We Are Free

Unexpected Phone Call

*May 9th*
We didn't do anything for spring break. Emily went with Ava on vacation to an amusement park and water park. I have a extra splint from when I broke my wrist.
I sent it with her and told her she would get the current one wet. She had fun and the rest of us went to the pool. We also went ice skating at the rink. Summer is coming up. They are excited and so am I.
I am so close to graduating and I will graduate in March. I can't wait. Halo and I are going to start trying for a baby after I graduate. We both want one really bad. 
We have the house, money, and will have been together 3 years. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. We have known each other for 8 here soon. It seems like it wasn't even here and soon before I know it there will be a positive pregnancy test in our future.
Chloe is due any day now. Emily and Andrew are excited. So is Zane. Blake will be one in 18 days and she is so big. She says momma and dada. She is walking and crawling.
She has close to half a mouth of teeth. She has so much personality and Zane did to when he was a baby. Zane will be 3 in July and it seems like yesterday he was just 3 months old and Zac was scared to hold him.
He couldn't believe that he was a dad. Emily's wrist has healed and she is back to gymnastics. She couldn't be happier. She just won 4 medals at a competition.
One for the floor routine (of course) and one for balance beam, vault, and bars. She is really good at it and loves it more than dance. They get out of school the first of June.
They are very thrilled. I say this to much but I can't believe how old they are getting. Emily will be in 3rd grade next year. She is going to be nine in July we have been living in this house almost 4 years and it feels like just yesterday we moved in.
We have been through so much in this house and I promised the kids if we ever have to move out we will keep this house. We will keep it for a vacation house to go in the summer. For spring break or birthday parties.
They are okay with that. We never set up the guest room but that's okay. Easier to make a baby room. With Chloe getting ready to have her baby that's all we have been thinking about.
We hope she has him soon. They are naming him Ryker Anthony. They are ready and so are we.
*May 10th*
I wake up at 7:00 to my phone ringing. I answer it, it was Zac.
     "Hello."
     "Dude wake your ass up her water broke!"
     "Okay we will be there soon." He hangs up and I throw some clothes on. I wake Halo up and the kids. We get them dressed and Halo gets dressed. I get them some breakfast.
Halo and eat something to and we leave the house. We get to the hospital about 2 hours after they leave. She hasn't asked for an epidural yet. We check in and Zac comes out.
     "So!" I say.
     "4 centimeters and going strong. My mom has the kids and took them out. Zane got hungry. She will be back soon and Chloe's mom is on her way. It is a 2 hour drive and she went into labor 3 days early."
*Hour 3*
She is 6 centimeters so she is moving fast. She still hasn't asked for a epidural yet. Ryker is healthy and ready to make his mark in the world. Other then being in pain Chloe is okay.
*Hour 4*
Everyone is here just waiting. Blake is sleeping in my arm and we are all very anxious. I can't imagine what I will do when Halo and I have a baby. I will probably freak out at first. We are just waiting. She is 8 centimeters and still going strong.
*Hour 5*
She is ready to push. She never got an epidural or anything. We are all excited and happy. The kids want to meet him we all do.
*30 minutes later*
Zac comes to get us all. Chloe was in a different room and Ryker was in a baby holder next to her. The kids all gather around and look at Ryker.
     "He is so cute." Emily says.
     "He is so tiny." Andrew says.
     "BABY!!" Zane yells.
     "That's your brother."
     "Baby!"
     "Yes that's a baby." We all hold him. Finally he gets back to Chloe and she holds him.
     "I am serious I am getting my tubes tied." She says.
     "I don't mind that." We start laughing. "I am good with 3 kids."
     "Good." We start laughing again.
     "So Jace when are you and Halo getting pregnant?" Zac asks me.
     "Not now." I shake my head.
"Duh."
"After I graduate."
     "You graduate in March right?" He asks.
     "Yup, and if I keep the grades I have I will do it with honors."
     "Good for you man." We leave them after a while. Zane wanted to come with me then Blake started crying and grabbing for me. We said we will take them until Chloe gets out of the hospital. He gives us their things and we go home. We get it all set up.
      "Mommy baby." Zane says.
      "Yup mommy had a baby. Do you like your brother?" I ask him.
     "Yeah! Baby!" I laugh at him a little bit. He smiles. The kids have school tomorrow it is their last two weeks. They are happy of course. The end of next week will be Blake's first birthday. It is coming so fast and so is everything else. Before I know it everyone will be grown up.
*Blake's birthday*
We got her a present and are on are way to Zac's and Chloe's house. Ryker is almost 2 weeks old. He is incredibly cute as well. Chloe and Zac are exhausted. They can't wait until he sleeps through the night. We get there and there was a bunch of people there.
"Uncle Ace!" Zane says.
"Hi buddy!" I say.
"Auntie!" He hugs us and he hugs the kids. Blake walks to us and has us pick her up. She has a smile on her face and a hat on. Knowing Zac he went all out for his little girl and I was right.
      "Hey." Zac says.
      "Hey." Ryker was in a rocker by the couch sleeping. How he could sleep with all the noise I don't know. We sit and talk. Blake opens presents as she pleases. Zac and Chloe help her.
I can remember when Zac was just young and dumb. I can remember us going snow boarding and tackling each other in the snow. A lot changes in 5 years.
I mean a lot changes. It has been 5 long years but they are 5 years I will never forget. I got two nephews and a niece. I got a fiancé and I'm graduating.
I got a house and so much more. I watch her smile and rip the paper off one of the boxes I realize all that. As I watch her eat her very own first birthday cake I realize so much.
The day goes by so fast like so many others. All of this came from the new kid at school sitting alone at lunch. It came from the boy who thought he caught a missed basketball shot when really he caught something much more.
It all came from a continuous run in at a grocery store. It all came from a little broken down home. It came from little things it came from almost nothing.
I look at little Ryker in his rocker and Blake in her high chair. I look at Zane in his and Andrew at the table. I look at Emily next to Andrew them laughing at little jokes kids laugh at.
They are growing up to fast. If all this came from nothing I can't imagine what anything in the future will come from. We will have to wait and see. The kids go to school once again that Monday they get out Thursday.
We go to work and Monday and I just do my thing. When 11:30ish comes around I get a call from the school. I raise my eyebrow.
      "Hello." I say.
      "Hello is this Jace?"
      "Yes it is."
      "I am Mr. Dodds the principal. I have Emily sitting in my office she got suspended."
      "Suspended! What happened?"
      "She punched a boy in the face and broke his nose. I need you to get here as soon as you can."
      "I am on my way." I hang up and leave my office.
      "HALO!" She comes running.
      "I need you to get my things when you leave and Andrew. Emily broke a kids nose she got suspended."
     "What the hell!"
     "I know I have to go."
     "Okay I got it." I leave and hop in my car. I get to the school and go in. Emily was sitting in the principal's office. The boy with her.
      "What happened?" She runs to me.
      "He kept teasing me. He pushed me and said that mom went to hell. He said I am an orphan and I'm worth nothing. I told him to stop and he wouldn't. When we pushed me I punched him." She starts crying. I hug her and the boys dad was there to.
      "Are you her father?" The boys dad says.
     "I am her brother."
     "My apologizes. Look I am sorry for my sons actions. He admitted to it when I asked him." He looks at his son. "Do you have something to say?"
      "No!" He crosses his arms.
      "Yes you do you tell that girl you are sorry."
      "No she got what she deserved she is a dirty orphan that no one cares about." Emily puts her head into my shoulder.
      "You listen to me young man. You will tell that girl you are sorry or so help me."
      "Nope." He gets up and leaves.
     "I am terribly sorry you keep doing what you are doing. You are an amazing person." He looks at Emily.
     "Young lady you are very strong. Your momma is looking at you from heaven and she is so very proud of you."
     "Thank you." He leaves and I sit down with Emily.
     "Seeing as though it is self defense she still hit another student. I have no choice but to suspend her for the rest of the year. You may go collect her things." The principal says.
      "That is bull. She didn't do it to bully him she did it because he was hurting her." I say.
     "I understand that but she still did it." Emily keeps looking at the ground. She wipes her face.
     "Come on Emily." She gets up and we go to her locker. We put her things in her back pack and she takes home everything. We leave the school.
      "I am sorry Jace." She says.
      "Why?"
      "I let you down."
      "No no you didn't." She gets in the car and I look at her. I wipe her tears.
     "I am so proud of you. You stood up for yourself. I want you to grow up to be a strong, stubborn, independent, young lady. You are doing just that. Now wipe your tears little girl. Summer has started and it is time to party." She smiles.
      "Lets go get some ice cream." She buckles up and I get in we go to the ice cream shop. We get there and get our ice cream. We sit down.
      "What happened?"
     "At recess he came to me and asked if I still had that teddy bear. I said yes and he said did you know your mom went straight to hell. I said no she didn't and he shoved me. He called me a dirty orphan. I get up and when he tired to push me again I punched him."
     "Good for you."
     "Did mommy go to hell?" I am taken back a little bit.
      "No of course not. She is watching us from heaven looking at you and she is so proud of you. You stood up for what you believed in. The best part is summer came early for you. Zac is going to laugh when he hears this.
     "Does Halo know?"
     "I told her a little but you can tell her the story when you get home."
     "Okay." We go home and Halo and Andrew get home. Emily tell her what happened and Halo high fives her. We are all very proud of her I call Zac and she tells him what she did and he laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
I have never been more proud of her for doing that. I teach them to stand up for themselves and that's exactly what she did.