Ben, Miranda, Tuck, Joey, and Pru were out for a family outing at the park. The boys were playing football, Miranda was pushing Pru on the swings, and Ben was sitting on a picnic blanket admiring his family. He loved family moments like this. The sounds of his boys laughing while they were playing mixed with the sounds of Pru and Miranda laughing as Pru held higher, higher on the swings were music to his ears. He got up and walked over to Pru and Miranda.
"Ben I touch the sky" Pru laughed
"I saw that" He smiled
"This is amazing" Miranda smiled looking at the boys and then at Pru "Fatherhood is a good look on you Benjamin Warren"
"Down at the station they call me Dad" He laughed "At first I thought about it as an age thing but yeah you're right I am an excellent father and those knuckleheads often need a dad"
"You're the perfect man for the job" She kissed her husband on the cheek. As they pushed Pru on the swing she heard some commotion come from where Joey and Tuck were throwing their football. It appeared that their ball had hit someone. They walked over to their boys.
"What happened" Ben asked
"I threw a pass a bit too high and it went over those trees and hit someone" Tuck pointed "Joey went to get the ball but sounds like they're arguing"
"Stay with Pru" Ben and Miranda ran to find Joey. As they got to where their adopted son was standing arguing they sighed when they saw who it was
"Tucker Jones" Miranda crossed her arms
"Miranda, this guy won't give me my ball back. He keeps lecturing me that my parents should've told me to be more careful" Joey rolled his eyes "I told him I would call my parents over here then"
"Your parents" Tucker looked at Ben and Miranda
"Yes, that's our son Joey and please return the ball Tucker" Miranda sighed
Tucker was about to question her when he saw his son running over holding a little girl that was crying.
"Mom" Tuck ran over with Pru. Tucker wondered who this kid was. All the conversations he had with his ex were about Tuck. He wasn't aware of what happened in Miranda's life outside of things about Tuck.
"Tuck hey man" Tucker smiled seeing his son but Tuck didn't respond. He was too caught up with Pru. This caused Tucker to slightly frown. His own son was ignoring him.
"Why is she crying" Ben asked taking Pru from Tuck
"A kid in the sandbox knocked down her sandcastle and pushed her" Tuck explained
"I'll handle it" Ben was about to run off but his wife stopped him. "Handle the Tucker and Joey thing. I'll handle sandbox kid" She patted his chest and he nodded.
"Babygirl come on" Miranda took Pru and walked back over to the sandbox leaving the guys standing there
"Uhh Tucker you mind giving my son his ball, Your boy sent it sailing over the trees" Ben cleared his throat
"Tuck threw this ball" Tucker laughed "Nice arm kid"
"Thanks" Tuck laughed
"Oh you're Tuck's dad Tucker" Joey nodded "Cool, now would you give me my ball now man"
"Here you go" Tucker tossed the ball and Joey caught it "But as I was saying you boys should be more careful"
"What are you doing out here" Tuck asked
"Just getting some fresh air, how about you guys, family outing" He chuckled
"Yeah, Mom took a vacation day and we decided to head out to the park" Tuck smiled
"Oh, she takes vacation days now" Tucker was surprised to hear that. She doesn't do that. Miranda Bailey took a vacation day. Ben sensed the shade in his sentence and didn't appreciate it.
"Yeah, mom really values family time" Tuck nodded
"She's even making her famous dip for us tonight" Joey added excited to eat the dip and watch movies. A perfect end to a perfect family day
"So uh you guys got yourselves a build a family. My son. And two other kids. That easy huh Ben" Tucker laughed but Ben failed to see the humor in the statement. Tucker had no idea what this family had been through. Easy wasn't the word to describe it at all.
"Boys head up there with your mom and sister" Ben turned to them. He had enough of Tucker Jones
Tuck and Joey looked at each other and ran ahead. Whatever was about to happen between the men the boys didn't want to stick around for it.
After making sure the boys were out of earshot Ben turned to Tucker
"I'm a gentleman" He smiled "Damn I really didn't want to say anything to you. In fact my wife wouldn't want me to say anything to you but Tucker Jones you have a tendency to run your mouth and you have disrespected my wife and my family in front of me twice now. And I'm going to stop you before you get to a third. My wife is not the same woman you married. Keep that in mind. You guys got married young. She was fresh in her career and you guys had a baby. But here's where we are now. She's a grown ass woman and I'm a grown ass man. So obviously our marriage is going to be different than yours. She's not Mandy anymore that woman is history. That's Dr. Miranda Bailey Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. We have two wonderful sons and a daughter now. I am patient with my wife and I show her a level of respect you couldn't be bothered to give her. Even through our ups and downs I hold her with the upmost respect. I don't run and email a woman from mommy and me. So yeah she'll take a vacation day to spend time with me. She'll take a day to come out with our kids to the park. So you can sit there and make your snarky comments but just remember you lost her. She didn't lose you. You didn't respect her then and you don't respect her now. You lost her and she flourished. She's an amazing wife, mother, and surgeon and while you couldn't see that and appreciate that. I do. I love everything about her. I love her with my whole being. As I said I'm a gentleman and I am trying to keep that in mind right now but I will leave you with this. She is my wife and I will be damned if I let her sorry ass ex husband talk down about her or our family. You don't know anything about her now and you know even less about my family. So keep us out of your damn mouth. Worry about your relationship with your son. Worry about your new wife and try to treat her better. Hell worry about when the next mommy and me meeting is but you don't get to worry about what happens in the Bailey-Warren household. Now Tucker you enjoy your fresh air and I'm going to enjoy my build a family as you put it" Ben started to walk away
"Ben" Tucker yelled out
"What man I'm really trying to be a gentleman"
"Yeah me too, I was just joking before. I don't have anything against you or Miranda or your family"
"Lie again. Because I didn't get a chance to cuss you out for yelling at my wife when you found out Tuck called me dad. I'll say this you want what I have. You wished Miranda was the woman she is with me when she was with you but Tucker you weren't worth it. And I suggest you let me walk away before I forget I'm a gentleman" Ben walked towards his family still riled up. They were sitting on the blanket eating the sandwiches and fruit they packed.
"Hey Ben" Joey smiled
"You didn't murder my dad did you" Tuck asked
"With words maybe" Ben ate a grape that Miranda was holding
"Ben what did you say" She asked
"The truth" He shrugged "now let's enjoy this lovely picnic huh"
"You didn't murder a kid at the sandbox did you" He asked
"With words maybe" She shrugged
"Just know he'll be minding his mouth around us" Ben chuckled
"Ben seriously. What did you say"
"I may have called him out on several things and I will not apologize" He kissed her "because I meant them"
Tuck and Joey laughed wondering what Ben said. Tuck respected his father because that's his father but Ben was truly the man he was modeling himself after.
"He called us a build a family" Joey didn't look up from his food "My birth parents are dead so all I know is a being a part of a build a family I guess. My foster siblings. And now you guys. I like being in a build a family"
"Me too" Tuck put his arm around Joey
"Best family I could have ever asked for" Ben smiled "and remember jealousy is an ugly thing"
"You saying my dad is jealous" Tuck asked
"I'm saying these sandwiches are amazing and we should eat so we can head to those basketball courts and I can show you boys a thing or two" Ben laughed