ELLA/CHRISTINA
"Christian, Christina y'all are going to be late for school" I yell up the stairs.
"Coming mom" Christina says as she runs down the stairs.
"Where's your brother?"
"He's making out with himself in the mirror" she laughs.
"Christian, if you don't get down here now I swear to god, cabrón"
"Ya voy" he races down the stairs.
"Sit down and eat"
"Where's dad?" He asks.
"He had to leave early" I say.
"Typical" he rolls his eyes.
"Mira me cabrón, I don't know who you think you are but your father and I have worked so hard to give you everything you have right now, if you want to complain we can call off both of y'all's 16th birthday party"
"Mom!" Christina yells.
"I'm not playing"
"Fine alright damn" Christian rolls his eyes at me.
"Roll those eyes one more time I swear Christian"
He hangs his head low avoiding eye contact and eats his breakfast. Family. That's what we are. Not the most perfect. Not the best. But we are family.
"Let's get you guys to school" I say as I put the plates into the sink and grab my bag for work.
We get to the car and I drive them to school.
"Bye mom, love you" Christina waves goodbye.
"Bye honey I love you, too."
"Bye mom" Christian says as he turns to leave.
"Nuh uh vuelve aquí cabrón"
He hangs his head back and walks back to the car.
"What?" He asks rolling his eyes.
"Give me some more attitude and see if I won't just let have Christina have her party and get her gifts and not you, you better fix your grades, too. If you don't have at least an 80 in each class I'm pulling you from wrestling and your birthday party will be canceled"
"Mom my birthdays next month" he groans.
"Better start working on it then"
He walks off. It doesn't matter if your good at wrestling, football, basketball and track. If you don't have your grades up they won't offer you as many scholarships as you'd like. I want the best for him. He just needs a little extra push. One where he's not getting from his father.
Christina is an all around smart girl. Her GPA is 3.8 and she's taken up boxing for a sport. They're so perfect in every way. But I can't just let them be and do whatever they want. I need them to be their best selves. They need to have a bright a successful future. Better than the life I had.
I make my way to my shoot. Only thinking of what Christian said earlier at breakfast. "Typical." I agree with Christian. Grayson's almost never home. As much as I love him he has kids and he can't just pretend they aren't real.
~
"Grayson" I say as I knock on the door.
"Yeah?" He answers keeping his focus on his laptop.
I walk over to him and shut it closed.
"What the hell?" He says reaching to open it again.
"What the hell? Seriously? Christians grades have been dropping, he's been acting out, he's been getting into trouble and all because his dad isn't there" I yell keeping the laptop closed.
He runs his fingers over his temples.
"Babe" he starts.
"No don't fucking babe me, you told me we were going to do this together but it's more like I'm a single mom with 2 teenage adolescents who need their fucking father in their life!"
He sits there. Unable to speak up. He doesn't know what to say. That's the thing, he doesn't ever know what to say.
"Yeah that's what I thought" I roll my eyes and make my way to the door.
He grabs my arm and pulls me back into his muscular arms. His lips meet mine. The kiss sent chills down my spine and fireworks through my body at the same time. It was a midst of everything perfect in our life. This kiss felt like he truly loves me. Our lips move with a sense of hope for our family and marriage. This very kiss felt exactly like our very first kiss. I knew I loved him the first time our lips met. That we were destined to be. But as once said, all great things must come to an end. Our lips finally moved apart from the grasp we held onto so closely and so dearly.
"Come home Grayson, please"
"Anything for you" he smiles.