*Ty's POV*
This has been a fantastic week.
Sawyer and I are back to how we were.
The team had a clean sweep last night before Sawyer, Kaine, and Rod left to go on a college visit.
Tawney has convinced Bronson to go spend the weekend on the Ranch. I have no clue how she did it, but she did.
And it is currently 5:30 in the morning, and I am driving to the Pazelli's house because for whatever fucking reason, I have volunteered to watch Gage and Paisley today until Sawyer, Kaine, and Rod get home tonight, because Ally's Ball for Blue is tonight, and Troy is spending the night with her.
After watching him panic all week because everyone was leaving and he feels like my mom has her all week and shouldn't have them both on the weekend, I looked at Paisley, she smiled at me, and I broke and told him I would watch them.
I have not the first clue about kids.
I know they like food.
I know Gage likes to rough house.
I know Paisley is a little girly girl.
I mean, I like to rough house, I have a little sister.
I can handle this, right?
I mean, that's what I told Sawyer when she asked me for the 12th time last night, and then told me Bronson could be there in an hour if I called him.
But I'm not about to do that.
I've got this.
I pulled up to the Pazelli's, and when I knocked, Troy quietly opened the door.
"Come on in." He whispered.
I followed him in to the living room.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He whispered.
"I've got it. We'll be fine." I nodded.
"Just, call Bronson if you need anything. Your mom is on stand by just incase too. I bathed them both last night so no one needs a bath. They nap at noon, but Gage might not. They normally have breakfast at 7;30, a small snack at 9:30, lunch at 11:30, nap, they wake up at 2:30, snack, dinner at 5:30, snack at 7;30, teeth brush, book, bed."
"They eat every 2 hours?" I raised my eyebrows.
He nodded. "They eat small more frequently, they used to eat when I did and it stuck. They know what they're allowed to have. If Gage starts swearing he has to sit in his chair in the corner, Paisley is to keep her hands to herself, and for the love of god, keep Gage away from the woodpile."
"Your kids will still be alive when you come back, I promise. Now go. You have another tux fitting for your friend's wedding, you have to pick up your tux for the ball, and she needs your help setting up. We'll be fine."
He sighed. "Tell them I will call them before we go to the ball. They'll be up around 7, you can do your work out until they wake up." He nodded.
"Troy go." I laughed. "I will send you hourly updates, but go."
"Tell them I love them. And if Paris shows up, call Matts mom!" He grabbed his bag and walked out to his truck.
I've got this.
This is going to be easy, right?
Please for the love of god, let this be easy.
Since it's snowing, I went down the hall to their gym and did the first half of my work out before both of these little rugrats walked in.
"Ty?" Gage rubbed his eyes.
I jumped down from the pull up bar.
"Good morning." I started dusting the chalk off my hands.
"Sissy peed her bed." He pointed at Paisley.
I pursed my lips and nodded. "Well, that's OK. Accidents happen, right?"
"Do you pee your bed?" He crossed his arms.
"What!" I raised my eyebrows. "No, I do not pee my bed."
"I sorry." Paisley looked down at her feet.
"No need to be Tater Tot. It's OK. We just clean it up and get ready for the day. Soy bean says you two like to pick your own clothes on the weekends when you stay home. Why don't you two go pick out your clothes and I'll get some stuff to clean it."
"OK." Gage nodded. "Come on Sissy." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the gym.
I pulled my phone out of my shorts and called Sawyer.
S; What's wrong.
T; Nothing is wrong, everything is fine. Just, how do I clean Paisley's bed. She had an accident.
S; Shit. Uh, she has a plastic sheet under her normal sheet so her bed bed should be fine. There's more plastic and regular sheets in the hall closet.
T; Thank you. That's all I needed. I love you.
S; I love you too barbie. Seriously, if something happens just call-
T; We're fine Gum Drop. Eat every 2 hours, keep hands to ourselves, no swearing, stay away from the woodpile.
S; And if Paris-
T; Call Matts mom. Babe I know. I've got this. Go tour.
I hung up and took a deep breath.
I've got this.
I walked up the stairs and grabbed new sheets out of the closet, and grabbed the basket literally labeled 'Paisley's messy sheets.' And carried them into her little pink room, to her dressed up as a pig.
"I oinkers today." She nodded.
I did say they could pick out their own clothes.
"You know what, I love it." I nodded and started stripping her bed.
"I sorry Ty." She sighed.
"It's OK. No big deal." I put the new sheets on.
"Ty." Gage walked into her room.
"Yeah dude?" I picked Paisley up and set her on my hip.
"I'm hungry." He nodded. "Can we have breakfast now?"
"Can I get a please first?" I raised my eyebrows.
"I'll do it myself." He rolled his eyes and walked out.
I just looked at Paisley. "Is he alright?"
She shook her head. "Can I hab eggies?"
I sighed. "Yeah. Come on." I carried her downstairs.
"Your sister wants eggs." I walked into the kitchen to Gage standing on the counter. "Do you want some too?"
"Nope." He grabbed a box of cereal.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" I set Paisley in her highchair.
"Nope." He walked down the counter and grabbed a bowl.
"Are you mad at me?" I crossed my arms as he jumped down.
"Are you done asking me questions?" He rolled his eyes and jumped off the counter.
"We were fine at the tournament you know." I nodded.
"You was fine." He walked over to the fridge and climbed up the shelves.
"Gage, what did I do?" I sighed.
And let me tell you what, this kid just completely ignored me as he got the milk and walked over to the table.
"Can I at least help you?"
"No." He shook his head.
"Bubba you not being nice." Paisley shook her head.
"He's not nice." Gage shrugged, as he dumped half this box of cereal on the table.
I walked over and took the milk from him. "I have never once not been nice to you." I poured milk in his bowl.
"Liar." He grabbed his spoon and started eating.
"Excuse me?" I raised my eyebrows.
Ty, you're literally arguing with a 5-year-old right now.
Let it go.
I sighed. "You know what, never mind. Paisley what kind of eggs would you like?"
"Crambled, on toast, wib vocdoo." She nodded.
I scrunched my face. "What?"
Gage stood up in his chair, reached into the bowl in the middle of their table, and literally threw an avocado at me.
"Gage!" I jumped and caught it.
"She wants avocado toast. Her eggs are in a milk carton, she can't have milk or eggs."
I guess they do know what they can and can't have.
"Thank you." I nodded.
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and sat back down.
Plant based eggs, smell fucking terrible.
They don't taste that bad, but they definitely smell bad.
The fact that a 3-year-old is asking me for avocado toast though, I like that.
Gage ended up finishing his cereal before I even finished making Paisley her breakfast, and just walked in to his living room.
After we ate, Paisley went up to go potty, and I just walked in the living room and sat on the coffee table in front of Gage. "I am watching you today, so can you please talk to me and tell me what I did?"
He literally grabbed his headphones off the back of the couch, plugged them in to his switch, and put them on.
"Ty." Paisley came walking into the living room.
"What's up Tater Tot?"
"You do my hair?"
"Uh." I pursed my lips. "I can try. What do you want?"
"Piggy braids." She nodded.
OK. Pig tails.
Those I can do.
Braids, not a fucking clue.
"Sure. Why don't you go grab your hair stuff."
"OK." She smiled and ran upstairs.
And once again, I pulled my phone out.
T; Hurry, how do I braid?
A few moments went by.
B; Three strands of hair, left, over, right, over, left and until the entire piece is braided. Gage can braid her hair.
T; He has his headphones on. He won't talk to me.
B; Well, what'd you do?
T; I have not a single clue.
B; Do I need to come home?
T; No no. Go have fun. I've got it.
My next step, finding a freaking you tube video.
These braids that I did in her hair, they're un even as hell but she doesn't seem to mind.
We mostly sat and watched cartoons all morning until lunch.
We ate lunch, and Gage told me he didn't want to take a nap. Troy said he probably wouldn't, so I left him in the living room and went to tuck Paisley in.
But when I walked back in to the living room, there was no Gage in sight, my phone was not where I left it, but the slight sound of music coming from their gym.
Like, metal Disney music.
Well, it's a dude singing Let It Go.
I walked down the hall, and when I got to the doorway Gage was throwing some of the loosest hooks at a heavy bag.
"You're swinging too wide." I leaned against the door frame.
He turned around and glared. "No I'm not."
"Yes, you are." I nodded.
"And how would you know?" He crossed his arms.
I walked in and knelt next to him. "Because I've been fighting for longer than you've been alive Gage, and incase you haven't noticed, I'm good at it. Right now, you're throwing haymakers, which is great, but they can ware you out. When you're throwing them, all it takes is one really really good one." I nodded. "When you throw a hook, you want to bring your elbows in, like you would for a jab. Then when you want to swing, you bring it out to make an acute angle." I shifted behind him and moved his arms. "Then bring your elbow back while straightening your elbow to a 90 degree angle like this." I fixed his elbow. "And then you follow through. But, you also shouldn't be hitting this heavy bag."
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious. I know your dad doesn't let you and it's because someone your size can break their wrist. Especially with no gloves on. Why don't you put your gloves on, I'll put on hand pads, and you can hit those."
He groaned. "Fine." And walked over to the glove rack and slid his gloves on while I put hand pads on.
He walked back over to me and took his shirt off.
This fucking kid, I swear to god.
"Alright, hit me with a right jab."
I held my right hand up.
And he hit it with his left hand.
"OK, now your right, not mine." I nodded. "When I hold up a hand, cross in to it. Now right."
He swung.
"Now another."
He swung again.
"Now hit me with a left."
He rolled his eyes and hit me with a left.
"Now a right hook. Keep that elbow in."
He groaned and threw a right hook.
"Now, remember those 4 hits. What were they."
"Right, right, left, hook." He crossed his arms.
"Good, now put them together, and speed it up."
I held my hands up.
And he went swinging, but gradually, those swings started getting faster, and harder, and they actually started stinging my hands through the pads after a while.
"You keep doing that, you're going to be like your dad someday." I stood up and slid the pads off my hands. "You ready to talk to me yet?"
"I don't want to talk to you." He shook his head.
"Why Gage. What's up? What did I do?" I crossed my arms and stood in front of him.
He just glared up at me, and the little grunt that escaped his mouth when he punched me directly in my stomach showed he was actually really mad at me.
It was a hard punch too.
Like, slightly double over and groan hard.
"What the hell did you do that for?" I shook my head.
And then he swung again.
"Gage." I brought my knee up in front of me.
Another swing.
"Gage stop it right now." I pushed his arm down.
He was actually hitting me really damn hard for a 5-year-old.
But yet again, another swing.
"Stop it!" I grabbed his arm, pulled him in, wrapped both arms around him and lifted.
"Put me down!" He squirmed.
"No! Why are you trying to hurt me right now! What is wrong!" I squeezed harder.
"Because you're mean Tyler!" He screamed.
"How! What did I do!" I yelled.
"You didn't come see me!" He yelled.
"Gage I'm here at least once a week." I shook my head.
"You weren't though!"
"When!"
"When Soy Bean moved her room and cried!"
I swear to god, my face sunk so far down it was on the floor, and I just put him down.
"Gage."
"You were supposed to be my friend! And you didn't come see me for a whole week! You promised you were going to come play Mario Kart. You didn't wave at me or bring me to sit with you at your fight that weekend like you always do. You didn't come see me or call me! You forgot about me you bitch!" He yelled and walked out of the gym.
Shit.
Shit, no!
That's why he's barely talked to me since Sawyer and I got back together, or, officially got together. You know what I mean.
I did not want that.
I sighed and walked out and down the hall to the living room to see him sitting in his chair in the corner, his little fists balled up so tight his fingers were turning white.
I walked over and squatted down next to him. "What're you doing?"
"I said a swear." He sniffled.
"I deserved the swear." I nodded, lifted him under his arms, and stood up. "Come here."
I carried him over to the couch and sat us both down and turned him to face me. "I did not forget about you." I shook my head. "I asked Kaine and Bronny about you and Paisley every day. Just that week, Sawyer and I were going through something, and I couldn't be around her. I was wrong for that, and it was my fault. But Gage, you are my friend. And the last month, I wasn't here as much because Nona and Nono were here, and with everything that happened with Soy Bean and I, I was scared to be here. Nono is a scary man, and Nona is scarier. I should've came and talked to you, and I should've called you. So I am sorry."
I sniffled and wiped his face. "I really missed you. I didn't think you liked me anymore."
"Of course, I like you Gage. You know I do." I nodded.
"Mommy doesn't call or come see me either." He shook his head.
Well fuck.
My chest hurts now.
I sighed and pulled him in to my lap. "I know she doesn't champ. That is not because of you. She's mad at your daddy for trying to do the right thing for you and Paisley. And she's taking it out on you and that's not fair." I shook my head. "And I shouldn't have stopped talking to you because Sawyer and I weren't on good terms. But I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere and I promise I'm going to do better at being your friend. OK?"
He sniffled and nodded.
"Will you play Mario Kart with me?"
He let out a small smile and nodded.
And that's exactly what we did until Paisley woke up.
I royally, and I mean ROYALLY fucked up with Gage.
Like, he really did just beat my ass.
But he seemed to come around when I agreed to order pizza for dinner, and he ate 8 slices.
We spent the night watching all 3 Cars movies, and reading, playing board games.
Paisley whooped my ass in candy land, and I'm salty about it.
Until eventually we all passed out on the couch.
But when I felt Paisley being lifted off my chest, I flinched awake, and thank god Sawyer ducked because I swung.
"Oh my god." I groaned and sunk back down. "Don't do that."
"I'm sorry." She let out a small laugh. "We just got home."
"Come on dude." Kaine whispered and pulled Gage out from between me and the back of the couch.
Kaine flung him over his shoulder, and Sawyer handed Paisley to Rod as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"
"1:30." She nodded. "Do you want to come up to bed with me?"
I nodded and got up.
I followed her up to her room, stripped, and climbed in to her bed while she changed and got in.
"So, other than paint your nails, what'd you guys do?" She cuddled in to my front while I was on my side.
"Huh?"
She grabbed my hand and brought it up to my face, and I completely forgot Paisley painted my nails bright ass purple. "Good luck getting it off, that shit is like a sharpie."
"Shit." I groaned.
"What happened?" She reached her hand around my neck and started playing with my hair.
"We played games, watched movies, ate, and I got my ass beat by a 5-year-old." I nodded and wrapped my arm over her waist.
"In what?" She laughed.
"No, like he actually beat my ass. He's been pissed at me for a month because I didn't come see him when we ended things, he thought I forgot about him and that I didn't like him, then threw the fact that I didn't call or come see him, like his mom, then called me a bitch."
Her eyes got wide, and she just looked at me.
"We're fine. I'm just going to be a better friend." I nodded. "And I have an idea to run by Troy on how to do just that." I leaned down and kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you too." She buried her face in my chest.
So, I definitely suck.
But, I'm going to do better.