Choosing You (JJ Watt)

6.

J.J. walked into his home around 9 o'clock Monday night only to be greeted by the happy yelling, squealing, and laughter of three children. The man threw his keys into the bowl, hung up his jacket, and kicked off his shoes.

"Levi, I'm home!" He called out, instantly wondering why the kids weren't in bed yet. He had intentionally waited until he thought they'd be asleep to come home. He just wanted a normal evening with his wife. One where she wasn't distracted by the multiple kids that had invaded their lives.

"Living room!" Levi's joyful response carried throughout the house followed by her laugh.

J.J. sighed preparing himself as much as he could. Walking into the room, he found it wrecked. The couch was completely bare of all its cushions and pushed into the back corner. The coffee and end tables were moved to the same corner and covered with he and Levi's king sized, spare comforter and sheets, creating an expansive fort.

There was a big open space in the middle of the room. The couch cushions, blankets, and multiple pillows were collected in an organized, spread-out pile where Landon and Henry wrestled in their pajamas. Liza's head popped out of the fort as she cheered her brothers on. In the corner closest to him, Sadie squealed and kicked in her swing. And in the middle of everything, Levi smiled and laughed completely in love with the chaos and mess surrounding her.

J.J. swallowed, trying to look less tense at the situation before him. He felt like a complete jackass for it, but he didn't know how to get on board with the current situation. What they were doing was a great thing, but the timing of it was horrible. Even though he hadn't said anything about it since the night she'd brought them home, he still felt manipulated even if he knew that wasn't the case.

"Hey, I didn't expect you home so early," Levi said, walking over to her husband.

"It's after nine." J.J. crossed his arms, glancing around at the rambunctious group.

"It is?" Levi grabbed J.J.'s wrist, looking at his watch. "Oh shoot." She turned to face the kids. "Guys, it's bedtime."

A chorus of groans and sighs came from the three oldest children and Levi did her best to hide an amused smile.

"Five more minutes?" Landon asked.

"Not tonight, bud. It's a lot later than I thought."

"Last one upstairs is a rotten egg!" Henry said, dashing out of the room, catching J.J. off guard.

In the week the kids had been staying with them, he had hardly heard Henry say three complete sentences, but then again, he hadn't given them the warmest welcome either.

Landon chased after his younger brother, beating him to the stairs. Liza lagged behind, running after them as fast as her little legs would carry her. "No fair! You guys are closer than me."

Levi laughed as she grabbed Sadie out of her swing. The infant still continued to smile and squeal in delight as she sat on the woman's hip.

"Give me 20 minutes. Then, I'm all yours," Levi kissed her husband's cheek.

"Sounds good." J.J. returned her smile.

Levi disappeared upstairs, but the sounds of four children and a bedtime routine filled the house.

J.J. sighed as he looked around the room that used to be his living room. It hardly resembled it now. He tugged the comforter off the furniture in the corner and folded it, doing the same with all the other blankets scattered around the room. Next, he returned all the couch cushions to their respective places.

Before he could start on the throw pillows, Liza came running into the room looking distraught. J.J continued on his task, sure she would shy away from him as much as he did her.