"Aren't you gonna talk to her about it?" I shake my head staring at her ring while we drive back. She's probably planning my arrival home, maybe a speech on how to brake up with me too. Some lame apology that she's put together and a new girl she wants me to hook up with. She's done it all.
"She left her ring in an airport," I stare at the piece of metal. I rejected fifty, fifty of them just to get this one looking the way it is. It's a very childish looking ring, just like our relationship, but it hides deeper more beautiful things, a small poem I'd written for her as best I could lays beneath the teddy bear incrusted with diamonds.
"But maybe she forgot it, your daughter had an ALS attach and she hasn't had one of those since she was ten." Geoff defends.
"Why is everyone always on her side." I whine.
"I watched her Shawn," he explains. "She cried, she smashed her phone screen when she dropped it in shock." He blinks slowly. "She felt the same pain that your daughter was and she still is. You've listened to her complaints about wanting those kids to need her again, they finally did and she wasn't around. It was heartbreaking to watch."
"It was heartbreaking to get a call from an airport saying that your wife left her wedding ring there." Although the trip to see the security guard who had it wasn't all that bad. The others boarded the plane and her and I had a thirty minute time slot. Some things went on but nothing came off and in the end even if things did get heated we were still fully clothed and I was boarding a plane.
Soon enough we arrive at the house where we all get out and enter. I walk up towards Reese who sobs against Kaiden's shoulder. "H-hi teddy bear." She sniffs moving towards me.
"Where's your ring?" I question grabbing her hands.
"I-i took it off?" She doesn't state and she doesn't sound very confident with her answer. "To wash the dishes," her voice goes high and I drop her hands. "I'm sorry teddy bear," she sobs hugging me. "I-I had to take it off to get through security and I was so worried about Mercy," she stops when I turn my attention to Jericho who carries her down while Kaiden grabs her wheelchair, one I haven't seen for years.
"Thanks," she smiles at her brothers who nod. Adam pushes her wheelchair towards me. Reese steps to the side and I kneel in front of her.
"Baby girl," I sigh hugging her tightly. She hugs me back with just as much force.
"Hi daddy," she smiles.
"What did I tell you about boyfriends?" I speak a little more sternly.
"I'm sorry," she whispers as I pull away. "But mama put him in his place when I was in the hospital," Reese giggles.
"I sent him home," she kisses our daughters forehead sending her and her brothers off. Mercy is limited to the comfort of our home and can't leave so the boys don't either, they're very loyal to her, or so Reese says.
"Here," I place the ring in the palm of her hand.
"Hey," she tries to stop me while I move towards Athena who sits in awe over Mercy's wheelchair. "Shawn," she does all she can to catch my attention but it does nothing I simply push her to the side to see my kids.
"Hi baby girl," I lift Athena into the air, making her giggle. It's kinda sad looking at her, she's grown very little in the three years almost four that she's been alive. Her small brothers, only two years old, have grown taller than her.
"Hi daddy," she kisses me softly.
"How's my princess?" I smile sitting on the couch.
"I'm good," she smiles laying her head against my stomach. "So is Angelina, Mercy's sick though," she explains making me smile.
"You're very smart," I squeeze her.
"I just know stuff," she giggles making me laugh.
"Yes you do," My boys run up towards me jumping in my arms. "Hello," I smile hugging them all while getting tackled by CJ, Angelina and Jaxon. "How is everyone?" I smile putting the babies down. They all instantly move to Mercy sitting in her lap or playing with her wheelchair. She just lets them smiling as they do so.
"Come here," she takes Athena. "You'll be in one of these some day." She rests her in her lap while Adam pushes them around the living room and kitchen making noises to make the experience more fun for the child. She giggles while the other two boys smile at the younger ones playing trucks with them.
"It's fun," she giggles while Mercy cuddles her. "Will I really get one?" Mercy nods hugging her.
"And if you keep an attitude like this one it'll be the best experience of your life." She kisses her sisters head letting her own fall back.
"And its back to bed for Mercy," Reese sighs looking at our daughter. Reese blames herself for it, all of the pain all of the misery. "Want me to take you up sweets?" She fixes our daughters hair. Reese is not one to let size defeat her and even though our daughter is taller she manages to carry her up the stairs and lay her in bed.
"What's new?" I smile at CJ.
"I go to school now," he smiles. "Well I get to go to a school after this summer, mama says she found a good one for me." He smiles giving a little jump in my lap.
"How about you?" I smile at Jaxon.
"I made a friend?" He smiles at me as if trying to see if that's enough to gain my happiness.
"You didn't have any before?" He shakes his head.
"I made a friend named Julia," he smiles. "She's really nice to me and she's a lot of fun." He giggles.
"Somebody's in love," the others tease.
"She's just my friend." He whines.
"That's what I said too," Jericho breaths standing and walking off making me shake my head.
"How about you?" I smile at Angelina.
"Well, they want to feature my art in a show at school, and then they want me and Dylan to paint something for a museum." She nods.
"Really?" I gasp at her and she nods.
"Is it bad?" She pouts looking horrified at my reaction.
"No, no it's just so amazing baby girl." I squeeze her. "Your mama and I are gonna put you into the best art school when you're ready for it." I reassure her even though she's ready, only too young.
"Ok," she nods smiling as does Reese. She's already put money away for her and her and Dylan get weekly allowance for doing chores and house work and Dylan is over all of the time.
"Alright, who's helping me with dinner?" She smiles and our three boys with our three babies raise the little ones to go help their mama.
"You raised em right," I smile while the ones in my lap run off to help her.
