Forever

First day of School -Part 2

Eric was released from the hospital around two so Gene took him home to rest. He had a broken nose and a major headache so Paul offered to pick up the kids. He had taken Tommy home after breakfast where he immediately fell asleep. Paul took Mady, Jason and Jenny shopping until their siblings got out of school.

"Unca Pa'l, you buy dis?" asked Jason holding up a truck. "Pwease?" "Brudder no want it. Me 'ike it. Sissy want dat," he said pointing to a large doll. 

"Do you want the doll, Jen?" asked Paul who had a shopping cart full of toys for all the kids. Jenny nodded so Paul put the doll in. He couldn't get Mady to let go of her stuffed bear. He had found one in pink for Aurora while Taylor and Hannah were getting ones in blue and red. Not leaving out Draco and Delilah, he found them toys too.

"Mama need one too!" declared Jenny as she put a yellow bear for Eric. "Dada want one too." She found a black one for Gene. Tommy was getting a white one while she handed Paul a purple one.

Paul just laughed as they all headed to the checkout. A rude woman noticed the toddlers and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe these are all yours. Did you need all those children? Can you take care of all of them?" "All those toys will spoil them."

"First of all, only Mady is mine. The twins are my best friend's. Second of all, mind your own business." "Third of all, yes, I can." "Fourth of all, mind your own business once again."

Jenny stuck her tongue out as they checked out. Mady was signing to Jason about his truck which started the woman off again. "Can she not speak or hear? And you brought her out in public?!" 

"Mady has the right to do what other children do. Now if you don't mind, we're finished and leaving. Thank you so much for your input." 

The kids followed Paul to the car as the woman ranted on to the cashier. He got the kids inside and buckled up. As they drove off, Jason asked why people were mean.

"Dey mean cause dey s'upid!" declared Jenny. "Dey don' know any betta."

Paul picked up the other kids at school and listened to their happy squeals over the toys. Mady furiously signed to her sisters about the rude lady. Aurora hugged her and "told" her about the teacher. 

"Dat teacher mean!" declared Jenny. "Are you a'ight?" she signed to Aurora. The little girl replied that she was and happily  accepted her new bear.

At the Singer-Simmons house, Paul honked so Gene could come out and get the kids and toys. They talked a bit before Paul headed home.

"Tom, we're home." "Are you still upstairs?"

"Kitchen. How was the shopping trip?" "Oh, never mind, I see the results." laughed Tommy as Mady handed him his bear. "Thank you sweetie."

Paul didn't tell Tommy about the rude lady because he didn't want him upset.

Later that night, Tommy offered to put the girls to bed. He came back and asked Paul why he kept the store incident from him. "Hannah told me. Why didn't you?"

"Baby, I handled it just fine. It was just glorified rudeness."

"But that just proves my point that Mady and Aurora are going to have trouble all their lives! Our next baby might too!" "Oops! Never mind!"

"Next baby? Are you expecting again?" "Tom?" "Are you?"

"I-I-I might be. I-I-I don't know for sure yet."

Paul now realized why Tommy had been acting strange lately.