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Jeff was sitting in the basement sketching a picture of Kimi and the kids, who were sitting in a circle on the floor. She was teaching the kids Sioux. He smiled as the kids repeated back the words.
Kimi was amazing, he thought again how lucky he was to have her.
Jeff looked down at the picture he was drawing, she looked so happy with the kids, he always planned to have a few more kids down the road, but the thought of six right off the bat was overwhelming, he liked the kids, a lot, but he also traveled three hundred days a year, Kimi would wear herself down in no time trying to take care of six kids, then what if they decided to have more, he shook his head, it was to much for one person and Mark wasn't going to be here forever.
He looked up and saw Taki struggling a bit to get the pronunciation right on the words, he looked upset and Kimi reach across patting his hand. "You're doing good Taki, just take your time."
Jeff laid his sketch book down and walked over. "Ya know, I guess I should be learning right along with you guys, huh?"
Mato looked up grinning. "Yes Papa, you should know how to talk to your woman in Sioux."
Jeff grinned and sat down pulling Taki in his lap." Taki, I'm really terrible, Kimi tried to teach me a few words before, maybe you could help me a bit."
Taki's whole face lit up."Me?"
Jeff nodded. Kimi couldn't help but smile as Jeff badly mangled the Sioux language, and Taki gently corrected him. Kimi loved him even more, he seemed to know which child needed a extra boost at any given moment and gave them what they needed.
They practiced for another half an hour and Jeff hugged Taki. "You're a great teacher Taki, thanks for the help."
Taki looked so proud that Kimi wanted to hug Jeff right on the spot, he had given the boy the confidence boost he needed.
Jeff stood."Okay I was thinking instead of a regular bath tonight, we go play in the hot tub, you can make a big as mess as you want."
The kids started jumping up and down, even Mato.
"I don't know Sakima, is that really considered a proper bath?" Kimi asked laughing.
Jeff winked at her. "Come on Mama, pleaseeeee."
The kids started in too. "Mama please." Mato said hugging her. Kimi smiled, he had never called her Mama, Jeff was really starting to have a great effect on him. "Okay, fine..Go get your swimsuits on and Jeff you're in charge of the clean up."
Jeff grinned. "Yes ma'am."
The kids started up the stairs and Jeff pulled Kimi in his arms. "I'll keep them in the hot tub for a while and let them play...I want you to make yourself a nice cup of that herbal tea you like, sit down somewhere and rest, okay?"
Kimi nodded. "Okay." It sounded good to her. "Call me when they get out and I'll help you get them ready for bed."
Jeff kissed her. "Okay, now go rest." he said and followed the kids upstairs to help the little ones get changed.
Kimi smiled, it seemed she only got happier and happier with Jeff. He was being so wonderful with the kids, she could just imagine what a great dad he was going to make.
Jeff laughed as the kids splashed each other and jumped around. He sat on the edge making sure things didn't get too out of hand. Mato pulled himself up to sit beside Jeff. "Whats up kid?" Jeff asked smiling at the boy.
"I had a real good time today."
Jeff tousled the boy's wet hair. "I did too."
Mato looked at Jeff's tattoos. "When I'm thirteen I can get one." He said. "thats when I'll have my manhood ceremony."
Jeff was about to tell him, no kid of his was getting a tattoo when he was thirteen, but then he realized Mato was not his kid, Jeff wouldn't even be around when he was thirteen. "I think maybe you want to wait a few years, ya know till you're a little older."
Mato shrugged. "Its part of being a man, It shows I've passed from being a boy into a man, Sioux wear there tattoos proudly."
Jeff nodded, but he still thought that was way to young to be getting tattoos.
"Taki is nervous about starting School Wednesday."
"He is huh, why?" Jeff asked.
"Well cause he got picked on a lot back in Standing Rock , cause he looks white, now I think he thinks maybe cause he has a Sioux name, kids will thinks he's weird or something." Mato said.
"Why don't I take you guys on your first day, I don't leave till Thursday, maybe that will make him feel a little better, what do you think?"
Mato nodded. "I think thats a good idea." Jeff smiled and hugged the boy. "Everything is going to be fine, okay."
"Okay." Mato said and jumped back in the hot tub. Jeff knew that Taki wasn't the only one who was nervous. Mato was too, but he couldn't voice it, he had to be tough and fearless. Jeff smiled, he was a good kid.
Just about that time Ozee decided it would be fun to dunk Dakota under water, he held the girl under for a second and the let her up, the little girl came up screaming, Jeff jumped down and picked her up in his arms. "Its okay honey." Jeff said patting her back.
The three boys stood froze for a minute and Mato looked at his little brother, Ozee sometimes got carried away, but he should know better, Dakota was a baby.
Jeff got her calmed down and sat her on the edge of the hot tub and lifted Ozee out of the hot tub and gave him a firm pop on his bottom. "We don't ever play like that in the water, Dakota is little, she could get hurt."
Mato closed his eyes, Ozee was going to get beating and he didn't want to watch. Taki too was terrified, even though it had been two years, he still remembered how their father used to beat on them.
Jeff sat the little boy down, who had tears dripping down his cheeks. "Sorry Papa."
Jeff rubbed the little boys head. "I know, just don't do it again and tell your sister sorry."
Ozee leaned over hugging his still tearful sister. "I'm sorry. Dakota hugged him back and Jeff was satisfied this crisis was over till he turned around to find Taki looking scared to death and Mato with his eyes closed tight.
Jeff walked over and lifted Taki to sit on the edge of the hot tub and then sat Mato beside him. "Whats wrong?"
Taki looked at Jeff. "I thought you was going to beat him."
Jeff frowned, he only knew the little bit that Kimi had told him about the kids background, he knew their father had pretty much dumped them on the reservation. "Taki I don't beat on kids, you never have to worry about that, you too Mato."
Mato finally looked up at Jeff. "Never, no matter what?"
Jeff sat down beside the boys keeping a eye on the two younger children who were now splashing there feet in the water. "No, and I wouldn't even have swatted him, if I knew it would bother you two so bad."
Mato looked down. "Its not that, its just we thought you would hurt him."
"I'll never hurt any of you beyond a swat or two if you act like heathens." He said grinning.
Taki smiled. "Deal." he said holding out his little hand. Jeff smiled and shook it.
Mato looked back up. "Deal." He said and grabbed Jeff's hand and shook it.
Jeff let them get back in to play watching them, these kids needed someone permanent in their lives, they would go through life not trusting anyone if they didn't get some stability in their lives. Maybe while they were staying in Pine Ridge, they could look for a family to take all four of the kids, thats what they needed a famliy.
Warning this chapter contains sexual content!
Jeff walked out of his shower and dried off pulling a pair of boxers on. Jeff smiled, Kimi was lying on the bed in one of his shirts, waiting for him, he stretched out beside her with a groan. "Tired? Kimi asked. "Yeah a little." He said pulling her snugly in his arms.
"I think I screwed up today." He said rubbing her back.
Kimi played with his loose locks. "Hmm what did you do?"
"I popped Ozee on the butt for holding Dakota under water." he said relaxing under Kimi's stroking fingers.
"Well, now I don't think thats the end of the world." She said easing her fingers down to trace the patterns of his beard.
"I thought I had fucked up, I mean do Indians pop their kids, did I break some kinda rule."
Kimi laughed. "If thats a rule, my Papa never got the memo, he tore my butt up on more than one occasion, but I deserved everyone I ever got."
Jeff grinned. "I bet, you got a evil little temper on occasion." Kimi just smiled and leaned in kissing him sweetly. Jeff melted into the kiss deepening it, but he pulled back suddenly. "I have to tell you something."
Kimi frowned. "Whats wrong?"
Jeff knew she was probably going to get mad and throw a fit, but he wasn't waiting like he did before.
"Is this about Maria? You didn't kiss her did you?" Kimi asked looking fierce.
Jeff started laughing. "Kimi you're jealous."
"I am not." She denied trying to roll away from him.
"You are too, its cute." He said pulling her back and nuzzling her neck. It sent shiver down her spine. "No, I didn't kiss Maria, silly, why would I want another woman, when I have the most beautiful woman in the world." he said resting his forehead against hers.
Kimi smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck giving him a peck on the lips. "Okay then what's wrong?"
"I'm not going to be home for Christmas, I'm going to be in Iraq for two weeks." he said waiting for her to punch him.
Kimi looked in his green orbs, she loved this man so much, he was scared to tell her, she could see that. "Well I guess we'll have to have our own Christmas when you get home." She said laying her head on his chest.
Jeff was stunned, thats it she wasn't going to raise hell? "Kimi, I'm sorry, I know your were looking forward to our first Christmas together."
Kimi cupped his face and kissed his jaw. "Sakima, we will have our first Christmas when you get home, whatever day that is, it don't matter, I know you have a job, you have to do, I'm not mad, I'm just grateful I have such a wonderful husband, thats enough."
Jeff didn't know how wonderful he was, leaving her all the time, and then the way he had acted about the kids. "I'm lucky to have you Kimi, lucky you love me."
Jeff pressed a kiss to her lips, and his tongue nudged at her lips, Kimi parted for him and welcomed his tongue with hers.
Jeff groaned and quickly slid her panties off, pressing his fingers to her wet heat, sinking his fingers in, sighing at the feel of her.
"Sakima, make love to me." She whispered in his ear.
Jeff didn't have to be told twice, he sat long enough to shed his boxers and pull off her shirt, he got distracted by her breasts and his mouth latched on to one breast as he suckled it deep in his mouth.
Kimi whimpered with need. "Sakima." She pleaded. Jeff pulled back and realized as big as she was, there was a bit of a limitation on how they made love.
Kimi saw the look and smiled. "Its either me on top, or you from behind." She said grinning.
Jeff pulled her on top of him. "I want to see you." He said as his swollen shaft pushed its way slowly into her wet inner passage. Kimi moaned as he slowly filled her, she had missed this so much, she could never get enough of Jeff.
Jeff gritted his teeth trying to control himself, she was so wet and hot and tight, it about undid him. "Kimi." He moaned as he sank deeply in her willing heat.
Kimi started to move up and down on his shaft and Jeff moved his hands up over her belly to her breasts, his fingers teasing her nipples.
Kimi groaned, she was so damn close, she couldn't stop it, she moved faster as his hands roamed her body.
Jeff was close himself as her pace quickened, his fingers moved back to her breasts and he playfully pinched her nipples, and was rewarded by the sounds of her low moans as she came, Jeff surged upward as her muscles tightened over his shaft.
Jeff clung to her as his release washed over him. "Kimi." he groaned over and over as he pushed into her.
Kimi too was lost in her release as her head fell forward and pleasure rushed through her body, making her head spin.
They lay there, both breathing heavy and Jeff helped her off him and she lay down by his side wrapping her arm around him, her head resting on his chest. Jeff smiled and played with her long hair. "I love you Kimi."
"I love you too Sakima."
He bent and kissed her. 'I know that was a little quick, but I couldn't help myself, I've missed making love to you, if you feel like it, we do it again, in a little while, and this time, I'll go slow." he said.
Kimi smiled. "Sakima it was wonderful, fast slow it don't matter, anytime we make love its magic for me."
Jeff smiled and pulled her closer running his hand over her belly. "Kimi I think we need to talk about the kids."
Kimi knew where this conversation was going, but he was right, they did need to talk about it. "Okay."
"Kimi the kids are great, their wonderful kids, but I need to know what your plans are when its time for them to go home, back to Standing Rock."
Kimi sighed, in her dreams, her and Jeff would keep the kids, she loved them already. Kimi didn't say anything. "Kimi I want you to listen to me, and when I get done, tell me what you think." Kimi nodded her head her arms still around Jeff.
"I know you love them already I can see that, but baby I'm on the road three hundred days of the year, if you kept them, everything would fall on you, throw in the
twins when their born, and thats six kids you're trying to raise by yourself. Can you imagine trying to get up with the twins, get them fed and dress and getting four
more kids dressed and ready for school, dropping them off, picking them up, hauling six kids everywhere, having to drag the twins out every morning and every
evening, not to mention School activities, I know you want to eventually go back to work, if you kept them, that would never happen, I can see in your eyes how you
feel Kimi, I know you would love to keep them, but we need to look at everything, take everything into consideration."
Kimi closed her eye, she wanted to argue with him, tell them they should just adopt the kids and not worry about the details, but she couldn't, Jeff was right, Mark would be gone after March, then Jeff would go back to work, the four kids kept her going all day even with help, throw the twins in, and she would be overwhelmed quickly, she wish she could argue, find some way to make it work, it saddened her that there was no solution. "Kimi honey..."
"You're right Sakima, we'll take them back to Standing Rock, when the time comes."
Jeff rubbed her back. "Call your dad and have him work on finding a home for them, when we get to Pine Ridge, we'll both work on finding them a family that can take all of them, okay, we're not just going to dump them anywhere, I promise okay?"
Kimi nodded. "Okay Sakima." Jeff bent and kissed her cheek. "Get some sleep." he watched Kimi settle more deeply against him.
She was asleep quickly and Jeff ran his finger through her thick dark hair. He should feel relieved, not one argument.
They had reached a agreement with out any fuss. Jeff kept telling himself he should be glad she had agreed with him, but deep down, he wished she had offered some kind of argument against logic.
For some reason he didn't feel like he had won anything.