You, Me, and Riley

chapter 26

"Are you sure we haffta go?" Riley said as I started carrying bags downstairs to set by the door. "Can we tay jus a itt'e bit onger?" She asked following behind me.

"I'm sorry baby." I said turning around to look at her "We all have to get back to work, we can't stay any longer."

"Upid ork." She grumbled toeing at the ground "I no wanna go ta ork." She said. I glanced up to see Hayden looking at us hopefully. Riley hadn't talked about work or our living situation since we had that conversation a few days ago. We were trying to be patient but it was killing us not knowing what she wanted to do once we left here.

"You don't have to go back to work baby." Hayden said kneeling in front of her "You can stay with Mama and I."

"I know Mommy, but what if-what if." She started before groaning and hitting her head with her hand twice.

"Woah." I said, as a shocked Hayden grabbed her hand from her forehead before she could do anymore damage. "What was that about?" I asked in confusion.

"Noting Mama, I sorry." She said looking at the ground.

"Sorry baby bug." Hayden said brushing some hair out of Riley's face with her free hand "But you don't get to hit yourself on the head and then not tell Mama and I what's going on."

"I scared." She said with a sigh.

"What are you scared of?" I asked sitting down next to Hayden and looking at her as she fidgeted. "I know you're uncomfortable baby." I said as she whined and tried to wiggle her arm out of Hayden's hold "But Mommy's right, we need to know why you hit yourself like that. You scared us."

"I'm scared that when we go back everything will be different." she said falling into Hayden and causing them both to fall backwards "And that you guys won't want to be my Mommies anymore."

Hayden and I looked at each other in confusion, we thought Riley knew exactly how we felt. All we wanted was to be Riley's Mommy's. Even worse was the fact that this was big Riley talking, logical 18 year old Riley talking."

"Riley" Hayden said after a few seconds "can you sit up and look at Mama and I please?" we waited patiently as she slowly sat up and looked at us.

"I'm not going to hit myself again." She said looking at her hand that Hayden still had a firm grasp on.

"I'm still going to keep this for a little longer, for my own sanity." she said with a smile "Can you explain to Mama and I what you're thinking right now."

"It's just, when we get back home you guys have to go to work so you'll be busy all the time." she said with a sigh "And if I decide to go back, do you really want a baby that acts like an adult?" she asked.

"First of all Mommy only works part time." I said looking at Hayden who nodded at Riley when she looked up at her. "So she will have plenty of time to spend with you. And I love you and your Mommy way more than I love my job, you guys come first, so I will have plenty of time to spend with you too.  And second of all, it doesn't matter if you work or not you will always be our baby."

"Are you sure?" Riley asked.

"We're positive." I said crossing my heart.

"You won't think I'm freeloader." she mumbled under her breath.

"Baby that is the last thing you have to worry about, we love freeloaders." Hayden said with a laugh causing Riley to laugh with her "now do you want to tell me why this little fist hit that precious head of yours?" she asked.

"I just got frustrated that I couldn't think of the words I wanted to say." She said with a shrug "I knew in my head, but they wouldn't come out of my mouth. I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

"We're not mad." I said giving her a soft smile "But if you keep doing stuff like that you could hurt yourself, think how much that would have hurt if you hit yourself with your hand in the cast." I said pointing at her hands.

"Yes Mama." she said slipping back into little space.

"Just be careful for Mama and I." Hayden said standing up and placing RIley on her hip. She walked to the back door and looked at the grill and picnic tables on the beach and smiled back at me "Are all the bags down here and ready to go?" she asked.

"Except for the one were going to use in the morning." I said with a smile as I opened the back door and we stepped outside "Let's go and enjoy our last night."

"What are we doin?" Riley asked as Hayden set her down at the picnic table and I walked to the grill.

"We are going to cook some hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill." I said with a smile looking back at Riley. "What time are Susan and the boys getting here?" I asked. Every time we come to Hawaii our tradition is to have a cookout with Susan, her husband, and two teenage sons to thank her for taking care of the house while we are away.

"Any minute now." Hayden said looking up at me "I invited Mike, Sheri, and the kids." Hayden said looking up at me "I hope that's okay. This might be the last time Riley sees her friends."

"That sounds like a perfect idea." I said looking back at the grill. The four of us have gotten together quite a few since we met at the park since the kids gets along so well, so we have become good friends.

"Essica, Andy, Scot!" Riley screamed in excitement as she saw her friends walk through the open door. "I know no you comin!" she said with a squeal of excitement. I helped her off the picnic table, pointed to the sand toys, and watched them run towards the sand after reminding them to stay out of the water.

"Thanks for coming guys." I said as Sheri walked to the table and sat next to me and Mike lingered by the grill.

"Of course." She said with a smile "The kids have been excited all day." She said as Susan walked through the door with her family. The boys ran off to play Frisbee on the beech with a few friends that Susan apologized for bringing last minute. (She also knew Dana and I wouldn't care, the more the merrier)

I quickly introduced Susan and her husband Ted to Mike and Sheri and conversation between the 6 of us was easy. When dinner was done and we had served food to all of the kids Mike cleared his throat to get everybody's attention.

"I have finally made the decision to merge Allegiant Dive with DPI." he said with a smile looking around at us expectantly. When nobody responded to his announcement her turned to me and said "No, Mike that's awesome, can't wait to work with you."

I raised my eyebrow before I said "I could tell you decided like a week ago." I said with a shrug "You were just being a pain in the butt." I said taking a bite out of my hotdog.

"You could still say congratulations or something." He mumbled under his breath.

"Congatuations uncky Mike" Riley said patting his shoulder with sticky hands.

"Thank you Riley." He said looking at her with a big smile "At least somebody loves me."

"I ove you daddy." three little voices piped in from various places around the table.

"So much love!" He said with a smile and a laugh.

As our night came to a close Riley was getting more and more fussy and she finally fell apart as we said our final goodbyes to Susan and the boys. As Hayden nursed her in the rocking chair rubbing her thumb against her cheek, I walked out of the room chuckling as I listened to her struggling to get Riley to sleep..

"Why are you fighting so hard pumpkin? I can see your little eyes trying to close." Hayden whispered "Just close your eyes and go to sleep." she said. A few minutes passed before I looked up from our bed to see Hayden walking in the doorway with Riley on her hip.

"Looks like somebody is refusing to go to bed." I said with a smile. "Are we having a slumber party?" I asked as Hayden laid down next to me placing Riley between us.

"I seep wif you an Mommy, jus ike I did on the first night, it was so cozy an warm." Riley said looking up at me with a smile.

"I'm a sucker I know." Hayden said closing her eyes and pulling Riley close "But how do you say no to that?" I laughed as I cuddled up next to Riley and quickly fell asleep.