The Family [Book Two]

Thirty Two

Toni Sanchez

Wiping my eyes, I squatted down and put the twins car seats down on the ground.

Sitting down in front of them, I pulled Samari out of her seat and placed her in my lap and then carefully got Elle out and sat her on my thigh.

"Hey," I said looking at his head stone. "It's been a while."

I sniffles and wiped my nose.

"I wanted to come tell you happy birthday." I said looking up at the sky.

I felt the wind blow and Samari and Elle started giggling.

I looked down seeing them touching each other's hands.

"I wanted you to meet them."

I held up Elle. "This is Elle," I said.

She played with her bottom lip and slob dropped down my hand and on her onesie.

I laughed and put her back down. "And this is Samari." I said picking her up and hovering her over his head stone.

"Elle is the quiet one. She's the observer and the judge of character." I said looking at her. "She's like me."

"And Samari, She's the goofy one. Like you," I smiled. "She's always laughing and giggling at anything, all at almost four months."

Elle started to cry.

I looked down at her and her bottom lip poked out.

"Aww, baby what's wrong?" I asked holding her closer to me.

Samari blew bubbles of spit at her.

"Hey," I said bouncing her. "That's not funny."

She laughed.

I sighed and rocked them together.

"It's hard Eric." I said. "They look just like you."

The twins got quiet and I looked down seeing them both sleep.

"Sam loves them," I said. "I promise to never let anything happen to them."

I bit my bottom lip.

I reached over and pulled the rosary Tavi made him out of the diaper bag.

"Tavi made this for you," I smiled thinking about it. "She wanted you to have it on your birthday."

I laid it on the block next to the flowers that had been laid there.

"Ej's doing great in basketball." I smiled. "Sam helps him with his layups and his jumps, we know he's short."

I laughed.

"Tyson is crawling, but he thinks he can walk." I shook my head. "We had to take him to emergency the other day because he hit his head on the coffee table."

"Elijah is speaking more and more everyday." I laughed. "He called Tavi Ugly last night."

"They miss you." I said looking up again.

I placed Samari and Elle back in their seats and buckled them up.

"I know I should've came sooner," I said looking down at his headstone. "I was hurting and trying to fully come to terms with the fact that you were gone. I busied myself with Sam, and the kids just to take it off my mind. I'm sorry," I said standing up. "I know you're watching over us, and I'm going to keep my promise okay?"

The wind blew again and then the sun hid behind the clouds.

"You'll always be my husband." I said looking up. "And the father of my children."