Christian
"How it's going here? I bet it's nice to have your own place again?" Jack heads to my fridge and grabs two beers as I finish the last of the cleaning up from the kid's supper. It's been a crazy busy day and all three children were sleeping before I finished reading the first bedtime story. Now that they are all tucked up in their beds it's time for me to relax and have a beer before I head up to bed myself.
It's been two weeks since we moved in here and I have loved every moment of it, and so have the kids. They especially love their bedrooms. They all have their own bedrooms and it's clear to see that Tom, Molly and my Mom put a lot of effort into their rooms. Brody's is decorated out with dinosaurs, Sophie's is Disney princesses and Katie has an underwater theme, she loves watching anything with sea animals in it.
Brody has an ensuite bathroom in his room and I have one in mine while we then have a guest bathroom next to Sophie's room, they even completely decorated my bedroom in a mix of greys, blacks and white which l love. I also love the huge bathtub that's in my bathroom and the large walk-in shower that could easily fit three or four people in there at once.
If I'm being honest they have made the entire house incredible and homely and I'll forever be grateful to them for all that they have done for me, Molly more than anyone, not only has she given us a home but she secured a future for my children if it's needed. She knows me too well and knew that I wouldn't want to accept the house so her idea for the deed involving the children was the perfect solution for all of us but still, Molly is something else. We've been together almost seven months and already I couldn't imagine her not being here.
"Earth to Christian!" I pull my head out of my ass and bring my attention back to the room and Jack whos sitting across from me with that stupid smirk on his face. "Welcome back to the world of the living. I hope where ever you were it was fun because I've been sitting here talking to myself for the last five minutes." Yeah, I tend to do that a lot lately. if I'm not with Molly I'm thinking about her. "Sorry brother got distracted." He nods while handing me another beer. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even see him get up and fetch more beers.
"What's up?" I shake my head but he gives me his look that means he's calling bullshit and we both know that he's right. "Just thinking about stuff." He takes a drink of his beer staring at me the whole time. "Anything I can help with?" I shake my head as I drink my own beer while trying to gather my thoughts. "I was just thinking about how lucky the kids and I are to have this place. How I'm grateful for you lot." He gets that stupid Jack smirk on his face and I know he's about to call me out on my bullshit once again.
"And thinking about Molly." Yep, there it is. It's not a question but a statement because he knows me well, too well sometimes. "Yeah, I'm thinking about her too. I swear anytime she is away from me she is permanently on my mind." He laughs while shaking his head. "Man, you are so screwed!" I shrug not bothered by his words. "You wait, one day you'll meet the one and then you will be the one with a woman constantly on your mind, love is incredible when it's with the right person." Are my words sappy? Yes. Do I give a fuck? Nope. They are the truth and I don't care who hears me say them.
"No chance of that happening anytime soon. The girl who ties me down hasn't even been born yet!" I've heard him say something similar before but he's a guy who's never really had a serious relationship instead choosing to put it about more than anyone should. "One day you'll be knocked off your feet by some women and I just hope that I'm around to witness it... and to tell you I told you so, of course." He looks traumatized by the idea and it causes me to burst out laughing at the look of horror on his face. "Yeah... not happening!" I think he's protesting way too much.
"So if things are so good between you and Molly then why is she over at the house while you are here with the kids?" Now it's my turn to call him on his own bullshit at his change of direction in the conversation. "Don't change the subject." He shakes his head "I'm not, there's just no more to be said about my love life because I don't have one." Ok, that's a fair point I guess. "So Molly?" He's right back to his question but I'm not sure what it is that he's trying to ask me. "She's helping Tom do some online shopping like the boy doesn't already have more clothes than you and me combined."
I roll my eyes thinking of Tom's earlier fit about needing new clothes because he's starting to look homeless while Jack starts laughing. "Fuck, tell me about it. I lost a bet with him last week and had to do his laundry for three days and I swear to satan himself that I washed more of his clothes in those three days than I do for myself in two weeks." I'm not surprised in the slightest. "Anyway, that's not what I meant. What I meant is why is she living there when you and the kids are here? She sleeps here most nights but yet she doesn't live with you?"
"Trust me when I say that it's something that I have thought about every day since I moved in here. I want her with me." He seems pleased with my answer but then confusion takes over. "So why isn't she?" I remain quiet for a moment as I try to get my words in order. "It's because of the kids isn't it?" He hits the nail right on the head. I nod before taking another sip of my beer. "Yeah. They have been through so much these past few weeks, hell months even. they have also lost their mom and I don't want to push this on them."
"I understand what you saying brother but what's to say that they don't want her here? They love her and she loves them." I go to answer when the sound of feet coming down the stairs distracts me. I look up to find both Brody and Sophie coming down them as Brody holds sophies hand. Once they reach the bottom they both run towards me still hand in hand. "Daddy, Momma live with us?" Sophie asks in the sweetest voice.
A few times over the last few weeks Sophie has called Molly Momma but I'm not sure if she actually understands what she's doing, I'm pretty sure my baby girl is confused but she says differently. The day after the first time that she called Molly Momma right before the re-opening of the bar we sat down with her and spoke with her as best that we could with a two-year-old about it and her words kind of blew me away.
She said that he didn't want her Mommy because she was mean and that she wanted Molly as her Momma and even though I feel like she's confused who really knows? I mean she's only two years old yes but it doesn't mean that she doesn't know what she wants in life. Of course, it was at this point in the conversation that Katie decided to projectile vomit all over herself and Molly and the distraction from the conversation somehow ended it and it hasn't been brought up since but maybe it needs to be. Maybe a line needs to be drawn and some decisions made.
"No, baby. Molly lives with Uncle Tom." She looks sad as she climbs up onto my lap while I notice Brody start to pout. "But why?" Aww bless her heart she sounds so sad. "Why are you sad baby?" She cuddles into me while I watch Brody walk over to Jack and sit next to him. "I want Molly here with us." I look down at her face and it's clear that she means every word. "You want Molly to come over and play or you want Molly to live here like we do?" She doesn't hesitate to answer me.
"Here like we do." I look over to Brody to see him eagerly nodding his head seeming to agree with Soph. "Do you want Molly to live here too buddy?" He looks me dead in the eyes and nods. "Yeah. I like Molly, she's not mean like Mommy was and she never lets us go hungry when she looks after us and she plays with us." Fuck his words wind me. I know Amy's not well but fuck she has seriously fucked up my kids! "I've got these lot. Go."
Jack's words leave me stuck for a moment, it's as if I'm listening to him but not actually taking in what he is saying. Thankfully it only takes a few seconds for his words to hit me and the meaning of them. "You sure?" Jack nods as he stands up then walks over to me and takes Sophie out of my lap. "Who wants a cookie?" Usually, the kids wouldn't be allowed one at this time of night but tonight I'm going to let it be and let them enjoy some time with their Uncle Jack. If there's one thing that boys good at it's cheering up their nieces and nephew. I watch as Brody runs over to him and takes hold of his hand while he bounces Sophie on his hip making her laugh.
Jesus Christ. Those pair have him wrapped right around their tiny fingers but then again they have the same effect on all my brothers and my parents and they most defiantly have Molly wrapped around their little fingers. She loves those kids and will always be there for them and to spoil them.