The basement

New Home

All the kids make it up 5 floors of stairs taking breaks in between. It takes over a half hour to get to the apartment because the kids are scared. Once they get to the apartment Liv unlocks the door and walks in. "Come on in kids. It's okay, this was mommy's home before that room was. Now it will be our home until mommy has enough money to get a bigger house."
They nod and walk in their new "home". They see a picture of what looks like could be their mommy and they run over to it. "Is this you mommy?"
"No honey. That is your grandma but you can't meet her."
"Why not?" Meghan asks her mom.
"You're grandma is dead. She died a long time ago."
They nod understanding how life works even Margret and Kaitlin who are two understand. "How does food sound?" Liv asks wanting her kids to eat more than twice a day and other foods than what he gave them.
"Mom can we have toast?" Meghan asks.
"No Meghan. You guys are going to try new food and different drinks."
They nod knowing their mom wouldn't hurt them. Liv calls her favorite Chinese places and orders everything on the menu and one of each drink. The kids look through their mom's stuff for twenty minutes then there is a knock at the door. The kids run and hide in the kitchen. Liv looks through the peep hole and says,"Kids it's okay. It's just the food." The kids come out as Liv opens the door. The kids grab the food and drink, Meghan grabbing the heavy stuff, while Liv pays for the food with money Amanda gave her. "Thanks," Liv says to the delivery guy.
   "Call me anytime. My name is Brian," he writes down his number and smiles.
   "No I'm good. I just lost my love and I'm not ready to move on yet."
   She pushes him out and closes the door and locks it. The sound of the lock terrifies the kids. Edward says,"Mommy are we locked in here. Just like the room."
   "No sweetie. I locked the door. See the locks on the inside," she points to the lock and says,"This lock keeps people out."
   They nod and Liv gets 8 plates and starts putting a little bit of everything thing on each plate. Then she grabs 10 cups and pours a drink in each. "Okay kids try each one of these drinks."
   Liv hands the cup to Meghan who takes a drink and passes it down. They do this with each cup and all of the kids like all the drinks. The drinks were Mountain Dew(original), pepsi, coke, dr. Pepper, Barq's root beer, orange, sweet tea, lemonade, orange juice, and chocolate milk. "Momma do we have to eat? I'm not hungry,"Ally says.
   "Yes baby. It's past dinner time and you haven't ate since breakfast."
   Liv watches the kids eat first watching their faces as they try the new food. "Mom this food is good. Can we have it more?" Meghan asks.
   The other kids nod in agreement. "Sure honey. This is mommy's favorite food."
   "Then why aren't you eating it?" Ally asks worried.
   "I will baby. Mommy just wanted to see how you just liked it first. What do you guys want to drink?"
   "It doesn't matter mom,"Meghan says.
   The other kids nod in agreement and Liv hands them random cups. Giving the older one the soda/pop(don't know what you readers call it) and the younger ones the sweet tea, orange juice, lemonade, and Chocolate milk. The two other cups left are the Barq's root beer and orange. Liv takes the root beer and puts the orange in the fridge. Liv sits down and eats now knowing that her kids love the food and drinks. Once Liv finishes her food she says,"So who wants to watch a movie and have popcorn?"
   The kids look at their mom confused and then Liv remembers they don't know what it is. "What's a movie? And what's popcorn?" Anthony asks.
   "A movie is kind of like a book but you watch and listen to it. As you're watching and listening there is pictures on the screen but they move. And popcorn is something you eat while you watch a movie."
   "Mommy I'm scared of movie," James says.
   "Me too," the other kids say.
   "Would mommy let anything bad happen to you?"
   They all shake their heads no and Meghan says,"You never let anything happen to me as long as I've been alive. We trust you mom but this is our first time out of that room."
   "I know baby." Liv think of the books she has read and the movies she has and says,"I have the little mermaid movie. Shall we watch that?" The kids nod and Liv says,"We are going to watch the movie in mommy's bed okay?"
   "Okay mommy," they all say and run to their mom's bedroom.
   "I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm just going to make a whole box of popcorn and grab the movie."
   After a few minutes Meghan comes out and says,"Mom we are scared in there alone. Can we wait with you for the popcorn to be done?"
   "Sure honey," Liv says happy her kids need her but sad that they are so scared that only she can comfort them.
   Meghan leaves and comes back with her brother and sisters. She is carrying Ally who is crying. Liv sees that and rushes over to Meghan and takes Ally. She mouths 'thank you for being so good to you're siblings' to Meghan. "Baby what is wrong?" Liv asks Ally while holding her.
   "I thought your love was hurting you again and that's why you weren't with me," Ally cries into her mom's shoulder.
   "He was never my love. He only made me call him that. He'll never hurt me again because he is dead. If someone truly loves you they wouldn't hurt you." When Liv says that the only person that pops into her head is El.
   Her thoughts are interrupted by Ally saying,"Like you would never hurt us because you love us right mommy?"
   "Right baby." Liv holds Ally when the microwave beeps signaling that the popcorn is done. The sound scares the kids and Liv says,"It's okay kids. It's just the microwave."
   Liv walks over to the microwave while holding Ally and takes out a huge bag of popcorn. "Okay let's go to momma's room. Does anyone want to sleep in the guest room tonight? Momma doesn't mind either way."
   They all lay down on their mom's bed and Liv lays Ally down so she can put in the movie. Meghan looks at her siblings who all shake their heads no and Meghan says,"No mom. We all want to sleep with you. We are scared. We only knew one room ever and now we are here with 5 rooms."
   "Okay honey."
   Liv starts the movie and walks over to the bed. Meghan gets up so her mom can get in. "Thanks honey."
   Liv smiles at Meghan and gets in the bed. As soon as she is laid down all of her kids snuggle up to her. By the end of the movie all the kids are asleep and Liv falls asleep soon after.