We Are Us

Chapter 35

Today is Kamri's last day of school and her preschool graduation. Meryl has woken up before her alarm to Olivianna wanting to be fed earlier than usual. With her now fed, Meryl is sitting in the silent living room with Olivianna playing on the floor. She's just not ready for today. Kamri is officially done with preschool after today. They have one summer before kindergarten. She's too big now. She turns 6 in August. Rylan turns one on the 24th. Olivianna is almost 4 months now. All of her girls are getting so big and she's just not ready for it all.

She hears movement upstairs so she looks at the clock. It's 6 am, the time she set the alarm for. Maks must be up now. She doesn't get up off the couch. She just can't yet. It's like her body is sleeping but her mind is wide awake.

"Meryl, are you down there?" Maks calls from the top of the stairs.

"Yes."

She hears him descend the stairs and he comes into the living room, joining her on the couch.

"Good morning" he says kissing her cheek. "How long have you been up?"

"I'm not sure. Feels like hours but it's probably only been 30-40 minutes. Olivianna woke me up."

"Sorry."

"Eh, it's ok. My mind has just been going over how big Kamri is now. I mean she graduates preschool today."

"It's crazy, isn't it? I still remember when she and Beth came to live with me all those years ago. I remember her coming to the studio with me. I remember moving here and then meeting you through Kamri."

"She is graduating from the school that started it all. If it weren't for me getting a job there and you and Beth enrolling Kamri there, we'd probably have never met. We wouldn't have Olivianna. Rylan would still be here but who knows what would have happened to her."

"God had his plan. I'm so glad we followed it."

"Me too."

"Can you watch her while I shower?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. I'll check on Rylan. If she's awake I'll bring her down."

Meryl heads upstairs and checks on Rylan. She is just starting to wake so she carefully gets her out of bed, changes her diaper, and takes her down to Maks before going back up to shower. She takes her time and blow dries her hair after her shower. She does her makeup simply feeling that she's left Maks with the girls long enough. Plus, Kamri is most likely up by now. She quickly dresses in a tan tank top and teal shorts. She has jewelry to match it. She slips on jeweled sandals.

Meryl heads downstairs and finds Maks sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of oatmeal in front of him that looks like it hasn't been touched. When he sees her, he lets out a breath.

"You look like I've been gone all day."

"That's how it feels. Olivianna has been fussy since you went upstairs like she just wanted you. Rylan didn't want the oatmeal I made so I tried yogurt and that barely did it and she took forever to eat it. Kamri couldn't decide what she wanted for a while but she finally decided on cereal and she got it herself."

"Oh girls. Are you giving Daddy a run for his money" Meryl says with a laugh.

"I need a shower" he says while Kamri giggles.

"Did you eat?"

"Ha, that's funny."

"Take the oatmeal with you and eat it upstairs before you shower."