They Are Ok
"Hi, Chiquita." AJ smiled, looking over Skyler in her crib whilst Anna smiled standing beside, "It's just me. Your cool aunt." She nodded, stroking her niece's cheek softly, "I brought you some little things." She said.
"AJ." Anna tutted.
"What?" AJ scoffed, "I wanna spoil her now that I have the chance." AJ said, "And plus, I miss buying little girl things. I'm used to… Star Wars and Superheroes everywhere." She shook her head as Anna smiled.
"You don't need to buy her things every time you come see her." Anna smiled. A few weeks had gone by and whilst they were finally getting to settle in with Skyler as a family, everything else also seemed to go back to normal.
"I know but we get CJ things so… it's only fair." AJ smiled, "So I got this." She said, sitting the bag on the changing table and bringing out a little pink jacket, "Cute, right?"
"That's adorable." Anna nodded.
"Hat to match." AJ showed her as Anna smiled, "And Phil… being the sensitive soul he is, he wanted to buy her a hairband." She nodded, extending over the little pink hairband which had clouds on it and a little bow.
"You guys are too much." Anna smiled, "She's so spoiled. JC comes with bags full of things every time he comes to see her." She shook her head, "But thank you, this was really kind. And I love them." She nodded.
"It's ok." AJ shook her head, "How are you finding it?" She asked her. She was on her way back from work when she figured she would pop in for a few minutes just to give in the little gifts.
"Oddly ok." Anna laughed a little, "I thought I'd be freaking out and… not knowing what to do but… we're doing fine." She nodded as AJ smiled.
"That's great." AJ smiled, "How is CJ with her?"
"He loves her." Anna nodded, "He's really happy he's a big brother. He helps me too. Brings me her diapers. Feeds her sometimes. It's really sweet." Anna smiled.
"Where is he? Is he with Paige?" AJ asked, walking out of the nursery where Skyler was drifting back to sleep.
"No, Dean was taking him to his football practise." Anna said.
"Oh, yeah. Phil mentioned that." AJ nodded, "You heard anymore from your mom… or about your mom I should say." AJ said, walking down the stairs as Anna followed behind.
"No, just that she's scheduled to go to court in a few weeks and she's remaining in jail until then." Anna nodded, "Trying not to think about it to be honest." She admitted, reaching the bottom of the stairs and heading to the front door.
"Yeah, that's probably best." AJ said, "Well hey, I know what it's like to have a newborn, things can sometimes get a little exhausting so… any time you need a little break, me and Phil are happy to babysit." She nodded.
"Thanks, AJ." Anna smiled. She really felt like her family was here now. A place where she felt loved, and where she knew her daughter and she were safe, "I think JC is in first line for that, though. He's already said to me multiple times." She laughed a little.
"He's softer than I ever thought." AJ admitted truthfully, "Well you know we're just five minutes away. So anything you need." She said.
"Yeah, we know." Anna smiled.
AJ got home later on after leaving Anna and Dean's house, walking into her own home where she heard her family in the kitchen. It was nice to know things were good again. All the people she cared about were safe, and all the people who had ever tried to hurt them, had gotten what they deserved.
"Hey." She smiled, walking into the kitchen where Punk was sitting with the kids, helping feed Frankie whilst Keala sat across from him eating her dinner, "What's for dinner tonight then?" She smiled, walking over and stealing a kiss from her son, kissing him on the cheek as he smiled and turned his head around to see her, "Hi, baby." She smiled. He made her melt. He was like this little Puerto Rican Punk with dark hair and the cutest smile.
"We're having lasagne." Keala told her, "And garlic bread." She added.
"One of my favourites." AJ smiled, kissing her daughter on the cheek, making her way around to her husband, "Hi." She smiled, pressing a kiss on his lips.
"Hi." Punk smiled back, glad to see her, "I didn't think you'd be this late." He admitted as AJ walked off to help herself to some dinner and join her family.
"I went to see Anna. Remember I told you last night." AJ said.
"Oh, yeah." Punk nodded, having quite clearly forgotten, "How is Skyler?" He asked as AJ nodded, sitting down beside Keala across from him.
"She's great. So cute." She nodded, "Anna loved the hairband by the way." She smiled as Punk nodded with a smile, "I never got to see Dean, he was taking CJ to his football practise." She said.
"Oh, yeah he mentioned that in work. Said CJ is pretty good actually. We should go to one of his games soon."
"Wasn't Dean quite good at football?" AJ remembered.
"Yeah, he was for a while. After mom died he… he just stopped going." Punk shrugged as AJ nodded, remembering.
"How was school?" AJ turned to Keala who just nodded.
"It was fine." Keala said, separating her lasagne up, pushing the mince to one side with the pasta and sauce to the other, "I got a new book to read. My teacher said some words might be hard so one of you will have to help me maybe." Keala told them.
"We can read some before you go to bed." AJ nodded.
"Ok." AJ smiled, "You heard from your dad?" AJ turned back to Punk.
"No not since a few days ago." Punk said, "Dean said he was babysitting Skyler in a few days. I'm sure we'll hear all about how that goes." He laughed a little.
"Do you think he feels like he's… making it up to himself… trying to be a good grandfather because he wasn't… he wasn't so good at being a father?" She asked.
"I think he's realised he has a family to be honest." Punk said, "I don't know if he ever felt like he had a family before, but you can tell he really wants to be here for us, could be because he's clean for the first time, or because he's actually gotten to know us and realises that… it's not so scary." He said, "I think he feels like he owes it to my mom as well." He nodded.
"What do you mean?" AJ asked him.
"Well… she was the one who took care of us all our lives and… losing her… I knew my mom well enough to know she would have wanted to know me and Dean were ok, and… I think my dad is trying to fill that gap." He nodded, "He's not a terrible person. I know what terrible people do. We've faced a few of them in the past few years." He said as she nodded, "He's not. He just… had a bad start, didn't know what he wanted, didn't know how to be what he wanted to be… he's-he's making up for it now and I… I don't know, I couldn't imagine him not being here now." He admitted truthfully as AJ smiled.
"I'm glad you have him." AJ nodded, "And I'm glad the kids do too. He's great with them." She said, "I don't know, it's just… nice for things to feel normal again." She shook her head as she he smiled and nodded.
"Tell me about it." Punk laughed a little, "I also got a bit of good news today." He said as she looked up.
"Are you pregnant?" She teased as he scoffed.
"I mean…" He looked down at his stomach, "Could be." He nodded as she laughed, causing him to smile. He felt like time had really stood still with them. In a good way. He still felt like they were kids. Everytime he saw her, he still got that flutter in his stomach, that excitement that he could spend the rest of his life with her, "No. I… I got offered the job in the garage." He said as AJ raised her eyebrows.
"Oh my God, are you kidding?" AJ smiled, sitting her fork down.
"Yeah. The owner, Paul, he came by and pretty much offered me it there and then." Punk nodded, "I've been there since I was eighteen, he knows me." He said as AJ nodded, "So I took it." He smiled as she raised her eyebrows.
"Oh my God." AJ smiled, "So is it the same job or are you doing something different?"
"I'm just in charge of a little more that's all." Punk nodded, "And don't forget that pay rise." He said as she smiled. Her excitement for him made him realise why he loved her.
"Congratulations. " AJ smiled, standing up and making her way over to him, sitting down on his lap and giving him a hug, kissing his cheek repeatedly as he laughed a little.
"Alright, alright." He said as she practically smothered him.
"What's going on?" Keala wondered.
"Daddy got a promotion." AJ told her as Keala just stared at her blankly, "A better job." AJ rephrased as Keala nodded and smiled.
"Well done daddy." Keala clapped, "That's good." She nodded as Punk smiled.
"Thanks, kid." Punk laughed a little whilst Frankie clapped his hands, a little delayed but only copying his sister, "Hey, thanks dude." Punk and AJ laughed as their son looked back at his dinner.
"You're a boss now." AJ smiled to him.
"I know it feels weird." Punk admitted.
"You can be my boss tonight." She smirked, "We have celebrating to do." She said quietly as he smiled and nodded.
"We do." He smiled, pressing his lips against hers as she wrapped her hands around his neck and melted into the kiss.
"Thanks, kid. Just keep the change." JC said, taking in the pizza into his apartment as he paid the kid who delivered it, shutting the door over and making his way back into the apartment, collapsing down on the sofa and sitting the pizza on the coffee table.
He was watching the Cubs game on and off with Vanessa's diary beside him, having been going through it for the past few weeks. Some parts were incredibly challenging, some parts made him smile and laugh.
He opened up the pizza and took a slice, putting his feet back up and reopening the diary where he was at.
So I had to collect Phil from school today. He had his first fight. Someone said to Dean he was adopted and he got mad. He's nine. I'm just glad they got each other's backs to be honest. Had to sit him down and explain to him we can't lift our hands to people. It annoyed me because I was glad to know that he had his little brother's back. I mean, I don't want him to fight with anyone but he was standing up for himself and his brother. I don't find anything too wrong with that. I'm a terrible mother, I know. Am I really saying a nine year old kid deserved to be beat on by my nine year old kid? Maybe. I know his dad would be proud of him.
Then there was the explaining to Dean that he wasn't really adopted and that I'm still his mother and Phil is still his brother. He looked literally devastated at the possibility of his brother not being his brother. I wanted to cry. He got over it quickly and I got them pizza after the very clearly traumatic day they both had. Made me think about them growing up, becoming their own people, going out into the world. Scared me a little to be honest. If I could hold their hands forever to make sure they were both ok I would. Happily.
JC got out of prison a few days ago. Usually he comes to see us, tells me how sorry he is and how disappointed he is in himself, but I think after our last fight he'll keep his distance. I don't want him to think that's what I want. I miss him. I also hate him. But I love him. I wish the boys would understand how great he really is. I don't want them to grow up thinking he's a waste of space. To most people maybe he is but I know him. I know what he can do. I know he loves his family. He just struggles. I think we've both accepted that it's never going to be normal with us. I think normal is boring anyway but… we're never going to have that perfect family, I mean… I'm writing this and I can hear Phil rolling Dean up in bubble wrap next door. We're not normal. I like that.
I just want my sons to be ok. I want them to have such a bright future. They're already inseparable, and I know they'll take care of each other. But I want them to be happy and safe. I don't want them to face any hardships, and if they do I just… I want to be there for them, or… I want someone to be there for them. I don't get when people sigh when I tell them how young I was when I had them, because they're the best things to ever happen to me. I mean, they're the funniest people I know and they're only nine and seven. And I don't regret a single thing.
I just want them to be ok. Have a good life. Have a great family. I know life is never as simple and straight forward as that. They're gonna be faced with challenges, obviously. That's life. But I know they'll be strong enough for it, no matter what life has to throw at them. I love them so much. And I love JC, wherever he is and wherever I am. Nothing we did was a mistake. I hope the boys get to understand how great he is one day.
A/N: I thought this was a nice way to end this trio of stories! I thought there was more to write about but when I done some rereading at parts I realised that this was the perfect way to end the story! It's been a blast to write these stories. Probably has been my favourite stories I've written and I want to thank the people who've followed them and reviewed! I'm sure I'll be back with something new soon but for now, hope you enjoyed the ending!
