Our Time Will Come - An After Story

146

Hardin

"Dad!" Emery emotes for the fiftieth time. I never thought I'd say this, but I'll be glad when she's reunited with Charlie. She's driving me up the wall with her demands to call him every two seconds and we haven't even reached the hotel yet. Everyone is tired, and she isn't helping.

I rented a car, knowing that we'll need it to get from A to B whilst we're here. Of course, I forgot to consider that we now need a seven seater, so trying to find one of those added hours onto the journey.

"Please! Just let me use your phone one last time!" She wails. Whatever Charlie is up to, he isn't picking up. I told Emery. He's probably sleeping or is trying to avoid answering who he thinks is me, calling him over and over again. "Fine." I huff. I rustle through my pocket In attempt to hand it to her, but soon change my mind as my ringtone sounds. "Shit, it's Paul." my subconscious chimes as I glance at the screen. I stuff it back into my pocket and ignore the obnoxious tune as it proceeds to play.

I know I should probably answer him, but I'm trying to keep the whole book thing on the down-low. I made out to the kids that we were having this little vacation to spend time as a family and surprise Charlie. If they find out that I'm over here to work, they'll hit the bloody roof.

"Answer it! It's probably him!" Emery screeches whilst jumping up from the backseat. She dives forward like a crazy woman in an attempt to retrieve my phone from my pocket. "I'm driving, woman! Now sit down. You'll wake up the little ones!" I scold her in that stern fatherly voice of mine.

Miller finally dropped off to sleep after Auden read him that story on the plane and I'll be damned if she wakes him up. Auden dropped off a few minutes into the car journey and Saffy has slept for the majority of the journey here. For once, it's the eldest that's causing the most problems.

"Besides, it's not Charlie. It will be someone trying to sell me something." I lie through my teeth. I'm getting good at that ..and I don't like it.
Tessa glares at me from the passenger seat, knowing exactly who was calling. I shrug my shoulders in defeat, admitting my white lie.

With that, she pulls out her phone and begins to text. She winks to let me know that it's in-fact Paul she's texting to let him know that we've landed and to stop fucking calling me. I thank her silently by placing a hand on her thigh and giving it a cheeky squeeze.

"Honey, your fathers right. Charlie's either sleeping or busy doing something." Tess reassures our eldest. "As soon as we get to the hotel, I'll take you to where Charlie's staying and we can surprise him. I promise." Tess reassures our eldest in her own sweet way. "In other words, shut the hell up for 5 minutes. Your giving me a headache." I chirp in my own not so sweet way.

...

"It's not too bad in here." I raise a brow as I take in the apartments interior. It's modern and has everything we'll need for the few days we'll be here. I release Auden from my arms, placing him gently onto the first bed I see, as Tessa puts the sleeping twins into the provided cribs. Emery dives onto the singular bed next to Auden whilst giving a dramatic speech about how her life is a mess. All because she left her damn phone at school.

"Baby I love you, but please. Give it a rest." I huff, whilst launching a decorative pillow from the bright yellow chair at her. She then makes a sound so high pitched that only dogs can hear.

I'm quick to kick off my boots and head into the second bedroom, that Tessa and I have claimed as our own. Tess follows me much to my relief, closing the door behind her. I love our babies more than life itself, but some uninterrupted alone time is much needed after the day we've had.

"What a day." I sigh as I perch myself on the edge of the bed. I'm getting too old for these spontaneous trips. "You can say that again." My love smirks as she sits herself next to me. After a stressful few hours, the two of us flop backwards onto the bed at the exact same time.

"I should probably take little miss grumpy to see
Charlie before It gets dark." Tess breaks her silence. I guess she's right, but if I was her, I'd make Emery wait. We literally just got here. "Are you sure you don't want me to take her?" I offer. I'd rather not, but I thought I'd be a gentleman about it.

"I'm sure. You stay here and look after the little ones, I'll take Emery." She proposes and I nod my head in agreement. That way, Tessa can have a break from the twins and our mischievous little man, and I can have a break from my Diva of a daughter. "Deal." I tell her and we even go as far to shake hands.