Shattered

Where It Lies

"Good evening mom." I hear as I am busy in the kitchen of our home.

Ethan,  now ten looks more like Nathan than ever before. He even behaves like him. The universe really played its cards right here.

"Hi baby. Where is your sister?" I ask staring at him.

"We made a bet mom, whoever spends more time on the couch gets to choose what to watch." He says with his head hung low.

"And you lost?" I ask seeing as he is here and not on the couch.

"I had to pee." He says which causes a chuckle to mistakenly erupt.

"Mommy dont laugh. " he pleads.

" I'm not laughing sweetheart. I'm chuckling." I laugh a little louder.

"You're laughing mommy. Okay, can you call her to the kitchen so that she loses with me?" He pulls his puppy dog eyes and now I'm smitten.

"Ella!" I call and he smiles sweetly.

"I need help in the kitchen sweety!" I call.

"I heard you and Ethan talking mom! I'm not coming. " she says and now my laughter is louder.

I shrug and he slumps down onto the barstool behind the island.

The front door opens and soon voices spill into the room. 

It's Nate and the rest of the family.

"Hey baby." He says embracing me. Everyone else has managed to sneak over to Ethan and Ella.

"Hi papi. And happy thirty second birthday sweetheart. " I say kissing his forehead.

"I thought you forgot. "

"No, you just left extremely early and I was too tired to wake up or even visit you at the office." I explain.

"El! Jazmine is here! " Ethan yells completely ignoring his grandmother who is speaking to him and Elizabeth's daughter.

Ella comes running into the kitchen and embraces Jaz.

"We both lost!" Ethan says.

"Not fair, mommy Ethan isnt playing fair. You just cant accept that girls are better than boys." She says.

My daughter is one of the most cheeky people that I have ever met. She is also extremely unfiltered and puts you in your place fast.  But she is extremely respectful to adults and wont just erupt on you unprovoked.

"Does anyone notice dad over here?" Nathan asks with his arms wide open.

"Oh hi daddy!" Ella yells going on to hug her father.

"You really didnt notice me El?" He asks with the cutest face ever.

"I'm sorry daddy. Today you look very different. You usually wear your red tie. And your hair is different. " she justified.

"I am no longer going to play dress up with you.  And you're the one who styled my hair like this." He defends.

"I was sleepy last night, mommy gave me warm milk because I had trouble sleeping, counting sheep was not helping."

"So what I'm hearing is that its mommy's fault?"

"Yea." Ella says.

"No, no. You two dont involve me in that." I laugh at the two.

"Hi Liz." I greet as she walks over to me.

"Hey Gemma. It's been a while Hey? When last did you see Char?" She asks.