Mani's P.O.V
I think I need more hobbies. For some reason, when I don't have worked piled to my ears, I always find myself being bored. I usually do something with the kids but Lauren took Jordan and Sierra out to lunch and Aiden is in his room. I guess I could call someone but I think everyone is busy. I know Ally and Dinah are since A just had their baby, Chelsea. She has Dinah's eyes and a head full of brunette hair, adorable. Now I'm just watching a movie in the living room.
"Ain't it fun, living in the real world." I hear Aiden singing as he leaves his room. He slides on the hardwood floor into the living room with his back towards me. His phone is in his hand and his headphones are in his ears. He starts dancing towards the kitchen, nodding his head to the beat of the song.
"Ain't it good, being all alone." He continues to sing. I don't think I've ever heard him sing before, ever. It sounds really good and he's really belting out this song. He must not know I'm here. He continues to sing as he goes through the refrigerator. I get up from the couch and walk to the side of the refrigerator door. I watch him open the jug of orange juice and he's still singing as he come up to drink some of the juice.
"Don't go cry -Ah Jesus!" He yells as he spills the juice on his shirt and move back from the refrigerator gripping his chest. I burst into laughter as he collects himself.
"Are you trying to kill me?!" He says as he goes over to the counter and grabs some paper towels. I close the refrigerator as my laughter dies down and he pulls the headphones out of his ears.
"I thought you left with everyone else." He says and I shake my head.
"No I was sitting in the living room when you slid in then started dancing." Aiden nods and starts to blush which causes me to chuckle.
"Why is this the first time I've ever heard you sing?" I ask and he shrugs.
"I only sing when you guys are gone."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"It doesn't sound good." He says and I shake my head.
"Your voice is really nice. Your school doesn't have a glee club?"
"I'm not sure. I don't think that's something I want to do though."
"Why not?" I ask.
"Stage fright. I can't sing in front of other people."
"You can play football in front of hundreds of people but you can't sing?" I ask and he shrugs.
"That's different."
"Not really." He shrugs again and turns on the water at the sink then wipes the juice from his chest.
"Why didn't you go with them?" He asks and I shrug.
"I figured they could use some mami time." Aiden nods as he throws the paper towels away.
"Oh, you know this could have went a lot worse." He says and I look at him curiously.
"What are you talking about?"
"When you guys leave, I sometimes walk around naked. I'm so happy I decided not to do that today." He says and I chuckle.
"Okay, first off. Stop doing that, what if there's a fire or something and you're just naked. Secondly, I don't want to see you naked but it wouldn't bother me. I've bathed you."
"Ma, this isn't that little kid body anymore. This is grown man stuff, you can't see my junk." He says and I laugh.
"It's not like I haven't seen one before and I'm pretty sure I don't see a grown man anywhere in this house." Aiden rolls his eyes.
"But you can't see mine!"
"I don't want to see it, change the subject. How many times have I told you not to drink from the jug?" I say with a raised eyebrow.
"So uh...when's mami coming back?" I roll my eyes but allow the change of topic.
"I don't know but until then I guess it's just you and me." I say as I go to the cabinet. I grab a box of popcorn, open it then put it in the microwave.
"Can we order a pizza?" He asks.
"If by order, you mean get a microwavable one, then go right ahead." I say and chuckle to myself when he rolls his eyes.
"You're watching a movie?" He asks.
"Yeah and it's our favorite genre."
"Action?!" He asks excitedly and I nod.
"I'm in." He says.
"You haven't missed that much either so."
"Awesome. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys I have a date tonight." I grab the popcorn from the microwave and we walk into the living room.
"With Christina?" I ask as I sit on the couch. He shakes his head and sits at the other end. We both stretch our legs out and rest them on top of each other. We started this movie position when he was ten. He use to always lay on my stomach but I guess he decided he was too old for that when he turned ten.
"Why not?" I ask.
"I haven't asked her out yet and this girl kind of asked me out."
"She kind of asked you out?" I ask as I open the popcorn.
"Yeah. Yesterday she just came up to me and said. You're hot, I'm hot, you're taking me out on Saturday. Eight o clock, don't be late then she gave me her address." He says and I laugh.
"You're going on a date with the teenage version of Lauren." He makes a face of disgust which makes me laugh more.
"What? That's not true. That's so gross! I don't want to date my mom, especially not that mom." He says and I continue to laugh.
"Lauren isn't that bad. You have to admire her bold and assertiveness some times." Aiden shrugs as I pass him the popcorn.
"Mami isn't bad really, I was kidding. I just don't want to date anyone like you guys. I always thought it was weird that people say you find a partner who's like one of your parents. That's just kind of gross to me." He says and I nod.
"Well it's not always true because Lauren is nothing like my parents and I'm nothing like hers."
"That's true."
"Can I ask you a question?" I ask him.
"Shoot." He says as he shoves a handful of popcorn in his mouth.
"Do you think it's too late to legally adopt you?" Aiden knew about the adoption process. Lauren and I told him when he was thirteen and he was always on board with the idea. I just want his opinion on it now.
"I still want you to. Shouldn't you be able to now because Camila is back?" He asks.
"She'd have to give up her parental rights and there's no guarantee she'll do that."
"Maybe I could ask her?" I shake my head.
"I don't really want you involved, just wanted your opinion." I say and he nods his head.
"Adopted or not, you're still my mom. Blood relation really means nothing to me. You were there when I had a bad dream or just needed to talk. I know who my mom is." He says and I smile.
"Do you feel obligated to reassure me or something? You've been saying that a lot since Camila came into the picture."
"I don't feel obligated but I want you to know that she can't replace you. I know it has to be hard with her coming around because she's my biological mother but I don't see her as a mom. I'm not sure what I see her as but if all three of you were in a room and someone asked me who my parents were, I'd say you and mami. I just want to make sure you know that."
"I know Aiden so you don't have to keep stressing it. I know." He nods then glances at the TV.
"Are you ever going to press play?" He asks and I roll my eyes.
Lauren's P.O.V.
Why did I agree to taking two children...well anywhere? Sierra is ridiculously hyper today and I don't know why. They should create something just for kids that drains their energy. Jordan is calm, chatty but that's nothing odd. Once Sierra got her juice, she finally sat still.
"So how's school?" I ask them.
"Schooly." Jordan says and I roll my eyes.
"What about you munchkin?" I say to Sierra and she looks around the room before answering me.
"I don't like school." She says.
"Why not?"
"We get too much homework and I don't like math or this boy in my class." She says.
"Who is this boy you don't like?" I ask her.
"His name is Tony."
"Tony? Isn't that your boyfriend?" Jordan says teasingly and Sierra hardens her face and punches him in the arm.
"He's not my boyfriend!" She says.
"Okay, okay. Calm down. Why don't you like him sweetie?" I ask.
"He's a butt head. He won't leave me alone. He takes my pencils and keeps poking. I keep punching him but he won't stop."
"Why don't you tell the teacher?" I ask and she shrugs.
"Do you want me to talk to the teacher?" She shakes her head no.
"Okay but I'm going to let you in on a little secret. He's messing with you because he likes you." She makes this face someone would make if they just ate something really gross.
"Ew! That's gross! I don't like boys."
"If you keep that mentality for the next twenty years, you'd make me very happy."
"What's mentality?" She says with a curious expression.
"I'll tell you later. So what about you Jay? How's school? Any girls you like?" I ask.
"Yeah...how do you tell someone you like them?" He asks. I can't believe he has his first crush already. These kids are growing up to fast.
"Write her a note." I say and he nods.
"Okay, how do you tell someone you don't like them?"
"Someone likes you that you don't like?" He nods his head again.
"Just say I like someone else." I guess all of my kids are heart breakers.
The food finally comes and we eat and leave. I have some very funny kids and though I knew this already, I didn't know they were so crazy. I run a few errands and get them some ice cream on the way home. They run inside to Normani and Aiden and I go lie down on in my bed. I enjoyed my time with them but I've never been so happy to hear absolutely nothing. It feels so good.
"Why do you look so tired today?" I hear Mani say from behind me.
"Not tired, just enjoying some quiet time. Our kids don't know how to shut up. They just don't know how to not talk, it's crazy." Mani laughs and I sigh.
"They just love you."
"I know and I love them too I just don't want to answer questions like why is the sky blue? How come milk comes from cows? How come when I stick my head out the window I can't breathe?"
"You let them stick their head out the window?!" Normani asks.
"What's the worse that can happen? They realize they can't breathe and put their head back in."
"Really Lauren?" I don't even have to look at her to know she rolled her eyes.
"What did you and Aiden do?" I ask.
"Watch movies and talk. It was nice."
"I'm sure."
"He has a date today."
"With Christina?" I ask.
"No, some other girl." Normani says.
"Is he exploring his options of something?" I ask. I hear Mani walking then feel a dip in the bed and a weight on my back.
"I don't think so. I think he's pacing himself? I don't know but let him do what he wants. He'll figure it out." I nod my head as I feel Mani rub my back.
"Why don't you go change into something more comfortable." Mani says as she rubs my shoulders.
"Are you coming on to me?" I ask as I feel her play with my ponytail.
"No pervert. Just do what I said and come in the living room." She then gets off of me and leaves the room. It would have been better if she was coming on to me but oh well, on to more family time.