Polyfidelity (SAMPLE)

Adventures in Tweens

I'm gonna be nice and post this chapter early. Have fun, y'all. 😘

"Mom!!" the little girls' yells rang through the house, causing Alta to pause in cleaning off the almost two-year-old girl with dark auburn curls that sat in front of her, and look over her shoulder at the eight-year-old identical twin girls that came running into the room. Miah and Zina looked uncannily like their father, with jet black curls, dark brown eyes, and deep dimples in their round, almond-colored cheeks. Miah came sliding to a halt first and pouted as she said, "Braxton won't let us on the trampoline."

"Tell him to quit being so mean!" Zina whined, stomping her foot and mirroring her sister. Alta sighed and picked up little Harley, carting her on her hip as she followed the twins back into the yard. Twelve years had passed since the birth of their oldest child, Rina. Since then, they had welcomed six more children, four more girls and two boys. Six pregnancies had changed Alta's body slightly, where she had once had smaller, B cup breasts she now sat at the larger side of a C, and her once slim hips were now wider, giving her a more hourglass figure that her seven husbands adored. Her chestnut hair was now visibly showing grey especially where it streaked down the front in a way that almost looked dyed. Something that Danny said never failed to turn him on.

When she entered the back yard, Alta found her oldest son jumping on the tramp while Rina stood next to it one hand on her hip and the other cradling her jaw while she glared at her younger brother.

"I tried to get him off mom," she explained, "but he kicked me in the jaw." Gently turning her daughter's face, Alta groaned in exasperation. There was a massive bruise forming on her pixie-like jawline. Rina had a dance recital that night, and it was going to be very difficult to explain that bruise to her teacher. Her oldest daughter, much like Ben had predicted all those years ago, was beyond gorgeous; with dark brown wavy hair that fell to her upper back, pixie-like features like her mother's, golden-tan skin tone, and big, bright-blue eyes.

"I thought Papi was supposed to be watching you kids?" Alta asked, looking around for Danny.

"Camron decided to make mud pies." Zina pointed to the mess near the freshly watered zinnias and Alta surmised what had happened. "Papi took him in to wash up, and Lily is upstairs with Appa doing her reading." Alta pinched the bridge of her nose and huffed before snapping at the ten-year-old that was still bouncing on the trampoline as if he couldn't hear a word that was being said.

"Braxton Benjamin Jennings! You get your skinny little butt off that trampoline right now."

"Make me." Alta's jaw dropped as the boy began to chant, "You can't make me."

"Why you little-"

"Boy," came a low growl from the porch, and Alta turned to see Ben standing with a sweet little blonde girl with wild corkscrew curls and pretty green eyes, peeking out from behind his legs, "I know I did not just hear you speak to your mother like that." Alta smiled in relief as he began to descend the stairs. Age had been very kind to Ben. His jet-black hair was starting to streak with grey here and there, and he sported a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee that framed his pouty lips just right, and made him look both intimidating and soft at the same time. His catlike eyes trained on the brunette on the trampoline; who, aside from his dark brown hair, looked so much like Jack at his age that it was frightening; and he beckoned the boy down.

Looking as though he may be afraid for his life, Braxton climbed down off the tramp and came to stand in front of Ben, who leaned down so that he was at eye level with the boy and said, very slowly, "You do not ever speak to your mother like that. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Ben turned to Alta with a raised brow, and she shook her head before turning to the boy.

"Go upstairs to your room. We'll discuss this when the rest of your dads get home."