"When's Bwrit knee coming?" David asks for the millionth time. I swear this kid is getting on my nerves.
"In a little bit bud"
"Yous says dat already"
"I know but she's not coming yet" I can see the frustration in David and all I can do is laugh and shake my head.
"Yous laughing at me?" David's eyebrows narrow in and he makes a fist with his hand.
"Oh really now?" David grins and I make a move to get him but there's a knock at the door.
"Bwrit knee!" David races off to the front door and I quickly follow after him.
"Don't open the..." It's too late David has already opened the door. "Door" I finish. "David what did I say about opening the door?"
"But it's Bwrit knee. See" David points to a smiling Brittany.
"Hey"
"Hey" I say back to Brittany.
"Bwrit knee come in" David grabs Brittany's hand and leads her into the house.
"You have competition" Brittany tells me and then winks as she walks past me. I let out a small laugh and close the door behind them.
"Dis is my house. And dis is my TV and my toys and over dare is where my grandma sleeps" I laugh at David's tour of the house. "Wants to see my room?"
"Oh no you don't. Christopher is sleeping and I don't need you waking him up just yet" David snarls at me.
"How about you show me later okay?" Brittany tells David and he smiles wide. This kid I swear.
"You wants to play baseball wif me?"
"How about later bud. Let Brittany sit down for a bit" Again David gives me a snarling look. I gesture for Brittany to take a seat on the couch and just as I'm about to sit down next to her David quickly takes the seat. "Hey"
"Toos late" I glare at David and Brittany laughs.
"Why don't you build Brittany a house with your blocks" I tell David hoping he'll give me a few minutes to talk to Brittany.
"Yous want a house?" David asks Brittany and she nods her head yes. "O tay" David jumps up and grabs his bag of blocks and takes a seat on the floor.
"He's cute" I tilt my head to the side as I take a seat next to Brittany. "Well he is"
"You don't know the little brat" Brittany laughs. "Wait till you meet the other one. You'll be rushing to leave this place"
"So..." Brittany begins and I already know where this conversation is heading.
"I'm sorry about tonight" I say and Brittany sighs.
"Is there really no one else that can watch the boys? Not even just for a little bit?"
"If there was we wouldn't be sitting here" Brittany just nods her head and I can see the disappointment all over her face.
"Bwrit knee look" David points to a stack of blocks he's building and Brittany gives him a thumbs up.
"I wish my life wasn't complicated. I wish I could do whatever I wanted"
"You can"
"I can't" I tell Brittany. "I'm the only reliable one in the family and I don't know...I just feel like it's my responsibility to take care of everyone"
"That's sweet but you have to live your own life sometime San" Brittany places her hand on my knee and I smile and shake my head. "What?"
"Nothing"
"Just tell me" I smile and intertwine my fingers with Brittany's.
"You just...you make it easy" There's confusion all over Brittany's face. "I have a hard time opening up to people. Like earlier Marley kept trying to get me to open up and I talked to her about things but it just felt weird. But with you...I just want to spill my guts to you" Brittany smiles at me. "I feel safe with you. Oh god that sounds so corny" Brittany laughs.
"It's cute and I don't mind you spilling your guts. I want to know everything about you"
"And I want to tell you but just know it's not all pretty especially when it comes to these boys"
"I don't have a perfect life either" I open my mouth to say something but then I hear a crying.
"Chris" I say with a sigh. I let go of Brittany's hand and get up. "I'll be right back" I head to the room but when I come back out with Chris the living room is empty. I can hear laughter and realize it's coming from outside. Chris runs away from me and heads outside and I follow behind him. When I get outside I see Brittany throwing the ball so that David can hit it with his bat. This goes on for the next hour.
Finally after all the playing has died down I attempt to make dinner. Of course that doesn't go as planned because I burn not only the mac and cheese but the chicken as well. What a great way to impress Brittany with my cooking skills. I end up ordering pizza and after we all eat I march the boys straight into the bath. Like always David puts up a fight but after Brittany talks to him he goes directly into the bath. I lay both the boys down in bed and then join Brittany in the living room.
"I'm exhausted" I tell Brittany as I take a seat next to her.
"You're really good with them"
"That's only because you were here. Bath time usually takes longer and involves me running around chasing two naked boys" Brittany laughs.
"So tell me...how'd you get here?"
"What do you mean?"
"How did this become your life?" I sigh.
"You want the long or short version?" Brittany moves closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder while intertwining our fingers together.
"I want whatever version you want to give me"
"Short story my dad got involved with the wrong woman and got involved with the wrong things. They had these two boys and then got them taken away because the state found them to be unfit parents. My grandma seemed to be the only one that could take these boys in and care for them but she said she could only do it with my help so I stepped up. We've been caring for them but their mom Kristen hasn't been making it easy. She's called child services saying we're neglecting the boys"
"I'm sorry that sounds awful"
"It's been a rough time. The courts have given both my dad and Kristen second chances to prove they are fit to get the boys back but...sadly neither one of them have done anything. I have no idea what this women is doing and my dad...I have no idea where he is. He likes to come and go whenever. I'm getting tired and so is my grandma. I know she wants to just give them back to the state but at the same time she can't. These are her grand babies"
"That's understandable but San both you and your grandma can only do so much"
"I know" I sigh and feel Brittany place a kiss on my cheek. I turn my head to face her and lean in to kiss her on the lips.
"Please don't hate me for saying this but your grandma...she's starting to treat you like your dad is treating you both"
"What do you mean?"
"Well look at today. She left you so she can go out and relax with family"
"She deserves to have some relaxation. She's here with them twenty four seven. I'm only here a few days a week"
"You deserve some time too" I break away from Brittany and I hear her sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you mad"
"You didn't" I lean in and peck Brittany on the lips to reassure her that I'm not mad. "So how was your lunch with Quinn" I ask changing the subject.
"Frustrating. Long but in the end okay"
"That's an interesting combination for a lunch" I say.
"Quinn...she just doesn't know how to let go. When we first started dating..."
"So she's your ex" I say more like a statement than a question and Brittany nods her head yes.
"She is and I when we first started dating we promised each other that if we ever broke up we'd still be friends. But...well as you can tell she's having a hard time with just being friends. I told her we should just stay clear from each other for a while. Give each other time to heal and move on but she thinks that if we do that we'll just grow apart and she doesn't want to lose me"
"She still loves you"
"I know" Brittany says with a sigh. "And I love her too but just as a friend. I wanted to have this lunch with her to make her realize that. I don't want her thinking that there still is a chance especially now that you've come into the picture"
"She hates me" Brittany laughs. "If you don't mind me asking why did you guys break up?" Brittany's face falls and I can already tell this break up story isn't a pretty one.
"I cheated" My heart sinks at Brittany's admission. I wasn't expecting that. "I told you I don't have a perfect life. I make mistakes"
"Oh"
"Just oh?" I shrug not knowing what else to do or say. "You see me differently now don't you? I just totally screwed everything up" Brittany shakes her head.
"You didn't" I tell her as I place my hand on her thigh. "And I asked so..."
"Please don't think that you can't trust me because you can. I just...I made a mistake. It was dumb and I regret it. That's not who I am"
"It's fine" We sit in silence for a few seconds until Brittany speaks up.
"So how was lunch with Marley?"
"Alright"
"Just alright?" I nod my head yes and Brittany frowns. She opens her mouth to say something else but the sound of the keys opening the door stops her from saying anything. We both turn to look at the door and when it finally opens my grandma appears.
"Hi mija" My grandma greets me.
"Hi. Did you have a good time?" She nods her head yes. "The boys are asleep or at least should be asleep" I tell her.
"So early?"
"Brittany helped me get them to bed"
"Hi" Brittany says with a small wave.
"Grandma this is Brittany. Brittany this is my grandma" I introduce them to each other.
"Nice to meet you Brittany"
"Nice to meet you too" Brittany says as she gets up and I get up right after. "I should head home. I'll call you later" Brittany tells me.
"Wait" I tell Brittany and then turn to my grandma. "I'm going to head out too. I'll come by tomorrow"
"Okay. Be safe you two" My grandma says. I quickly grab my jacket and keys and walk out the door with Brittany. I walk her to her car and I take her keys from her so I can unlock her car and open the door for her.
"Thank you" Brittany says before she gets into her car. " Do you by any chance want to come over?"
"I do but..."
"But..."
"I've been gone all day and I need to get home to let my dog out"
"Your dog?" I nod my head yes. "Do you really have a dog or are you just making it up to get out of coming over?"
"I really have a dog"
"Okay. Well I guess I'll call you later then"
"Do you want to come over?" I ask. Even though things are a little weird I don't like the disappointing look on Brittany's face. "My place isn't big. Compared to yours it's a shoe box but if you want to come over for a bit you're more than welcome to"
"I don't care how big your place is. You can live in a dumpster and I'd still would like to come over" I smile which makes Brittany smile.
"A dumpster? You'd really want to come over if I lived in one?" Brittany's smile widens as she nods her head yes. "I really doubt that"
"Are you just inviting me over to be nice or do you really want me to come?"
"I want you to come" I tell her.
"Okay"
"Okay" I say back.
