Helping Emma

Chapter 26

I roll over and look at the clock again. I let out a sigh seeing it was only 3:30 in the morning. I roll over again and try to get comfortable. A few minutes later I can't help but move again. "Emma dear, your making me feel seasick".  "I'm sorry babe I can't sleep. My mind just won't stop running".  "What are you thinking about?"  "A little of everything, like will the kids get along? Will Emmitt be happy here?  Is he having trouble sleeping tonight? Is he afraid because he's in a new place?"  "Sweetheart why don't you go check on him. Your never going to be able to sleep until you do, which means I won't be able to sleep. Go". She's pretty much pushing me out of the bed. "Ok, ok. You win". I go check on all the kids and they are sound asleep. I walk back to the bedroom and lay next to my wife. "How is he Emma?"  "He's fine, they all are. Emmitt is holding on to the stuffed panda that Sophie gave him. It's really cute. Soph has that stuffed Spanish frog that your parents brought back from their last trip to Puerto Rico". "Oh yes Coquí. She loves that thing". Regina says with a smile. "And Of course Henry kicked off his covers and is sleeping in the fetal position holding on tightly to his pillow". We both laugh. "Oh that boy sleeps in the strangest positions. He must get it from you Emma". She says with a grin and gives me a kiss. "So, do you feel better now my love? All of our children are sleeping peacefully and now we can too right?"   "Yes and thank you Regina. I love you".  "I love you too, but why are you thanking me ? I just wanted to get to sleep that's why I said go check on Emmitt". I smile at her and say. "I was thanking you for saying the words 'our children'. I know this is hard for you, accepting that I have a kid from someone else, but your trying and I love you so much for that. I can't believe I got so lucky to be loved by you". She gives me a kiss and I can see she's holding back a few tears. "I'm the lucky one, you mushy jerk". We both laugh and kiss again. "Ok Babe. It's late enough. Let's try to get some sleep tonight". We snuggle together and just as I'm about to fall asleep I here Regina say.  "Ahh damn it". I ask her what's wrong as she's getting out of bed. "I have to pee. Damn it, I was so comfortable".  "I'm sorry babe". "Ya, what ever Emma". A few hours later the twins wake us up like they usually do. Regina and I are so tired. We tell the kids to go downstairs and that we will be there in a few minutes. After we do our morning bathroom routine, Regina goes downstairs to start breakfast and I go check on Emmitt. I knock on his door. When I walk in I see him sitting on the bed. He's dressed already and his bed is made. "Good morning kid. How come your already dressed?"  "We always had to be dressed before breakfast at the home, otherwise we had to go in time out". Group homes suck. I hated every one of mine. I sit on the bed next to him. "Emmitt. I know it's going to take you some time before you feel comfortable here with us and that's ok. We just want you to be yourself. You can wait till after breakfast to get dressed. Sometimes on a Sunday we just have pajama day and don't get dressed at all. I just want you to be you ok? And since you are my son I have a feeling that your a bit messy like me". He smiles at that and just shrugs. "Ya, I thought so. Ok. It's Saturday and we just kind of chill for a few hours and then do some stuff on the farm. So how about you change back into your pajamas and meet us all down in the kitchen. Regina is an awesome cook". He smiles and nods at me. As I walk out, I turn and say. "Don't take to long or you'll have to arm wrestle me for the bacon. Finally I hear a laugh from him and I go downstairs. I look in the living room and see Henry and Sophia singing along to a show they are watching. I go into the kitchen and see my wife at the stove. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her. I kiss the side of her neck and caress her baby belly. "How is Emmitt my love?"  I let out a sigh. "I think it may take a bit for him to get used to not living in a group home. He was dressed and sitting patiently on his already made bed waiting for someone to come get him".  "Oh my love don't worry. I know he will be fine here. He's still young and we have a lot of love to give him". We here a knock and look to the kitchen door and Emmitt is standing there. "Sorry to bother you. I don't know what to do". Regina walks over to him. "Don't know what to do with what sweetie?"  "My morning chores. They always made us do stuff around the home". I swear every time this kid speaks it breaks my heart a bit. Why the hell didn't Ashley tell me about him. "We can talk about chores later. Why don't you go watch some tv with Henry and Sophia. Emma why don't you join them and I'll call you when everything is ready".  "Ok babe. Let's go bud, let's go before she makes us work". I grab Emmitt's hand and we run out of the kitchen. A little while later Regina surprised us by letting us have breakfast while we watched tv. We ate breakfast, then played a board game, then we all took a nap on the living room floor. It was almost like we were camping. Regina woke me up a little while later so I could help her up so she could go to the bathroom. Before the kids woke up we decided that we were going to take Emmitt shopping. We want him to feel at home here. While the kids were still sleeping, Regina and I took a quick shower together. Then when the kids woke up we got them washed up and we all went out shopping. First we went to a clothing store because Regina said so. We got Emmitt a whole new wardrobe and we also got the twins a few new outfits. We don't want them to feel like we favor anyone of them over the other. We talked to the twins before we went shopping. They know that Emmitt doesn't have as much as they do, and they are happy to help pick out things for him. We also told them that we will buy them a few things as well, which made them very happy. Next we went to the toy store, and the twins where all over that. We told Emmitt that we could pick anything he wanted. As the twins went running around, Emmitt just slowly browsed the isles. A few minutes later he walked up to me and Regina and asked. "Is it ok if I get this?"  He had one toy in his little hand held basket, and it was a Wally the green monster stuffed animal. He's the Boston Red Sox mascot. He is so my son. I also love the Red Sox. "This is all you want? You can pick as much as you want. Don't you want some LEGOs? I saw you playing with them the other day". He just shrugs. "Your my son and your getting LEGOs. Come on kid, I'm helping you shop". I took his hand and grabbed a shopping cart and we went up and down every isle. Whatever made is eyes open wide or he just shrugged at he was getting it. By the time we left Regina and I spent almost a thousand dollars on all three kids. Mostly on Emmitt though. He couldn't believe what we bought for him. After putting all his new clothes and toys in his room I sat on his bed and talked to him. "So last night you picked a baseball theme for your bedroom, and you seem to love the Red Sox just like me so, how would you like your room to look like Fenway Park?"  I've never seen a kid so excited before. It took him a moment to think and then sadly said no. He tried to hold the tears back as he said it. "No its ok. Just you redoing one of your rooms for me is enough. I don't need much. You don't have to go through so much trouble just for me". This fucking kid is so breaking my heart. Now it's my turn to hold back the tears. I put my arm around I'm and hold him close. "Look Emmitt, I know you didn't have a lot with your mom and after she died you pretty much had nothing in the group homes. Believe me I know. I was in to many to count. This is your home now. You are my son. We are family. Regina loves you, Henry and Sophia love you, and most of all I love you son". The tears fall no matter how hard I try to stop them. "We all want to give you love and give you everything that a good kid like you deserves. You deserve nice things Emmitt. I saw your face light up when I said we could decorate your room as Fenway Park, that's what you are getting".  "I'm sorry daddy". He starts to cry. This is the first time he's called me daddy, and I really like it. I hold him so tightly. "Son, I'm not mad. You have no reason to be sorry. I know your not used to getting all this stuff, and that's ok. You needed clothes, you needed toys of your own. I love you son".  "I love you daddy. Thank you for rescuing me". We hold hold each other tight for a little bit till we hear a knock at the door. Regina walks in and tells us dinner is almost ready. She looks at me with concern in her eyes. "It's ok babe. Emmitt and I done in here". I look at Emmitt. "Ok bud, why don't you wash your hands and get cleaned up for dinner". He nods and I kiss him on the head. I grab Regina's hand and pull her into our bedroom and just wrap my arms around her and start to cry. "Sweetheart what's wrong?"  I shake my head and cry a little more. "It just sucks being a foster kid babe. You never think you deserve anything, and now Emmitt thinks that way. Why the fuck didn't Ashley tell me about him. I grew up in the foster system. She knows I would have taken care of him. What the fuck?"  I pull away from my wife. I'm so angry. Emmitt deserved better than to have lived in a group home for three years. I walk over to the window and put my hand on the wall and take some deep breaths. Regina walks up behind me and wraps her arms around me. "My love he is here now. That's what matters. It may take some time, but he will adjust. He's young and we will give him all the love he needs". I turn around and hold my wife close to me. As always she makes me feel more relaxed. After a few minutes Henry comes running in. "Mommy, mommy. The oven is making a weird noise".  "Oh crap. The lasagna. Damn it". Regina quickly leaves the room and we follow her. She takes the lasagna out of the oven and it's smoking. She removes the foil cover and the top is burnt to a crisp. I try not to laugh because I know she will kill me, but I let out a little chuckle. "Emma Swan. Don't you dare".  "I'm sorry babe. Let it cool. Maybe we can save the bottom layers". She gives me an evil look. "Now what do we have for dinner?"  I think quick. "Let's go to Granny's. Emmitt hasn't been there yet. He'll love it". Regina looks disappointed, so I walk over to her and hold her in my arms. I give her a tender kiss. "I'm sorry your dinner got ruined babe, but maybe I can make it up to you tonight after the kids go to bed". I say with a wink of my eye. "Oh damn it Emma. I hate when you do that. It makes me want you right now". She says with a deep kiss. I'm so into it, but we have kids to feed. I try to pull away. "Baby, babe. We can't do this now. We have to feed the kids. Tonight I'm all yours. I'll do almost anything you ask". She gives me a quick kiss and says. "I don't like when you say 'almost'. It makes me nervous". I laugh a little and take her hand. "Let's go babe, our kids need food, and so do I, especially if I have to have make things up to you". We kiss once more then get the kids ready to go to Granny's for dinner.