Our Love Will Never Die #Wattys2016

Chapter 25: Always

"And they all lived happily ever after." Regina says, closing the storybook her girls had chosen to read and setting it down in their bedside table.

"Can we read one more, please?" Rosalee asks, sitting up in her bed.

"Yeah, please mommy?" Regan adds, rolling over in her bed and grabbing her mother's hand.

Regina wants to give in because she loved moments like this with her girls, but it's late and she can see they are tired, not to mention they have their first day of school tomorrow. She gets up from her place on Regan's bed, "Sorry my loves." She begins, making her way to their book shelf and putting away the storybook. "No more reading tonight or you'll be tired tomorrow." She kisses each of their foreheads and gives them a hug before walking towards the door.

"Please?" Rosalee asks one more time, her voice more whiny and pleading than before.

"I'm sorry, but it's still a no. I don't want grumpy girls tomorrow." Regina replies, through a laugh. That has happened more than once especially with Rosalee who she had quickly discovered was not a morning person.

"Aww..." The two girls sigh, rolling over in bed and pulling up the blankets as they try and get more comfortable.

"I'll send your dad in in a minute, ok?" Regina tells them from the doorway of their bedroom. She heard her daughters mumble a quiet 'ok' in response as she turned out the light, leaving their night lights on to illuminate the dark room a little. "Good night, love you."

"Night night, love you too." Rosalee says through a yawn.

"Good night, mommy. Love you too." Regan whispers at the same time.

Regina smiles as she exits the room, then goes down the hall to Roland's room. She peaks her head in, "Video games off. Bedtime."

He lets out a dramatic sigh, eyes not leaving the screen. "I have to beat this level, just give me a minute." Says the ten year old, fingers moving over the buttons on the PlayStation controller.

"Now, Roland. It's late. I already gave you a lot of time today to play." His mother replies, her voice stern.

"Alright, alright." He agrees, setting the controller down and getting up to turn off the game console. Roland then makes his way over to his bed, tugging the covers back and hoping in. "Gonna tuck me in?"

Regina smiles, "Of course." She likes that he still lets her do this even though he's getting older, makes her feel like she's always needed. "Not too old for this yet?" She asks, grasping the blankets and pulling them up to his chest.

He shakes his head, "not yet."

She gives him a small smile, reaching above him and grabbing his stuffed monkey. "And this guy?"

"Definitely not." Roland says, reaching for his monkey and taking it into his arms. He's had that monkey for years and his mother knows just how much it means to him, more than any other belonging of his.

"Alright then. Just checking." Regina tells him, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. She pushes his hair from his face then leans over to press a kiss on his forehead. "Good night, my sweet boy."

"Good night, love you." Roland says, turning on his side as his eyes fall shut.

Getting up from her place on his bed she whispers, "love you too." Then she's making her way to the door again.