Escaping you |EDITING|

Bonus chapter 3

Escaping you
Everette
A year later

"Kids, kids, stop running in the house." I say to the four lovely children running around my house.

Stomping around my house.

"But Daddy!" Eva whines and I laugh at her.

"Don't whine." Atlas sighs from the doorway and I smile at her.

"Hi." I say and she walks from the doorway over to me, pressing a kiss to my lips before looking at the mess in the house.

I mean, Athena, her friends Riley and Carson, plus Eva, equals mess.

"Don't worry about it, I'll clean it." I say at her panicked face and she opens and closes her mouth a few times before sitting on the couch beside me and nodding.

"How was work?" I ask her and she yawns

"Tiring." I chuckle and Eva lunges onto my lap.

"Hey pretty girl." Atlas says to her and Eva smiles up at her.

"Mom!" Athena yells and comes tumbling down the stairs, Carson and Riley dragging behind her.

"Hi babies." She says and they all look at her.

Carson and Riley spend so much time here we basically see them as our own kids at this point. But having 3 twelve year old kids and a 6 year old in your house all at once, it's a lot of work. So much work.

The kids all pile onto the couch, begging for us to watch a movie with them and we agree, obviously.

We do this every week.

Riley is here atleast twice a week, and Carson is here pretty much everyday, so once a week we just like all sit and watch a movie.  It tires the kids out and then they pass out, which is good because although I love my girls and their friends more than anything, me and Atlas need some time to ourselves. 

Just some.

By the time the movie ends, Eva's asleep laying across Atlas, Riley is passed out as well, Athena and Carson are still up talking to each other.

"He likes her." Atlas whispers, gesturing to Carson and Athena.

"I know. I don't like it." I whisper back and she laughs.

We watch them together for a while later until Athena gets tired and says goodnight to me and Atlas, waving Carson goodnight.

Okay, actually I hate it.

I love their friendship, it's very cute, and also very innocent seeing as they're 12 and have been friends since they were 8, but it deeply pains me to see her growing up so quickly.

She's my little girl, I mean she's amazing and incredible and went through entirely too much whenever she was still really little, I don't like that she's growing up.

Atlas goes to shower, leaving me sitting in the living room alone with Carson.

He's looking down at the floor, seeming upset about something.

I tilt my head and scoot closer to him in the couch. 

"What's up with you little man?" I ask and he shakes his head

"It's nothing Mr Sinclaire. Thank you." He says and I smile sadly. 

He's such a sweet kid though.

"Carson, you know me and Atlas are here for you if you need anything right? Even if it's just to talk." I say and he hangs his head even further.

"I can't." He whispers and I feel so bad for him. He's hurting. He's just a kid and for some reason, he's hurting a lot.