Daddy's Home
"DIEGO!" Six-year-old Eva charged after her younger brother throwing punches at him, "GIVE HER BACK!" She screamed as the one year old chewed on her favourite doll. "DIEGO!" She punched him sending her brother to the floor and crying. She snatched the doll back just as Laura came jogging into the room.
"Mommy!" Eva held up her doll, "She needs to be washed."
"Eva," Laura took a squirmy Diego into her arms and tried to put a fresh diaper on him. "Why does your brother have a bruised arm?"
"Because he's a boy!" She frowned, "He took my doll! And he chewed it!"
Laura rubbed her face with one hand; it was days like this she wondered if she could do this much longer. It was easier when Diego was unsteady on his feet and even easier she concluded when Eva would be at school full time in a few months.
"Mommy," Eva frowned, "I'll wash her." She held her doll at arms length.
"I'll wash her Eva," Laura took the doll, "Why don't you go and play quietly in your room. That way Diego can't bother you."
"Okay Mommy," Eva said and she proudly unlocked the baby gate and made a face at her brother as she walked up the stairs.
"Eva, don't do that!" Laura gave her daughter a meaningless warning; the children were always making faces at each other.
"Can we get a new diaper on you now?" Laura turned her attention to her one-year old who had decided to run off naked into the family room before she could put a fresh diaper on him. It was then she supposed he had stolen his sister's toy and caused the actions that followed.
"Where's your father?" She spoke out loud as she let out a loud huff of annoyance. Her husband had called nearly two hours ago to say he was done being de-briefed and would be all hers for a week. She should have known it was to goo to be true as he was probably suiting up for a new undercover mission.
"Mama!" Diego squirmed as she held him down and to try and put a diaper on, "Me go!"
"I know, I know," She secured the diaper and let the toddler run off, she'd worry about getting clothes on him later. "Diego get off the chair," She sighed as she watched him stand on the arm of the chair and jump down and running towards the couch laughing, 'Diego we don't climb on things," She reached out for him but he laughed and dodged her.
"Diego this isn't funny."
"Funny Mommy!" He laughed and ran away from her yet again.
"DADDY'S HOME! DADDY'S HOME!" Eva came running down the stairs, "AND AUNTIE GABBY CAME TOO!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she tried to get past the baby gate, "MOMMY HELP!"
Finally able to catch her son Laura walked to the stairs and unlocked the gate, which allowed her daughter to come running through it at top speed. She rocked on the balls of her feet and went running full speed ad the door opened.
"DADDY!"
"Ma's giving us enough food to last all week," He held up a bag and dropped it to the ground in the same motion as he picked Eva up, "Guess what sweetheart?"
"What?" She loved playing this game.
"Daddy has three weeks off and he's going to spend it all with you Mommy and Diego!"
Eva's face couldn't have formed a bigger grin and she hugged her father as tightly as she could, "Yay, no more pretending?" She asked about his undercover assignments or what she called 'pretending'
"Nope figured my bosses' could give me some time off after I helped them put really bad guys away." He had been undercover for a month and had only gotten back three days ago. Most of the time he'd been at Vice receiving long de-briefing's from his superiors
"And Auntie Gabby came too!" She cheered and reached for her seventeen-year-old aunt as if only realizing she was there as well. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too sweetie."
"Are your exams finished?" She asked trying to sound more grown-up then her six years. She loved her aunt and she was beyond thrilled when ever se came to visit.
"Yep I'm all finished school now and I don't start my job for another week."
"You're so cool!" Eva grinned up at her. "Can you do my hair? Just like yours?" She asked hopefully.
"Hey you," Antonio pouted, "What about me? Aren't you glad I'm home?"
"Daddy!" Eva kissed him, "I am! Auntie Gabby's cool!" She looked up at her aunt; "Lets go play make-up now."
"Why'd I bring you again?" Antonio smirked in the direction of his younger sister,
"Because I'm a free babysitter," She replied back.
"Good point," He responded with a smile.
"My turn?" Laura walked dup to Antonio and wrapped her around around him standing on het tiptoes and kissing him, Diego still struggling to get to the ground, now crying.
"MAMA! ME DOWN!" He demanded swinging his feet trying to determine if it was safe to jump or not.
"Hey little man," Antonio kissed his son's head, "You been busy I see?" He saw the bruise.
"Oh that was caused by your daughter whose now decided the best way to get what she wants is to punch Diego," Laura started at him.
"Really?" He was always amazed at how much his children could change in the extended amount of time he went without seeing them. "Why's that?"
"Go and ask her."
"I will." He walked into he living room, "Eva Mommy tells me you've been punching your brother."
"Yes Daddy," The six year old made no point of hiding it, in fact she was smiling as if proud of herself.
"That's not very nice Eva."
She frowned, "Daddy you hit people, you box."
"Oh," Antonio rubbed the back of his neck and saw why his wife wanted him to deal with it, it was him after all who had decided it wouldn't cause any harm to take Eva with him to the gym a month ago. "That's different."
"Why Daddy?"
"Yeah Antonio why is it different? Laura crossed her arms and glared at him. She had never hidden her dislike of Antonio boxing; she certainly did not approve f him taking their young daughter along when he was going to do just that. At the time though he four days away from going undercover and she couldn't say no to him spending time with their daughter.
"It's different because the people Daddy boxes with agree to fight with him, we wear protection and try to not get really hurt. Diego isn't old enough yet to learn how to fight."
"When he's older can we?"
"Maybe kiddo," Antonio responded although one glance at Laura told him that it would never happen.
"Daddy's right hitting isn't good," Laura told the six year old, "And I know your teachers won't like you hitting other children at school when you go back, You know how to play nicely with other children. You need to show Diego how to play nicely."
"But he's a baby!" She complained, "He takes all my toys and he's a boy!"
"DOWN!" Diego yelled and Laura finally set him on the ground, he ran off and climbed on the couch and began throwing the pillows in every direction.
"Daddy see what he does! Daddy see!" Eva pointed at Diego, "He's a baby!"
"Welcome home Antonio," Laura laughed as her husband tried to take everything in.
"No better place," He kissed her in response.
THE END