Wistful

Chapter 9 - Hi, Nix

(Kadynce's POV)

"Mommy! Mommy!" Nikkol shook me awake, I opened my eyes to see her directly in my face, her blue eyes shimmering with energy. As she spoke, I could smell her bubblegum-scented toothpaste breath. "Mommy, I'm hungry."

Jase was still fast asleep right beside me.

Smiling, I rolled over to stretch. "Okay, I'm up." I yawned, looking out the window to make sure the sun was up. If it wasn't, this wouldn't be the first time in the last month that Nikkol imposed on my sleep before sunrise. It doesn't matter to her how many hours of sleep we got the night before, she was an early riser. "Is Papa downstairs?"

Please let him be.

"I'll go check." She gasped, bouncing from the bed.

Now, that I'm awake, there's no way that I would be able to go back to sleep. Dragging myself from the bed, I headed to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth.

Dressing in a pair of dark blue jean shorts and a white shirt, I exited the bathroom to see my son sitting up in the middle of the bed, looking around.

He was dazed from his sleeping spell. "Good morning, Mr. Jase." I smiled, going to my baby boy, and scooping him up from the bed. "How's Mommy's, little man?"

He didn't respond.

I have a hard time getting words out of Jase when he first wakes.

Picking him up in my arms, he laid his head on my shoulder as I walked him to the bathroom to see if he needed to potty. Once he did, I assisted him with brushing his teeth before we headed downstairs.

Mom and Daddy were already up with my siblings because they had to get them off to school.

"Good morning, guys." I greeted everyone, sitting down next to Nikkol and Zade at the table. She was already going to town on a pair of pancakes.

"Good morning, baby girl." Mom smiled up at me.

Daddy snuck behind me and planted a kiss on my forehead, the same thing he does every morning. "Morning, Rabbit."

Just then, my youngest sisters entered the kitchen; Ariana, and Giselle.

"Daddy, Gisie won't give me back my Barbie." Ari whined.

Giselle rolled her eyes at her twin sister before flinging the doll to her. "Take it, crybaby." She sassed, earning a grim look from Daddy. She ducked her head as she sat down at the table. "Sorry, Ari."

Ari snatched up the doll with a smile. "Thank you."

Mom sat food in front of them as they got comfortable in their seats. "Eat up, guys. You have to be at the bus stop in twenty minutes."

"I'm almost done, Momma." Zade grinned.

Zade is such a good boy.

My siblings ate and then headed off to the bus stop, Daddy made sure to walk them. It was only down the street from our house, and Nikkol and Jason decided to tag along.

I stayed and ate breakfast with Mom.

Rocio was already gone for the day, she was in high school, so class started much earlier for her.

"What are you doing today, Mom?" I asked her, helping her clear the table and put the dishes in the washer.

She shrugged. "There's not much to do today." She thought about it. "Everything is all set for the wedding tomorrow, I thought maybe we could all go to the aquarium today. You, me, Daddy, and your babies?" Mom asked, hopefully.