A Sequel to 'Strong Enough' based on the alternate ending of that story

Chapter 19

TWO YEARS LATER

Spring had settled over Chicago and the air had turned warm, the sound of birds filled their bedroom, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Smiling when she found Adam out cold beside her, unsure of when he had arrived.

Her fingers grazed the large bruise on his chest, it was a new injury one.

As her fingers traced the outline, he sucked in a breath and brought his hand to his chest, his eyes fluttered open.

"Hey" she greeted him.

"Hey you" he mumbled still half asleep.

"What happened?"

Adam looked down at his chest, "Ah, nothing really. Looks worse than it is" he told her, he'd been hit with a toolbox from the mechanic shop they had raided, "how are the kids?"

"Changing the subject are we?" She smiled at him, "thing is I'm not up for talking, have a better idea in mind" she teased as she positioned herself on top of him.

"Really?" He smirked, "let me see what you got" he laughed as she leaned in to kiss him.

"What Dani?" Adam asked from the recliner, he was ten and had been healthy the last eighteen months. It was a roller coaster of a ride with plenty of ups and downs, but he was healthy.

"I don't want to watch this show, it's dumb" Dani whined, she seven going on twenty-seven, Adam's battle with leukemia had forced them both to grow up way before they should have had to.

"Too bad! I've got the remote" his eyes still on the television.

"Where's Mommy?" She demanded to know, her arms folded across her chest and her eyes narrowed.

"Don't know" he laughed at the expression on her face, "you don't scare me"

Kim came down the hallway, "What's going on you two?"

"Adam's hogging the television again" she complained.

Kim took the remote from Adam, "Mom, I'm watching that!" He voiced his frustration as the television was turned off.

"I know" she said, "but it's family fun day"

Adam rolled his eyes, "Sounds fun..." He pushed the recliner back, "wait we can't have family fun when dad isn't here" hoping his father's absence would get him out of whatever lame activity she had planned.

"Too bad! I'm home, huh?" Adam laughed a freshly changed Aidan in his arms.

One who had been a massive surprise, he was fifteen months old and the spitting image of his daddy.

"Give me my baby boy" Kim said as she took Aidan from Adam and showered his neck with kisses, eliciting laugher from the toddler, "you two need to get dressed, we're leaving in thirty minutes"

"To where?"

"A surprise, now get dressed" Adam told them.

Kim had placed Aidan on the floor with a few toys and sat next to Adam on the couch her legs draped over his, "Is that not the cutest little baby in the world?" She asked as they observed Aidan playing with his football.