You're back

chapter 9

I walk into the living room and see Derek sitting on the couch with Ellis asleep on his lap while Bailey sat next to him with his binder in his hands.

"and then you add that to this number," Derek says pointing to something on the page.

"did you finally find someone who can help you with your homework?" I ask. Bailey's been asking for someone to help him with his homework but no one could seem to do it or we were busy.

"yes, Dad's very smart," he looks at me and smiles with the same sparkle from his dad.

"he is, it's the only reason I had three children with him," I smile. "and maybe more," Derek says. I furrow my brows and shake my head.

"your mothers stubborn but if you say the right thing she crack," he whispers to Bailey making him smile.

"no more kids, we have enough," I roll my eyes sitting on the couch next to him.

"they could have my hair," he says. "Bailey can have your hair," I say.

"what about your hair, you have nice hair," he says. "Ellis," I say.

"I'm not going to get you to say yes, am I?" he says. "No," I smile shaking my head.

"what if I found an orphan on the street and I bring it home?"

"where would you find an orphan?" I ask. "you never know," he shrugs.

"the answer is no, you've ben back for just a bit and you already wanted another kid," I roll my eyes.

"you like kids, and I want another boy," he says. "you can have Scout, he's like a son to mommy," Bailey says.

"really?" Derek asks. "yes, he's always asking me for things instead of Amelia," I roll my eyes.

"good for you," he says tapping my thigh and turning his attention back to Bailey.

I hear the stairs creak and when I look up at the stairs I see Zola walking downstairs. she looks in here and sees Derek sitting on the couch. he doesn't notice her because he's too busy with Bailey.

she stares at him for a few seconds before tears fill her eyes and she runs back upstairs. Derek looks at the stairs when he hears her run back upstairs and then he looks at me.

"should I go check on her?" he asks. I nod. he stands up and hands me Ellis who is still asleep before he goes upstairs.

"what's wrong with Zola, how come she come down here to see Dad?" he asks. "she didn't believe that he was here when I told her so I think she was just a bit surprised when she saw him," I say.

he nods understandingly and gets back to his homework. I hear the baby monitor start to go off and I hear Scout start crying.

I stand up and walk out of the living room. I bring Ellis into her room and tuck her in. I kiss her head before leaving his room and down the hallway to Scout's nursery. I open the door and walk into his room and see him standing in the crib.

I lift him out of his crib and carry him into the other room. I go into the kitchen and grab some milk.

I pour some milk into his bottle and put it into the microwave. "Milk?" he sniffles pointing to microwave.

"it's almost ready," I say kissing his cheek. he sniffles and lays his head on my shoulder with his arms around my neck.

once the milk is done I screw the lid back on and shake some onto my forearm to make sure it's not too hot.

once I feel it's warm I hand it to him and he starts drinking it immediately. I walk back into the living room and see Derek on the couch with Zola next to him.

"who's the blondie you traded me for?" Derek asks as I walk into the room with Scout into my arms.

"Amelia's kid," I say sitting down on the couch. "he's blonde? that blonde?" he asks surprised.

"look at you and then Bailey," I say. "his hair will get darker when he gets older, right bud?" he says. Bailey nods.

Scout lays his head on my chest and stares at Derek as he drinks his milk. "he does kind of look like Amelia when she was little," he says.

"I don't know what she looked like when she was little but as long as he doesn't look like Link," I say.

Derek looks at me confused. he's about to say something before Bailey asks him something. Zola doesn't say anything as she lays her head on the couch while holding Derek's hand.

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