But Who's Counting?

Chapter Fifty-One 1/2: "Jaisiah and Jalen."

"I'm calling Dad." Jaisiah announced, making me freeze. Jaisiah was already beginning to press his phone to his ear, a large frown on his face. He may not physically look like him but he sure has the same facial expressions as him.

"Mom, you're mad at us because we are protecting you?" Jalen asked, pulling himself onto the table. His legs swing as he sighs.

"I'm mad because you two aren't in bed, you're swinging the door open like you're my husband, and you think your grown." I sigh. My kids truly think that they run this place because I have given them way too many privileges. That is my fault, I'll admit.

"You're mad at us but not Jasmine! She snuck out!" Jalen sputters out, throwing his arms out.

"No, she didn't. Your sister came to pick her up." I explain, remembering the phone call I got a hour or two before.

"She told us she snuck out. Lying witch." Jaisiah stutters below his breath. Jalen rolls his eyes before speaking, "Maya is always coming to see Jasmine but never talks to us."

"Speak for yourself, she texted me earlier." Jaisiah chuckles.

"Blocked my num-"

"Can you please just go to bed?" I question, my eyes rolling at the quietness that surrounds us. Both boys look at each other, a frown on their faces.

"Look, it's really not that hard. Just go to your room. It's past bedtime anyways." I say, feeling both boys stare at me. Jalen almost begins to turn away but is stopped. His brother looks at me with a question on his lips.

"Yeah, question. Why exactly do we have a bedtime? I turn sixteen in two days. Jasmine doesn't have one. Also, you're upset we stopped you from kissing a guy. ."

"First of all, Jaisiah, this is exactly why you have a bedtime. You don't follow directions. Maybe if you did what I asked, you could be like Jasmine and stay up later. You and Jalen never do what I ask you to. Jasmine does. Second of all, I was not going to kiss him. I work with him."

"You work with Dad." He has he audacity to answer.

"Jaisiah." I groan. I want to scream.

"Why are you and Dad taking a break again?" Jalen butts in.

"Because we are grown. Why are you guys awake again?" I retort, hearing my sons groan in unison.

"I'm just saying, life would be so much better if you guys got back together. You said it was only for a month. It's been four months." Jalen says, a frown on his face.

"Kissing people on the doorstep." Jaisiah mumbles, making me to throw the nearest thing, a pillow, at him.

"We didn't kiss!" I whine, sounding much like them.

"You would have if we didn't stop you Mom! You're married."

"We are tak-,"

"Your last name is Parker. You're married." Jaisiahs tone left no room for discussion and unfortunately for me, it reminded me so much of his father I had no choice but to shut up.

"You're acting like your father isn-," I begin, only for them to automatically spring in his defense. They love him. We all do.

"He's not, Mom!"

"I see the fucking news stories Jaisiah, I'm not stupid." I snap, feeling my eyes burn.

"Jai, chill." Jalen instructs his brother about what would be best before I throw my shoe at him.

Jaisiah and Jalen are glaring each other down and I decide to dismiss myself. I'm not in the mood to deal with two moody teenagers.

"What your father does has nothing to do with me." I stated lowly, attempting to keep my cool. I nod. Yes, this makes sense to me.

"Mother, what did he do that was so bad that you can't forgive him?" Jalen questions, grabbing a bag of chips of the counter and turning towards me.

"Jalen, please don't worry about it."

"Mom! We were supposed to be out for a month it's been nearly five, why can't you tell us?" Jaisiah complains, pulling the hair tie out of his hair.

"Jai, I'm sorry for that! If you want to, you can call him right now and have him pick you up. Your siblings seem to be over there anyways."

"Mom.. we just wanna know what happened."

"You dirift apart after a while. Commitment issues." I say.

"Dad's not a cheater and you aren't either." Both boys say in unison.

"It's not cheating. It's not knowing how to communicate." Which we suffer with.

"You were married for fourteen years." Jalen says, blankly.

"And?" I say, crossing my arms.

"He asks me about you everyday." Jaisiah whispers.

"I also go to work almost everyday, so he can have the chance to speak to me but won't." I say, turning around and going up the stairs.

"Goodnight my babies, I love you."

"Love you too, Mom." They both day lowly as I hit the last step.