7 Kids-One Happy Family

Chapter 4

"Need help?" I questioned Mia as I stood in the doorway of her bedroom watching her struggle to braid her hair. Molly looked over at me from doing her homework even though she knew she was supposed to be in her own room. Mia released the tight grip she had on her hair, giving up for me to do.

"So I think I need to apologize," I said as I began to french braid Mia's hair. Both didn't say a word so I went on. "I didn't need to yell and be so harsh on you two. After all that's happened, I guess I'm really overwhelmed but that is no excuse for how I talked to you girls. You know how much I love you guys."

"Mama, we kind of deserve it," Mia admitted. "We should have helped Jason in the right way instead of the wrong."

"Mom?" Molly spoke up.

"Yes, sweetie?" I answered back.

"Is Jason gonna be alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just worried about him," she admitted. "He never goes to school and never does his homework. And all of a sudden he's skipping out on a sport he loves so much. And it's all for this girl who is bad news, Mama. People are always talking about how she gets wasted at parties and smokes and there's even rumors that she cheated on Jason."

Hearing that tore my heart to shreds. My Jason didn't deserve any of that. He deserves a loving young girl that encourages to do all of the right things, not the wrong. "Look, Jason is going to be okay. You know why? He has got one big family to support him. All of us know the real, good hearted big brother he is and we just have to help him find his way again."

With those words said, both girls wrapped me into their embrace and in unison replied, "I love you, Mama."
After talking to the girls for a few more minutes, I quietly walked out into the hallway and made my way downstairs only to hear something quite odd. I heard faint crying coming from one of the bedrooms, but it wasn't just a usual bedroom. It was Jason's.

"Jason," I softly knocked on the door before opening it, not really caring if Jason had given me permission to come in or not. I opened the door to reveal my oldest son pacing in his bedroom, hands rested up behind his head, trying to hold in his tears.

As if my heart couldn't break any more, this made it totally shatter. I couldn't stand to see any of my kids cry. Whether it was because of a scraped knee, someone being mean to them, or like right now, I could hardly take it. Jason was like his father. He never cried. The last time he probably cried was when he broke his arm in second grade.

"Oh Jason," I finally managed to let out making my way over to him.

"I screwed up, didn't I, Mama," he cried.

"Sh," I whispered wrapping him up into a hug although he was about twice my size. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," he replied. "I know I screwed up."

"Care," Mike interrupted as he stood in the doorway. "Can I talk to him?"

I looked at him for a while before seeing that Mike was going to be good to Jason and help him in the best way he could. I slowly let go of Jason before leaving the room to check up on the other kids.
Mike's POV

"So uh, I think we were kinda hard on you, today," Mike said.

"I deserved every bit of it," Jason mumbled.

"The reason I was so hard on you today because I didn't want you to make the mistakes I made," I told him. "When I first went pro, all I did at night was party, hook up with girls, and drink, and I did that for a long time. I thought that was making me happy. It took me a few years to make me realize that I wasn't in a good place. What I was doing, was actually a negative influence on me. And had I not changed, I don't even know where I would be. I would certainly not be with your incredible mom and I most definitely wouldn't have had you or any of your siblings."

The room was quiet for a few seconds before Jason finally started to speak up, "I broke up with Haley."

At first I just nodded. I didn't ever know Haley. By the sounds of it, nor did I ever wish to.

"I thought she was making me happy too," he added. "But now that I look at it, I don't think I ever was when I was with her. I didn't like the person I made myself into when I was with her. And I don't like where it got me."

"I know it's hard to accept that right now but I'm really proud that you admitted that to yourself," I said. "Soon you'll find someone that makes you be the best version of yourself even when you think you can't. You'll learn to love more than you ever thought you could. And everything you do together will all reflect the Lord in the most positive way."

"That's how you feel about Mom, isn't it?" he questioned.

"And much more," I added. "We good?"

"Ya," he nodded. "I think I'm gonna go downstairs and hang out with the little ones if that's okay."

"I think that sounds like a great plan," I replied.

Jason walked out of his room and I followed him out. On the way out, I couldn't help but smile at the blonde beauty that stood ahead of me in the hallway. "What are you up to?" I asked unable to not smile.

Her smile was almost blinding it was so beautiful to me, "I might have heard a little about what you said to Jason..."

"And?" I wondered.

She had no words to say. Instead, she ran into my arms, climbing up on her tip toes as I dipped down to let her give me one of her passionate kisses that always made me fall in love with her all over again. And I could tell that she always did the same.