A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story to their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.
Chapter 10-
Billy's POV-
"Hold your horses, Jake! I am coming." I let out an exasperated sigh, getting my ass of the couch as I switched of the TV, rather too reluctantly, a crying three-year-old banging harshly on the shut front door, wanting to run out. Thankfully and obviously, he was not as very tall to reach the height of opening the door himself- which meant that he would scream like a banshee until someone did it for him, letting him run out as he dirtied himself with mud and sand.
Personally though, I could still not understand the temptation to eat sand!
Why would anyone want to eat sand, and so happily at that?
But to each their own.
Of course, Sarah would throw me in the doghouse for the rest of my life if she heard me be so very nonchalant at the fact that Jake preferred sand over vegetables and fruits, but who could blame the kid?
Even I did not like my greens- and I was in my late twenties!
The kid had gone on me, something that I should not have been, not in respect to this matter especially, but I really was.
I would never tire of saying that the kid was mine, even if he was the most annoying spoilt brat on the planet at times, now included.
"Daddy," He whined louder, now starting to bang even louder at the front door, his tears as they ran down his eyes causing him to hiccup as he cried without a break, looking no better than he generally did.
"What is the matter? Where do you want to go?" I leaned down to his height, a small smile creeping in, my tone partly amused and partly annoyed.
What could be so damn urgent that I needed to shut the TV for that?
I mean, Jake did have his toys with him to keep him entertained till Sarah returned from the girls' school, their teacher having called her for some important meeting, leaving the brat's care to me.
I had assumed and sincerely hoped that Jake would keep himself busy, letting me watch my game.
It was an important game!
But no, Jake wanted to cry and shout, all within the same one hour that it took Sarah to return back home.
It was a pity, I tell you.
"Bell."
I let out a sigh, shaking my head at the whisper that reached my ears.
"She is busy, Jake. We will go in the evening."
I tried. I really did, knowing that 10:00 AM was no preferable time to go uninvited to anyone's house, especially not when they are busy in unpacking.
"Bell." The cries became louder as the stomping of feet was now included; stubbornness evident in every pore of his.
"Fine." I rolled my eyes in annoyance- just wanting the- succeeding in giving me a headache- noise to disappear, picking the kid up in my arms as I let open the front door, walking the five steps to Charlie's new house, a smiling kid looking up at me with a million dreams in his eyes.
No. Literally.
There were just five steps to take from my house to Charlie's- and voila- their front door looked right up at me!
It was that very close, a fact that had been done purposefully to make it as comfortable and painless for our kids.
They needed this from us, and so we would happily do it for them.
No excuses made.
But yet, it had created quite a stir and more than a fair share of gossip when Charlie had moved in with Sue, occupying the spare rooms that Sue had in her house. It was convenient, was what they had argued. Sue was our closest neighbor, no empty plots available in the immediate vicinity- which worked for Charlie, and Sue could do with the help and company, benefitting her, too. With a baby on the way and another stubborn kid who demanded the constant eye, she needed the extra hands desperately.
It just sat well for both, the icing on the cake being that they had known each other their entire life, no awkwardness expected from this move.
I understood their reasons, and supported the two of them, the same though could not be said for many others of this town who used this development as an excuse to spread rumors of how Sue had been cheating on Harry with Charlie for all these years- the unborn child being his- not that Charlie had any fucks remaining to give to the rest of them.
How did it even matter of who thought what?
It was just annoying background noise that needed to be ignored for the sake of your own sanity.
They were happy with this decision of theirs, that being the only thing of importance in this situation.
Anyhow, the fact that Bella now lived this close to Jake, gave me a very happy and cheerful son, no pain in his immediate future, in the least.
"BELL!"
Stop screaming in my ears, Jake!
If I come to need a hearing aid in the future, it is completely on you.
"JAKEY!"
Crap. I really will need that hearing aid one day in the future!
I let the boy down, before he kicked me hard in the ribs in his attempt to escape my tight clutches, two tiny bodies running towards one another without any delay, their fingers intertwining as soon as they were within touching distance, a sigh of sheer relief leaving the two in unison.
I smiled, the sight in front of my eyes worthy of making even a rock smile, or cry out in joy, the latter much more probable.
"Jakey, I missed you. I like playing with you."
Jeez, girl! You had seen him last night over dinner.
It has hardly been twelve hours to that.
In grown-up world, this type of behavior would be termed 'clingy', and a serious sign to run away in the opposite direction as fast as one can.
"Me too." Jake stomped his feet in anger, pushing a stray strand of hair behind Bella's ear with all the love and adoration that one can muster…. just like I often did with his mother.
I can exactly see of where he learnt to do that from.
He is walking right into my footsteps.
"I told Daddy that I want to live with you. We can play always then."
Say what now?
"But he waved a hand at me and started to write something in his book."
Thank you, Charlie!
"Daddy!" Jake turned to look at me, his eyes threatening me to 'do something to make this alright'.
What the hell?
What was I supposed to do in this matter?
Heck. I did not wish to do anything in this matter.
I liked Charlie.
I just did not like him all that much to see his face 24 hours a day for seven days a week.
I would gladly let Sue take that honor.
Luckily, before tears could be shed, screaming and throwing things accompanied, a taunt and a scowl grabbed everyone's attention.
"I see your boyfriend is back."
Really?
Was this really required now?
"He is not my boyfriend!"
"He so is!"
"Leah." Charlie came running out of the house, a frown visible on his face. "I had gone to the bathroom for two minutes."
Leah shrugged at him, not the least bit apologetic of running out of the house in his absence, Bella though, did look slightly guilty of committing the same crime.
"Billy." Charlie let out a sigh in greeting, exhausted from the looks of it. "Sue has gone to the doctor for a routine check-up. She did not want to take Leah with her. I can understand why."
Oh.
I pity you, buddy.
Though, I am very well in the same boat as you.
Sarah never agrees to take Jake anywhere, sprouting some excuse or the other, her most common excuse being of how amazing and caring a father I was- and how Jake deserved the best in life, her care second best in comparison, especially when her attention was divided between three.
To which I would argue to keep the twins behind, taking Jake with her wherever she went.
I would look after my princesses, gladly would.
But no, that was simply unacceptable!
She needed the girls with her at all times, poor Jake left behind for me to take care of.
She was one smart woman, I tell you.
I let out a humorless chuckle- turning to look at Charlie, shaking my head in amusement. "Our women certainly keep us on our toes."
He waved me off, his attention once again diverted towards the 'all under ten- party', a fight now blooming in the horizon, from the looks of it.
Great.
Just what we needed.
"Why don't you go back to your house? No one wants you here."
"This is my house. Daddy said this."
"No. This is my house."
"No. This is Bell house."
God.
Really?
"No. This is my house. Mine. My mommy and my brother. Go away!"
"Daddy, tell her."
"Daddy! Tell her."
Why the hell are you looking at me, Jake?
What did I do?
"I want my mommy."
"Leah, please," Charlie pleaded with her.
"I WANT MY MOMMY."
And then the tears started- first, Leah- then, Bella and of course- my son could never be too far from someone who was crying- his love for crying surpassing everything else on the planet.
Charlie was the first to take his head in his hands, with me mirroring his action less than ten seconds later, the torturous and terrorizing three staring at us with incomparable delight in their eyes.
The sadist.
God help us!