Blended Love.

Decisions.

Alexandra.

The next day, I wake up at 10, with the girls in the same position as last night, but a big, wool blanket wrapped around all four of us on the couch. I look around and hear voices from the kitchen. I slowly and gently move the two older girls to lay on the opposite side and I pick Lou up before laying her beside Hilary, who she curls into and who curls around her as a result. I make my way into the kitchen to find Eleanor and Jim laughing and chatting at the bar in the kitchen. I see Clementine sitting at the dining table, eating soup and chatting with someone. A man with black hair. He chuckles as she makes silly faces.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" I ask, rubbing my eyes as Eleanor hands me a cup of coffee. I check the time again, he should've come at 1.

"Thought I'd check on my favorite girls. Found that they've doubled though." He jokes, standing up and hugging me with a kiss on the cheek.

"Mhmmm..." I mumble, sipping my hot coffee. "How's Drake?"

"He's fine. He's actually sick right now." He says before lowering his voice to a whisper. "I swear him and Tiny are linked."

"I heard that..." Clem mumbles sleepily as she stands with her empty soup bowl. "I think I'm getting better though... maybe our link is delayed."

"That's funny. Go get dressed. Your appointment is in an hour." I tell her, turning her to the stairs. "I'll come and give you your vitamins in a sec."

"Okay, Momma." She says, slowly stepping upstairs as Eleanor and Jim go into the living room to check on the other three girls.

"What are you really doing here? You shouldn't be here till 1, Jack." I tell the tall man as he takes my coffee cup and sets it on the counter beside me.

"Am I not allowed to visit my family?" He asks softly, hugging me loosely.

"You said you wouldn't be arriving here till 1. And if Drake is sick, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at home, taking care of him?"

"Lillian is. I've got it covered, Mama Bear. I wanted to come down for a visit." I raise an eyebrow and he cracks. "Okay. Fine, I wanted to check on you. I know the day is coming up soon, and I know how both you and Ben refuse to talk to one another, and both act like you're okay, but we all know you're not. C'mon, Mama Bear, give me something."

"What? What do you wanna hear, Jack? That I'm miserable? That I miss Ben? That I still love him and can't last any longer without him? That I wish that we had our son, and that if anyone had to die to keep our son, that it would be me?" I scoff. "No. I am not like that anymore, Jack. I have Eleanor. I have Clementine. I have Jim and the girls. I love them all."

"All right." He nods, taking a moment to listen to the three girls waking up and greeting their father. "I guess I better head back to Vancouver then."

"Yeah. You should." I say sternly, turning and walking to the other side of the kitchen to find a small task to do. "And don't bring up Ben again."

"You gotta be kidding me. You two loved each other, loved each other's families! You have a bump in the road and let it ruin your engagement and the life you could've had?!" Jack asks hysterically.

"Get out." I demand. "I don't want you bringing him up. I left because he blamed me for the death of the child I was carrying! I left because our relationship was already hanging by a thread even before we found out I was pregnant! I want you to leave, right now. The girls do not need you bringing up Ben. I don't need you bringing him up. Out. Now."

"Alex." Jack hesitated, Eleanor coming into the kitchen and looking at him sternly as she embraces me loosely. "Eleanor, tell her."

"No, Jack. You need to go. Now." She says sternly. He huffs before leaving and slamming the front door shut as Clem runs in and hugs me.

"It's okay, Momma. Me and Gramma are here for ya..." the small girl soothe as Jim and the girls enter slowly, embracing me, Eleanor and Clem into a big, soothing group hug, all murmuring soft comforting words.

"Thank you guys..." I mutter, loosening my grip and they all let go except for Clementine. "Can I... can I have a minute with Clem, guys?"

"Sure. I should take the girls home now." Jim agrees, herding his daughters out of the kitchen to go gather their things. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem, Jim." I tell him as Eleanor heads upstairs to help the girls grab their things and I guide Clem to the table and sit with her.

"What's wrong, Momma?" Clem asks, holding my hand in her small ones.

"Nothings wrong, baby. How are you feeling?" I ask her, feeling her temperature, finding it is slightly higher than normal, but lower than it was the past few days. "Are you feeling well today?"

"I'm feeling better, Momma. I still feel yucky, but I feel better than yesterday." She says happily. "Does that make sense, Momma?"

"Yeah. I understand, Clem." I nod before taking both her hands in mine and fully facing her. "Baby, what would you say about going to Africa with me and Grandma for your spring break this year?"

"Hmmm... are the girls coming too?" She asks curiously.

"No baby, it's gonna be us, and uncle Opilus, his new girlfriend and Uncle Opilus' kids." I tell her, using her nickname for my boss due to his last name. She bounces excitedly in her seat.

"Yay! The cousins will be going!" She says excitedly. She always loved my boss' kids, always wanted to look after them and either called them her cousins, or her siblings since she never had the chance to have her own.

"Okay, well, you should try and pack and make sure to drink water and take your medicine so you can be healthy and ready for the trip in about a week." I tell her, getting up and pouring a glass of water for her.

"Okay Momma." She says, swallowing her pills and some water. "I'll go start packing, and don't worry about Uncle Jack. He's just being a jerk today."

"Okay, go on up and pack, baby. No more uncle jack talk." I tell her.

It'd been a few days since then. Clementine has gotten over her sickness, and I've found out that my boss and his girlfriend, who is friends with Jim's date from a few days ago, broke up, or is taking a break. I told him to tell her he had kids, especially six of them. But no, he thought she wouldn't care. She did. But, since he's not going there with her and his kids, he decided to still let me, Clem and Eleanor go. Currently, I am finishing packing with the two right now when I get a text from Jim, saying that he and the girls are also going on the trip with us after he called to ask our boss if he could.