Our Dad's A Rockstar

Santa Ana Here We Come

2 weeks later...
Ross

"Ross the tour bus is here!" My Mom yelled. I ran downstairs with all my bags.

"Cuppy!" Rydel cried. I groaned. Not again!

"Daddy, Cuppy!" Rydel cried. I sat my bags down and walked back upstairs.

Riker and Rydel were looking around for I'm guessing Cuppy.

I helped them look. I found Cuppy under Rydel's blankets.

"Look, baby, don't cry. She's right here." I cooed kissing Rydel's tears away.

"Thank you." Rydel sniffed wiping her tears. She wrapped her arms around my neck.

"No problem baby girl." She giggled as I nibbled on her cheek.

"We have to go to the bus," I said standing up.

"Thank you for helping your sister Riker." I smiled ruffling his hair.

"I wasn't helping her! I was looking for Iron Man."

I shook my head at him. "Riker he's in your suitcase."

"Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded. "Absolutely." And with that, we walked downstairs.

"Does everyone have everything that they're taking?" I asked. I heard a course of yeahs.

I grabbed my bags and some of the kids'. Dad helped me with theirs.

"Thanks, Dad." He waved me off.

"Okay, Role-call!" Mom said after all the bags were in the car.

"Mark!" "Here!"
"Ross!" "Here!"
"Ellington!" "Here!"
"Riker!" "Here!"
"Rydel!" "Here!"
"Rocky!" "Here!"
"Ryland!" "Here!"

"Okay everyone's here." Mom said. We all got on the tour bus and started the trip.

"Daddy! Cuddles!" Ryland demanded. I rubbed my hands over my face. "Wait, Ryland."

"Do you need to talk Ross?" Mom asked massaging my shoulders. I nodded.

Sometimes all I need is someone to give me some advice. Being a single dad is hard especially when all of your kids are toddlers.

We stood up and walked to the end of the bus.

"Are you okay honey?" Mom asked concernedly. I nodded slowly.

"I'm just stressed with the tour and everything and the kids keep needing me-"

"They're always gonna need you, Ross, no matter what it is."

I nodded, "I know, I just feel like I'm not doing this right, they need a mother figure and I feel bad that they don't have one."

"Ross, listen to me you're the best father I have ever seen. You know what you're doing and everything happens for a reason. So maybe God wanted you to do this alone because there's light down the tunnel, there always is."

I hugged my mom tightly. "Thank you, Mom."

"Don't thank me, baby, everyone needs a pep talk sometimes. Now, get in there and cuddle your baby." She pulled away from the hug and pushed me towards the lounge part.

I laughed and picked up my youngest son.

I sat down with him on my lap and wrapped a blanket around us.

"I love you, Daddy." Ryland sighed happily cuddling into my chest.

"I love you too Rybear." I kissed the top of his head.

"Leave me alone!" I heard Riker yell. I looked up and saw my Dad holding a struggling Riker.

"You're going into timeout," Dad said and sat him in a corner.

"What did he do?" I asked. "He hit Rocky."

Riker was crying against the wall. "I want my Mommy!" He sobbed. My eyes widen.

He's never called for her before. "4 minutes Riker." Dad said.

Riker didn't stop crying the whole time. When he finally got out his face was red and he was hiccuping.

"Riker calm down baby, you're making yourself sick." I cooed running my fingers through his hair.

He gripped his heart as he cried. "Mommy!" He sobbed. "I want my Mommy."

Why is this hurting him so much? He was only 2 when she died and I'm surprised that he even remembers that he had a mom.

"Aw, Riker." I picked him up and placed him in my lap right next to Ryland.

"Your Mommy loves you, Rik, she wishes that she could see you and kiss you all the time but she's still with us."

"Where?" Riker sniffed wiping his tears. "Right here," I said pointing to his heart.

"Really?" I nodded and kissed his forehead. "She loves you bud."

Riker snuggled into my chest and he and Ryland fell asleep. I followed soon after them.

Mom woke me up a couple hours later and I had to do a show in Santa Ana.

The fans asked for the kids to be on the stage so they were.

We had the best time ever, dancing, and singing. Overall it was a good way to start off the tour.