Elliot
"Rayden!" I yell as I put the biscuits in the oven for breakfast. I hear little feet racing down the stairs and through the halls. "Walk, baby!" She slows down to avoid slipping, which has happened more times than I could count.
She reaches the kitchen, and I wipe my hands on a dishcloth looking down at the cutest grin. "Yes, mommy?"
"Are you ready for school?" She nods her head vigorously. She enjoys going to school since she gets to see Olivia, Roger's daughter. The kids refer to Roger and Tracy as their aunt and uncle, but they aren't blood-related; we're all just incredibly close. Because Olivia tested into gifted classes last year, Ray and Liv are in the same grade but have different teachers. Their classrooms are linked by a door though, so they get to see each other during playtime and nap time. They are a year apart and are practically joined at the hips. If Rayden doesn't get to spend every waking moment with Olivia, they will have a meltdown. Those two haven't gone a single day without seeing each other since Ray was born.
I kneel to her height and tie one of her shoelaces that came undone. "Double knot baby, remember?"
"Oh shoot." She smacks her forehead, and I chuckle at her cuteness. "Okay Mamas, give me kisses." She innocently kisses my lips and hugs me. "Go tell Daddy you're ready to go."
"Okay, I love you!" She waves and runs away back down the hall and up the stairs.
"Love you too, Pumpkin."
I return to preparing breakfast for Alexandria to carry with her. Ray has to be at school early today for the gifted program testing. Her school begins testing students at the age of five, and if their scores fall short of the passing mark, they are evaluated again after a year.
"You're cheating Addy!" I hear Macy playfully shout from the living room. I seal my wife's Tupperware of food and walk around the corner to see what they're doing this early. Both girls are lying on their stomachs on the carpet with a Monopoly board in between them. I cross my arms and lean against the wall, watching them from a distance.
It's been three weeks since she came to live with us. I wasn't too fond of the idea at first, but Macy is a good kid. She just hasn't had the proper parental guidance. She was introduced to drugs really young, and it should have never happened. When I asked Addy if they were dating, she refused to answer, but the goofy grin on her face said it all.
"Adelaide, I'm going to quit if you don't stop cheating."
"I'm not!" I chuckle at their bickering. They argue 24/7 with the most sarcastic comments back and forth. Macy looks back at me, and I watch as my daughter sneakily moves her game piece forward. I raise my brow and point at the board to tattle on her. Macy turns around and tosses her hands in the air. She smacks her lips and shifts to a sitting position.
"See!"
"What? I didn't do anything."
"The dice says to move five spaces you were just on Ventnor Avenue. You shouldn't be on the community chest." She grabs her piece and moves it back one. "You landed here on North Carolina Avenue. Which is my property, so pay up."
Adelaide pokes her bottom lip out and gives her girlfriend puppy dog eyes. "But I don't have enough."
Macy shakes her head and sticks her hand out. "Sucks for you. Pay me my money." Our daughter starts counting her fake colorful cash as my wife comes to stand next to me to watch. "If you don't have enough, you have to give me a property."
"But I worked hard for those." She fake cries and Macy shakes her head, pointing to her open palm. "Um... could I offer something else in exchange?" She sits up and crawls towards her girlfriend, pushing the game board out of her path. Reaching Macy, she takes a seat in her lap with a cheesy smile.
"Um no. Your parents said to keep it PG." Adelaide glances behind her.
"This is PG. See? Parental Guidance." She grabs Macy's face, turning it to look at us, then attacks her cheek with kisses.
Alex chuckles, and I slap her chest. "This isn't funny. She gets that shit from you."
"What? The irresistible charm?" She wraps her arms around me and kisses my shoulder.
"There, I'm all paid up. Game over, I win!"
"That's not how that works."
"Whatever, you're just a sore loser," Addy says, starting to clean the game up. Macy smirks, and as her girlfriend places items in the box, she takes them back out, confusing Addy even more each time she picks up the same items. She turns around and smacks Macy on the chest.
"Quit it, twerp."
"Make me"
"Okay, okay. You two put the game up and head upstairs to get dressed for the day." While Ray has school early today, the other three kids get to go in last due to a teacher in-service meeting this morning. Technically, if Addy went to school today, she'd only have two classes to attend, so if she wanted, she could stay home. But she wants to go with Macy, so I won't stop her.
They head upstairs, and I turn in my wife's arms. "Your food is on the table next to Rayden's lunch."
"Thank you Momma Bear."
"Mhmm. Get your baby to school please, so she's not late for her testing."
"I love you."
"I love you too." She pecks my lips, and she and Ray leave for the day.
I hear feet stomping down the stairs and through the halls. "Walk! Whoever that is."
"Sorry," Addy says, coming through the kitchen.
"Forgiven. What's up, Sweet Pea?"
She shifts on her heels, swinging her hands in front of her nervously. I take the biscuits out of the oven and place them on the stove, waiting for her to speak.
"Do you think maybe... Macy and I could go to the beach house this weekend?" I crack an egg in a pan and glance at her.
"Alone?" She bits the inside of her cheek and nods slowly, anticipating my answer. "I thought you wanted to wait until you were ready."
"Yes... and I think I might be."
"Might be?" I flip the egg and walk towards the fridge to get the strawberries. "Don't you think you should be a hundred percent sure?"
She sighs and walks towards me, leaning against the counter, watching me cut the fruit. "I am entirely sure I'm ready Mom. I'm just... a little nervous."
I nod my head in understanding. "There is nothing to be nervous about, as long as you are ready, and she makes you feel safe during. I will talk to Daddy about it."
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She kisses my cheek and hugs me tightly.
"Don't get too excited. We haven't said yes yet." Her smile falls, and I chuckle. "Go get ready please, so you can eat breakfast and have more free time before school."
"Yes, ma'am. She runs away again, and for the millionth time today, I have to yell to stop running in my house.
***
I drove the kids to school and returned home after breakfast because I didn't have to work today. Being a college professor was fantastic, but being offered the deanship after completing my master's was even better. I enjoy my job because it allows me to help students transitioning from high school to college, as well as older adults who need assistance re-entering education after a long absence. The only drawback is that it's exhausting, so I need a break every now and then, and having the house to myself is one way I can accomplish that.
That alone time didn't last long though, because I received a call from Rayden's school informing me that she wasn't feeling well. So here I am, standing in a kindergarten class, watching the kids run around during indoor recess. While I'm listening to the teacher explain why my daughter isn't feeling well, I observe her sitting next to Olivia, pouting, while two little boys laugh in front of them. "No, I'm not!" she exclaims to one of the little boys. I'm not too concerned about her outburst because kids bicker all the time. I try to concentrate on the teacher as she talks about something dealing with glue, but Rayden's yelling draws my attention away.
"Nah ah! I'll show you!" She climbs up on the table and takes her pants down in full view of everyone. 'See! I'm a girl!' I'm too stunned to do anything but stare at my daughter's naked buttocks.
"Ray your shrimpy is out!" I watch as Olivia shields my daughter's bits from the rest of the class. She turns her head whispering something I can not hear to Ray.
"Rayden Noel Reed, get down from that table right now!" I shout across the classroom once I regain myself. She scurries to pull her pants up as I approach her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Bailey."
"It's okay. I deal with things like this all day long." She laughs, and I can sympathize because I used to teach elementary as well. I grab my daughter's hand and drag her to the office to be checked out for the day.
"Bye Livy." She says, waving.
"Bye Ray"
Once out of the school, I buckle Rayden in her car seat, and she sits there in silence with her moo moo blanket.
"You know you have to tell Daddy, right? About everything that happened today?" She lowers her head.
"Will she be mad at me?" I rub her cheek and sigh.
"No, Pumpkin. I know she won't be. But it's best if we tell her, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy." I kiss her forehead and close the door before getting in and driving out of the school parking lot.