Parenting
"Looking good sister." Coleen smiled as AJ walked into the office and put her things down.
"My ass does look good in these pants." AJ agreed, rubbing her hand over her ass as Coleen nodded, sipping on her coffee in the take-away cup, "How are you?" She asked, dumping her things down at her desk.
"Fabulous. We got in a one thousand dollar donation this morning." Coleen said as AJ raised her eyebrows and walked around to her sister's desk. There were a few other girls in the office and that was about all the staff AJ had.
"From who?" AJ smiled, "That's amazing."
"Wait for it. The mayor." Coleen chuckled loudly, "What a gorgeous man." She shook her head happily.
"That's so good." AJ said happily, "How are things coming along with tracking?" AJ asked, "Lily, have you got anything on those internet hackers?" She said, taking her coat off and putting it over her chair.
"Still working on it." Lily smiled as AJ nodded.
"Great." AJ said.
The cooperate scene wasn't something she ever fitted and when the time came that she was itching to work again, she thought about doing something useful and helpful. She started up her own organisation from scratch with the help of her little sister. Ultimately, an organisation to prevent human trafficking and child trafficking. It was rewarding and it was something she was completely invested in doing.
Once Coleen had gotten herself better, she moved to Virginia and happily came along for the ride with AJ in building the organisation. If anything it had made them insanely close, and everything that had happened before was completely behind them.
They had a small and intimate group working in an office in the town, working on all aspects to prevent human trafficking. From groups they were aware of, to online hackers who were louring people in, to circles they were aware of in other countries. It was a tiresome and sometimes difficult job, but very rewarding when things went right. AJ felt like it was exactly what she was supposed to do and she couldn't have been happier.
"Is Miss Vivian coming to join us today?" Coleen smiled as AJ sat down at her desk. She ran the business which meant she was also in charge of the admin, which was all very new to her but she was learning as she went along.
"She is." AJ smiled, "Phil is dropping her on his way to work." She nodded.
"Why don't you just get her a nanny?" Coleen asked, "Or have Phil take her to work with him."
"Phil works in the CIA. His schedule can be unpredictable. It's more practical for her to be here." AJ shrugged, "Why? Does someone have an issue with her being here?" AJ shook her head.
"No." Coleen shook her head, "No, she's no problem. I just know you can get a little distracted with her here, that's all." She said.
"No, it's fine. I'd rather her here with me than some stranger I don't know." AJ shook her head, "You know I'm not the trusting type." She said as Coleen nodded.
"Oh, I know." Coleen smiled.
"Ok, stop talking to me I have some phone calls to make." AJ said as Coleen smiled.
"Here, if you don't wear you scarf, mommy will be mad at me." Punk said, crouching down at the doorway as he wrapped Vivian's scarf around her as she rolled her eyes.
"I don't want to be too warm." Vivian sighed, trying to push it away.
"I know I know but… you can take it off when you get to mommy's work." Punk said, "It's cold outside. Hat too." He picked up the beanie hat as Vivian sighed.
"Daddy." She moaned as Punk pulled the hat over her all the way past her eyes as she giggled.
"There, you look great." Punk joked as Vivian smiled, pushing the hat up so she could see again.
"I couldn't see." Vivian gasped.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Punk teased, "Ok, take some games with you so you don't get bored."
"Can I take Raimy's switch with me?" Vivian asked him.
"Not really for me to decide, is it?" Punk said, "You should really ask her before you play it." He advised as Vivian huffed.
"Well… well…" She followed him out to the kitchen, her little feet running behind him, "I now know what I want to put on my Santa list." She nodded as Punk grabbed his wallet and keys from the kitchen.
"Oh, you do?" Punk asked.
"Yes. A switch. Only if I've been a good girl I guess." She shrugged worriedly as Punk smiled.
"Hey, you've been the best." Punk smiled.
"It's not up to you, it's up to Santa." She said, taking his hand and walking him to the door so they could leave, "He sees everything." She told her father.
"He does?" Punk questioned.
"Yes." Vivian nodded.
"Well then he'll see how kind and wonderful you are then." Punk smiled, "Come on, let's go." He nodded, opening up the door as she ran out and over to their car, opening up the door and climbing in as Punk helped her.
"Hey, I can get up on my own." Vivian folded her arms. She was very independent and liked to do things on her own. In that respect, she was completely like AJ.
"I know but we're running late and you take too long." Punk said, clicking her seatbelt in and kissing her head before closing the door over and getting into the front.
He drove to AJ's office in town and got out, helping Vivian down and walking on in through the front door. He was insanely proud of his wife for what she had done and how many people she had helped. She was an inspiration to him.
"Ladies." Punk nodded with a smile as he walked into the main office, "I'm here to drop off a helper for the day." He said as Vivian smiled.
"Me." Vivian threw her hands up as the girls laughed and smiled.
"Hey, my bestie." Coleen smiled, standing up and walking over as she gave her niece a big hug.
"Hi." Vivian smiled, "Where is mommy?" She wondered.
"She was just on the phone." Coleen said just as AJ walked in from the stock room.
"Oh, hey." AJ smiled as she walked over to her husband, giving him a kiss before looking down at Vivian, "I thought I said to bring some games or books with you?" AJ questioned.
"Shit." Punk realised they had forgot to take some things with them, "We were rushing." He shook his head.
"I can do your work for you, mommy." Vivian said, walking over and sitting at her mother's desk, climbing up onto the spinning chair and using the desk to spin herself around.
"See, she's easily amused. She doesn't need toys." Punk smiled as AJ laughed and nodded, turning back to him, "When you finishing?" He asked her.
"Probably close up at 5." AJ nodded, "But I can go pick up Raims when she finishes school." She said as Punk nodded, "We're getting more and more donations in." She nodded, "One from the mayor." She raised her eyebrows.
"Well look at you." Punk nudged her with a smile, "I'm glad people are contributing." Punk nodded.
"Me too." AJ said, "You know a lot of people don't know it's such a big thing going on, because a lot of it is so hidden." She shook her head as Punk nodded.
"You make me proud every day." He smiled, pulling her in and kissing her head as she smiled.
"Mmm… I love you." AJ whispered, looking up at him and smiling.
"I love you." He smiled, "I'll see you later." He nodded, kissing her on the lips sweetly before he left the office.
AJ turned around where Vivian was continuing to spin around on the chair, "Ok, Viv. I think we should stop before you throw up." AJ chuckled, stopping the chair as Vivian laughed.
"Mommy, let me help you." Vivian smiled as AJ grabbed another chair and sat at her desk beside her youngest daughter.
"Well you could use the shredder for me." AJ nodded.
"Yeah, I like the shredder." Vivian nodded with a smile.
"Ok, here." AJ said, grabbing some random bits of paper around and handing it to her. She liked to help and be a part of the team when she came to the office. She wasn't any trouble at all. Neither of their girls were a handful. They had beautiful, kind hearts and AJ was so proud to be their mom.
AJ smiled as she watched Vivian walk over to the shredder across the room, carefully sliding in each piece of paper.
"She's in her glory." Coleen noticed as AJ smiled and nodded.
"Who needs toys when you have a paper shredder?" AJ shrugged as Coleen laughed.
"Just switch the e and the i around." Punk nodded, sitting at the kitchen table later that night as he helped Raimy with her homework and gave his hand to Vivian who was painting his nails.
"Like that?" Raimy asked, turning the book back around as Punk nodded.
"Perfect." Punk nodded.
"How was school, baby?" AJ asked, wandering around the kitchen whilst trying to make dinner.
"It was good." Raimy nodded, packing her books back into her bookbag. She was a lot quieter than Vivian and didn't enjoy being the centre of attention the way her sister did.
"Yeah? What'd you get up to?" AJ asked her.
"We're learning how to do family trees." Raimy said as AJ nodded.
"That's cool." AJ smiled sweetly.
"My friends have a lot of family." Raimy said as Punk looked over to AJ who glanced at him.
"We all have dfferent types of families, baby." AJ nodded, "Some are super small and some are… super big." She said.
"I wish I had a granny and grandpa." She shrugged.
"Hey, there are tons of kids who don't have grandparents." Punk assured her as she just nodded.
"I know." Raimy said, putting her bookbag over by the shoe rack whilst Vivian concentrated on painting Punk's nails, or more so his entire fingertips.
"Are we nearly done here?" Punk asked her.
"No." Vivian shook her head, "One more." She said as AJ looked over and smiled. She loved how Punk had humoured the girls over the years. He had to adapt to dressing up, tea parties, dressing up dollies, nail painting, learning how to do the girls hair… and she was sure he secretly loved it. The best part was how present both of them were in the girls lives. They were the closest family and AJ felt blessed to have them in her life.
"Girls dinner is ready so go up and wash your hands." She told them, "You can finish painting his nails later." She said, taking the nail polish from Vivian as she huffed and slid off the chair, running off with her sister to go wash their hands.
"What do you think?" Punk asked, looking at his nails.
"Oh, yeah. Beautiful." AJ smiled, "Hey, that was weird hearing that from Raimy." AJ frowned, "I had no idea she knew about… grandparents."
"Well she didn't until her teacher probably asked her. Her poor family tree is only gonna have a few branches." Punk frowned.
"I hope she doesn't feel odd because of it." AJ frowned. She worried about the girls. She wasn't sure if it was due to everything she'd been through, being that bit more over protective of them as her babies, but she worried about them fitting in and choosing the correct paths in life. She'd saw first-hand how cruel the world could be and all she wanted to do was protect them both.
"No, she won't. She just seemed curious." Punk shrugged as AJ nodded.
"I uh… I have nail polish remover upstairs." AJ smiled, looking at Punk's hands as he smiled.
"If I take this off she'll kick me on the shin and you know it." Punk said as AJ laughed.
"She will." AJ nodded, "How was work today?" She asked, walking by him to the fridge, scratching his head sweetly.
"Oh, it was fine." He nodded in an exhausted tone.
"Stressed?" AJ asked him as he nodded, "I'll take care of that letter." She smirked over her shoulder as he smiled.
"Might have to make a trip to the middle east." Punk told her.
"I hate when you go away." AJ frowned sadly.
"I do too, believe you me." He said, "Just a few days at the end of next week." He nodded.
"What will I do without you for a few days?" She sighed dramatically as he smiled.
She had gotten used to him working away from home at times. It came with his job and he knew that. The most he had been gone for was a week. Just like it was difficult for her, it was difficult for the girls too as they hated when he had to work away.
"I'm sure you'll live." Punk nodded as she smiled.
"Go make sure they aren't… having a water fight like last night." AJ shook her head as Punk smiled.
"I honestly wouldn't be surprised." He shook his head, standing up from the table and heading off to collect the girls.