Forever Yours [Series Two of Bittersweet Disasters]

[3] "Good Thing You Have Concealer To Cover That."

♜♖♜ KAIDEN PARKER ♖♜♖

{Sunday, December 31, 2017}

IT'S BEEN A WEEK SINCE I was released from that hellhole and this has probably been the best seven days I've experienced in these past two years; no sarcasm noted. (I've missed my home, I've missed my babies, and I've especially missed the sex with my girl!) Tonight, Trent and Jake are hosting a New Year's Eve party and they've invited a bunch of people that they know. And of course, they've invited Dezerae and I. We're definitely taking up our invite, and attending. Damn, I've missed my partying days! (But this time around I will 'not' be drinking a bunch of alcoholic beverages. I will 'not', whatsoever, take a trip down 'that' road again!) Dezerae talked with Whitney at the beginning of this week and Whitney said she'd get her parents to babysit Devin, KJ, and Matthew tonight. So the babysitter for tonight is all taken care of.

"Shit, I forgot how effing comfy this mattress is compared to that crappy, thin mattress I had to sleep on while I was in East Mesa," I explain, sighing in a dreamy voice as I turn over and face my gorgeous fiancé. (I could tell I probably just woke her up though.)

She grins sleepily at me before she releases a soft yawn. "I'm so happy to have you back," she whispers before lightly kissing my nose. "I'm so happy to have the extra help back."

I chuckle.

That's when Devin and KJ start chanting, "Daddy! Dada!" into the baby monitor.

"I'll go get them since they're saying my name," I reply before softly chuckling. I climb out of my comfy, soft bed and cut across the hallway and into Devin and KJ's room. "Good morning, boys," I reply cheerfully. "Did y'all sleep good last night?"

They grin widely at me and then KJ reaches out for me. "Hi, Daddy," he replies.

"Hi, bud," I respond as I reach into his crib and pick him up. I help Devin out of bed and he takes my hand. When we get to the stairs, I crouch down so Devin can climb on my back and Dez appears to take KJ from me. Entering the kitchen, we discover Aiden and Destiny are sitting at the kitchen table and Trent's sitting in the big beanbag in the living room, feeding Matthew. "Good morning, y'all," I reply, grinning at everyone.

"How can you be this chirpy?" Aiden mumbles from behind his mug of coffee. "It's like 8:15."

"Bro, the only reason I'm 'this' chirpy is because I'm so happy to be back home and out of that effing place. That place fucking sucked!"

"I'm happy to have the help back," Dezerae replies as she places a waffle in the toaster.

"Eh, I'm happy my brother's home so now I can actually get to know him, you know," Aiden replies after a moment's silence.

Dez shoots him a smile.

~ ~ ~

"Mama, what that for?" Devin asks Dezerae as he points to his and KJ's overnight bags that Dezerae is packing.

"Bud, you, your brother, and your cousin are going to spend the evening at Mama's friend's house and y'all are going to stay the night," Dezerae answers, glimpsing at Devin and smiling.

"Why, Mama?"

"Because, honey," she replies, "Uncle Trent and Uncle Jake are having a party here and Mama and Daddy will be going to it and it'll be easier if we don't have to keep up with y'all."

I go over to Devin and scoop him up in my arms. "Come on, bud," I respond, "you want to go watch Daddy play a shooting game or something?"

He nods. Dez shoots me a smile and I smile back before I exit the room. Entering the sitting area, I set Devin on the couch and then switch my PS4 on. "Alright, bud, whatcha want to watch Daddy play?"