*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much* I am back to updating, there was a lot happening, I needed a break and things were hectic but I am back hoping to update once a week at least or every other week, the best that I can. Thank-you so much for your patience.
A couple weeks have passed since the news of Mack and Jordan being suspended and benched in the NFL. Both have since been released from jail on bail which I am not surprised about in the least because they both have the money to cover their bail costs but the charges are still being held against them; however there is no word on when a hearing will take place. Everything has been crazy since I got back from Atlanta and things got even crazier when Mack and Jordan were suspended. The hounds camping outside of our home have been non stop attacking Roman and I with questions every time we leave our home how we feel about their suspension, do we think the charges will stick, what do we think about them making bail and bringing up the paternity of the baby I aborted after I was raped. I still don't know the paternity of that baby and I never will. It was a time in my life that I wish I could forget about, I am not extremely happy with my decision or my choice but at the time it was the best decision I could have made. I went through so much emotional turmoil after my rape that if that baby would be Mack's or any of the other men that raped me I would not be able to handle the emotional turmoil of growing it inside of me nor would I be able to love it the same as I know I love Luca and Roman. I have gotten so much backlash for my decision recently and honestly it is my life, Roman's life and our choice it just wasn't the right time so we did what we did and moved on with our life. I don't want our choice to overshadow the case and the hope to bring justice for what happened.
On top of being harassed every time we leave our home NFL has started their preseason leading into their seasonal games so Roman has been traveling for preseason games and gearing up for the season so that's another hectic thing on our plate right now and so far the 49ers are doing a pretty good job in preseason but we all know that preseason wins don't accumulate for the wins during the season they need to keep winning throughout the season in order to make it to the super bowl. It's just been a crazy life the last couple weeks and I am doing my best to stay calm and relaxed for the babies and on top of all of this Nova and Kylynn are back with us because school starts in the morning. "What are we having for dinner?" asks Nova as she comes into the kitchen as I am cooking dinner.
"We're having lasagna," I say.
"I LOVE lasagna," she says, "When is my dad coming home?"
"I think that your dad was flying home after the game today so that he can be here tomorrow for the first day of school and so that he can see Ky go to kindergarten."
"Good," she says, "I don't want him to miss my first day of school."
"He would never miss it," I say with a smile. "Are you ready for 3rd grade?"
"I guess," she says, "it's just a whole new school and I won't know anybody."
"I know," I say, "I didn't expect to move to San Francisco this late in the game either that was a big surprise but you're such a wonderful person and you're so friendly that I am sure by the end of the day tomorrow you're going to make a lot of new friends."
"I hope so," she says.
"What are we doing?" asks Ky as she comes into the kitchen.
"I'm cooking dinner," I say.
"And I am talking to Hayden," says Nova, "what are you doing?"
"Nothing," she says with a shrug. "I just wanted to see what y'all were doing."
"Ky, we don't live in New Orleans anymore," says Nova, "you don't have to say y'all anymore."
"Nova," I say with a smile, "that is her accent, you still have an accent from the south. I don't think you're ever really going to lose it. When I moved to Atlanta from New York I talked Yankee for such a long time before I started to talk southern it took a while for me to lose my New York accent."
"I know," says Nova, "but they don't talk like that here."
"I know and we will all adapt to our new life here. It's going to take some time. I still call soda Coke."
"But that's what it is," says Nova.
"Exactly," I say with a smile. "So Ky, you're going to kindergarten tomorrow, are you excited?"
"I don't know," says Ky. "I'm scared. I don't know anybody."
"It's okay to be scared," I say, "Nova is feeling the same way because she doesn't know anyone either but you two are going to have a great day and you two are going to make some new friends. I know it."
"I hope so," says Nova. "And Ky, remember I am in 3rd grade, you're in kindergarten. We don't talk to each other so if you see me in the hallway please don't say hi to me."
"Nova, that isn't very nice, you know your dad doesn't like you talking like that to Ky."
"But it's true," says Nova, "she's a kindergarten baby."
"I'm not a baby," says Ky with her hands on her hips, "I'm a big girl. I'm in kinnergarten."
"Kindergarten is for babies," she says and I swear Nova is just like her father. She always needs to get in the last word for anything and after weeks with her mother this is usually what we get when she returns it takes time to get a little chill on her attitude. "You can't read and you can't count. It's for babies."
"So maybe you should help your sister," I suggest, "she might need a little help reading some words because she is only 5 and she can read just not a lot of big words. Nova, why don't you try to help your sister instead of making fun of the things she doesn't do well. Wouldn't that be a kind thing to do?"
"I guess," she says.
"Remember you were in kindergarten once too, how did you feel when you went to kindergarten?" I ask.
"I was scared," she answers. "I guess I could help Ky but she's still a kindergarten baby."
I let out a sigh of exhaustion reminding myself that it's progress on Nova's part. "I am NOT a baby!" screams Ky.
"Yes you are!" she argues back, "baby, baby, baby."
"I don't wear a diaper like a baby or drink from a bottle like a baby. I am a big girl," she argues back. There really is a lot of estrogen in this house that I can't wait for Luca and Roman to add some more testosterone to the mix. "Luca and Roman will be babies! I am NOT a baby! Poop head!"
"ENOUGH!" I say, "Enough girls, Ky is not a kindergarten baby, she is right she is a big girl and she's going to kindergarten like a big girl. This is a big deal for her just like 3rd grade is a big deal for you. Let's stop calling each other names; Nova is not a poop head and Ky is not a baby you two are sisters you should get along because one day you could live all the way across the country from one another and not see each other as much like I am with my brother. We used to fight all the time when we were young too but now I miss him because I don't get to see him and I wish I could have spent more days hanging out with him than fighting with him."
"Okay, Hayden," says Nova. "I'm sorry, Ky, you're not a baby."
"It's okay and you're not a poop head," says Ky.
"How about I read you a book while Hayden finishes dinner?"
"Okay," says Ky with a smile.
"Thank-you," I say with a smile as they walk out of the kitchen together. I have been a mom for the last 4 years, well sort of in a way so I am not as nervous as I would be to have my sons if I had not had this practice the last 4 years. I just don't know how to handle twin boys but I am sure I am going to learn pretty quick on how to handle them.
Later that night after the girls and I have dinner, Nova and I wash the dishes together before she takes her shower and before Ky takes her bath so that they are both clean and fresh for school in the morning. We pack up their backpacks for school, pack their lunches and they each lay their outfits out to be ready for the morning. We read The Night Before Kindergarten to Kylynn before she goes to bed and then Nova watches some TV with me before she is off to bed. I breathe a sigh of relief as they are both in bed for the night. I love having them BUT the school routine is always so hectic to have them up and ready by a certain time and now this year we have two kids in school so it's going to be even crazier. I clean up around the house picking up Ky's dolls that she left in the living room and put them in the playroom where I pick up the crayons and coloring books she left out from coloring earlier. I finally get everything cleaned up before I take a shower and climb into bed for the night. It doesn't take long before I am asleep.
A few hours later I am woken up by Roman as he wraps his arms around me placing his hands on my stomach. "Baby Girl, I'm home," he says.
"I was hoping it was you," I say with a smile as I turn to face him.
"It better only be me," he says before kissing my lips softly. "Sorry it's so late."
"What time is it?" I ask.
"It's about 1 in the morning," he says. "We had a late game which delayed me getting back."
"I left some lasagna for you in the microwave, did you get it?"
"Yes and as always it was amazing. How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted, I almost forgot what it was like having Ky and Nova back," I say, "they fight a lot."
"I know but don't we all fight with our siblings?" he asks.
"Pretty much," I say, "and Nova has a whole attitude."
"Well, that comes from her mom."
"I don't know, Roman, you have an attitude too," I smile.
"She gets a lot of things from me," he says, "but her attitude isn't one of them plus she's almost a preteen so it's going to get worse."
"Oh I already know, when I was growing up when I hit the teen years my mom was never right, I was always right."
"I can't wait for those days," he says with a smile, "because this stage of Nova has been so much fun," he says sarcastically.
"She's JUST like you," I say. "Just own it, Baby."
"She definitely gets my stubbornness from me but she's so strong-willed and aggressive. I just hope those traits help her in the future become everything she's meant to be."
"If it makes you feel better I was strong-willed and aggressive growing up, I was always called bossy," I say, "and look how I turned out."
"Were? You are still strong-willed and aggressive."
"So it doesn't go away," I say with a smile, "and you're stuck with me for life."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he says with a smile. "I love you, Hayden."
"I love you too, so how did the boys do today?"
"Another win," he says proudly. "They're playing hard and working hard. I have a good outlook for the season. I know I have said it before but I know we are going all the way this year. I can feel it."
"As long as Luca and Roman allow you to be there for the super bowl," I say with a smile.
"Well, they are going to come when they want to come," he says, "we can't control that."
"Exactly," I say. "So when do we have to go to Louisiana?"
"In a couple weeks, I am hoping that works out well, I don't want to start Nova and Ky in school tomorrow up here and some judge decide in a couple weeks that he wants to give Shea primary custody and they have to go all the way to Louisiana for school. I don't understand what the issue is with them being here during the school year, with her on school holidays and enjoying a nice summer break with her. I don't understand it's always been this way."
"Because we don't live in Louisiana anymore and she doesn't want to move to California and we can't ask her and Dean to relocate and uproot their lives like we have done. In the last few months we have lived in New Orleans, Pittsburgh just barely and now San Francisco that's a lot of transition for our family and what if you get offered another job and we have to move somewhere else?"
"I don't plan on going anywhere for a long time, if any other team wanted to give me an offer then it better be a good offer because this is my dream job and I don't plan on going anywhere."
"Good," I say with a smile. "Do you think court is going to go well with Shea?"
"I never know anymore," he says, "I hope so and that's all I can do."
"I just think they do better with us than with her, just check Nova's whole attitude when she comes back from there."
"Well, Shea and Nova have never really had the best relationship, Nova always tested her."
"I'm not surprised," I say, "just like I know our sons are going to test us."
"Oh definitely," he says with a smile, "and I can't wait."
"To be tested?"
"To have two babies in the house again, it's going to be so much fun! I miss when Nova and Ky were little," he says rubbing my stomach. "I'm definitely going to do better this time around than I did with the girls."
"You're an amazing father," I say, "you're going to be just as amazing with Luca and Roman. I know you are," I say with a smile, "Roman?"
"Hmm?" he asks.
"Do you ever regret having that abortion?" I ask.
"No, I never regret it. It was the choice that needed to be made at the time. We did what we needed to do; first we didn't know if I was the father or Mack or any of those other guys were the father, second I was in the middle of having an affair with you and getting ready to divorce my wife, it was not the time for a baby and you had school to finish but no I don't regret our choice, do you regret it?"
"I don't regret it but sometimes I just wonder what would have happened if we didn't make that choice, we would have a 3 year old right now almost 4 years old and life would be so different. I just hate it being thrown back in my face and people thinking I am a horrible person for my choice."
"Fuck the haters," he says, "if they were in the same position I am sure they would have made a similar choice. No one has the right to tell anyone what to do in their life or with their bodies. We all have a past and we have all made mistakes, the media is going to dig up everything they can and throw it in our face, the affair, the abortion, the rape, anything they can find they are going to throw it in our face, it's our life, we made the choice best for us just like everyone else can make the choice for their own lives. You're not a horrible person, you're a wonderful person and I love you so much."
"I love you too, Roman," I say snuggling closer to him. I feel his lips on my temple as I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.
The next morning is just as hectic as I expected it to be but at least Roman is home to help out. He cooked the girls breakfast and did Ky's hair in pig tail buns while I straightened out Nova's hair for her big first day of 3rd grade. Both girls are dressed in their Catholic school uniforms, Ky wearing a light blue and dark blue plaid jumper with a light blue polo shirt underneath, white knee socks and black uniform shoes while Nova wears a plaid skirt that matches Ky's jumper with a white polo with the school logo on it with white knee socks and black shoes. "You look wonderful girls!" I say with a smile. "Are you ready for school?"
"I'm ready," says Nova with a smile.
"I don't want to go to kindergarten," says Ky nervously.
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because I'm scared," she says.
"There's nothing to be scared of," says Roman as he gets down on her level. "Kindergarten is a lot of fun!"
"Yes, Ky," says Nova, "kindergarten is so much fun! You're going to learn so much new stuff. You're going to learn how to read more words and learn how to count to 100, you're going to learn to tell time and you're going to learn how to do some addition, you're going to have so much fun."
"I don't know," she says, "I don't like this kindergarten idea."
"You're going to rock kindergarten," I say, "I promise."
"I don't know," she says, "what if the other kids don't like me?"
"What?" asks Roman, "how can anyone not like you? You're amazing!"
"Yes! You're amazing!" I say.
"You're the best," says Nova with encouragement. "You're the best little sister in the world! And you're going to be the coolest kindergartener in the school!"
"I don't know," she says. "I want to stay home with Daddy and Hayden."
"You have to go to school, Baby," I say. "I promise you're going to have a great day."
"Please don't make me go," she begs.
"Let me talk to her," says Nova. "Come with me, Ky."
Nova takes her hand and walks her out of the kitchen to talk to her. "Wow," I say.
"I don't eve know what to say about that," says Roman. "She has her moments but she is a good big sister."
"She really is," I say with a smile. "I hope this works."
"Even if it doesn't she still has to go to school even if she's kicking and screaming," he says.
"I know," I say as Nova and Ky come back into the kitchen.
"She's ready," says Nova.
"I'm ready," says Ky with a smile.
"Well, you changed your mind quickly," says Roman.
"I talked to her," says Nova with a proud smile.
"What did you say?" I ask.
"Just the same thing my Dad told me the first day of kindergarten. I told her that Daddy daughter dates are the tradition after school for the first day of school. Right, Dad?"
"Of course," he says with a smile, "That's absolutely right. Hayden, can you bring the girls to practice after school so I can take them out for a daddy daughter date to hear all about kindergarten and 3rd grade?"
"Absolutely but won't it be a late night?"
"I'm the coach, I will end practice a little earlier than normal. I need to spend time with my girls."
"Okay," I say, "Well, we need to get going so they aren't late for the first day of school."
"Let's go girls!"
We manage to get the girls to school on time, we take a couple pictures outside of the school before we walk into the school. Nova goes with us to take Ky to kindergarten, we walk her around the classroom so she can get an idea of what her classroom is like, we help her hang her stuff up in her cubby before finding her seat. We say our goodbyes to her before we leave the room, she nearly tears up until a little boy sits down next to her and starts talk with her. Roman and I smile before we leave the room. Nova goes on her way to 3rd grade as we walk out of the school. "They grow up so fast," says Roman.
"Mr. Reigns, are you crying?" I ask as he wraps his arm around my shoulder.
"It doesn't get easier," he says with tears in his eyes. "I thought after Nova this would be a piece of cake and now here we are and I have to do this one more time with the boys."
"Well, we have some time for that," I say with comfort, "you'll be okay."
"But will Ky be okay?" he asks. "And what about Nova?"
"They're both going to have a wonderful day and you're going to hear all about it on your date tonight. They're going to be okay, I promise."
"I hope so," he says with a smile, "but while they are at school that means we have some time to be alone."
"Hmm, what could we possibly do with that time?" I ask with a smile.
"I have an idea," he says with a smile, "Come on, Mrs. Reigns, lets go celebrate the 1st day of school alone."
"I like that plan," I smile.
Roman's Point of View:
I blow my whistle, "hustle boys, hustle!" I call out to my team as they gather around me. "We are on a roll in preseason but we need to keep this energy for the season! We need to win these games, we need to keep this energy! I'm proud of all the hard work you're putting into the team and all the hard work you're putting into practice. You're looking good out on that field every week. I want to see this same energy we're going to the super bowl this year and we are going to take it all this year!"
"Daddy!" yells Kylynn as she comes running over to me with Nova running with her both dressed in their 49er jerseys and Hayden waddling behind them. I scoop Ky up into my arms and hug Nova. "Hi, Boys!" says Ky with a smile as she waves to the team.
They wave back to her with a smile before I end practice, "all right, we're going to end practice early tonight, I have a date with my daughters, you have a goodnight and get some rest we have an early morning tomorrow for practice, you're good to go," I say dismissing them. I walk over to Hayden, "Thanks, Baby Girl."
"No problem, you're in for a treat on your date," she says with a smile.
"What does that even mean?" I ask.
"Oh you'll find out," she says with a smile. "Have fun!"
"You know you can come along if you want," I say.
"I know but I just want to go home and relax. You three have fun," she says.
"All right, I love you." I give her a soft kiss on the lips.
"I love you too," she says before she heads back to her car leaving me with the girls to go on our date. I have to wait for everyone to leave before I can and when the last player is out of the locker room I lock everything up and walk to my car helping Ky get into the booster seat while Nova gets into her seat.
"So where are we going?" I ask them.
"Burgers!" says Nova, "let's get burgers."
"Okay," I say with a smile as I start the car and make my way to the closest burger place I could use a good burger and fries with a nice cold milkshake. I text Hayden to see if she wants me to bring home food but I already know the answer considering she's eating for 3 and she is always hungry. She texts me her order just as we arrive at the restaurant.
We find a table for us to sit at before I go to order our food and wait for them to bring us our food. "So how was school?" I ask.
"It was the BEST day ever!" says Nova. "I love 3rd grade! It's definitely going to be the best grade ever we are going to learn cursive and we get to do division and multiplication, I love math already!" she says with excitement.
"I love math also," I say with a smile, "anything else happen at school?"
"Yes!" she says, "we have a class pet it's a guinea pig and its name is Oreo and he is the cutest little thing in the world and guess what! Each weekend one of us gets to bring Oreo home to take care of him!"
"That sounds like fun," I say with a smile. I love her excitement. She's always loved school and going to school.
"And I made two new friends! Two girls their names are Ava and Sophia," she says, "They sit at my table in class and then we played with each other at recess and then we ate lunch together. I love California and I love our new school."
"I'm glad you had a good day and how excited you are for 3rd grade, I'm happy. What about you, Ky, how was your first day of kindergarten?"
"Good," she says but not with as much excitement as Nova.
"What did you do?"
"We colored pictures, I made a picture for you it's of our family. It has you, me, Nova and Hayden in it. Hayden put it on the refrigerator. We got to do some reading too and I'm the only one that can read." I try to ignore the fact that her family picture didn't include her mom, Dean and her little brother because we are all one family no matter where we are and where we end up we have always made it seem that way despite circumstance.
"That's so awesome!" I say with a smile as they bring our food. I give them their food and pour ketchup onto Ky's plate before we go back to talking, "what else happened? Do you like your teacher?"
"Yes, she's nice," she says, "and I got a boyfriend!"
"A what?" I ask.
She giggles and says, "A boyfriend!"
"I thought boys had cooties," I say.
"No, Daddy, boys don't have cooties, that's silly."
"I thought they did," I say, "so you have a boyfriend?" I ask.
"Yes," she says with a smile. "His name is Micah!"
"Don't you think you're too young for a boyfriend?"
"No," she says.
"So tell me about this Micah, is he a good guy?" I ask.
"Yes," she says, "he played with me at recess and sat with me at lunch. He even held my hand!"
"Oh no, no hand holding," I say with a smile.
"Okay, Daddy," she says as if it is that easy.
"Did you make any other friends?" I ask.
"Yes, a girl named Dream!"
"That sounds fun so kindergarten wasn't that bad was it?"
"No," she says, "I can't wait to go back again tomorrow!"
"See, I knew you would have a good day. I am so glad you both had good days."
"Me too," says Nova, "Dad, do we have to go live with Mama?"
"I don't know why?"
"Because we don't want to, do we, Ky?"
"No," Ky shakes her head.
"Don't you have fun at your mama's house?"
"No," says Ky. "I don't like it at Mama's."
"Why?" I ask.
"Well," says Nova, "Mama isn't fun. She's actually kind of mean. I don't want to be there. I want to stay with you and Hayden. We have more fun."
"Your mama loves you a lot," I say.
"No she doesn't," says Nova. "She loves your money not us."
"Nova, that's a terrible thing to say," I say. "Where did you hear that?"
"From Mama," she says, "she was talking to Nana about you going to court. She said that you were trying to keep us in California but she wasn't going to let that happen. She said she wants us with her and not with you. She also told Nana that the child support will be nice. I didn't know what child support was so I googled it and saw it was money. She just loves your money not us," she says honestly. I know to believe her Nova isn't going to make up a story like that out of thin air.
"Are you sure that's what she said?" I ask just to make sure I heard her right.
"Yes and she said that your past is going to fuck you over," she shrugs. "I don't know what that means but that's what she said."
"First don't say fuck that's a bad word and second you should not even be involved in this or have heard this conversation."
"I'm sorry but that's what she said," she says. "Please Dad don't let her take us."
"Please Daddy," begs Ky.
"I'm going to do the best that I can," I promise them, "I will do the best that I can and know I will always fight for you." I knew there was an underlying motive to Shea getting the girls, she would get a lot in child support from me due to my job and my coaching position. It has always been about the money for her and I knew that her filing for primary custody was more than her wanting to be with the girls, she couldn't care less about the girls as long as that money is coming in. I already pay her a good bit in alimony from the divorce. It's disgusting and this conversation will be added to my grievances when it comes to court in the next couple weeks.
*A/N: So what did you think? What do you think of Nova's and Ky's relationship? What did you think about what Nova said to Roman are you surprised by Shea? Please let me know if you're still interested in this story and want me to continue. Thank-you for taking the time to read and please review.