What's Next?

A Tale of Two Tantrums

Jess began working at home more which he liked but also meant there were more distractions. It was good to be around Rory and the girls but it felt like each one needed something one after the other.

"Daddy, where's my flower shirt?" Haeven would ask.

"Jess, can you get Adley to eat her lunch?" Rory followed.

"Sissy no share!" Rosalyn would scream.

"Be right there!" Jess yelled back.

He valued the nights because the kids were asleep by eight and Rory would curl up with a book.

Rory did not find the situation so optimal when Jess wasn't even in bed until midnight. "Babe, come on. It's time for you to sleep."

"One minute," Jess said back.

" 'One minute.' " Rory mocked.

Jess didn't hear her.

*****

"I want daddy to tell me a bedtime story," Haeven stated as Rory tried to get her to sleep.

"Daddy is busy," Rory sighed, "I told you that already, honey."

Haeven was not having any of it. "I want daddy!"

Rory tried to stop the young girl from running away but Haeven was too fast. "Come back here." She had told Jess that she'd keep the girls from bothering him.

"Can you read me a story?" Haeven asked her dad and she gave him puppy dog eyes.

Jess sighed. "Haeven can you have mommy read it?"

"I want you to." There was pleading in her voice.

Jess decided he might as well read her just one damn bedtime story, not worth the tears that would probably come if he said no. "Okay, one story."

Haeven cheered and ran to her room.

"I'm sorry, Jess. I tried to stop her." Rory apologized.

"It's okay sweetheart." Jess touched her cheek gently, knowing that he needed to stop getting angry so easily.

Jess read Haeven a story and surprising she didn't ask for another one. "Night night."

"G'night daddy." Haeven was almost asleep.

"Daddy say nigh-nigh!" Adley came running up to Jess.

Jess picked up his two-year-old. "Daddy said night night already but he'll do it again."

"No nigh-nigh." Adley forced her legs up when Jess tried to set her down.

"Adley Grace," Jess stiffened his tone, "It's time for you to sleep."

"No, no!" Adley screamed.

Jess didn't want to fight this battle tonight; he put Adley in her crib and raised the gate to make sure that she couldn't force it down and crawl out. Her cries were getting to him, he wanted to go back, pick her up and comfort her.