Starting Over

Chapter 82- New York City

We just landed at JFK with all of the kids in tow, all eight of them. Jordan was chit-chatting with Bridget. Kris was dazed off into space listening to music on her iPod. Til and Kenzie were arguing over something. There's no telling what. They had started this arguing thing about a week ago. Most people would assume they were brother and sister, not cousins. Bo and Tate were playing on their tablets. Then we come to Keegan and Kinley. They weren't quite so calm. Keegan has been on his momma's lap since the seatbelt light went off and he won't sit still for nothing. Kinley is on my lap doing the same thing. She keeps getting in my face and saying 'Sugars, Daddy, Sugars' before planting wet, slobbery kisses all over my face.

"Hey! Uncle Luke!" Til hollered at me, "Tell Kenzie that I'm going to be able to play baseball at school this semester and you will go to my games when you can!"

"Is that what the two of you are arguing about?" I asked him, "Of course I'm going to go to some of your games, but I'm going to go to Kenzie's softball games too. It depends on when the games are and when I'm home."

"HA! I told you!" Kenzie said as she punched Til in the arm.

"Quit hitting me!" Til cried.

"You two better quit it now. If I have to deal with you fighting all the time you are not going to like me at all during this entire trip," Bridget scolded them.

"Yes, ma'am," Til and Kenzie both said in unison as they both sat back in their seats and crossed their arms.

"Why are they so scared of you?" I questioned Bridget as I turned to her.

"Because I'm the one of gets onto them for all this arguing and fighting all the time," Bridget said as we were finally able to exit the plane.

As we exited the plane I was thinking over what Bridget had said. I guess she was right. She was the disciplinarian and I was the one that would let them get away with everything. She was the one that was always there. And even though she would call and talk to me about whatever was going on, she was the one who issued the punishments.

"Aunt B," Til shouted, "What are we doing today?"

"We are going to the hotel," Bridget answered him, "Then maybe we will consider feeding you."

"That's not funny," Til stated as everyone laughed.

Bridget had the entire trip planned out somewhat, but refused to tell anyone, including me. The only thing we knew for sure is that she had booked us all into four rooms at the Casablanca Hotel in Times Square: One for Bo, Tate, and Til, One for Jordan, Kris, and Kenzie, one for Tia (who would be arriving this afternoon), and one for me, her and the twins. And I knew that we would take the kids to the roof to watch the ball drop, which is supposed to be one of the best views in the city, but the kids had no clue. The ride to the hotel wasn't bad even though the kids fought and bickered the entire time. Well, let's be honest, it was only Kenzie and Til. Those two are something else. We got everyone settled in and the kids thought they were going to starve to death so we went down to find something to eat. Bridget called ahead to make sure we had a table big enough when we got there. Just before we arrived my phone started ringing.

"Hello," I answering the phone without even looking to see who was calling.

"Where are ya'll at?" Kerri asked in a panic. I had completely forgot that her and a couple of bodyguards were coming up on a different flight and we were under strict instructions not to leave the hotel until they arrived.

"We're getting something to eat. Just pulled up actually," I told her.

"Don't get out of the car. Wait for us. Where are you at?" Kerri instructed.