keeping secrets

birds of a feather

I woke up early, the clothes I picked out lay on my bed, the outfit was long jean overalls and a crew striped, green long sleeve shirt, and white socks, I threw my long hair into two French braids, and deemed myself good for the day. Then I began to get the younger boys ready for the day as well making sure their hair was combed and teeth brushed. Walking to the bathroom I grabbed my makeup, making sure my black eye was covered. I had gotten up sometime in the middle of the night to get make a bottle for Liam, guess I was too loud for her liking, because she gifted me with this beautiful shiner, by punching me directly in the eye. most the time she really didn't need an excuse to hit me, my presence was usually enough.

Silently I grabbed my bag checking to make sure the money was still inside, and grabbed the diaper bag making sure I had enough diapers and pull ups and extra cloths and wipes. I tiptoed down  the stairs with liam in my arms and the little boys following behind, going into the kitchen to start making breakfast, I made eggs and toast and some cream of wheat for the boys it Was easy and fast to make.
The kitchen was full of soft chatter, Jaxton and Liam both sat in their high chairs, Jaxton who was mostly getting his eggs on the floor, and I was spoon feeding Liam some baby cream of wheat.
After everyone was done eating, I cleaned up real quick, before we silently tip toed out of the house so we'd not wake mother, Marie said she had class at a later time and and her friend was giving her a ride. We had an hour and half hours before we had to be at school luckily the middle school and elementary were in the same building as the high school and they also supplied a daycare for teen mothers, though technically I wasn't Liam, Mikey, Emmets and Jaxton mother but they called me momma all the same. Walking down the street I started towards the school. I would take the boys to school first since they started earlier than me, I had double free period in the mornings which was perfect for getting the boys ready, and to school, and I could spend my time in the library catching up on homework that probably didn't get done at home,  I'd drop them off and  loop around to the mini mart we passed last night on the way home. "Okay guys I'll see you after school, be good and don't call the house if anything happens come to the high school. Lip and Ian be sure you get out a few minutes early to get Carl and Nathan out of class. I'll take Liam, Jaxton, Emmet and Mikey to daycare." I said crouching down towards my six-year-old brother Carl, he had dirty brown hair and bright brown eyes, his hair lay flat on his head, "be good and have good first day at kindergarten."
"Bye mommy." Carl said giving me a kiss on the cheek. I smiled lightly at him, before turning my attention to Nathan and giving him a hug bye.

Thirty minutes later I'm standing outside the mini mart door, debating on going in. I must look ridiculous just standing here, gathering some courage Emmett, Mikey, Liam and Jaxton and I go in. We pass about three aisles before I find the one I'm looking for. Going down I found a whole section of pregnancy test. There were so many brands and different types that I didn't know which to get, there was a dropper, a digital and a normal pregnancy test, some said accurate as 7 days early some had three tests, while others just had one.  Why did women need so many I thought, picking up a single normal pregnancy test with a blue box with a lady holding her stomach. "I wonder if this one will do?" I mumbled to myself.
I look down Emmet, Mikey and Jaxton are standing in a circle fiddling with a toy they found on the shelf across from the pregnancy section.
"I wants to holds it"" Emmet said reaching for the toy Jaxton had been holding. "No!" He said turning his body away from them.
"Peas!" Mickey asked, trying to see the toy again. "No!" He said louder this time. Emmet and Mikey burst into tears. Sighing I set Liam's carrier down and crouched down on Jaxton level and I gently took the toy from his hands and set the Batman car back on the shelf. "If we can't share, then we can't get it." I gently said holding both hands in mine. A high pitch scream left his lips, as he stomped his feet in protest, his face turning red and tears running down his face and slippery snot ran from his nose towards his mouth. Sometimes I forgot how young they were, Jaxton being two, Mikey four and Emmet six and half.
It wasn't often that the boys threw tantrums but when they did it was sometimes hard to calm them down, especially when I had four kids with me. I let go of Jaxton hands and looked through my bag for the wipes, as Jaxton continued to stamp his feet and turn in a circle, Emmet went to try to console his little brother but ended up getting hit in the face by Jaxton in his state of a temper tantrum. Emmet wailed coming over to me and flinging his arms around my neck his face burried in the crook shoulder. I rubbed his back, Mikey was still looking at the toy but wasn't touching it so I left him be for the moment. I pried Emmets hands off my neck as his cries grew quiet, and stood up, Jaxton had taken his tantrum to the floor, laying flat on his back as he kicked his feet out. Rolling my eyes and asking for patience, I hauled up my little brother from under his armpits and put in on my hip, he tried to fling himself backwards but I kept him tightly secured in my hold and leveled him with my best "mom" face that said stop right now. And he did, his cries turned to soft hiccups. "We don't act this way in public." I said knowing he wouldn't know the word public but he knew he couldn't act this way. " now you tell your bothers you're sorry for making everyone upset and give Emmet a hug and kiss." I said looking him in the eye. "I sowey Enmit," he said sniffing, I had to smile, he couldn't pronounce all his words yet. I leaned down and so he could wrapped his arms awkwardly around his brother and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Standing back up I looked back at Jaxton still on my hip, "Now tell momma you're sorry," I said.
"I sowey momma," he said giving me a light kiss on the cheek, he licked his snotty lips and knuckled his eyes to wipe his tears away, I pulled the wipes from the bag and wiped his snotty face.