THE WAY WE STAY

Chapter 5

RILEY'S P.O.V

I chuckled ten thousand times along our fifteen minutes ride back home. My bad. I realized that the twins are just that pure and innocent, however kept pushing my luck and hung my life on Calista.

"Uncle Toby!" Cassandra kicked her feet as she saw her favorite uncle hanging by the front door.

"Heeey!" Toby waved back.

"Dude? Still too early and you didn't ring me." I turned off the engine.

"Your brother insists." Toby rolled his eyes at Connor and his hand-carry protools. "Said he's getting inspired over something."

"Yeah?" I carried the sleepy Calista off her carseat. "Con, do you mind?"

"Oh." He quickly jumped on his feet to take the younger twin as I had to reach my pocket for the front door's key. "How are you holding up with my chocolate monsters?"

"Except losing the bath race from Cassandra every time, I'm alright."  I chuckled. "How's home?"

"Mom and dad miss them, said they'll come over soon." Toby replied.

"Uncle Connie..." Calista mumbled in her sleep.

"Hi." I heard Connor whispered and kissed her cheek. "Let's change yourself first baby, alright?"

I let Toby and Connor take care of the princesses, while I should quickly grab all the stuff needed to get them in the bathroom.

"Yeah? Daddy said so? Hahahaha..." I overheard Connor's devilish laugh.

"Uh-ha." I shook my head. "Don't listen to children, told you."

"On the contrary!" Toby exclaimed. "They spell nothing but the truth."

I shook my head repeatedly, even Calista copied my move and giggled. I did not want to answer any of those paparazzi-themed questions. I knew my brothers and my children. I knew what the twins told them and how eager the brothers were to interview me.

"Ri,"

"Con, don't."

"Ahahahaha... What? I asked you to throw me the towel, daddy, please?"

"You're very..." I wanted to nicely curse but even the most polite curse will do no good in front of the kids. "Tricky."

Toby lifted Cassandra first to the bathtub. It was always a surprise how the youngest brother was able to take a good care of the twin number one. I never win a battle with Cassandra.

"What's tricky?" Toby walked back into the room and smirked.

"Whatever they said, it was all lie." I replied short.

"Hey, don't say that to the person who have said hello to her every morning before you took the duty." Toby danced a little before he reacted to Cassandra's yell from the bathroom.

"Toby mentioned her name once or twice every other day." Connor nodded.

"Oh here we go." I groaned miserably.

"Honey, ready to bath?" Connor lifted Calista.

"Uncle? Don't tell daddy I told you about it." Calista whispered loudly in Connor's arms.

"Nope, your secret's safe with me." Connor winked at me, just beyond annoying.

They both gathered in the bathroom to accompany the twins' afternoon bath, meanwhile I prepared the lunch for all of us. Well, I was not mad at all to anybody. It was just embarrassing how it took me only two days to wave a signal to Jane. The problem was I did not even know what the signal for.

"That said," Connor approached me as he put Calista in her chair. "The bold move, I'm proud of you for it."

"She said the, uhm, wrong thing." I replied short hiding my rolling eyes.

"What's the wrong thing? She only helped you doing the thing you've refused to-"

"We don't talk about that." I groaned but hid it between grinding smile.

"Oh don't make me start." Toby smirked and joined us in the kitchen.

I took the farthest chair in this pretty large dining table, watching the beautiful girls enjoy their lunch. I glared once or twice at my brothers. Oh, them and their smirky faces.

"So, only if you eager to know..." I sighed. "It was a stupid, way ahead then expected kind of move."

"She's pretty, so pretty." Toby nodded.

"So way off topic." I slammed my back against the wall with cold water in my hands.

"I'm curious." Connor nodded. "Why?"

"Out of the blue. Told you it was stupid. I can only imagine what she thinks about me."

I threw the look at my brothers. They knew how I completely ignored this kind of conversation since the divorce. Therefore my hesitation should be understandable.

"Good tomorrow is Saturday," Connor tapped my shoulder. "You can take a break before Monday again."

"Damn it Con!" I cursed but laughed afterwards.

"Let's take the babies to the beach tomorrow." Toby thought of a short escape, the thing he always masters of.

"Good idea. They would love it."

We wrapped up the lunch and put the kids to afternoon nap. The three of us continued working on the music. We had the pizza party and movie marathon in the house later to call the day.

All gears were prepared too. Tomorrow we would hit the beach. Because like Connor said, I would need it to face Monday's possible embarrassing meeting after the beautiful moment today.