Mathers Family Values

Chapter 8

Marshall brought the other kids up to see Mckynna after they got out of school. Matthew and Myles wanted to stay the night with her. They weren't very happy when they were told that they could not stay overnight. They were really upset when they found out that she wouldn't be home for a few days. Marshall had to promise to bring them up after school the next few days so that they could see her. It was going to be the first time the triplets had been apart. Madelyn felt bad about them being separated. She looked at her husband. 

"They will be fine," he said. 

"I know, I just can't believe that they are going to be apart for the first time ever," she said. 

"It will be fine,"

She nodded. She knew that he was right but she wasn't sure that she was prepared for it. She sighed. He kissed her cheek.

"Daddy," Mckynna caught his attention.

"What baby?" he asked.

"Did you know that Proof says hi?"

Marshall stared at his daughter. She looked so small on the bed. His eyes widened as what she said sunk into his head. He glanced at his wife. Madelyn was staring at her daughter with the same look.

"What do you mean baby?" he asked.

"I saw him during my surgery." she stated with conviction.

Marshall just watched her. She looked super serious about it. Madelyn reached for Marshall's hand. He was shaking. Mckynna stared at her dad like it was an every day thing that she saw Proof. Marshall glanced at Madelyn as her hand connected with his. 

It was still difficult for Marshall to talk about Proof and everything that they had been thru together. Madelyn never pushed him to talk about anything that he had been thru with Proof or with his uncle Ronnie. Marshall looked at his kids. Mckynna looked terrified that Marshall was going to be upset with her about bringing it up. Marshall leaned down to kiss his daughter's forehead. 

"I love you baby girl. I know that Proof will always look out for my kids," he said. 

"Daddy, I didn't mean to make you sad," Mckynna said. 

"Baby girl, you never make me sad."

She gave him a look that he had seen cross his wife's face on more than one occasion when she didn't believe what he was telling her. He chuckled a bit. He had to leave to take the other kids home to get ready for bed. Madelyn stayed with her daughter. 

"Mama," Mckynna said. 

"What baby?" Madelyn asked. 

"Did Proof really visit daddy before we were born?"

Madelyn was taken back slightly but slowly nodded. She thought back on the drama that had surrounded the triplets birth. 

"We will talk about that more when you are older baby," Madelyn told her. 

"Mama, he said he was glad that we were doing so well and even with our troubles we would do big things," Mckynna said. 

"Sweetheart, the things that you and your brother's face will make you some of the strongest people that daddy and I will ever know."

Mckynna nodded. She had always wondered why it had to be her that had issues hearing. She wasn't made fun of in school like her brother was. Matthew hated his stutter and that he couldn't stop it. Even with speech that they had all gotten as babies and toddlers, it didn't stop the stutter. 

"Mama, why did God give us problems?" Mckynna asked. 

"What do you mean?" Madelyn asked her. 

"Why can't I hear like my brothers? Matt has a stutter and Myles is just naughty."

Madelyn shook her head with a smile on her face. 

"Matthew has a stutter because he has too much to say too fast. It was God's way of slowing him down. Myles isn't naughty, he just has too much energy and doesn't know how to control it yet and you are perfect just the way you are. Unfortunately you had a few ear infections when you were younger and the scar tissue in your ear canal is making it a little more difficult for you to hear but you are perfect." Madelyn said. 

"But mama, the boys at school don't like me because of the hearing aids," Mckynna said. 

"Sweetheart, you are eleven years old, when the time comes the right man won't care about the hearing aids. He will love you no matter what."

The little girl nodded. She wasn't so sure though. It weighed on her sometimes that they were all different. They all caught flack for their father being Eminem even though they really had no idea what that meant. The older boys had heard some of their father's music. The triplets had not so far. Madelyn sighed as she sat next to her daughter on the bed. 

"Baby girl, I promise you that someday a man will show you what it means to be loved no matter what you have going on. Just like daddy did for me." she said. 

"But Maverick said that daddy didn't want him," Mckynna said. 

"Daddy and I weren't trying to have any babies when I got pregnant with Mave. It was a scary time for us both. We weren't prepared and we had barely been married a year when I found out about him coming. It scared me and it scared daddy. The girls were so much older than he would be. We made it through it and everyone is good. Daddy loves all of you kids more than words can ever say."

"Did he want us?"

"Of course he did. He wanted Mave too. Maverick was just a shocking surprise to us all."

Mckynna nodded, as her eyes drooped and sleep threatened to take over. Madelyn kissed the little girl's forehead. 

"Get some rest princess. The better you heal, the sooner you can get home to annoy those boys again," Madelyn chuckled. 

"Night mama," Mckynna yawned. 

"Good night gorgeous."

Madelyn sat in the room while Mckynna slept soundly on the bed. She leaned back in the recliner that was in the room, thinking about everything that she and Marshall had been through and wondering just how much of their lives was going to come about with the kids now that they were older. She sighed heavily as sleep overtook her own body.