new kids on the block

chapter one --- plane ride home

     Three AM on a Monday morning. The house was still. It was like this only once every few days. No sounds lurking in the corners of the house, no water running in the bathroom, no static coming from the TV, nothing. Absolute, still, silence. And Amina cherished it.

     She also cherished her husband, and his life, which the entire family depended on, never mind her's. In fact, the whole family sincerely cherished his life, no matter how much of it got left behind the scenes, restricted for them to see - that included Amina. That's what they were waiting on. Like they did once every few days or so, or every week if they were lucky - month if a miracle struck - they waited on his life. Dimitri wasn't involved in any nonsense that could put him and his family's life in danger. He was simply getting off a plane, and coming home.

     For most families, the average thing to do would be to pick him up from the airport if they were so worried. But Dimitri had no time to wait, and Amina had no time to pick him up. Parker and Reece could do it if they wanted to, but they never wanted to. Why would they want to waste time that could be spent brooding on a dad who was never there? It wasn't in a malicious way that he wasn't there, he just couldn't be. There was too much time being spent fighting in the ring and being on TV to be there. And Amina sometimes wished he would get a different job, but she was met with the constant "I have a contract" so there was no use anymore. Besides, deep down inside she knew that this was his main way of making money, and he really was making lots of it.

     Though everyone was thinking thoughts of abandoning the sacred sort of deformed shape they had formed in the front room, which also served as the living room, nobody was saying it. Despite the Harris family's reputation for having reckless mouths, it was never the same at these times. Amina looked down at her small watch which Dimitri had spent a paycheck on for her. The time read 3:03 AM. Dimitri had texted her the day before, telling her he should be home by 3:15, and he almost always got the time precise- if not, he was early.

     A familiar jingle in the outside hallway and any tense thoughts were released. By now the family knew which finger went under the other as he opened the door with his key when he came home, despite the fact that the door hid him. Dimitri was behind the door and they all knew it, a majority of the family besides Parker and Reece lurching forward to see him, and what kind of shape he was in after a fight. The door swung open and in he walked, his head bowed and a stern look imprinted on his face as per usual.

     This granted different reactions from different people. For example, Chamomile sprung up from her seat. A slight smile sprouted across Luna's face. Nick got up slowly and dapped up his dad, who responded almost effortlessly. Even Jinx nodded approvingly. But Reece however, slinked out of his seat and walked back to his room, murmuring,

     "Now I can finally get some fucking sleep."

Parker rolled his eyes and got up from the couch, swerving around and following Reece,

     "Same."

Amina, who felt a great wave of relief rush over her, chided her eldest boys, though she wasn't really interested in what they thought when the love of her life was finally right in front of her, after a week of absence,

     "Watch the language!"

     "Nice," Nick smirked after his dad dapped him up, something he'd taught Nick a while ago, back when it was just him, Amina, Chamomile, Reece, Nick, Jinx, and Luna- although, that was still a lot, but enough for him.

     "Hi daddy!" Chamomile smiled, the only real true product of Dimitri besides Reece, who barely knew Dimitri despite being his offspring. She hugged him from his waist and he hugged back, nearly crushing her petite body with just his muscular arms. When she squirmed at his touch, he pulled away and apologized profusely.