Stephen's POV
"Taina, you CANNOT go jump on the trampoline, you just ate!" These girls were running me up the wall. I just wanted to lock myself in my room and drown out all the noise.
"But I didn't even eat that much! Please?!?!" She pleaded with me hoping to change my mind, but it wasn't going to happen. I could already see how this was going to end in disaster.
"Put it this way, if you go and throw up on that brand new trampoline that I bought less than five hours ago and just put together two hours ago you are going to clean it up."
She huffed before crossing her arms and slumping down into her seat next to Taelynn who simply glanced at her and then turned her attention back to her new iPad. I can't even begin to explain the amount of money that I have spent on them within the past week. Anything goes when it comes to my girls.
First, I got everything for their rooms including paint, furniture, and new beds, along with a desk. Taelynn wanted pink (no surprise, just like her mom) and Taina decided on purple. Second, a trampoline that I just mentioned before, iPads, a new phone for Taelynn since she mysteriously broke hers (I didn't even ask, it was in pieces), and more clothes and shoes.
"I want to call mom!" Taina now whined. She had been like this for the past two days. I'm assuming that she really misses Talia considering they aren't away from her for long periods of time. I'm surprised that it wasn't Taelynn complaining.
"You'll call her before you two go to sleep." I answered while Taina glanced at the clock on the wall and then groaned. It was only three in the afternoon.
"Can we go to sleep now then?" Taina said while Taelynn looked at her and rolled her eyes.
"You can if you want, that's on you." Taelynn replied sounding just like her mother and all I could do was laugh.
"Relax Taina, why don't you get your iPad or finish that book you were reading?"
"I guess I could go and finish it. I only have like 6 chapters to go."
"Go do that and then soon enough it will be time to call her, okay?"
"Alright, fine." She made her way to the winding staircase to go and head into her room.
"Did you tell mom that we told you about the thing?" Taelynn asked me while glancing up from her iPad.
"What thing?"
"Dad, you know, the thing!" Then suddenly the realization hit me.
"No, I didn't mention it and that is something you don't need to worry about." For them to be as young as they are, I swear that they are mini adults. It's just some things that they know that I had no idea about when I was their age.
"How can I not? I don't want to lose my mom." Hearing Taelynn say that broke my heart. That's never something that should come out of an eleven year old's mouth.
"I promise you that nothing like that is going to happen. She's going to be fine."
"I finally have both of my parents and I want to keep it that way."
---
9 pm
"Dad!!! You promised!!! Where's your phone? I want to do Facetime!" Taina exclaimed while running into my bedroom with Taelynn quickly behind her. They sat on either side of me while I grabbed my phone off the nightstand.
Just then I saw her beautiful face come onto the screen. She looked different, but a good different. Almost as if she was glowing. She looked happy, sort of like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Even if it hadn't been that long.
"Hi babies!" She said while waving.
"MOM!"
"Hey baby girl."
"Mom, you look so good! Did you change your hair or something? You look different!" Taelynn asked.
"No, it's the same. The way I curled it this morning made it look like it's shorter than what it is. But I am thinking about cutting it. What have you been up to? You've been behaving correct?"
"Ohh, dad bought us a trampoline! And shoes, clothes, and decorated our rooms the way we wanted to. He didn't let me jump on it though since I had just ate so yeah we're behaving." Of course she made a face at me when she said the last part.
"Well, dad had it right. No one has time to be cleaning up your throw up."
"He said the same thing!"
"Great minds think alike." She responded while smiling.
"Mom, when are you coming up here?"
"Hmm, the next few weeks I think."
"But, that's too long!"
"I have a lot to do girls, but I promise to get it done as fast as I can so I can come up there, okay? Be patient with me please."
"Okay, we will." I looked over to see Taina yawning and Taelynn's eyes slowly closing and then opening. They were definitely worn out from everything that we had been doing over the past two almost three weeks.
"Girls, go to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"But, we haven't talked to you all day!"
"But, I know both of you are tired so I promise to call you in the morning. Go to sleep."
"Fine." I heard both of them mutter before making their way to their rooms finally giving me some peace and quiet.
"I'm proud of you." I beamed while smiling at her.
"Thank you, I feel really good. Having Ashton and Sydel here is helping me."
"So, you're not mad at me anymore for asking her to stay with you?"
"I was never mad to begin with. You were doing what you thought was best and I appreciate it. I know they told you what happened and how they found me and called 911." I swear it's her mom radar because I didn't mention anything about it and wasn't going to.
"Baby..."
"No, Steph. I should have came out and told you that. It's just I try to suppress things that have happened like I want to forget so that I am able to function. The therapist told me that's a real thing, somewhat of a defense mechanism. However, I know that's not healthy and I need to learn to deal with it. I was scared you were going to take them from me." She muttered the last part and looked away from me, but I clearly heard her.
"Baby girl, I would never in a million years do that to you or them. Ever. I'm in it for the long run and I'll take the good, bad, and the ugly. It's just something that we have to work through. Taelynn told me that she doesn't want to lose you." I could immediately see tears welling up in her eyes.
"I feel so bad that they are the ones who found me like that. I wasn't even thinking at the time, I just wanted it to end." She replied while wiping her eyes with a tissue.
"All she wants is her mother, it's an easy solution."
"I'm going to do all I possibly can to be there for them. On a happier note, the store is doing really well. Considering it's been open for about a month, I keep having to restock like crazy. I've also been working on new designs."
"When are you opening the next one?" I curiously asked while opening my soda that was next to me on the nightstand.
"So, that's one thing I wanted to tell you. I'm opening up the next one in Oakland. Sydel actually told me about a place not too far from Oracle arena that's been vacant for awhile. I already inquired about it and it looks like everything is a go. So, I'm going to try and open it within the next two years. I have to get everything how I want it."
"Look at my baby doing the damn thing." This caused her to crack a smile.
"Thanks for pushing and believing in me."
"I wouldn't do anything less. You know that."
"Oh, and another thing. Umm...."
"What is it?"
"Can you come get me from the airport at like 3 am?"
"At 3?"
"Yeah, I'm about to leave soon and wanted to surprise the girls. It was the only one I could get so..."
"Can't wait."
So, I'm still alive if anyone was wondering. Personal life has been in shambles, but I'll soon have more time to update. Leave me love in the form of comments and votes. That way I know you all liked the chapter. Until next time, loves.