Dad and my uncles have been trying all day to get someone to come dig us up but no ones available, apparently all of Aurora is frozen. Mom made them food and offered to do their job which she did for a while but not without dad there with her, they have the cutest relationship. They act like kids all of the time and only when the little ones are around do they mature. "I don't see him much," she shrugs sitting with her friends in their bedroom.
"What do you mean you don't see him much?" They roll their eyes and laugh.
"I don't, I see him at dinner and when we go to bed," she shrugs. "He goes for a run every morning but because of the snow he's started going to the gym again and he doesn't come back until ten and then he's in the studio until six."
"Why don't you just pack up and go on a vacation?" They already do that all of the time. "Not like you don't," aunt Kylie rolls her eyes.
"We don't, those few days we had is the most I've gotten from him since Jamaica before the triplets." She rolls we eyes. "Every trip we go on we're separated he just doesn't like the thought of me taking planes alone so he get connecting flights even if he has to fly back across the world."
"Honey," they pour at her and she shrugs.
"We have messed up schedules and we have a lot of kids," she shrugs again. "Plus the cuddles I get from him at night are enough." I slowly walk off as I hear dad's footsteps but I continue to eavesdrop.
"Hello," he smiles at all of the girls grabbing his phone charger and earbuds.
"Where you going?" Mom batts her eyelashes at him.
"I need a brake," he shakes his head a little.
"There's some tea for you downstairs, and if it's not hot enough the kettle should be boiled by now." He nods kissing her forehead. "And if the kids ate all of the muffins that were on the table there are some in the oven hidden away from them." He kisses her lips and walks out mumbling a goodbye and thank you.
"What do you think he's gonna do?" They raise an eyebrow at her.
"He's probably just gonna run on the treadmill and then lay on the couch eating muffins now that he knows where I hide them." She laughs a little.
"Mom?" I walk into the room slowly leaning on the crutch I'm required to use after an attack.
"Yes Mercy?" She smiles at me.
"I'm bored," I whine making the others laugh.
"You wanna come sit with us?" She smiles at me again, this time in a more sincere manner.
"Sure," I shrug sitting next to her on the bed. Their conversations continue.
"You really don't see him?" She shakes her head again.
"He gets stressed out really easily and so do I, and all of our kids have different needs." She squeezes me. "We have to get one to cheer at the same time as the other need to go to lacrosse and then there's one who's has a museum project and needs paint and other who has to go to the doctor." She shrugs.
"Can't you ever get off of work? Don't you make your own schedule?"
"My camera man moved, so that shitty sub I was stuck with stayed and he chooses my hours, if he's in Rome I need to be in Rome, he was in Greece a few weeks ago and I was supposed to go, but I stayed home because of Mercy, but I can't miss any more." She shrugs.
"Your job sucks," they breath out.
"I know," she nods laying her head against mine.
"I'd skip work to spend time with my family any day." Aunt Brooke pouts.
"I can't," she looks down a little.
"So what's that gem you've been wearing?" Aunt Chrissy changes the subject pointing to the locket mom wear around her neck.
"Shawn gave it to me for my birthday," she smiles showing it off just like she did with the ring.
"It's beautiful," they smile and she nods.
"It is gorgeous isn't it," she nods at the images inside. "I have a photoshoot next week." Mom sighs playing with the chain. "It's in Perth Australia," she looks down.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dad gasps a little walking in.
"I was going to, I promise," she grabs his hand softly.
"You promised me no more secrets." He looks completely heartbroken.
"I don't understand why you're so upset," she grips his hand tighter while my aunts walk out, I do the same but watch them from the door just like my aunts are doing.
"I was gonna," he gets all chocked up trying to explain it laying his head in her lap. "I was gonna take you to Paris next week." Gramps is from Paris but moms never been. She was always sick or too young to go and she's always wanted to. A lot of her family is still there and she's never met them before.
"You're not serious?" She sounds just as upset and horrified. "And I'm flying across the world." She runs her hand over dad's head, in some ways I find this completely repulsive but in others it's like watching a romance movie.
"I know you can't change it," he nods with a sigh.
"I'm sorry teddy bear," she hugs him while he stands up. "I really wish I could go." Moms planned on taking us camping in BC when they go in the summer, saying dad always talked about raising a family there.
"I should go back down, make some more calls." He nods pointing as does she.
"I'm still sorry." She grabs his arm and he nods waiting for her to let go. They were super distant for so long and yesterday and the day before they just reconnected, like they brought back the dead spark, until now.
"I got someone!" I can hear them yell downstairs. My Aunts try and bring me down saying I should leave my mom but I don't listen.
"Mercy go," she points but I walk further in giving her a hug. She hugs me back almost immediately. No words are shared just contact, and love. "Go downstairs and be excited with them." She mumbles into my shoulder.
"Come with me." I smile as she nods.
"Let me fix myself up first, then I'll come down." She points and I nod walking down the steps.
"We're getting out of here,"
