Affairs of the Heart

27

"Mom" Tuck ran into Miranda's room.

"Mom" Their son Ben Jr ran in behind him

"Mom" Their other son Daniel ran in behind them 

"Mommy" Their youngest son Micheal ran in last

They all began speaking at the same time trying to recount some story. Miranda was trying to get some rest and had a terrible headache. Ben was at work and she just wanted a moment of peace.

"One at a time" Miranda sighed rubbing her temples "Micheal Warren speak first"

"Tuck, Danny, and Benji were playing with a ball in the house and Benji broke your lamp" he pushed his glasses up on his face

"And where were you" She asked

"I walked into the living room to tell them to stop before the lamp got broken"

"Okay, Daniel Warren your version of events"

"Tuck and I were lightly tossing the ball to each other. Benji comes and asks to join. Tuck says no because he is too wild"

"He's lying" Ben Jr. interrupted

"Did I say speak" She looked at him

"No Ma'am" He shook his head

"Now Daniel can you tell me why you were throwing the ball in my house"

"We were sitting on the couch lightly tossing it. We weren't even really throwing it"

"So how'd the lamp get broken" She asked

"Benji comes over and takes the ball anyway and throws it way too hard and it hits the lamp"

"Now Ben Jr. you were so eager to tell me all about your version of events. Go ahead"

"I asked to join. Tuck told me no. I told him he wasn't the boss of me and they weren't supposed to be playing ball anyway. I went to take the ball and he snatched back so I pulled again and the ball went flying and hit the lamp"

"William" She looked at him

"Benji threw the ball and it hit the lamp" Tuck crossed his arms and glared at his brother

She looked at her sons. She said not a word and scanned from the oldest to the youngest. "Go wait for your father" She dismissed them

"Look what you did" Tuck whispered through clenched teeth to Benji

"And I don't want to hear a sound out of anyone"

They remained silent as they walked away. She sighed and shook her head. 4 boys. She had to deal with 4 boys. Tuck was 16, Ben Jr was 10, Danny was 8, and Micheal was 6. One girl. All she asked for was one girl. Instead, she got nothing but boys. She was done after Micheal. She just accepted a girl was not in the cards. But no God decided to bless her with one more baby. She rubbed her baby bump. " Please be a girl"

Ben walked into their room and leaned down next to her " Everything okay"

"I have a horrible headache"

"Why didn't you call me I would have been here earlier. You know this pregnancy is considered high risk because..."

"Because" She looked at him

"Because" His eyes darted around the room. The words late-life pregnancy danced across his brain. " You know what forget it, but you should have called me"

"Well I was resting and then your sons" She groaned

"I'm assuming this has something to do with them sitting on the couch in silence" He sat down "When they're my sons they've done something crazy"