*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much*
ROMAN:
"What are you up to?" I ask my beautiful wife as I walk into the living room to see her sitting on the couch with her laptop on her lap. This is the second day she has chosen to work from home and I am glad that her boss allows her to work from home on some occasions. She looks so beautiful, she's practically glowing from the pregnancy. She's dressed in a pair of black knit shorts and a white tank top with her dark curly hair pulled up into a messy bun at the top of her head.
She lets out a sigh and says, "I'm just taking a break from work. I'm looking at birth options and stuff like that."
"Birth options?" I ask confused. "What do you mean birth options?"
She smiles at me and says, "like do I want a home birth or a hospital birth. I am thinking as long as I am able I want to have a home birth for the babies. I could have them at home and I wouldn't need to worry about them being in the hospital nursery or being bothered by a nurse. I want a natural birth as long as I am able," she says. "I could also do a tub birth. I think when we get to Pittsburgh I am going to use a mid-wife during the pregnancy and to deliver our babies. I plan to breastfeed them."
"Okay, so we're going here," I say, "do you think a home birth is safe, I mean with having twins and all?"
"I think so," she says. "If not then I'll go to the hospital but I want to try a home birth in a tub."
"All right," I say. "It's up to you and what you want to do. I'm here to support you."
"Thanks, Baby. Where are you going, you're dressed up," she says talking about me wearing jeans and a white t-shirt with my hair pulled into a low bun.
"I'm going to talk to Shea," I say, "I think it's time that I talk to Shea."
"Want me to come with you?"
"As much as I love that we are a team this is something I should probably do on my own. I don't want Shea to feel some type of way because we both show up to talk to her about moving she may feel teamed up against. I have to do this alone," I say.
"Good luck," she says. "You know she's short tempered. And you're not her favorite person."
"I know but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity," I say, "I'm not going to pass it up because my ex-wife is against it. It's a lot more money and it's something I always wanted to do. I gave up coaching Georgia Tech's football team so we could be together, took the job with the Saints now I am ready for this next chapter in our lives. I have to do what's best for us," I say. "Shea can hate it all she wants but it's my life."
"I know," she says, "but are you asking her to move to Pittsburgh with us?"
I shake my head and say, "No if she chooses to move to Pittsburgh that's on her but I'm not asking her to. I don't have the right to do that but I am taking the girls with us."
"That's going to be a fight, Baby," she says.
"I know but I have some negotiating to do with her," I say. "I'll be back later then we can go out for dinner tonight, tell the girls the news and then make a post on social media about it. I love you, Baby Girl."
"I love you too," she says with a smile. I lean down and kiss her lips softly before I make my way to the front door. I take a deep breath and let it out before I cross the street to go to Shea's house.
I walk up the front steps of her porch to the front door. I knock on the door softly so that I don't wake up Baby Dean in case he's taking a nap. I hear their dog barking before Shea appears at the door with Baby Dean on her hip. He looks exactly like Dean. "Roman, what do you want?" she asks.
"I think we should talk," I say. "Can I come in?"
"We can talk out on the porch," she says, "the house is kind of a mess. Would you like any sweet tea?"
"Yes," I say, "Please."
"All right, I will get some, can you take Dean for me?" she asks.
"Yes," I say before she hands him to me. Their husky dog runs out the door and I holler at her, "Midnight, Stop!" to keep her from running into the street.
"She's fine. She has a collar on that will stop her from running into the street there's an electric fence keeping her on our lawn." I nod and take a seat holding Dean. "I'll be right back."
Shea goes to get some sweet tea leaving me alone with her son. "Hey there, Buddy," I say as he looks at me with his deep blue eyes. I play with him making him giggle while I wait for Shea. Hearing his giggles makes me smile, I can't wait until Hayden and I have our babies hoping they are both boys but I would be fine with two girls. I cover my eyes and uncover them "Peek a boo!" I say and his laugh fills the air as Shea comes out with two glasses, a pitcher of sweet tea placing them on the table before bringing a walker out with her. She takes Dean from me and puts him in the walker before sitting down. I pour us each a glass of sweet tea. "So how are you?" I ask.
"I'm okay," she says sitting down. "How are you?"
"I'm great," I say, "Hayden and I are having twins."
"I know," she says less than thrilled. "I thought you were against having more kids?"
"I want to have more kids these two will probably be it I'm getting to be an old man. I don't want to have a baby when I'm 40. I am probably getting a vasectomy after the twins are born."
"That's what happens when you marry a young woman, you know a woman in her 20's when you're nearly 40. She's fertile as all hell," she says taking a sip of her tea.
"Does it make you feel better when you call me out for my mistakes? I know I made a lot of mistakes in my life. I don't know how many times I need to apologize to you for what I did to you. I wasn't happy in our marriage, I'm sorry. You just weren't the woman for me. I tried to be happy for so long but I couldn't pretend anymore," I say, "and I am sorry."
"So sleeping with your student was the best way to go?" she asks. She has held that grudge for over 5 years now. She never lets me live it down. I don't understand how she's supposedly best friends with my wife when she constantly blames Hayden for being the reason our marriage failed.
"I shouldn't have slept with Hayden behind your back and I am sorry that I did but I do not regret falling in love with her. Hayden has been great for me. She understands me and she makes me different. I'm sorry that I tore our marriage apart the way I did but it was inevitable. We would have divorced either way," I say.
"Because you couldn't help but stick it into her," she says with disgust. "Tell me how is she different than me?"
"She makes me feel happy, she makes me feel alive and she is my biggest supporter and she's my teammate. She never gets upset with me when it comes to me being on the road for football. I love her," I say.
"She's perfect," says Shea. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"
"How can you bad mouth Hayden when you claim to be her best friend?" I ask curiously before taking a sip of tea.
"Oh, Roman, I like Hayden it's you that I don't like but I'm stuck with you the rest of my life because we have kids together. I hope you treat Hayden better than you ever treated me and when that young hot, 22 year old woman comes along one night in a bar you resist the temptation to fuck her," she says bitterly. "I do hate you," she says.
"If I were you I would probably hate me too. I put you through a lot and I'm not going to keep apologizing for it. I have done it enough, it's up to you to decide if you accept my apology or not. And you're the one that tricked me into getting you pregnant by forgetting your pill and forgetting that the antibiotics will mess up the birth control even though the warning is right there on the bottle of antibiotics," I say. "Hayden didn't trick me into getting her pregnant we both knew the consequences of our actions and we were blessed."
"I'm so happy for you," she says, "so what is it that you want to tell me?"
"Well, I got a new job," I begin, "and it's as the head coach to the Pittsburgh Steelers."
"I didn't want to believe it but wow," she says. "So you're moving to Pittsburgh then?" she asks.
"Yes, we are moving to Pittsburgh we are going up in a few days to look at houses as I sign my contract."
"I'm not moving to Pittsburgh," she says. "And you can't ask me to do that we aren't married anymore, Roman."
"I'm not asking you to move to Pittsburgh," I say. "I'm just telling you that we are moving to Pittsburgh."
"You're not taking the girls with you to Pittsburgh," she says. "I uprooted their lives once for you I'm not doing it again."
"I want the girls to live with us in Pittsburgh," I say.
"Not going to happen, Roman, you're not taking MY kids to Pittsburgh."
"They are OUR kids," I say, "just hear me out. I figured I could have them during the school year in Pittsburgh September through June and you would have them June through August. And we would share them on holidays." I suggest knowing she probably won't go for it.
"You can't even make it to your daughter's preschool graduation and you expect me to give them to you for the school year? No, Roman," she says. "They're staying here in New Orleans with Dean and me you can have them over the summer."
"Fine," I say. I have no need or want to argue with her. "You want them all school year which here is August through May and I will take them May through July but I want them on Christmas break and spring break."
"I deserve them for Christmas," she protests.
"I'm giving you them for 9 months and taking three months, I think you can give me Christmas with them."
"No, Roman. No," she says. "You're not getting them for Christmas."
"Shea, we can come up with this rationally or we can go to court to have a judge figure it out," I say.
"You're asking to have the girls for Christmas that means I would NEVER have them for Christmas and that's not fair. I want child support too."
"You already get child support," I say.
"Not enough, with your new job I should be getting a lot more than I am getting, I'm talking at least $2,500 a month," she says.
"That's ridiculous," I say. "$1500 is more than enough."
"Since I will have them more often I think $1,000 more a month will be necessary."
"Are our kids just dollar signs to you or do you actually care about them?" I ask trying to keep my anger down.
"How dare you ask me if I care about our kids, you know that I do love them even Nova's attitude that she gets from you."
"All right," I say, "so why do you need $1,000 more a month?"
"Kids are expensive, Roman and I am sure that's not breaking the bank."
"I think you're being ridiculous," I say.
"Roman, I can take you to court to get more money for the girls," she says.
"You want to go to court? This is how you want to play it?" I ask.
"If you're not willing to compromise then yes I want to go to court," she says smugly. It's happening again she's starting to bring out the worst in me, Shea could always do that to me.
"You know what," I say as I stand up. "I try to be civilized with you, I try to compromise with you but like it has always been with Shea it always comes down to the money. Our kids are more important than money they always have been and will always be. You're selfish. You have ALWAYS been selfish that's why I was never happy with you. I didn't want to take this to court but I'm willing to so that our girls end up at a place they will be loved and taken care of not just dollar signs."
"Whatever you say, Roman I am going to win this battle children belong with their mother not their father," she says infuriating me more.
"First of all, I wouldn't even be a father if you didn't trick me but those two little girls are the best things I have ever done in my life and they are the best things to come out of our piece of shit marriage. Second of all, I have taken more care of those girls than you ever have. You were too tired or you couldn't handle Nova newsflash, Nova is a child she's not the boss. It was ALWAYS me."
"Oh when you were fucking Hayden? Or when you were coaching football is that when you were taking care of them? I'm so glad you and Hayden have the perfect life together but you're not getting my kids besides you are having two babies that you want with the woman you always wanted so what do you need Nova and Ky for?" she asks.
"You are such a miserable person, I'll make sure Hayden knows how you feel about her," I say. "Have a good day."
I storm across the street, up my porch and into my front door slamming the front door behind me. I make my way to the living room where Hayden is working. She looks up from her papers and says, "I'm going to guess that didn't go well?" I don't say anything and walk over to her, taking her lips and kissing her deep with so much love, appreciation and gratitude. "Whoa," she says with a smile, "what was that for?"
"I was just reminded of how amazing you are and how awesome of a wife you are. I am so happy to have you in my life. I love you, Hayden and I can't wait until our babies are here. I'm glad I get to do life with you," I say making her smile.
"Well, you're kind of stuck with me so," she smiles.
"Like glue," I smile before I scoop her up in my arms, kissing her again.
"I have work to do!" she protests.
"Work can wait," I say with a smile as I start to carry her up to our bedroom. "I want to make love to my wife."
She lets out a soft breath and smiles, "Okay." I smile back at her and take her to our bedroom where we spend some time making love to each other, enjoying each other grateful for each other. I love my wife and I take time to show her nice and slow, enjoying her.
LATER THAT NIGHT:
Hayden, Nova, Ky and I arrive at the Asian restaurant that we love here in New Orleans. I am definitely going to miss this place when we move to Pittsburgh but I am sure I will find an Asian restaurant up in Pittsburgh. We are seated right away with our reservation and have our drink orders taken. "How was school today?" I ask Nova.
"It was good," she says. "I'm glad that tomorrow is the last day. I am ready for summer."
"I'm ready for summer too," says Hayden with a smile. "Your dad and I were thinking of going to Florida for a week to visit your grandma."
"We were?" I ask with surprise.
"I talked to your mom earlier when she found out we were going to see my parents in New York she couldn't resist not having us visit Pensacola for a week. I told her we would. I hope you don't mind."
"I'm fine with that," I smile at her. "I want to see my mom and I think it will be great to take the girls to Pensacola to see where I grew up and enjoy that beach."
"That sounds like fun," says Nova with a smile.
"Ky, do you want to go to the beach?" I ask.
"Yes!" she says.
"All right, I will talk to your mom," I say knowing that's going to be another explosive conversation.
"Dad, are you moving?" asks Nova.
"Who said we were moving?" I ask.
"I heard mama and Dean talking about you and Hayden moving," she says. "Are you moving?"
This wasn't how I was planning to have this conversation or where, "Well, I did get a new job as the head coach for the Steelers which is requiring me to move to Pittsburgh," I say.
"That's great, Dad!" she says with an excited smile. "I can't wait to move to Pittsburgh."
"I don't know if you are we have to work things out legally. I would love for you to move to Pittsburgh with us but it all depends on certain things."
"Oh," she says, "I want to move to Pittsburgh with you. I want to live with you and not mama."
"Me too," says Ky and I wish they had a choice but since Shea is making it so difficult the decision lies in the hands of the judge.
"I would love that but we have to see what happens," I say. I look at Hayden and she takes my hand squeezing it softly for show of support. I would love the girls to come live with us. I don't have anything against Dean but Shea is always in it for herself and I know that Nova and Ky are just pawns in her games. She will use them as money makers and leverage makers. They are more than that and will always be more than that.
The waiter comes with our drinks and takes our food orders before walking away. "Hayden and I have something for both of you," I say.
"What is it?" asks Nova.
"Hold on," says Hayden as she pulls two boxes out from under the table. "I hope that you like it."
"Pretty," says Ky. "Can we open them?"
"Yes," I say with a smile.
I watch the girls tear the wrapping paper off their gifts and then watch them open the box. Nova and Ky look at the ultrasound picture of the twins on top of their shirts. Nova pulls her shirt out and says, "Big sister again. Big sister?" she asks.
"Big sister again," I smile, "and Ky your shirt says Big sister. Hayden and I are having babies, we're having twins!" Nova lets out a squeal of excitement as does Kylynn. They both go over and hug Hayden before they hug me. "Are you happy?"
"Yes!" says Nova, "I want baby sisters!"
"Me too," says Kylynn.
"I could use some boys," I say with a smile as I hug them grateful with how happy they are to get getting baby sisters or baby brothers.
Later that night after we have dinner and go to get ice-cream to celebrate the babies, the move to Pittsburgh and the start of summer vacation, the girls put on their shirts, Kylynn sits at the desk in the playroom while Nova stands at the chalkboard that says "Big Sister Training 101, Exam 2-1-20." I take the picture with my cellphone and with Hayden's cellphone before we each post it onto our social medias announcing that we are expecting twins and our family is growing. I couldn't be any more grateful to become a father again but definitely more grateful to have a wife that loves me and supports me no matter what I do. I never knew life could be this great until Hayden came into my life.
*A/N: So what did you think? What did you think about Shea? Do you truly believe she likes Hayden? What did you think of Roman's response to Shea? What about them going to court? What did you think of the girls' reaction to them having baby brothers or sisters? Do you think Roman has been humbled since being married to Shea? Does he seem happier and have a better life now with Hayden? What did you think of their announcement? Please review and thank-you for reading.