The kids were on vacation, so to give Savannah a break I took Henry and Lucas with me on the road. Ava stayed with Savi and the twins. Getting home, the boys ran in.
"Mom", Henry yelled as he ran inside.
I smiled. He was always more attached to her than he was me.
"Daddy", Veronica came running out.
Valerie not far behind her. Each one taking a leg.
"Hi my girls. Were you good for your mom while I was away? And don't you lie, she's going to tell me", I said, bending over and kissing the top of their heads.
"Vally threw her juice when Ava gave her the wrong one", Veronica answered, pointing to her twin.
"Well Nica put on mommy's makeup and ruined it", Valerie shot back.
"Did mommy get you two in trouble for it?", I asked.
Both nodded.
"Liars", Ava said, coming out of the house.
She was fifteen now and the spitting image of Savi, which I was not okay with.
"Hi daddy", she said, hugging me and kissing my cheek.
"What have I told you about wearing those damn shorts. Go put some clothes on", I said.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Mom said I could go to the movies with my friends", Ava said as we walked into the house.
"Woah, wait, what friends? Guy friends?", I asked.
Savi came down the hall, Henry and Lucas pulling on her arms. She smiled when she saw me.
"There's my girl", I said, pulling her into me and kissing her.
"How was the flight?", she asked.
"Pretty good as long as their tablets stayed charged", I said.
She laughed.
"Mom, dad's freaking out about me going to the movies", Ava said.
"Snitch", I mumbled.
She giggled.
"She's going with her friends. Besides, it won't be the first time and it's summer vacation", Savi said.
"You mean to tell me, that you let my fifteen year old child go out dressed like that?", I asked.
"No, not dressed like that. Which by the way you'll need to change before going", Savi said.
Ava whined.
"Fine", she stomped all the way to her room.
"You want us to treat you like an adult, don't stomp like a five year old who didn't get her candy", I yelled after her.
"Hungry?", Savannah asked me.
I nodded. The kids sat at the table waiting for lunch.
"I don't feel comfortable letting her go out by herself", I said.
"She's not allowed to stay out passed nine. I drop her off and pick her up. She knows to wait inside the theater till I text her that I'm outside", Savi said, fixing sandwiches.
She passed one to me and I cut the crust off. Lucas hated it. I set his plate in front of him.
"Sav, I just don't want something bad to happen to her. She could get kidnapped, beaten up, or worse, she could be meeting a boy and", she cut me off.
"End up pregnant like me?", she said.
I sighed. She handed me the next plate and I cut it down the middle the way Henry liked it. Setting his plate down in front of him.
"Was it so bad that it happened to me? I don't think so. I ended up with the most beautiful little girl ever. It also brought us together", she reminded me.
"I know that. Don't forget to put banana", I said.
She was making Veronica her peanut butter and Jelly sandwich. She had to have banana in it.
"I know", Savi said.
"And I can't imagine my life with out her either. She's my daughter too Savannah", I said.
She sighed. I went and pulled out the grape jelly. Handing it to her. Valerie had to have grape instead of strawberry.
"Thank you", she said.
"I just, it scares me Sav. That's my baby", I said softly.
Savi stopped and looked at me. Placing her hand against my cheek.
"I know. It scares me too Colby, but I would rather her tell me things than to keep them from me or sneak around. I snuck around", she said.
I nodded. I set the twins plates down and Savi started on my food.
"What do you think about adding to the Lopez clan?", I asked.
"I think, you're crazy", she said.
I laughed and wrapped my arms around her.
"While we're still young. The kids are in school, you've got a job, I'm working and making great money", I said shrugging.
"You're really serious about this", she said.
I nodded as she turned in my arms.
"Six kids?", she asked.
I nodded.
"Or we could get a dog", she suggested.
"You don't want more kids?", I asked.
"We've never actually talked about it", she said.
"So then let's talk. A good long discussion. Weigh the pros and cons", I said.
She nodded and kissed me. Except for Ava. Lucas, Henry, and the twins were each a year apart. Ava walked into the kitchen and smiled. She had on black jeans, a red crop top, and converse.
"Better?", she asked.
"No. I can see a large portion of your skin. How would you like it if I dropped you off wearing one of those", I said.
"Dad", she whined.
"Go and put an actual top on", I said, pointing towards the hall.
"Mom", she whined to Savi now.
"No. There is no mom right now. I'm home, this is my house, and you are my kid.", I said.
Savi crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow.
"Savi, help me out here", I said.
She raised her hands.
"I can't. You're home, this is your house, and that is your kid", she said.
I glared at her.
"Dad, please", Ava begged.
I sighed.
"Take a sweater and wear it till you are back in this house after your fun", I said.
"But it's summer and really hot", she said.
"Take it or leave it", I said.
She sighed and nodded before walking back to her room and coming out with a light sweater.
"If I get heat stroke, I'm telling on you", Ava said.
"They won't care, I'll just tell them my daughter thinks she can get away with wearing whatever she wants at fifteen. I'm sure they're dads too", I said.
Ava rolled her eyes. I grabbed the car keys.
"I want mom to drop me off", Ava said.
"No can do. He's home, this is his house, and you are his kid", Savi said.
Ava groaned.
"See what you did", she mumbled to me.
I chuckled and winked at Savi. I kissed her and she held onto my chin.
"Don't you ever put me down like that again. We both live here, and the rules still apply whether you are here or not. I pushed her out of me, twenty freakin hours of labor, she owes me, she's mine", Savi said.
I smirked.
"Yes ma'am", I said.
I drove to the movie theaters.
"You understand that I'm only looking out for you. You're my daughter and if ever anything happened to you, it would devastate me sweetheart", I said.
"I know daddy", she said softly.
"Since I'm home, how about we start teaching you how to drive?", I asked.
She smiled and nodded.
"Okay", she said excited.
Pulling up in front of the theater. I could see her friends waiting for her. She waved to them.
"I love you, be safe", I said.
She kissed my cheek.
"Love you too", she replied.
"Hi Mr. Lopez", her friends said.
I sent them a nod.
"Ew, they think you're cute", Ava mumbled.
I chuckled.
"I am cute, just ask your mom", I said.
"Dad, ew", she said, before getting off the car.
"Nine sweetheart, I'll be right here", I said.
"I know", she said, before walking over to her friends.
"Your dad is so hot", one of her friends said.
"Gross, that's my dad", Ava replied, making a look of pure disgust.
I chuckled before driving home. Savi was cleaning up.
"Ava's friends think I'm hot", I said.
She slapped my butt.
"You are", she said.
Kissing me, I wrapped my arms around her.
"I love you and I missed you so much. A week in Japan was a bad idea", I said.
"I bet the boys enjoyed it though. I got all the pictures they took", she said.
"It would have been better if my entire family was there with me", I said.
"Same here", she said.
Her phone rang and she went to answer it.
"Hello", she answered.
Her smile disappeared.
"Slow down T.K.. What do you mean he's getting out?", she said.
I went to stand beside her.
"No. They can't", she said.
I took the phone from her.
"Hey T.K., what's up?", I asked.
He sighed.
"I just found out my cousin is being released from prison on good behavior. He fed the judge some crap about how losing his dad changed him for the better and since than he's done nothing but work. He goes to group therapy, helps other inmates read and write. He's basically Mr. freakin Rogers in there", he said.
I shut my eyes. This couldn't be happening.
"His therapist even vouched for him. The preist, the guards, and even some inmates he's helped", T.K. said.
"Do you believe he's changed?", I asked.
"Hell no and neither should you. I don't buy that crap he's spilling.", he said.
"I don't buy it either. I'm going to talk to our lawyers and see if we can put out a restraining order on him. He's not getting near my family", I said.
"Ava is his daughter", he sighed.
"No she's not. She's my kid and over my dead body is he getting near her.", I said angry.
"Sorry, I forgot how angry you get", he said.
I sighed.
"We'll talk to you later T.K.", I said, before hanging up.
Savi had her arms wrapped around herself.
"We need to talk to our lawyers and also Ava. She needs to know he's getting out, I don't want him trying to come up to her out of the blue", I said.
Savi nodded. I placed my hands on her shoulders.
"He's not getting near you", I promised.
"I know", she said softly.