Morgan

Chapter Twelve- Battle lines

The day Annie brought the children back, it was the first time I had seen her since we had spoken, since she had grabbed me against the back door. My fear and her panic, being the last things I think of now that we haven't spoken since. I don't want my lasting images of her to be bad ones. I want to look back with a sense of calm and see the good times, to appreciate the decade of love that we did have. I didn't want us to go down in a fiery wreck, and nothing to be salvaged. We had three children, and they needed us so survive and thrive as parents. We would never get rid of each other in our entirety, not when we had children we shared. A fact.

As the car appears on the driveway my lips spread to a smile. My babies returned after two long months, unbearable days, torturous nights and a lot of weeks that felt like hell.

"Mom" Gage calls excitedly running toward me so fast his little legs look they may send him flying with one ill timed step.

I bend down and lift him up into my arms as we collide, and his little arms wrap around my neck. I inhale his sweet scent as more little hands wrap around my thigh. I look down to find Asher there. I lower my hand from Gage and ruffle his hair, his head pressed to the side of my chest "my babies I missed you... I missed you so much" I say as a tear falls down my cheek. Just one. I wouldn't let them see just how much I missed them. It was so much I felt like I could succumb and perish from the loss. That distance. My maternal instinct fighting everyday like a flight or fight response to go to them, find them, and bring them home with me... into my safety, my arms, where my heart needed them to be.

"Mom did you hug Otto like I hugged Mo" Gage asked.

I look into his watery eyes, my littlest baby and I smile and kiss his nose "every night my love... every night" I promise.

He smiles, and he has a tooth missing. I frown "Gage where is your front tooth" I ask.

He laughs "it fell out last Wednesday" he says proudly.

I smile and admire my babies newly gappy smile but inside my mind whirls. "I fell off of a swing and it knocked right out" he adds.

I turn and look to Annie who is helping Jamie get the bags out of the trunk "mommy never told me you had an accident" I say under my breath. I shake my head. It had already started, she had held that back from me. If I had done that to her she would have been livid. I should think she went home so furious with me last weekend that when that happened she did it in her way to get at me, knowing today I would find that out. Something happened to my child and I didn't know about it. Fuck. I wasn't about to rise to the bait today, not with my babies here.

I bend down and look to Asher, his deep blue eyes creasing up "hi buddy" I greet.

"hi mom" he says a little more hesitantly to show his affection. He had got a little older now, and felt like a little man and not my baby boy. "Did you miss me" I ask.

He half smiles and gives in, wrapping his arms around me, his face buried in my hair "I missed your smell" he confesses.

I smile and wrap my hand around the back of his neck affectionately, Gage still on my knee and holding me too. "I missed your smell too Mom... you smell like home" Gage says sniffing me and inhaling dramatically.

I let out a laugh "I should send you both off with a bottle of perfume next time" I suggest.

I stand as Jamie approaches. Why has my daughter shot up a foot since I last saw her "My sweet girl" I say holding out my arm.

She smiles coyly and walks into my arms "I missed you so much" I say closing my eyes and inhaling her too.

"You too Mom...and I've told mommy I'm not going to leave you again" she whispers.