Pain and Love Comes in Many Forms

Chapter Fifty Six

This Tyler boy, he was not what I expected.

Compared to Mark, who I would say was a decently strong kid, this Tyler was tall, lanky, with a decent sum of muscle, his hair a messy lump of brown curls, his eyes an ever so vibrant blue, and his skin tanned as if he lived under the sun his whole life. Still, mark seemed happy seeing his friend.

"Tyler!"

"Mark!" The two friends hugged, joyously talking as they made their way towards the living room. I, in turn, went to talk to his mom.

"I'll pick him up in a few hours."

I nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

His mother was a whole lot different. She was pale with black hair, but had the same blue eyes. She was short, to a point where her son was already taller than her, but she was obviously his mom.

"I- my son's been in a bit of a place recently." She mentioned.

"What do you mean?"

Mrs. Adam sighed, casting a sad smile her Simms way, "do you... believe in things like soulmates?"

"Well, would you believe me if I told you this fortune teller I met at random mentioned my son and soulmates?"

"Well," she said, looking more relaxed, "I can see his smile a lot more talking about and around your son. It seems that other students picked up on it. I just ask that you make sure he's comfortable here."

"I'll make sure. You don't have to worry."

"Thank you." She seemed relieved.

"He's a lot like my husband. well, ex-husband I suppose."

"I-"

"Oh, don't worry much for me, it's sad to think about it, but i know that man would be happier knowing he left us here for us to move on. My son's happiness means the world to me."

"You sound like a wonderful mother."

"No one's perfect. I still mess up here and there, but thank you.  See you in a few hours." She leaves and I shut the door, going to where the kids were. Tyler and Mark were sitting in the living room, talking excitedly, and I couldn't help but feel my heart warm at the pair.

He wished he could've asked that fortune teller more, but she had vanished, and no one seemed to know who's he was.

"Either of you kids want something? I could make a snack?"

"Papa said not to let you cook."

"I know. I can bake though. He lets me do that, and I make some mean frozen treats."

Mark and Tyler look at each other and back at me, their mind racing with snack ideas.

"Apple slices with chocolate on it!" They exclaimed.

"Sounds like a plan." He left the living room to the kitchen, where he was able to watch the boys. He grabbed some apples and began cutting them for the kids. It didn't take long before he had two bowls of apples drizzled with chocolate, bringing the bowls to the boys.

"Thank you Daddy!" Mark said happily. Tyler seemed surprised that Mark called me daddy, but honestly, it was because Lily did it and he got used to it.

"Thank you Mr-"

"Oh sweetie, just call me Ethan. I'm only sixteen years older than this one." I informed, punching Mark's noise.

"Really?"

"Well, of course."

"Oh yeah, I may have forgot to mention he's not my bio dad."

Tyler seemed a tad shocked, maybe this kid was more relaxed than he thought.

"Then Papa is?"

"My husband. We adopted Mark and Lily since my brother and his wife obviously couldn't care for them. Best decision we ever made."

Tyler seemed to be fine with all that information, "that's pretty cool."

"And he might get another sibling."

Mark seemed a tad shocked now, "how?"

"Well, conversation for another day, for now, I will say we have about... ten months until that sibling is due."

"Surrogate?" Tyler guessed.

I nodded, "good friend of ours offered it to my husband and I and, wanting to make our family bigger and give the two more siblings, we accepted her offer."

"Surrogate?"

"Someone holds the baby instead of the person who created it." Tyler explained.

"Oh, cool."

"Honestly, you two give me hope for the future. Such open minded kids."

He heard the front door swing open, "we're home!"

I got up as Jack entered the room, carrying Lily on his back. She was still in her fluffy pink tutu and had this gorgeous smile on her face.

"Welcome home. Another tiring day?" I asked as Jack came over and pecked my lips.

"Nope, better than usual. I'm going to let Lily eat her lunch, be back." Lily and Jack went to the kitchen, and I tried back to Mark and Tyler, who were already eating their apples.

"You two look happy."

"You and papa always look happy."

"I feel like the context is different. Anyways, I'll be in the kitchen helping papa, you two can play video games and chat all you like."

"We'll tell you if we need anything."

"Sounds like a plan." I ruffle their hair and head to the kitchen, where Lily was happily eating a sandwich and Ethan was leaning against the counter.

"Heather told me that things were good so far and she's excited."

"I'd be excited too in all honesty."

"Because we are preparing for another audition, I expanded the house hunt list and may have found the perfect property."

"Really!" I exclaimed happily, the kids looking at Jack and I in confusion.

"Yes really."

"That's great!"

"We can check it out with the kids later."

"Sounds like a plan."

Jack smiled, glancing at Lily who had finished her sandwich and was now drinking her apple juice, glaring at the broccoli still left on her plate.

"Peaceful."

"I can agree with you there. This is our happy ever after."

"It truly is. After everything that's happened, we finally, finally got the ending we arrived for."

"It's a bit late." I joke.

He shrugged, "all that matters is that we're happy now."

"Yeah, were happy now."