Life Without Them (On Hold)

Chapter 13: Back to Business

"He hasn't been back since he left your house last night," Sean tells me.

"Hm, if I didn't want him black and blue myself, I'd be concerned that Volto got him," I muse aloud.

"Oh no," Phil steps in. "Nothing that drastic happened. We had him pay a little visit to Raven's gym last night. He's most likely just sleeping it off in a motel."

"Where'd he get the money for a motel?" Sean asks, the same time that I ask, "So he is black and blue?"

"Now, Sang," Phil chides. "Be nice. But yes, he is black and blue."

"Where is he?" Sean asks him.

"Right now? No idea," Phil tells him, but the twinkle in his eye makes it unbelievable.

"Phil?" I ask. "Where is Nathan?"

"Hopefully doing some good."

With that cryptic comment, they leave to take Sean on a tour of the hospital, and I get back to work.

~Morgan~

"Morgan? Did Daddy Nate really mean all that mean stuff he said to Mommy last night?"

"No, Collie. He was just being a big old meanie jerkface."

"But then...why did he say it?"

"Mommy always said Daddy Nate had a temper. Maybe he just wanted to hurt Mommy."

"But why?"

"I don't know, Cole. Adults are weird."

We're sitting in the middle of the playroom building the tower on the Lego box. I wish I could tell Cole why Daddy Nate said what he did, but I'm lost myself. Daddy Nate should love Mama. You don't say mean things to the people you love. Unless you're Uncle Rave, but he always says it in Russian and Mommy says that he doesn't mean it.

I know Daddy Nate didn't really mean it when he said we aren't his. I hope he didn't. Could he have?

I hope not. We finally have our family whole. We were doing ok with just Mommy and our uncles, but we've always hoped that our dads would come back and that we'd all be one big happy family the way we're supposed to.

I wish I could do more to help Cole. I'm the older twin. It's my job to make sure he's ok. Cole likes to act tough, but he's really just a big softy. Mommy always says how much he reminds her of Daddy North. Mommy said that he has a temper too.

If Daddy North could stop himself from saying hurtful things to Mommy, why couldn't Daddy Nate?

"Excuse me? You're needed in room 5. Something about the kid's food coming out the wrong end, if you know what I mean."

"Oh shoot! Stay here with the kids. I'll be right back."

I turn towards the talking and see Nurse Emma rushing out. There's a big muscly man in blue scrubs with a face mask that the doctors usually wear, and a cap thing that the surgeons usually have on. His blue eyes look kinda sad like Uncle Brandon's used to in old pictures. His voice was a little deep while he was talking to Nurse Emma. Not as deep as Daddy Silas, but still deep. And kinda familiar...

"Hey kids," he says as he comes over. "What are you guys doing?"

"Playing Legos," Cole answers.