To Have, To Hold, and To Leave: A Bryce Hall FanFiction «completed»

60

-about a week later-

As I was getting the kids ready, my phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey, Kate. This is Cade," he replied. 
"Shit, I am so sorry. I meant to call you," I stumbled over my words. 
"Hey, it's not a big deal. I get it. You have double the amount of kids that I have," he laughed. "Are you busy tonight? I would love to see you."
I sighed. "I would love to see you, too, but I'll have to see if I can find a sitter."
"Oh, is your ex busy?" 
"Something like that," I muttered. "He, uh, well, he can't really see the kids right now. He's trying to, uh, get sober."
"Oh. I didn't know that. I'm sorry. Well, keep in touch, and let me know if you find one."

He hung up, and I rested my head on the kitchen table. Bryce had fixed all of my problems for years, but he was currently only causing them. 
"Mom, what are you doing?" Isaiah asked. I heard the chair scrape the floor as he sat down next to me. 
"Trying to pretend that everything isn't a disaster right now. What about you, bud?" 
I looked up to see him shrug. "I don't know. Do you think Uncle Jaden will let me have a sleepover at his house tonight?" 
"That's not a half-bad idea. Why don't we give him a call?" 

I dialed Jaden's number, handing the phone to Isaiah. "Hey, Uncle Jay. Can I stay at your house tonight? It's really boring here. Really? Thanks! Sure. Here's Mom."
He handed the phone to me, sprinting through the kitchen and up the stairs. 
"I take it that you said yes," I laughed. 
"That I did. What are you guys doing tonight?" 
I sighed. "Cade asked me to go out with him again tonight, but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with the kids. We don't really have a regular sitter."
"Don't hate me for suggesting this, but I was talking to Addison the other day, and she really misses the kids. Maybe you could ask her if she wanted to keep them for the night. It's a win-win for both of you," he suggested. 
I sighed again. "I guess I could. It's not her fault that Bryce couldn't get his shit together, right?"
"Absolutely. I'll be by to get Isaiah in, like, fifteen minutes. Is that okay?" 
I agreed before hanging up.

"Annalisa! Owen! Come to the kitchen, please!" I yelled. 
"Yes, Mommy?" Annalisa asked, standing in the kitchen doorway. 
"Where's Owen?" I asked.
"Boo!" his little voice yelled from behind me. 
"You got me pretty good," I chuckled. "I have to ask you guys something. Do you want to see if Auntie Addison wants to hang out with you guys tonight?"
"Yes!" they exclaimed simultaneously. 
"Alright, I'll call her," I chuckled. 

"Hey, Kate. Is everything okay?" she answered. 
"Yeah. Yeah, everything is fine. I was wondering if you maybe wanted to spend some time with the kids tonight. It would just be Annalisa, Owen, and Everleigh," I replied, stumbling over the words. 
"Of course!" she agreed. "I feel like I haven't seen them in ages, and I would love to meet Everleigh. Is everything okay with Bryce? Doesn't he normally take them?" 
"Um," I mumbled. Should I tell her? Screw it. "Bryce is working on getting sober. I took visits away from him as a motivation."
"Oh, my gosh. I had no idea. Well, do you want me to come to get them, or do you want to drop them off?"  
"Whichever works best for you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it," I thanked her. 
"I'll be there in twenty. Is that okay?" 
"Absolutely," I agreed, hanging up. 

Jaden had made it to the house. "Where's my namesake at?" he joked, shutting the front door behind him. 
"Right here!"
"Do you want to go to the studio with me today? I've got a song that I have to put the finishing touches on," he offered, bending down in front of Isaiah. 
"Um, duh!" Isaiah exclaimed. "That is so cool! Bye, Mom!" He ran out the front door without so much as a hug. 
"Well, okay, then," I chuckled. "Thanks for taking him. I think that he's kind of been struggling with the whole not seeing Bryce thing. It probably doesn't help that Bryce hasn't called as he promised. Josh says that he's doing well, and he hasn't been drinking, but the kids miss him."
"Of course. What's the saying? Mi casa es su casa. Don't worry about it. Remember, it takes a village," he assured me, wrapping me in a hug. "Give Ma a call, will you? She's worried about you, and she calls me every day to ask how you're doing."
"Yeah. I'll, uh, I'll call her," I sighed. "Thanks for the Addison suggestion, by the way. She'll be here to get the kids in, like, twenty minutes."
"What can I say? Call me Care.com," he joked. "See you later, alright?" 

I watched from the door as he pulled out of the driveway. Isaiah was probably already talking his ear off, and it put me at ease to know that he still had so many strong male role models in his life. "Alright, guys. Let's get you some snacks and some juice to take to Auntie Addison's, huh? Has anyone seen the diaper bag?" 
"Mommy, it's in the nursery," Annalisa informed me, giggling. "You are so silly." 
"No, you're so silly," I joked back, tickling her. "Auntie Addison will be here soon, so please go get your stuff together."

I made sure that everything was packed for Addison before calling Cade back. "Hello?" 
"Hey, Cade. Are you still up for that date tonight?"
"You found a sitter? That's great! For sure! I was thinking that I could cook for you, and maybe we could watch a movie. My kids are with their mom this weekend," he suggested.
I didn't even take a second to think about it. "Yes. That sounds perfect."
"I'll send you my address. See you at seven?" 
"Absolutely."