My Missing Piece (Angie Miller)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The debates between Jake and Austin are the thoughts that literally go through my head all the time... I swear it's so complicated!

I rolled over onto my side in my bed and the sun hit me in the face. I squinted and opened one eye slightly. I had become used to waking up before the sun rises, something I am happy I didn't have to do today. I sat up and groaned. College workouts were so much more intense than high school ever was. I threw my blanket off, and stood up.

TJ was sleeping in the middle of my bed with his legs spread wide and his arms behind his head. I grabbed my phone.

9:02.

There was no way he was still sleeping. I walked to my door and opened it. I waited in the iving room outside my door. A few seconds later I saw his small feet swing over the side of my bed, and he jumped down.

He saw me outside the door and sighed. "Daddy! You were just going to leave me!" He put his hands on his hips.

I shrugged. "You were sleeping, what else did you want me to do?"

He walked into the living room and climbed onto the couch. "I wasn't sleeping."

"Your eyes were shut." I walked to the side of the couch.

"I was p'tending!" He exclaimed.

"Well don't pretend next time and I will know your awake." I looked down the hall Jake's door was shut. "And you do have your own bed you know."

He shrugged. "Yours is bigger."

I laughed. He always went to bed in his bed at night, but always made his way into mine sometime in the middle of the night. He always has some excuse the next morning of why he wasn't in his own bed.

"Why don't you go see if Uncle Jake's up? While I get breakfast. Do you still want cheerios?"

He hopped off the couch. "Daddy." He looked at me like I had two heads. "When do I not want cheerios?"

I laughed. "Yeah that's true!"

TJ walked towards Jake's room and I walked into the kitchen. I grabbed the cereal and put it into a small bowl and put it on the table. I took the milk from the fridge and put it next to it. The last time I poured the milk into the cereal I did it wrong and TJ threw a tantrum, learned that lesson. I still don't understand how you pour milk wrong, however.

Jake walked into the kitchen. "Did you tell mini Jake to wake me up?"

I tried my best to look confused. "What no!"

He sat down at the table. "Nice try little brother, but you can't lie."

I shrugged. That's what he thought. "Where's TJ?"

"He went to wash his hands. Where's my food?"

"Wherever it's stored. I'm not getting it." I walked to the cabinets and grabbed a cup.

My phone beeped. I pulled it out of my shorts pocket.

Angie: Hey!-9:26am

I looked at Jake. He was looked at me. "Who is it?"

"Nick." He nodded and walked to the fridge.

TJ ran into the kitchen. I leaned back against the counter.

Me: Hey, what are you up to?- 9:28am

"Daddy!" TJ exclaimed turning around to look at me. "Where is my juice?!"

I turned around and grabbed the plastic cup from the counter. "Sorry. I got distracted." I put the cup on the table and reached around Jake to grab the juice from the fridge. I poured it into his cup. "What do you say?"