AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi, everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting too much. I've just been having horrible writer's block. How have you all been doing? I'm doing great- I'm starting college very soon. My plan is to start at community college and after 2 or 3 years I want to transfer to a 4-year university and study health care tech. I also applied for a job that I pray that I get because I want to earn some money while I'm in college. But I still hope and pray that I'll still be able to write and create stories for all of you. And just because I'm going to college doesn't mean my inner child will ever disappear ;) :) Enough of my rambling, Here's My family, your family!

AUSTIN:

I was in my car, driving home from my job, (For a living, I was a general contractor) when I was getting a phone call from my thirteen-year-old daughter, Jessica. I answered and I said,

"Hi, princess."

Jessica asked me,

"Dad, how far away are you?"

I said,

"About fifteen minutes. Why?"

"Can you buy me some pads?"

"What kind of pads?"

"For my period. I got my period today."

I giggled.

"Congratulations."

"Not funny, Dad,"

my daughter grumbled.

"I'm sorry. Yeah, I have to go pick up your brother's ADHD pills anyway. I'll be home in like fifteen minutes with your pads. How heavy is your flow?"

"It's pretty heavy."

"OK. See you at home."

"Bye, Dad."

I hung up and went into Walgreens to search for pads. By the way, I was Austin Moon and I was thirty-three years old. I lived in the suburbs and I was a single dad with twins- I had Max and Jessica, who were thirteen. Jessica was the older twin, Max was the younger twin. My kids completely contrasted in their personalities- Max was goofy, fun-loving, impulsive, energetic and hyperactive (After all, he had ADHD. Even though he had it mild), while Jessica was more quiet, a little self-conscious, a little passive-aggressive and at times, she was kind of melodramatic and very stubborn. But my daughter was far from heartless and she was caring, affectionate and sweet to the people who mattered to her.

My kids squabbled quite a bit- Max thought Jessica was bossy and uptight, and Jessica thought Max was annoying and gross. But I knew deep down they loved each other. Piper was my ex-wife and Jessica and Max's mother. We had divorced when the twins were eleven because we weren't happy together, but we still maintained a healthy relationship in spite of that.

I parked and locked my car, and I walked in and I found thick pads immediately (a bag with ninety-six of them) and I got in line to grab Max's pills when I accidentally bumped into this woman. She asked me,

"Would you watch where you're going?"

I made eye contact with her and I discovered how attractive she was. She had dark brown hair with gorgeous blonde highlights, styled into a pin-straight lob hairstyle with long layers and it reached just below her shoulders, she had large brown doe eyes, she had just the right amount of makeup on and she was in pink and red scrubs with flowers and Ariel and Flounder from The Little Mermaid and she was in plain red scrub pants. We shared a smile and I said,

"I'm so sorry, madam."

"It's totally fine, don't worry about it."

I picked up her pink and gold Chanel handbag and I said,

"Here. Aren't you a princess, carrying around a Chanel handbag?"

She giggled.

"May I say, I've never seen a man carry a pack of pads around before."

I said,

"They're for my daughter. She's thirteen and got her first period and asked me to buy her some."

She giggled.

"You're a good dad. My name is Althea Dawson, but everyone calls me Ally."

She offered me her hand, which was beautifully illuminated by bright red nail polish. I accepted her hand and firmly grasped it.

"I'm Austin Moon. So, why are you in line for the pharmacy?"

Ally said,

"I'm getting medicine for my daughter. She has asthma and had a very big flare up last night and ended up in the ER and I discovered I was out so I'm getting her more meds."

I said,

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Me too. She was born four weeks premature and she was diagnosed with asthma when she was two. She's six now. She's got some triggers, including cold weather, mold, dust, chemical fumes, pollutants, tobacco smoke, tree pollen, bugs and strong odors. Anyway, why are you in line?"

I said,

"I'm getting my son's pills."

"So you have two kids?"

I said,

"Yup. I have thirteen-year-old twins. One's a boy, one's a girl. Their mom and I prefer to keep him on his pills because they help him concentrate and help him stay still. He's not aggressive or hot-tempered, he just has trouble concentrating and he's very hyper and impulsive."

"So he has ADHD?"

"Yeah, he was diagnosed with it when he was five. He's improving a lot. I mean, he has his moments, but he's improved drastically since his diagnosis."

"That's great. I'm an RN at a pediatrician's office, what do you do?"

I said,

"I'm a general contractor. I typically work four or five days a week, from nine to five. Do you know how gorgeous you are?"

She giggled.

"I haven't heard any guy call me beautiful in such a long time."

I asked,

"You don't have a husband?"

I thought, Yes! She's not married. Because I was starting to develop feelings for her.

She said,

"No, but there was the guy who got me pregnant with my daughter. He did a lot of things that hurt me and I broke up with him."

I felt really sorry for Ally.

"Aw, I'm so sorry. I've only just met you, Ally, and I like you. You seem really nice and you're so beautiful."

"Thank you, Austin. You're very nice. Do you think your wife would be alright if we went out sometime?"

I said,

"Oh no, I'm a single dad. And I'd love to meet you for drinks or coffee sometime. Can I get your number?"

"Only if I can have yours!"

Ally reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. I punched my number into it and she gave me hers. We had to decide whether to handshake or to hug and so we decided on both. I drove home, carrying the bag with Jessica's pads and Max's pills and I saw Max, laying on the couch, playing video games.

I said,

"Hey, son."

Max looked up from his video game.

"Hey, dad. Where were you?"

I said,

"I was at the drugstore. I was buying your sister pads and I was getting your pills. You told me you were running low on them and she said she got her period."

"Oh yeah. So that's why she's acting like a bitch. It all makes sense now."

I said to him,

"Max, didn't I tell you not to use that word?"

Max protested,

"But you use it. Hell, even my friends use it."

I sighed.

"I guess I can't argue with that. But it's not your sister's fault she's going through puberty."

He said,

"By the way, I'm sprouting hair on my penis and my voice is getting deeper and I'm starting to think girls are hot."

I said,

"Have you done all your homework? Max, you know the rule, no screens until you're done with homework."

Max said to me,

"I have no homework."

I asked,

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. One hundred percent honest."

"OK. Where's your sister?"

"In her room,"

My son said.

Figures, I thought. Jessica spent a lot of time in her room. I understood it was normal for a growing girl to want her privacy, but I didn't want her to feel like she couldn't talk to me. I heard her through the door saying,

"I got my period today. It's the worst. I had stomach cramps and backaches and I had a big noticeable blood stain on my favorite jeans. What made it worse was most of the kids were laughing at me."

I knocked on the door and I heard my daughter say,

"Oh, that's Dad. He has pads for me. Bye, Mom. I miss you."

"Bye, Mom."

Jessica said,

"Come in."

I came into her bedroom and she flipped over on her side where she could see me. She was curled up in a fetal position. She had on a light blue spaghetti strap tank top and her light pink bra straps were visible through it, light blue pajama pants with pink roses on it, and her underarm long pin-straight blonde hair, that matched mine, was tied in a high ponytail. She had Mickey/Minnie Mouse post earrings in. She sat up wearing a pink Little Mermaid blanket around her shoulders. I said,

"Hi, Jessica. I got you some pads."

She said,

"Thanks, Dad."

I sat on her bed beside her.

"You've been off lately. Is there anything bothering you?"

My daughter looked at me skeptically.

"You were eavesdropping on me talking to Mom about getting my first period, weren't you?"

"I kind of was. I'm really sorry, Princess."

I had been calling Jessica "Princess" since she was little. Jessica hugged me and said to me,

"And I'm sorry I've been taking it out on you, Dad. It's just growing up is a confusing time."

I kissed my daughter on the top of her head.

"I get it. Growing up was hard for me, too."

Jessica hugged me and I hugged her back and kissed the top of her head.

"It seems to be easy for Max, though. He's always so happy-go-lucky and he acts like life is great."

"That doesn't mean your life can't be the same. All you have to do is just be yourself and be kind to your family and friends."

Jessica tightly embraced me.

"Dad, I may not always show it, but I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart. I've loved you and Max since the day you were born."

First chapter down! Next chapter, we'll get to see Ally's family dynamic. If you like the story, remember to favorite, follow and review! Love and hugs for all of you :)