Mine [Series 2] | ✔️

{37} Mine [Series 2]

THIRTY-SEVEN:

© All Rights Reserved - 2013 S. M. Palmer

♜♖♜ COLBY ♖♜♖

{Monday, July 18, 2011}

WAKING UP THE NEXT DAY, I realize Keira isn't in bed and Derek isn't in his playpen. Climbing out of bed, I throw a T-shirt on and go into the living room. That's where I find Jeremy sitting on the couch, watching Family Guy on Netflix and Keira is sitting in the recliner, cradling Derek and feeding him his bottle. I go over to her and kiss her forehead. "Morning, babe," I reply.

She looks up at me. "Don't you mean afternoon? It's past noon," she answers.

"Is it really? What time is it?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.

"12:03," Jeremy mumbles from over yonder.

"Damn," I whisper. "So, how long have you been awake?" I ask, turning back to my beautiful wife.

"I've been awake since about 4:15 this morning," she answers softly.

"Why so early?" I ask while cocking an eyebrow again.

"The baby woke me up at 4:15 this morning, puking and than Derek woke up at 6:30 this morning. So, I just got up with him."

"Oh."

I bend down and kiss their foreheads. "Good morning, big guy," I whisper when I pull away from kissing my son's forehead.

I turn to Jeremy. "Hey, dude, were you able to get the tag and stuff yesterday?"

He shakes his head. "The tag office was closed yesterday," he answers. "Figured we all could go out and I do that and then we go to lunch or something."

I nod and then go into the kitchen to grab a Monster Energy Rehab Tea + Lemonade + Energy from the fridge. I pop it open and take a long sip before going back into the living room. Keira looks up at me. "You seriously drink those?" she asks. "Do you know how bad those are for your heart?"

I brush it off. "So. Who cares."

"I care," she answers sternly. "I don't want my husband getting heart problems from drinking Monsters."

"Babe, I promise this won't give me heart problems," I respond.

"Whatever. You say that now but you just watch," she replies, moving Derek to burp him.

I take another sip of my Monster and then burped, which is followed by Derek ripping an awesome burp. "Like father, like son," I inform, laughing.

My amazing wife rolls her eyes. "Can you hold your son while I go take my shower?" she asks, standing up.

I nod.

I set my Monster on the side table and take Derek from her. She kisses my cheek and then goes to take her shower. I crouch down and lay Derek in his swing and then plop down on the couch beside Jeremy. "So, you excited about leaving for the US Marine Corps Wednesday?" I ask, glancing at him.

"Yeah," he answers.

"I had planned on joining the military after I graduated high school. I mean it was before Keira and I even thought about having kids, but I didn't want to leave my girlfriend for months at a time."

He nods. "And Wednesday, I'm not leaving for the US Marine exactly yet. I'm going to training camp in Concord, California."

"That's cool," I reply. "Nate, Xzavier, and Carlos are doing that. You might see them."