Guests
3120 Words
Saturday, December 19th
Harper’s POV
I woke up to Caleb’s alarm going off on his phone. He jumped and groaned as he rolled over to turn it off. He had to go to work today while some of his family came to town. I slowly sat up in bed as he lay there on his back looking up at the ceiling. I pulled the covers back and started to get up so I could make us breakfast. I felt the bed move from his weight and his arms came around my waist. I stopped moving and looked down at him.
“Why do you think you can leave the bed without telling me good morning all of a sudden, little one?” he asked.
I smiled, not realizing that I hadn’t said anything yet. I turned in his arms and put my hand on his shoulder. I pushed him onto his back and laid on his chest. He smiled at me and I smiled back.
“Good morning babe,” I said before kissing him.
“Good morning.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been in such a funk lately. I’m trying to get out of it.”
“I know and it’s ok. I’m here for you. Whatever you need I’ll do. Just as long as it’s not distance. I don’t think I could do that,” he says before kissing me again.
“I would never ask for that,” I reassured him.
“Good.”
“Let’s enjoy some coffee and breakfast before you have to go to work.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
We got up and I pulled on a shirt and some shorts before we moved to the kitchen. He started the coffee pot and fed Daisy. She came in from outside to say good morning to us. Caleb sat at the kitchen island and pet her while I started breakfast. Caleb looked into the dining room and picked up our clothes from last night. I had completely forgotten about them. He took them to our room then came back to the kitchen.
Coffee was done soon and Caleb got our cups ready. He put mine beside me at the stove and kissed the top of my head. I looked from the pan that had eggs in it up to him. He kissed my lips before going to get dressed for his day.
By the time he came back to the kitchen, I had breakfast ready for us. Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and fresh fruit were waiting for us. We sat down at the kitchen island on the stools and started eating.
“Thank you for breakfast, little one.”
“You’re welcome, babe.”
“Are you excited to have just about everyone coming into town today?”
“Yes, but I’m sad that Archer and Olivia are leaving today,” I told him.
“I know. I am too. I’ll try to be home before they leave so I can say bye.”
I nodded and said, “I know they would appreciate that.”
We finished breakfast and cleaned the kitchen just as the front door opened. Archer, Reese, Ava and Olivia ran inside with their bags and big smiles on their faces.
“Hey guys,” I said as I got hugs and kisses.
The kids moved to hug Caleb before he went out to help Shirley bring Torin and Kieran inside. When everyone was inside, Caleb hugged all the older kids goodbye. He made sure to tell Archer and Olivia that he would try to be home before they left today. He kissed the twins before he wrapped me up in his arms and kissed me deeply. He was making my heart soar at the moment and I hope he keeps it up. I needed to get out of the dumps I was in. I don’t even know how I got there.
“I love you, little one. Have a good day.”
“I love you too and I hope you have a boring day.”
“We can only pray that happens,” he said as he released me and left for work.
I sat down on the couch with the kids and Shirley. She took Kieran out of his car seat while I took Torin out. We talked about how the night went for them and the kids showed me presents that Shirley and her husband had made them. The girls had gotten red crocheted headbands. Archer and Reese had gotten black crocheted beanies. Shirley showed me quilted blankets for the twins that had their names on them. I loved them. She was a gem that I always wanted to keep in the kids' lives.
It didn’t take long and the kids were running upstairs to put their things away. Shirley took this time to check on me. She had even noticed the funk I was in. Was it that noticeable and that bad?
“So how was last night?” She asked.
She was amazing. She was like Nancy with wanting details about mine and Caleb’s relationship. I’ll admit he was a sexy ass man but damn these ladies.
“It was pretty great. It was good to dress up and get out of the house. The s*x was even better than getting out,” I told her.
She laughed at me and said, “after not connecting for four months, I can imagine how crazy that need must have been for you both.”
“Yeah. We talked about having a date night with just the two of us once a month.”
“I think that would be good for y’all. Just let me know when and I’ll be here," she told me with a smile.
“Thank you. I’m so lucky that we have you,” I tell her.
“I feel like I’m the lucky one.”
“Maybe we're all just lucky to be in each other’s lives.”
“I like that.”
I nodded my head with a smile. We both put the twins down on the rug under their baby play gyms. We watched them play for a few minutes before walking into the kitchen. Shirley grabbed a bag and handed it to me. Inside was a headband for me and a beanie for Caleb that she had made.
I smiled brightly at the gifts and hugged her while saying, “thank you. They are lovely.”
“You’re welcome, dear.”
I released her and grabbed an envelope and a gift bag I had for her and her husband.
“The envelope has your Christmas bonus and the gift bags are for you and Mark.”
“Thank you so much," she said, squeezing my hand.
“You’re welcome.”
“I hope y’all have a lovely Christmas with your family.”
“I hope you do too. You need it.”
She hugged me once more and left the house to go and enjoy the holiday with her family. I went back to the living room to watch the twins and wait for them to get hungry. I was taking the next week or so off of work. I could use the break to get notes done and reset my brain.
I sat there with Torin and Kieran and played until their baby talk turned into fussing. I got set up on the couch with both of them and fed them. I decided that today I would only breastfeed them twice then give them formula the rest of the day.
Once they were done eating and I burped them, I took them upstairs to change their diapers and put them down for their first nap of the day. When I left the room and closed the door, I checked on everyone else. Archer was throwing things aggressively into his bag that he would take to his dad’s. I walked into the room and sat down on his bed with Reese.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
I could tell he was unhappy that he had to leave. I just didn’t know what his reasoning was. Why didn’t he want to go to his dad’s?
“I just don’t want to go. It’s stupid,” he says angrily.
“I know it is. Is it stupid because you have to go without Reese? Or is it something else?” I asked.
The girls walked from across the hall to join us. They stood in the doorway listening and I knew they were all feeling some type of way right now too. I needed to help them as much as I could. I had to be their voice as their parent even if I hated confrontation.
Archer huffed in irritation before plopping down on his bed next to me. I waited patiently for him to think of the words he wanted to say.
“I like our family. I feel like we fit in here. When we are there, it’s like we are stepping into a place with people that aren't for us,” Archer told me.
I wasn’t prepared for that at all. I looked up to Olivia and she nodded her head agreeing with Archer. They both felt the same way about being there and that hurt my heart.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was like that for y’all. What can I do to help?” I asked.
Really, I wanted to see if they had an answer. I knew what I was going to do to help them. I was going to tell Tommy how they felt. He needed to know because it was his house they had the issue in.
I looked at both Olivia and Archer as they shook their heads before Archer said, “don’t send us.”
“You know I can’t do that. But what I can do is talk with your dad about how you feel. I know how it is, trying to express yourself when it comes to him so I will stand up for y’all,” I said.
They both nodded their heads. I turned my attention to Reese and Ava. I’m sure they had bottled up how they felt about leaving too. They needed to know that I would listen and do all I could to help them. They were my babies too. Even if I didn't give birth to them they were still mine.
“What about you two. How do y’all feel about going to your mom’s?” I asked.
“It will be good to see mom but I feel like she hardly pays attention to us,” Ava says.
“I want to stay here with you and dad. It sucks there,” Reese tells me.
He had come a long way in the year that I had spent with him. He was expressing himself more and in healthier ways. We saw a few tantrums but nothing really bad.
“Well, I can talk with her too. All I can do is communicate with them and hope that they understand. They can then make the right decisions based on how y’all feel. If nothing changes and y’all still feel upset you can call or text me and daddy while y’all are gone.”
They all nodded their heads.
“How are you doing?” Archer asked.
“I’m ok,” I said, trying to play things off.
“Mom,” Ava says with a look that says she knows better.
“Y’all have all noticed then?” I asked.
All four of them nodded their heads. Even Reese was nodding and looking at me worried. Could I not hide issues as well as what I thought I had been?
“I don’t really know what’s going on with me. I’m just in a funk I guess,” I said.
“Daddy’s been worried about you,” Olivia says.
“I know. I’ll be ok. This will pass,” I tell them.
They nod their heads again and I kiss Archer and Reese’s heads before standing up. I wrapped the girls in a hug and they hug me back. I release them and start to leave Archer’s room.
I stop and ask, “what would y’all like for lunch? I’m going to do online shopping also.”
This got them chattering about food and what they wanted. I smiled as I took notes on my phone of what they wanted.
I went downstairs and quickly got lunch ordered along with groceries. I changed out of my nighty finally and put on blue jeans and a simple blue long sleeve shirt. Lunch arrived from Jason’s Deli right as I finished changing and I had the kids come down to the dining room to eat with me. Right as I was finishing my lunch the baby monitor went off with noise.
I went upstairs and opened the door to the twin’s room. Kieran was awake and starting to fuss. I picked him up and rocked him while walking over to the changing table. I changed his diaper just as Torin was starting to wake up. Thank God for the girls, because they came walking in to help me. I handed Kieran to Olivia while Ava helped me with Torin. Once changing was done the girls helped me get the boys ready to eat again.
Olivia had closed the door to the room so I could breastfeed without the older boys possibly seeing. These two girls didn't mind seeing me breastfeed and I wasn't shy about it. It was a natural part of life as a mom that they might experience one day.
As I sat on the floor feeding, I told the girls, “this will be their last breastfeeding of the day.”
“You mean we get to feed them from a bottle later?” Ava asked.
“Yes. I’m switching them to formula over the break.”
The girls squealed in delight. They loved helping with their baby brothers. Archer and Reese helped a little but they weren’t too thrilled about it.
I finished feeding and handed the twins off to the girls. They burped them while I got covered again. We all went back downstairs to the living room to play after that.
A few minutes later the doorbell rang so I got up and went to the door. There I found Brandon, Sabrina and Ella on the porch. Our Christmas guests were arriving.
“Hey y’all come on in,” I said with a smile.
As they stepped through the door I got hugs. The older kids bombarded us at the door with chatter and hugs for our first guests of the day. Daisy was right there to greet them and get attention as well. When she had her pets, she ran to the living room to lay down with the twins. We finally made our way from the front door to the living room.
Brandon, Sabrina and Ella all got to meet Torin and Kieran for the first time. After Sabrina and Bardon got their fill of holding the babies, they put them back on the floor to play. Ella laid on her belly watching them quietly. She was so curious about them while Sabrina and Brandon held them. She didn’t get jealous like most kids would. I bet she would make a great big sister.
“This house is huge by the way, Harper,” Brandon says.
“Yeah. We kind of needed it big with how many kids we have. Besides, where else will I house everyone when they come to see us?”
“Makes sense. When will Caleb be home?” Brandon asked.
“Hopefully between five and five-thirty. He wants to try and say bye to Archer and Olivia before they leave,” I tell them.
“Ah, the guy that Caleb doesn’t like,” he says.
I nod my head and say, “yeah, I have to have an adult conversation with that guy today.”
“That doesn’t sound like fun,” Sabrina tells me.
“It won’t be, but it has to happen,” I told her.
It wasn’t long and the doorbell rang again. I got up and opened the door to see Janet and David standing there. I smiled and hugged them both as they came into the house with their things. Soon we were all in the living room chatting up a storm with kids running around and everyone passing around the twins and Ella.
The doorbell rang a third time so I got up. I was happy it was the groceries being delivered and not Tommy. I needed Caleb here with that conversation so Tommy would listen to what I had to say instead of guiding the conversation where he wanted.
Archer and Reese helped me bring groceries inside and put them away. When they were done they ran off and Sabrina joined me in the kitchen as I put a few things in their place.
“You seem tired and a little off. Are you doing ok?” She asked.
“I’ve been in a funk lately and can’t seem to figure it out or get out of it. Caleb’s worried and everyone around me sees it,” I said as Brandon joined us.
“Do you think you could have some type of postpartum depression?” Sabrina asks.
I stood there and thought about it. She knew everything that I was going through and was a great person to vent to. She even reassured me when I thought Caleb was cheating on me. I talked to her about almost everything. She was like a sister to me in a lot of ways.
“I might have it but just a little. I had it bad after I had Archer,” I said.
“How different is it this time?” Sabrina asked.
“Very different. I had a hard time connecting with Archer when I had him but not with the twins. I was thinking I was just overwhelmed with everything right now,” I told her honestly.
“That could play a part in it,” she said.
I nodded my head while thinking about it and grabbed some tea from the fridge. We all sat in the living room and talked for a while before the twins started to fall asleep in Janet and David’s arms. I offered to take them to their room but Janet said they had it. Olivia and Ava happily showed them the nursery as I sat with everyone else. This was different but it was nice.
- Writer
