Mandy

Chapter 2

Bring your brokenness and I'll bring mine; cause love can heal what hurt divides.
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Mandy walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed as she watched Caleb pull the sofa into its bed position.

"I'm sorry for taking your room." Mandy said, breaking the silence.

Caleb smiled at her as he locked the couch into position. "You were welcome to take it and you know that."

Mandy nodded, her arms folded across her chest.

Caleb sighed and sat down beside her. "How are you doing?" He asked.

She smiled sadly. "Ok. It just... they shouldn't think you're their dad. I shouldn't be Amilee's mom."

Caleb nodded and put his arm around Mandy's waist. "I know. He should be here. They should be here."

Mandy sighed as she rested her head on Caleb's shoulder. "It's just us now."

He nodded again. "And we have two kids to raise."

Mandy lifted her head and looked at Caleb. "But where? I don't want to stay here, but it's all the home we've ever had."

"I know." He agreed. "We just need to stick together, that's all we have left. Each other."

~The Next Morning~

"Mandy." Caleb gently shook her awake.

"I'm up." She grumbled, rolling over so her back was to him.

"Well, you aren't out of bed, and you keep so many nice cold water bottles in the fridge." Caleb explained.

His only answer was a hand that hurled towards his face. Caleb shook his head and started walking to the kitchen.

Mandy ran up behind him and jumped onto his shoulders. "Don't you dare." She hissed.

He chuckled. "That's all you had to do. Get out of bed."

"Whatever." Mandy said, moving her hair out of her face.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Amilee yelled excitedly as she ran into the kitchen.

Caleb set Mandy down on a kitchen chair, and then picked Amilee up and spun her around.

Amilee giggled. "Yay!" She exclaimed. "Do it again Daddy!"

Mandy sighed as she heard a scream from upstairs. "Be good Ami, and eat some breakfast." She told her oldest, then ran up the stairs.

"Quiet down Ethan, Mama is coming." She called to her son.

Ethan grinned as his mom opened the bedroom door. "Mama." He greeted her, holding out his arms out.

Mandy smiled and picked him up. "Come on sweetie, let's get you changed out of your sleeper."

Ethan just grinned at her.

Downstairs, Amilee was trying to bargain with Caleb.

"I won't eat anything but that." Amilee protested, pointing to the box of sugary cereal she had gotten out.

"Ami, that isn't good cereal for you. You can have some wheat Chex." Caleb offered.

Amilee stomped her foot down before spinning around on her heel and walking out of the room. "Dada would have let me." She yelled before running all the way up the staircase.