I hope everyone had a great holiday, spread the love and joy.
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Jade: Alright, come on. I don't have all day.
The toddlers walked in single file out the front door, each jumping down from the small porch. Jade closed the door after them locking it. She walked after the tots as they excitedly ran off to her car. They don't go out much with Jade, unless it's a car ride home from Beck's. She usually leaves them home alone, but due to the custody battle she couldn't risk leaving them alone.
Cat: Where are we going?
Jade: For a little ride, that's all.
Jade opened the back door for them to get in. She watched as they struggled climbing in. She sighed helping them in to get seated.
Tori: Yay, I sitting next to you, Andre.
Tori smiled as she gave Andre a half hug.
Robbie: What about me? I sitting next to you too.
Tori turned giving Robbie a half hug too.
Jade: Something's not right here.
Jade studied the small toddlers sitting the back seat.
Jade: Of course. Okay, you two together.
Jade pulled the seatbelt over Cat and Andre strapping them in safely.
Jade: You, can have your own.
Jade pulled the middle seatbelt over Tori strapping her in for safety, she looked to the two tots on the right end.
Jade: And you two.
Jade reached further into the car pulling the seatbelt over Trina and Robbie to strapping them in.
Jade: There. That looks better. Everyone fits.
Jade closed the backdoor before getting into the front driver's seat. She started her car and drove off.
Trina: Robbie, don't pee like last time.
Robbie: I no pee like last time.
Trina: Be a big boy, like daddy said.
Robbie: I am a big boy Tor- Trina.
Cat: You don't look big.
Robbie: I no big.
Cat: But how are you a big boy?
Robbie dramatically hit his head with his hand.
Robbie: Because I am.
Tori: What about you Andre?
Andre: Huh?
Tori: Are you a big boy too?
Andre nodded his head, he didn't say anything, he just sucked on his pacifier.
Tori: You have to take this out.
Tori tried taking out the pacifier from Andre's mouth, he turned his head away from her.
Andre: Stop. This mine, no yours.
Jade watched the tots' conversation from her rearview mirror. She was amazed to see them talking. She hasn't paid much attention to them to see them interact. They seemed kinda, mature to be three and yet looked so innocent. Like, babies. Talking babies, Jade thought.
Less than an hour later:
Jade had finally managed to pay her light bill after a week. The drive home was silent as the tots slept in the backseat, their heads leaning on each other. Jade drove as she was deep in her thoughts, thinking about her life. What would happen if she lost custody? She'd have nothing. No money, nothing, but Zeek. She thought of ways to win over the toddlers to favor her over Beck.
Robbie: I have to be a big boy.
Robbie's voice interrupted Jade from her thoughts. She looked at him from the rearview mirror.
Jade: What, what are you saying?
Robbie: I oppose to pee in the potty, daddy said so.
Jade: Did you pee on yourself Robbie?
Robbie: I no do that. I have to go to the potty.
Jade: Well hang in there, we're almost home.
Robbie held in his urine as he waited to arrive home. Jade drove into the driveway parking her car. She out got of her seat to get the toddlers in the back.
Jade: Alright, we're back, wakeup.
Jade's voice awakened the sleeping tots, she unbuckled the seatbelts freeing them from the protection.
Trina: Where are we?
Robbie: Home and I need to potty.
Jade: Okay, come on, everybody out.
Jade helped the toddlers out her car, one by one. They walked over to the porch waiting for Jade to open the door. When she opened the door, Robbie ran inside.
Robbie: I gotta go! I gotta go!
Robbie ran to the bathroom, Jade and the other four walked inside. Closing the door, she flicked the light switch turning on the lights. Jade sighed satisfied.
Jade: Finally.
Cat: It's no dark anymore?
Jade walked over to the thermostat adjusting the heat to warm the house.
Jade: No, not anymore.
Tori: I hungry, my tummy hurts.
Jade: Oh, food, right.
Jade hadn't fed the toddlers breakfast and it was after two in the afternoon. She walked to the kitchen, the tots wondered after her sitting at their table. Jade looked in the fridge and sighed.
Cat: Are you gonna make food?
Jade ran her fingers through her hair aggravated. She had already spent her money on the light bill, and the monthly check she usually uses for groceries, Zeek took.
Jade: No, I'm not.
Andre: Why not? I hungry, can I eat cheesy sticks?
Trina: I like cheesy sticks.
Cat: Me too. I want that, can I have it?
Jade found a pack of lunchmeat in the fridge, she took it out to give to the tots.
Jade: I'm not cooking today, here, share this.
Jade sat the pack of lunchmeat on the table before leaving the kitchen. The toddlers stared confused.
Cat: Why her no make food?
Robbie happily walked into the kitchen sitting down with his siblings.
Robbie: I did it, I no baby. I use the potty.
Andre: Your pants are wet.
Robbie: That is just water.
Tori: I don't want this, I no like it.
/ / / / / / / / /
Almost a week later it was, Friday. This was Beck's weekend to get the toddlers. Jade sat packing their bag with their things to take to his house.
Jade: And what else did I say?
The toddlers sat on the floor watching as Jade stuffed shirts into the duffle bag, she looked over to them.
Jade: What did I say?
Tori: No, uh, don't talk to daddy about Zeek.
Andre: We can't tell daddy what Zeek did.
Jade: What did he do?
Cat: Him hurt you.
Jade: If I find out you told him, it will really upset me.
Jade zipped up the duffle bag before walking over to the group of tots, she bent down to their level.
Jade: And believe me, you don't want me to get upset.
Trina: But-
Jade: But what?
Trina: Why Zeek hurt you, again?
Jade: (sighs) It was an accident, that's all.
Robbie: Can we tell daddy that?
Jade: No! Weren't you just listening to what I said?
The doorbell rang, Jade sighed standing up.
Jade: Just, don't say anything about Zeek. It's non of Beck's stupid business.
Jade walked out the room to answer the door. Trina turned to Andre.
Trina: Mommy needs a nap.
Jade walked to the front door, she swung it opened revealing Beck.
Jade: What are you doing here so early?
Beck: The school-
Jade: I don't care, take them. I need a break.
Jade stepped aside allowing Beck to walk in. She closed the door after him. Beck stood looking around the small house.
Jade: Looking for something to go tell your precious lawyer about?
Beck turned to Jade, she looked annoyed with him.
Beck: Just looking for my kids.
Jade: You know where their room is, don't play dumb.
Beck shrugged walking making his way to the toddlers' bedroom. He walked in smiling at them as they ran hugging his legs.
Tori: Daddy!
Andre: I miss you.
Beck: Aw, I missed you guys too. Ready to go?
Robbie: Yes, can we go to your house?
Beck: (chuckles) Of course, that's where we always go.
Cat: Wait. I oppose to wear shoes.
Trina: Me too, I need shoes.
Beck watched as the toddlers retrieved their shoes from the closet. They sat on the floor waiting for Beck to put their shoes on. Beck bent down putting Andre's shoes on his feet.
Beck: Guess what?
Cat: What?
Beck: I bought new shoes for you.
Tori: New shoes? Pretty shoes?
Beck: Yep, only for when you're at my house.
Robbie: Mommy taked away my shoes.
Beck: I know, she's not gonna do it again.
Beck finished getting the toddlers ready to leave, he grabbed their duffle bag from the floor.
Beck: Now we're all ready to go.
Beck turned to the toddlers, they were all sucking on their pacifiers.
Beck: I thought you were gonna give those up.
The toddlers shook their heads sucking on their pacifiers, Beck sighed and smiled.
Beck: Come on, let's get out of here.
Beck walked out with the tots leaving the bedroom, Jade was in the living room sitting on the couch.
Beck: We're leaving.
Jade: I can see that.
Jade stood up from the couch walking over to the toddlers, she hugged them. Beck stood shock, Jade pulled away looking at him.
Jade: What? Something wrong?
Beck: Nothing. Come on, let's go have some fun.
Beck left with the toddlers leaving Jade alone for the weekend. He wanted to take them somewhere special, were they could have some fun. He parked his minivan in a parking lot, taking the time out to switch the toddlers' old, dirty, worn out shoes with the new.
Robbie: Daddy, it's not lighting up.
Robbie sat in his car seat, swinging his legs frustrated at his new shoes.
Beck: (chuckles) You have to walk for it to light up.
Beck was putting Trina's shoes on her feet, the toddlers were still strapped in their car seats. Andre turned looking out the window.
Andre: This not your house daddy.
Beck: Nope, we're not at my house yet.
Cat: I wanna go to your house.
Beck: You will, after we eat.
Beck finished tying Trina's shoes, he smiled.
Beck: Want some pizza?
Tori: Yes, I like pizza.
Trina: I want some too daddy.
Beck: Okay, let's go eat and have some fun.
Beck took each toddler out from the van one by one, making sure he had them all.
Beck: You have to leave those here.
Beck gestured to their pacifiers they were sucking on, the tots all frowned.
Beck: You won't need it here, trust me.
Beck held his hand out, the toddlers all handed him their pacifiers. He sat the pacifiers in a car seat before closing the door. Cat started whimpering, Beck grabbed her hand.
Beck: You're gonna be okay, you're a big girl, remember?
Beck grabbed all their hands before walking out the parking lot to the restaurant.
Robbie: Look, my shoes! It's lighting up!
Trina: Mine too, look daddy.
Beck: Wow, you huys have the coolest shoes.
The toddlers all giggled at their lightening shoes as they stumped along the way to see more. Beck grabbed the door holding it open.
Beck: Go on in.
The toddlers all walked in, they stopped looking at their surroundings. Beck smiled walking behind them, he was anxious to see their reactions.
Andre: (points) What's that?
Cat: Is this the park?
Beck: No, this is Chuck e Cheese, remember from TV?
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
Jade studied the stick in her hand, she tossed it in the trash before walking out the bathroom.
Jade: It's negative.
Zeek sat on the couch as he sorted white powder on the coffee table.
Zeek: It better be negative or I'll kick your ass for trying to pop one out on me.
Jade: It is negative, why would I lie about that?
Zeek: Because you're a bitch that's why.
Jade: Don't call me a bitch Zeek.
Zeek: Bitch.
Jade walked over to Zeek sitting down.
Jade: Why, why do you treat me like shit?
Zeek: Because you are.
Zeek laughed kissing Jade, she pulled a small smile.
Zeek: You know I love you, right? Right?
Zeek's tone of voice sounded threatening, Jade nodded.
Zeek: Well?
Jade: I love you too.
Zeek: Don't you ever stop.
Jade watched Zeek as he used a straw snorting the cocaine, he laughed looking to Jade.
Jade: What?
Zeek: Try this.
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
This chapter will be continued in the next.
Thanks for reading, more to come.