adds.
"Daddy," my girls call out in unison, stomping down the stairs.
Ember moves out of the way, clearing their path.
I drop my arms from my chest, the warmth you can only feel when you're a dad to little girls spreading over me.
Both come to a stop just a foot in front of me, unshed tears in their eyes, their bottom lips quivering.
Reaching out, I cup both of them by the back of their heads and pull them into me.
"I know," I whisper, placing a kiss on each blonde head. "I fucking know."
Their arms circle me and their bodies shake.
"I'm sorry I took off," I apologize, feeling like shit for leaving them.
I sit on the couch and pull my precious girls down into my lap. Burying my face in the space between their touching heads, I hold them tight to my chest until their sobs subside.
Lyra sniffs and pulls away, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Cass, the more emotional twin, curls closer to my chest.
"Why'd you leave, Dad?" Lyra asks, a shudder in her voice.
"I'm sorry, I just—"
"Why?" Lyra asks with force. "Because of that woman?" She jerks her head toward where Sid stood moments ago.
Glancing around the room, I realize it's just me and the girls. My mom, sister, and Sid quietly left us to our moment.
I take a deep breath and on an exhale, say, "It's hard for me to see your mom like that."
Lyra opens her mouth, but I continue before she says anything.
"And I get angry. Angry enough that I needed to get away and calm down."
"Are you mad at mom?" Cass's voice waivers.
"No, baby," I admit, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
I place my cheek where I just kissed and tighten my embrace.
"I'm mad this sh—stuff is happening to your mom. I'm angry she's not talking to me about it. I'm pissed off at the thought of her..." I close my eyes, letting the words fall away.
Tears sting the back of my eyes and nose. I swallow the large lump in my throat and look at Lyra. A large tear streams over her cheek.
"Is she going to die?" Her question ends on a hiccup.
Reaching out, I take her shoulder and pull her back against me.
"Your mom has always been a tough woman," I say against Lyra's hair. "We need to be strong for her now, yeah?"
Both heads nod against my chest.
I settle against the couch, drop my head back, and close my eyes. Their thin arms slip around my body, overlapping each other. They hold on like I'm the only thing keeping them from drowning.
This is your job, Maria. You're their mom, the rock, the solace they seek. I'm just Dad, the weekend and visiting adventure. I don't know if I can be everything they need.
I give them a long squeeze and hold on. They are the only things keeping me from drowning.
"Are they okay?" Ember asks as I reach the first floor.
"Yeah," I say, giving a quick nod. "They're asleep."
I run my fingers through my hair, then grab an elastic band my sister is holding out to me. Gathering my hair, I knot the strands on top of my head and secure.
I glance around the open space, finding it empty. Looking at the clock on the far wall, I mentally note the time.
"What time did you guys get here?"
"It was almost noon when I found you in your compromising position," Ember giggles the last two words.
"Where's—" I start to ask about Sid.
"Mom's upstairs with the boys, unpacking," Ember offers, walking into the kitchen.
I follow and watch her pull a pizza from the oven before slipping it onto the counter.
"It got cold on the way up," she says, her tone flat.
I take her by the shoulder and pull her into an embrace.
"It kills me to see them like that, Xave," she whispers against my chest. "They don't deserve to lose their mother."
Her body shakes and I rub her back.
"And, Maria…" she cries, pulling out of the embrace, "I can't imagine leaving the boys." She drops her gaze and I grip her chin, bringing her face back up to meet my eyes.
"You won't have to, Em," I reassure. "Not for a long time."
She swipes a tear from her cheek and gives a quick nod.
Needing to
"Daddy," my girls call out in unison, stomping down the stairs.
Ember moves out of the way, clearing their path.
I drop my arms from my chest, the warmth you can only feel when you're a dad to little girls spreading over me.
Both come to a stop just a foot in front of me, unshed tears in their eyes, their bottom lips quivering.
Reaching out, I cup both of them by the back of their heads and pull them into me.
"I know," I whisper, placing a kiss on each blonde head. "I fucking know."
Their arms circle me and their bodies shake.
"I'm sorry I took off," I apologize, feeling like shit for leaving them.
I sit on the couch and pull my precious girls down into my lap. Burying my face in the space between their touching heads, I hold them tight to my chest until their sobs subside.
Lyra sniffs and pulls away, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Cass, the more emotional twin, curls closer to my chest.
"Why'd you leave, Dad?" Lyra asks, a shudder in her voice.
"I'm sorry, I just—"
"Why?" Lyra asks with force. "Because of that woman?" She jerks her head toward where Sid stood moments ago.
Glancing around the room, I realize it's just me and the girls. My mom, sister, and Sid quietly left us to our moment.
I take a deep breath and on an exhale, say, "It's hard for me to see your mom like that."
Lyra opens her mouth, but I continue before she says anything.
"And I get angry. Angry enough that I needed to get away and calm down."
"Are you mad at mom?" Cass's voice waivers.
"No, baby," I admit, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
I place my cheek where I just kissed and tighten my embrace.
"I'm mad this sh—stuff is happening to your mom. I'm angry she's not talking to me about it. I'm pissed off at the thought of her..." I close my eyes, letting the words fall away.
Tears sting the back of my eyes and nose. I swallow the large lump in my throat and look at Lyra. A large tear streams over her cheek.
"Is she going to die?" Her question ends on a hiccup.
Reaching out, I take her shoulder and pull her back against me.
"Your mom has always been a tough woman," I say against Lyra's hair. "We need to be strong for her now, yeah?"
Both heads nod against my chest.
I settle against the couch, drop my head back, and close my eyes. Their thin arms slip around my body, overlapping each other. They hold on like I'm the only thing keeping them from drowning.
This is your job, Maria. You're their mom, the rock, the solace they seek. I'm just Dad, the weekend and visiting adventure. I don't know if I can be everything they need.
I give them a long squeeze and hold on. They are the only things keeping me from drowning.
"Are they okay?" Ember asks as I reach the first floor.
"Yeah," I say, giving a quick nod. "They're asleep."
I run my fingers through my hair, then grab an elastic band my sister is holding out to me. Gathering my hair, I knot the strands on top of my head and secure.
I glance around the open space, finding it empty. Looking at the clock on the far wall, I mentally note the time.
"What time did you guys get here?"
"It was almost noon when I found you in your compromising position," Ember giggles the last two words.
"Where's—" I start to ask about Sid.
"Mom's upstairs with the boys, unpacking," Ember offers, walking into the kitchen.
I follow and watch her pull a pizza from the oven before slipping it onto the counter.
"It got cold on the way up," she says, her tone flat.
I take her by the shoulder and pull her into an embrace.
"It kills me to see them like that, Xave," she whispers against my chest. "They don't deserve to lose their mother."
Her body shakes and I rub her back.
"And, Maria…" she cries, pulling out of the embrace, "I can't imagine leaving the boys." She drops her gaze and I grip her chin, bringing her face back up to meet my eyes.
"You won't have to, Em," I reassure. "Not for a long time."
She swipes a tear from her cheek and gives a quick nod.
Needing to
Similar Books
