially if he shared it with others. I'd have to talk to him next time I saw home, just so he had a n understanding that he couldn't just tell little kids such things. "I see." Was my meek response.

"Where is he?"

This question wasn't a constant but it seemed to pop up randomly. As he got older, however, it was getting more frequent. "Who, bud?" Asked Jeffery.

"My other dad."

"He died."

I looked sharply at Jeffery who shrugged looking nonchalant. "Died?" Emory's eyes were wide and frightened. "But...but Daddy said that he was out protecting poor wolves who get lost in the woods! He's not...dead. Tell 'im Daddy!"

I was at a lost and unsure of what to say. Jeffery had pulled the rug out from under my story. A bit angry I glared pointedly at Jeffery while trying to come up with damage control. "I was kidding, buddy. Sorry."

Emory just made a pointed huff, gnawing on his version strip. I glared at my brother. Why did he have to come here and upset the balance I'd created? If he hadn't tried to tell me that I couldn't go out with Andy, I would have refused. It was his fault that everyone was going to think of me as some whore! I closed my eyes tightly, trying curb the migraine that always came when I got over stressed.

Dinner warped up nicely and Jeffery went to go watch the kids as I did the dishes. I was just putting them away when I heard footsteps. I originally thought it was Jeffery and Emily heading home but instead I heard a somewhat humble, "I worry about you Colton."

I turned around, looking at my brother. Why would he worry about me? "You're here all by yourself day after day, caring for a pup on your own... At first I thought you being independent was a good thing but...maybe you should seek this place, move into teh extra bedroom in my house?"