I Would Have

Somebody's Problem

Song for this Chapter:
Somebody's Problem- Morgan Wallen

"Somebody's problem, somebody's goodbye
Somebody's last call number that they can't find
Somebody's best day, somebody's worst night
Somebody's reason for leavin' on the porch light
Thinkin' 'bout them tan lines, and I'm thinkin' damn, I'd
Love to drown in them heartbreaker blue eyes
She's somebody's problem and somebody's problem's
About to be mine"

*Isadora*

She was finally having a decent day. After spending two days with him to avoid a funeral, and him babying her through a cold, she'd went home for one night. She'd been allowed roughly three hours of sleep before Veronica was on her again, and had went to work that night only to get off the next morning desperate for sleep.
She was granted at most an hour before Veronica was yelling at her to stop being lazy and get up. Ryot had been quick to pick her up, letting her rack out on his couch until she'd moved upstairs due to her hip cramping painfully sharp.

Isadora sighs, rolling over and stretching before hearing an all too familiar voice downstairs.
"Is she sleeping daddy?" His daughter, Zola.
"Yes baby. She's sleeping. She worked and didn't get to sleep when she got off." Slowly, Isadora rises and stretches, groaning with relief. Checking her messages, she sees three from Ryot.

R- Hey sleepyhead, I'm going to let you sleep until you wake up on your own. Water's on the nightstand if you need it.

The kids's mother will be dropping them off in a few, just in case you're awake or wake up for it. Just stay upstairs if you are or do.

You're safe to come down whenever you get up baby.

She tucks her phone in her scrub pants, having had no energy to change before she'd went to bed. Slowly, she tiptoes downstairs, where three pairs of eyes land on her. Immediately, squeals break out from the youngest two in the room as Zola and Simon fling themselves at her.
"Are you staying the night?"
"Do you live here now?"
"Daddy told us you were sleeping!"
"Do you remember me?"

Their mouths move a million miles a minute as they ramble. Carefully, she scoops them up, one in each arm, and hugs them.

"I missed you guys." She says. The siblings wrap their arms around her neck and give her a hug.

Zola picks that moment to chime, "My daddy loves you. Do you love my daddy?" Ryot chokes on his water, and Isadora feels her face flushing red.

"Zola, we've been through this. I don't love her in that way." He chides. Zola gently taps Isadora's cheek as she responds to the young girl.
"You can be friends with someone and not love them, sweetheart. Your daddy and I are just friends." She says. Zola nods.

"I have friends, and a boyfriend, and I love them. Does that mean you still love my daddy?"

It takes Ryot telling them to go sit in the living room before she puts them down. He waits until they're focused on the tv before wrapping her in a hug himself.

"I didn't want to wake you. I know you haven't been sleeping." He whispers. "Did you sleep okay? Any nightmares?" She shakes her head, sighing.
"No nightmares. Not this time." She reassures. He kisses her forehead.

"Are you okay with me grabbing a shower? I didn't sleep last night, their mom kept me up with her drama. I'm beat." She shrugs.

"Of course. I've got the babies, you know that." She replies. He sags in relief. "Thank you." He quickly kisses them both on the head, explaining where he's going, and heads upstairs. They're easy for her to distract with Puppy Pals, and she finds them cuddled up into her sides, where they promptly fall asleep.
Carefully, gently, she adjusts them to be at opposite ends of the couch, making sure to not wake them, before heading upstairs to check on him.