His Protector

Chapter 10

Karter jumped out of his sleep feeling like he was only in a dream and checked around for his son. He looked to the left of him and saw his 3 children lying on top of Charlie's chest all knocked out. Maybe it's the hormones from just having a baby or the stress of having his baby kidnapped but the moment was so tender to him he start to cry.

He took a picture and laid back down not trying to wake them up. All the stress and worry he's been feeling for the past few days seemed to disappear at the sight of his family. Would he consider Charlie family? He really would. He doesn't know where their relationship stands but he's happy with whatever.

Karter allowed his thoughts to lull him back to sleep laying his head on Charlie's shoulder rubbing the outline of Essence's eyebrows. Charlie looked at him out the side of his eye, yeah they ain't going nowhere.

"Daddy!" Jenesis dragged as she stood over him. He rubbed his face and looked at her, "What do you need pretty?" She scratched at her skin, "My skin itchy really bad!" Karter sighed and rubbed the sleep out his eyes picking her up and walking out the other man's bedroom. He stood at the door watching Essence, scared he was going to disappear again but he knew Charlie wouldn't let that happen.

Karter sat his first born on the lid of the toilet running her a bath and getting her excema cream out of her book bag. He undressed her and sat on the toilet as she talked to herself playing with her mermaid toys in the bath water.

Karter stared down at her in thought. The past few days have been so stressful for him. Having his baby kidnapped, postpartum, new feelings in new environments, and still being a single father. He was shaken out of his thoughts by wet hands touching his face. "No cry dada." He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "Okay I'm not going to cry anymore. Just for you pretty," he smiled washing her up.

The single father of now 3, was being dragged into a kitchen by a little lady who could barely tie her shoes. He walked in to see Charlie cooking shirtless with a baby Essence on his shoulders, the handsome hero who rescued his beloved son, while KJ sat at the kitchen island in his high chair.

"You like turkey bacon?" Karter nodded in response opening up his arms to grab his newborn son. He took the bundle of chocolate cuteness into the living room and sat on the couch. His lip began to wobble. Wow he's cried a lot today.

"I didn't think I would get to hold you again," he said staring at the heterochromatic eyes that matched his own. "Charlie is an amazing man you know? He saved you when dada couldn't. I felt so weak and disappointed in myself when I couldn't do anything but you're here. Here with dada, your siblings, all your uncles, and your god mama."

He never knew why he did it, but he always had real conversations with his children. He doesn't know where he got it from because his parents never spoken to him much in his childhood as he could remember. Maybe it was past memories from his biological father.

Charlie sat beside him and bumped their shoulders together. "You straight. I admire you and how you take care of yo' jits. I wanna be like that when my kid gets here." Karter smiled taking the plate out of his hand and putting Essence in his bouncer.

The morning was quiet aside from babbles here and there from KJ, cries from a gassy Essence, or Jenesis constantly singing the Bubble Guppies song. Nia rushed into the house dressed nicely.

"Bestie, put some clothes on! We're going for a walk. You need one. Ima get tete babies dressed." He didn't argue with her and sat his empty plate in the sink. "Zo, can you watch KJ he's starting to get a li' stuffy and I don't want him to be outside right now." Zo nodded, he loved Jr like he was his own. They were really besties even though one was a grown man and the other was a boy who just turned 1.