Okay so the reason the description chapter isn't actually a real description is because I haven't decided what I'm going to put in it. I'll come up with it eventually :)
Chapter One: Puberty
Josh
Yelling can be heard upstairs, and seconds later I hear footsteps thundering down the staircase.
Matthew comes stomping into the living room looking very upset.
"Dad!" He says frustratedly. "Emma went into my bathroom forty five minutes ago and she won't get out!"
I look up from my phone.
"Okay, so use the one down the hall."
"She said she isn't coming out until Mom gets home."
I sigh slowly.
"She's not getting home for a few hours."
"Exactly."
I shove my phone in my pocket and wander upstairs. Matthew is right behind me.
Matt's bathroom is the only upstairs bathroom that has a door to the hallway. A lot of us use it, which I know makes Matt mad because he doesn't use anybody else's bathroom.
I reach out and knock on the bathroom door.
"Emma, what are you doing?"
"Nothing, go away!"
My eyebrows raise.
"Don't tell me go to away."
"I'm not coming out!" She says. I hear her sniffle.
"What's wrong?" I press.
"Nothing!" She yells. "I want to be alone!"
"Be alone in your own bathroom!" Matt argues with his sister behind me.
I shoot him a look and turn back to the door.
"Emma, go in your room to be alone."
"No!" She says. "When is Mama coming home?"
"Honey, I told you she isn't getting home until after dinner."
"Well what time is it?"
I look at my watch.
"It's three thirty."
"What time is she coming home?"
"After dinner."
"When after dinner?"
"Emma, just come out of the bathroom." I sigh.
"No."
"Emma, I will take the door off the hinges." I threaten.
"Just leave me alone!"
"Dad is gonna call Mama!" Matthew threatens.
"No I am not." I say. "She's working. Does she call me when I'm working?"
"Well, no, not really."
"Then I'm not calling her either." I turn to the bathroom door.
"Emma, Mama will hear about this when she gets home." I warn. "And you know she won't play around."
"I'm not coming out." Emma replies.
"Well, that's your choice."
"Dad!" Matthew groans.
"I don't want to hear it." I say. "Just let her be."
He rolls his eyes and goes storming into his bedroom.
The door slams shut behind him and I shake my head.
I always try to be patient when it comes to the kids. The boys are all in puberty and their moods are changing constantly. Emma has been super moody lately because she's starting to enter puberty, and I know it's a struggle for them. It wasn't exactly the poster child for my parents, either. I used to sneak out of the house and have sex in my car in the street. I slammed doors, screamed, and I was flunking classes.
While our kids get moody, they have good grades and they listen for the most part. While I'm sure the boys swear at school, as long as they don't do it in front of Katherine and I or at their other siblings, we don't care.
The kids don't know about Katherine's past. They think she was my first girlfriend and vice versa. It's much less complicated than delving into Katherine's history with Alex.
On top of that, I'm not about to tell my sons that my first time was in the car in the driveway of my parents house.
I go downstairs to the living room, looking at Lucy.
Lucy is our golden retriever that Katherine bought for the family eight years ago.
She is very loving and prefers to sleep in Katherine and I's room.
I yawn, looking at my watch.
It feels like six.
I wish it was six.
Katherine left for California for work yesterday morning. Even though I saw her yesterday, I miss her like crazy. On top of that, I slept like crap last night because I can't sleep well without her.
"Come here Lucy." I pat the couch.
She gets up, walking over to the couch and climbing up next to me.
I shift my body and lay against her.
I swear, I'm tired enough to fall asleep.
_______
"Dad?" I feel my shoulder being shaken.
I stir slightly, feeling movement under my pillow.
I lift my head in confusion and see I fell asleep against Lucy. Caiden is standing in front of me in basketball shorts and no shirt.
"What?" I rub my eyes.
"Can we have pizza for dinner?"
"Did you seriously wake me up to ask if we could have pizza?"
"It's six."
"What?"
"It's six."
Confused, I look down at my watch seeing it is six at night.
"Oh. Did your Mom call?"
"I don't think so. I need help with my homework."
"What is it?"
"It's for economics. My teacher is making us open a business. Well, not really, we just have to everything to open a business except for actually opening it."
I yawn, pushing myself upright.
"You're talking to the wrong parent, buddy. I don't know anything about opening a business."
He sighs.
"Okay."
"What kind of pizza do you want?"
"Five meat." He says.
"Can we get breadsticks?"
I turn my head and see Bryson is on the couch with his DS, looking at me with green eyes that match mine, patiently waiting for my response to his question.
"Alright."
I walk to the kitchen and open the drawer of menus, pulling out the Dominos one.
I order a five meat, a cheese, and a pepperoni, a two liter of coke and one of sprite, and some breadsticks.
"Are you paying cash or card?"
"Uh card."
"What's the card number?"
I pull my wallet from my pocket and grab the joint card that Katherine and I share.
I don't even wonder how much money is on it because I know there's plenty.
I recite the information to him.
"Okay, it's going to be about forty five minutes."
I hang up the phone and set it on the counter.
Almost on cue, Matthew comes walking into the kitchen.
"What's for dinner?"
"Pizza." I say. "Is Emma out of the bathroom yet?"
"No."
"It's been three hours." I exclaim.
"Actually four, because she was in there for forty five minutes before I came and got you."
I shake my head to myself.
"Where's Mom?" Caiden asks. "It's quiet around here without her."
"I know." I frown. "I don't know where she is."
I grab my phone and text her.
Me: where are you
After a moment it goes to read.
Wifey: I'll be home soon
Me: how soon is soon
Wifey: I'm not sure, why?
Me: I miss you. And the kids miss you
Wifey: I miss you guys too lights green ily gtg bye
Me: I love you too baby, drive safe
"When will she be here?" Matthew asks.
"She said soon."
"Soon with Mom could mean two hours or two minutes." Bryson says.
"I know." I sigh.
I lean against the counter.
Lucy gets up and sits down on the floor of the kitchen, looking at the four of us and wagging her tail.
"Somebody feed her." I say.
Bryson walks into the hallway where her food is and scoops some out, filling her food bowl. Lucy sits down and waits until Bryson gives her the okay, and then she starts to eat. Bryson grabs her water bowl and dumps it out. He rises it, and then fills it back up.
Just as he puts the water bowl back, the front door shuts.
A moment later, I hear high heels clicking on the wood floor, and my heart soars.
I set my phone on the counter and rush to the front door.
Even though she's forty two years old, a lot of people mistake her for the kids' big sister. While yes, she has laugh creases on her face and lines on her forehead, she's still the same woman I fell in love with sixteen years ago.
She is everything. She's the whole world.
"You're home!" I exclaim.
"I am home." She smiles.
I walk right up to her, pulling her in for a hug. I lift her off the ground, and then set her back on her feet, placing a long kiss on her lips.
"You guys are so gross." Matt grumbles.
"Oh, shut it." Katherine says. "Come here, give me a hug."
The boys each hug her and kiss her cheek.
I know she can be a pain in the ass in their minds sometimes, but they love their Mama.
Katherine runs her fingers through her hair.
"Where's Emma?"
"Oh yeah, Emma is in the bathroom." I say.
"Oh, okay." She shrugs.
"And she has been in the bathroom for four hours." I add. "And she won't come out."
Katherine frowns.
"Why?"
"Beats me." Matt grumbles. "I would like to take a shower, but all of my stuff is in the bathroom."
"She's in your bathroom?" Katherine asks.
"Yeah."
She frowns slightly and then turns around and goes upstairs.
I follow her and the three boys follow me.
My wife walks right to the bathroom door.
"Emma?" She knocks loudly.
"Mom?" Emma asks.
"Yes. What are you doing? Why are you locked in the bathroom?"
The lock on the door clicks and a blue eye peeks through the crack.
"I need to talk to you." Emma says. "Alone."
Katherine
"I need to talk to you." Emma says. "Alone."
She's been locked in the bathroom for four hours refusing to come out and she needs to talk to me only?
I nod slowly, understanding dawning on me.
"Boys, go downstairs please."
My sons walk off, but Josh stays.
I smile gently at him.
"You too."
"But-"
"Please?"
He sighs slowly and nods, pecking my lips before disappearing downstairs.
"Are they gone?" Emma asks.
"Yes."
She rips the door open, standing before me in a t-shirt and no bottoms at all. Her panties are in her hand, along with her jeans, and there's blood on both of them.
And she looks petrified.
"Is this what I think it is?" She whispers.
My mouth opens and closes.
"Yes." I say finally. A huge grin spreads across my face. "Oh my gosh I can't believe you started your period!"
"Mom!" She whispers. "Be quiet! The boys are going to hear you!"
"They won't hear me." I say, waving her off.
"Mom, what do I do?" She asks. "These are my favorite jeans!"
"Go to your bathroom. I'll be there in a minute."
She covers her butt with her pants and scurries down the hall. I check to make sure she didn't leave any blood in her brothers bathroom, and thankfully she didn't.
Starting her out on tampons is not a good idea. It's going to hurt like hell. I didn't start wearing them until I was sixteen.
I get a pad from Josh and I's bathroom and go into Emma's bedroom.
I get her a fresh pair of panties and some pajama bottoms, walking into the bathroom.
"Mama, what is Daddy gonna say?" She whispers. "He's going to freak out."
The realization that Josh's baby girl has the ability to be pregnant is going to crush him.
I'm not sure what he's going to say.
"Don't you worry about your father. I can handle him."
I lean against the sink and explain how to use a pad, letting her do it herself.
"I watch as she does it, and then I grin.
"You're a woman." I put my hands over my mouth.
"Mama, stop!" She whispers, her cheeks heating up. "You're embarrassing me!"
"There's nobody here to be embarrassed." I roll my eyes.
She pulls up her pants and flushes the toilet. I stand beside her as she washes her hands and dries them, and then I pull her into a hug.
She hugs me back.
I take her bloody clothes and walk down the staircase to the laundry room. She follows closely behind me. I pour peroxide on her clothes and let it fizz for a minute, and then toss it in the wash.
After that, I make my way to the kitchen where the boys are hanging out.
"What's for dinner?" Emma asks.
The boys all look at her.
"Why did you come out for Mom and not me?" Josh asks.
"Because." She says.
"Because why?" Matt interjects. "I've been waiting for a shower."
"Because I needed to talk to Mom." Emma says.
"Because why?" Matt presses.
"Because I'm bleeding!"
Josh raises both eyebrows.
"Bleeding? What do you mean you're bleeding?"
Emma looks to me for help.
"Emma started her period."
Now, don't get me wrong. My husband loves all four of our kids very much, and very equally. But Emma? She's the youngest of four, she's his only girl, and he still isn't comfortable with her wearing a two piece bathing suit.
"What?" He asks.
"She started her period." I repeat.
"But...no she didn't. She's only ten."
"I was ten when I started mine."
"Yeah, but you're...different." He says. "You're grown."
"I was the same age as Emma." I say gently.
He slumps against the counter
"Oh." Matt breaks the silence. "Well..." he looks away, clearly uncomfortable. "That's...whatever, I guess."
Josh begins to pout, and then he turns around and opens the fridge, grabbing a beer.
He sets the brim of the beer on the counter, slamming his hand down on the lid.
It pops off instantly, and he raises it to his lips, taking a few sips before frowning at Emma.
"But you're only ten." He says. "You don't even have armpit hair."
"Yes I do Daddy."
Bewildered, he walks over to her and grabs her arm, lifting it up.
"Dad!" She whines.
"But, but that doesn't count."
The hair is dark and clearly not baby hair.
"Well, do you want to shave it?" I ask.
"Yes." Emma says.
"No!" Josh lets go of Emma's arm and steps back. "No, she is not allowed to shave."
"How is that fair?" Emma asks. "You let Caiden shave."
"Caiden is fourteen." Josh says. "He's going to be fifteen in two months. Caiden is old enough to shave."
"But Dad-"
"No." He shakes his head stubbornly. "Absolutely not. And that two piece you got for the summer? You can't wear that either."
"Daddy-"
"I said no, Emma."
I press my lips together and I can tell Emma's about to start crying.
"But all my friends do! They shave their legs, too! And they have two pieces!"
"Well, your friends parents don't care about them."
Emma has tears in her eyes and turns around, storming out of the kitchen.
A minute later, her bedroom door slams.
"Josh, that was completely ridiculous." I say.
"No Katherine, this isn't a conversation. She's not getting a two piece, she's not shaving, and, and she can't get pads either. No. Nope. Over my dead body."
"This is a conversation we're having, because Emma is growing up!"
"She's ten!" He raises his voice slightly.
"I was ten when I started shaving."
"Okay, but that's different!" He argues.
"How is it different?"
"Because we met and were having sex less than a year later, Katherine! Because you're not my daughter, you're my wife!"
"Okay, so? I'm my parents daughter, and my Dad didn't act like this when I started my period!"
"Well I don't care, I'm not your Dad!"
"Josh, oh my god-"
"No. No, she's not doing it. Absolutely fucking one hundred percent no." He says.
"But I was doing it by ten! It's time she got bras and started shaving! I had bras by nine! She can wear a two piece, and she is on her period!"
"No! Next thing you know she's going to be getting abortions and selling drugs on the street corner!"
I jerk back, almost as if he punched me in the face.
I said I was doing it by Emma's age, and he said she's going to be getting abortions and selling drugs.
Because Emma and I are similar in the time frame for puberty.
Next thing you know she's going to be getting abortions and selling drugs on the street corner!
"Kate, wait, I didn't mean it like that," he reaches for me but I put both of my hands up.
"Don't touch me." I say quietly. I walk past him and the three boys lingering nearby, going straight upstairs.
"Katherine! Come back! I'm sorry!"
As if I wanted to get an abortion. And selling drugs wasn't on my list of wants in my life.
I lock the bedroom door, removing my clothing and heels. I toss my clothes in the hamper and pull on dark blue skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a thick dark gray sweater.
I pair it with black converse, shaking my head to myself as Josh's words play over and over in my head.
It's like a slap in the face every time I hear it.
I open the bedroom door and cross the upstairs hallway, knocking on Emma's door.
"It's Mama." I say.
She opens it, peeking one eye out.
"Yes?" She sniffles.
"Get dressed. You and I are going out without any boys. Come straight out to the car."
I take the staircase by her bedroom down. Josh is leaning against the counter, running his fingers through his hair.
I walk right into the kitchen and grab my purse.
"Don't leave." He sighs. "I'm sorry."
I shake my head and walk out the front door, letting it slam behind me.
I can't believe he said that to me.
I get in the Escalade and start the engine, locking the doors.
My hands reach for the air conditioner and I turn on the heat, shivering. My eyes land on the temperature gauge.
It's thirty nine degrees.
Since the engine is still hot, I warm up quickly.
Emma comes out the front door in jeans, sneakers, a long sleeve shirt, and a jacket.
She gets in the back seat and shuts the door.
"Dad wants to know where we're going." She sniffles.
"We're going out." I put the car in reverse and back out of the driveway, just as a pizza delivery car pulls in.
The car is silent as I drive. The radio isn't even on, and Josh's words play over and over in my head.
Next thing you know she's going to be getting abortions and selling drugs on the street corner!
I shake my head to myself, driving through our town deciding where to go.
"Mom?" Emma breaks the silence.
"Yes?"
"Are you and Daddy fighting because of me?"
I sigh slowly.
"No, me and Daddy are not fighting."
"You always say that." She mumbles. "You guys hardly fight. Like, ever. It scares me when you do. I'm worried you'll end up divorced like Nana and Granddad."
I sigh slowly.
"Daddy and I are not getting divorced."
"But you're fighting because I want to shave."
"No Emma, Daddy and I are in a disagreement, we are not fighting, and it has nothing to do with you."
"Daddy never raises his voice at you, and he raised his voice at you." She mumbles.
_______
Can somebody please tell me why I saved my homework until 9PM and I have three sections of math to do, I work 4-8 tomorrow, get out of class at 1:45. My work is an hour away so I have to do my math during my three hour break between classes. It's due by tomorrow night at 11PM. Today I have an essay and I waited until 9PM to do it and it's due at 7AM tomorrow. Whoops, if you're not in college but you're going, or you're about to start, good luck. It's torture lol
(I would never drop out because I've seen what it's like trying to have a life without a degree)
~Sam