Living Silently

Sister

"Austin"

Noel lay on top of me his soft warm skin was really the only necessary source of heat. I wouldn't have moved if I didn't have to and if the boys weren't at the door. He needed the sleep since the ordeal and I wanted to spend some quality time with my son's. It was crazy nine months ago it was just me now I had a fiance and two little boys who saw me as a dad. As I slid over the side of the bed I realized how cool it was in the room. I got up and went the door first and opened it seeing Amar and Ian who had his hand in his mouth, waiting for someone to answer.

"Good morning, go brush your teeth, Ian please keep your hands out of your mouth before you get sick. When you guys are done meet me in the kitchen okay," I told them and they scampered off. I walked into the bathroom and got ready for the day before walking out to the kitchen where the boys were, probably having half-assed their dental hygiene but it wasn't about that today it was about bonding.

"Alright, do you want me to cook or do you want me to make some cereal," I asked them.

"Cereal Dad, please don't cook I'd like to make it to the first grade," Amar joked.

"Ha ha ha," I faked laughed while Ian giggled to himself. "What kind do you want," I asked them.

"Cinnamon," Ian said so I grabbed the cinnamon fruity pebbles for him and a bowl. I then poured milk into his bowl and handed him a spoon sitting it in front of him while he swung on the stool behind the breakfast bar.

"How about you Amar," I asked him while he was daydreaming.

"Frosted Flakes," he said so I made him a bowl opting for Cheerios for myself. We all ate then I cleaned up and we went to the living room where I turned on the TV which already had cartoons on but I was sick and tired of hearing the voices of the characters so I changed to sports. Amar laid his head on my shoulder while we watched 30 for 30. Ian who wasn't as into sports ran to his room and came back with his Batman and Joker action figures and began playing with them quietly beside me.

"Hey, Amar how would you feel about me signing you up Football," I asked him.

"Really," he asked perking up.

"I'd have to ask your other dad first but if he's alright with it then yes," I told him.

"I'm fine with that," Noel said walking into the living room in a new shirt and jeans.

"You sure," I asked him.

He nodded," as long as his doctor approves at his next checkup."

He walked past me and I pulled him down on my lap and I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Why didn't you wake me up," he asked me.

"You needed some sleep after yesterday and I wanted to chill with the boys," I said giving him another kiss.

"Alright I guess that's okay," he said getting up from me while I tried to pull him back down.

"Stop baby, I'm hungry," he said so I let him go reluctantly.

"Nemo wake up already," Noel said loudly and I could hear his tiny clawed paws running into the living room. He was a little bigger but still lazy. Noel opened the patio where his self-cleaning potty pad was. We purchased it for him because he didn't like walks. I heard Noel in the kitchen whipping something up for him to eat.

"Amar what do you want for your birthday," Noel asked from the kitchen as Nemo came running back inside.

"An Xbox and madden," he said with a smile on his face. His birthday was next week and he had been asking for an Xbox since we got Nemo and Ian.

"You already told us that, what else do you want," Noel asked since we had planned to compensate for the lack of a real party with nice gifts. He entered school late and most of the people in his classes were going on vacation so it would just be us.

"I can't think of anything," he said bouncing in his seat before jumping off the couch and going to Noel who had the house smelling amazing.

"Ian hands," I said moving his hand out of his mouth.

"Sorry Dad," he said.

"I don't want you to get sick, all the," I stopped feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw an unknown number belonging to someone in Nebraska was calling me. I accepted the call than prepared my business voice," Hello this is Austin Robinson Esquire, how may I help you," I answered turning the tv down as I spoke. Noel shushed Amar so I could speak.

"Hello, Austin? This is Miranda how are you," my sister spoke. She had no real accent and her voice was on the deeper side for a girl. I could hear small children shouting in the background so I assumed she had a family. This was my first time hearing her voice in years.

"I'm fine and you," I asked her.

"I'm fine, one second," she said and I could tell she put her hand over the microphone while she shouted at her litter.

"I'm sorry the twins are a hand full and Kyle isn't any help," she said into the phone.

"Look I called because Maxwell told me about the stunt his dumbass pulled the other day and I wanted to apologize," she said to me sounding sincere.

"That's fine you didn't do anything he did. How did you get my number by the way,"I asked her.

"I found you on your company employee directory. I'm really proud of you, you made something out of yourself. A lawyer, you have a degree and a career. I'm just a housewife to kids who are at school most of the day and your brothers settled at home," she told me.

"Thank you, Miranda, are you in Nebraska," I asked.

"Yeah, my husband Kyle is in the Marines living in Korea right now. I'm staying close to his parents while he's gone," she told me.

"You have kids right," she asked knowing she already knew which meant there was a question she really wanted to answer.

"Yeah two real ones and a fur baby with my fiance," I replied.

"That's nice I'm happy for you... Look dad told them to get you back home. I know that you and Dad don't have a relationship really so I'm going to respect your choice to not go home and I won't give them any more information on you, but I think you should see what he had to say before he... He's sick Austin. I don't want him to die with you and him having things left unresolved," she said to me and I got up and left for some privacy.

"Look, Miranda, I don't have a Dad as far as I'm concerned. The moment that he told me not to come to the funeral he put the nail in the coffin. There isn't anything between me and him to fix," I stated.

"I get it Austin, just make sure before it's too late. I'll tell your brothers to leave you alone but we both know they take dad's word as if it's scripture. I am happy for you, can't believe you aren't the little boy we used to treat as our personal doll," she said and I sucked my teeth.

"Anyway keep in touch, love you the twins are ABOUT TO GET THEIR ASSES WHOOPED," she shouted before hanging up.

"You okay," Noel asked walking into the bedroom.

"I'm fine it was my sister. My dad's sick apparently," I said processing the information as I slid the phone into my pocket.

"How do you feel about that," he asked me.

"I don't know," I told him sitting on my bed still not sure of how I felt about it.