All That Matters

Chapter 36

August 6, 2019
Tampa, FL

Today Galina, the kids and I are at the International Plaza and Bay Street shopping mall. It's the last day of tax free shopping week and Joelle and Mark go back to school next Monday.

Joelle gets the stroller out of the car and I go to the first set of back seats for the twins.

"Hi my beautiful babies." I croon. Leati squeals and Lilo looks at me and rubs her eyes. "Yeah... sorry I woke you up Lilo." She huffs and I make a face. "Well you can't stay in here so you have to get out of the car." I take Leati out first and put him inside and then Lilo. We make sure we have everything and then we go inside.

We hit store after store buying clothes for the kids for the new year. But it's so difficult because we know they're going to grow so these clothes won't fit in a few months. And of course while we're here, we have to stop at the Disney Store.

"Don't run!" Galina scolds. She goes after Anjali who's acting like she's never been in the store before. Joelle and Mark go in a different direction and I lounge behind with the twins.

"Excuse me. Are you Malaika?" A couple approaches me.

"Look, I would love to take a picture but I've got the kids right now, so I'll just sign an autograph."

"No, no." The woman says. "We don't want that. My name is Samantha and this is Tom. We're Mark's parents."

"Excuse me?" I choke out.

~

Orlando, FL
Sierra and Ferg's

Sierra's POV:

I go over to the couch and sit next to Ferg who's playing FIFA.

"So the big break is coming up soon. Are you excited?" I ask. He nods.

"I'm gonna miss being in the ring and all but it's good to take a break every once in a while." He pauses his game. "Speaking of our break..." He gets off the couch and comes back with a piece of paper. "I have something planned." He smiles and hands it to me. I open it and scream.

"We're going to Paris?!" He nods. "This is so exciting!"

"And before you get any ideas, I'm not proposing or anything."

"That's perfectly fine. I'm just glad that we're going." I kiss him. "Thank you babe."

"I aim to please."

~

Tampa, FL

Malaika's POV:

"I—I'm sorry. Can you run that by me one more time?"

"We're Mark's birth parents." Tom says. "We're fans of WWE and we saw that you posted a picture of him and we knew that was our son."

"And how do I know that you're telling the truth?" I ask skeptically.

"We spoke with Sister Robinson." Samantha says.

"So... what do you want? If you want him back, just know that my husband and I won't give him up without a fight."

"We know he's happy with you. And we wouldn't do that to him."

"We would just like to meet him." Tom says. "I—If that's alright with him, you and your husband." I narrow my eyes.

"I don't know... I'll have to talk to him."

"Of course. Take all the time you need." She pulls out a piece of paper and scribbles down a phone number. "This is my number. Call me if you decide it's alright." I take the paper.