It's a Long Story

Chapter 6

(5 years later)

"Wyatt has a field trip. Can you pack him a lunch? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and some carrot sticks. Maddie's preschool needs the check for tuition." I remind Noah. Everyone is sitting at the table, while I finish up cooking.

"Wyatt sweetie, please stop playing with your sister's hair. You know she doesn't like it." I scold Wyatt. He gives me puppy eyes and I raise my eyebrow at him. Caroline squeals and tosses a cheerio off of her tray.

"Car!" I say sternly. She looks at me and giggles. I turn to Noah, and he grabs Caroline's hand gently and says 'no' sternly.

"Mommy! Wyatt gwabbing my hawr!" Maddie cries out.

"WYATT!" I shout. "What did I say about playing with Maddie's hair?!?" I scold, my voice sounds hard, but I am not shouting anymore.

"I'm sorry..." He says, on the verge of tears.

"Go sit in time out. Now. No tv time tonight now." He nods and walks to the corner.

"Cate... Was that really necessary?" Noah asks, his voice sounding exacerbated.

"Yes. If we don't discipline them, they will turn into ungrateful brats." I whisper yell. I smell the burning toast. "Shit" I grumble. I grab the burnt toast and toss it in the trash can. I put new pieces in and I put the eggs on plates for everyone. I place pieces of avocado on the plates as well. I put the plates down on the table and everyone starts eating. Noah calls over Wyatt, and he apologizes to his sister.

"Okay. I will drop off the girls to day care, you take Wyatt to school. I have work until five today, and I won't be able to get Wyatt from school. So you get him and I will grab the girls on my way home from work." I say to Noah.

"Whoa whoa whoa, I have a late filming schedule tonight. I told you yesterday I couldn't." He says quickly.

"Crap." I grumble. "Could your mom pick him up?" I ask hopefully.

"She is in San Francisco visiting friends." He groans.

"What about Abby?" She is our normal babysitter.

"She is on a cruise or something." Noah says, wiping Caroline's face.

"What about Dani? I think she is available weekdays. Can you call her? She likes you more than me..." I suggest. He looks up and laughs.

"Because I am such a DILF." He says with a flirty tone.

"Oh stop it." I say annoyed. He pulls out his phone and texts her. She responds immediately.

"She'll do it." He says nonchalantly.

"Okay. Have her take him to the library and read with him. I don't want her coming to the house, not after what happened last time." I say, with a pointed look. Last time she was in our house, she was trying on my clothes and messing with Noah's stuff. Since then, I have kept all of my jewelry in a locked box in my closet.

"Obviously." He chuckles a bit. After I clean up breakfast and the table, we are pile into the cars. I buckle both Maddie and Caroline into their car seats, and I hop into mine. I look over at Noah and Wyatt. Wyatt is just like his father, he has a thick mop of curls on top of his head. The only striking difference, is that Wyatt has my freckles. The girls are definitely split. Maddie looks like Wyatt, but Caroline, she looks just like me. She has my almond Asian eyes, but also my auburn hair. She doesn't have freckles, but she has very bright hazel eyes. Her hair is pin straight. Caroline is a mommy's girl. But Maddie is definitely a daddy's girl. Wyatt was spoiled to death as a baby, so he is really just both.