Promise from the heart

Chapter 37

He spat the words at her as if they were poison on his lips. "You told someone, in front of our children no less, that our children were freaks who should be put down like rabid dogs? What the hell..." he dragged out the word as his eyes bore into hers, "...is wrong with you?" He still wasn't yelling, but his tone could make anyone shiver. He was livid.

Charlie stood there in the background nodding, hands clenched as he watched the parents who had raised his mother and aunt, his own grandparents.

Freda clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, but Jade continued before she could respond. "And who was that man? Has he been helping you... think, possibly? Hm?" He challenged her and raised an eyebrow.

Way to go, grandpa!

Despite herself, Freda blushed slightly.

"Ah" Jade said and leaned back. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples.

"You're taking their side, aren't you?" She said in a hurt voice.

Jade frowned and opened his eyes to look at her. He had no idea who this woman before him was. If this was the real her, then she had thoroughly had him fooled.

"Taking their side? What are you on about? There are no sides here. You neglected our children. You started smoking. You cheated on me-"

She opened her mouth to interrupt but he held up a hand and continued. "Whether you slept with him or not, you cheated. Don't bother denying it. But what's worse is that you look at all that we have to be grateful for, all that I thank the angels for every day, and to you, it's worthless." His voice cracked as he said the last word, and he willed himself to calm down because the children were still in the room, albeit not listening.

Jade gestured toward the children. "Those two are my world and I would do anything for them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. They are not freaks-"

"I didn't say that! He did!" She yelled and the children looked up.

He glared at her. "Even worse. You are with a man who call your children freaks, discussing putting them down like rabid dogs, and you don't disagree with him. You don't defend your children. Instead you choose him over them, over us."

"Fine!" She drawled. "I didn't disagree with him. And I don't. I mean look at them. They're not normal. Normal three-year-olds can't do what they can. It's disgusting." She grimaced, not caring one bit that her children were listening.

"Ah," he said with a blank face as he understood. "They could see through your lies. That's what's really bothering you, isn't it? They saw the real you, the you even I didn't see." He stated. It wasn't a question.

He got up and put his dishes in the sink. He was quite tall, so he could easily tower over her if he wanted to. His eyes were pale blue and his black hair shone like onyx crystals under the kitchen lights. Anyone could see he was handsome, and that was part of what drew Freda to him. Her appearance was pretty too, and very petite. Her brown eyes made a beautiful contrast to her blond hair. But now as Jade looked at her, he saw nothing beautiful at all. The woman in front of him had turned into something so vile and twisted that he couldn't even bear to look at her.

"Time for bed," he said gently to his children and they beamed at him, raising their arms for him to pick them up. He easily lifted them both, one arm around each and took them to the bathroom to wash them off and brush their teeth.

Charlie followed close behind, and a part of him ached, as he saw how wonderful having a father could be, and part of him wished his own father had had even a fraction of that kind of love for him. But that was just wishful thinking. At least he had lucked out in the mom-department, which was more than he could say for his poor mom and aunt.

As Jade sat the girls down on top of the toilet, he handed them their toothbrushes with a little bit of toothpaste on each, letting them try brushing on their own first. He sunk down on the floor in front of them and sighed, pulling his fingers through his hair.

His two little girls sat in front of him, perfectly content chattering with each other while trying to brush their own teeth. They had his curls, but both of their hair was blond like their mother's. Their eyes were blue, just like his own, but unlike his, the blue in theirs was mottled and so beautiful. They had the cutest little mouths, pink and full, but always wide open as they couldn't stop talking or smiling. How could anyone ever want to harm them or wish ill upon them? He shook his head. His own grandmother had been a seer, and she had taken care of him most of his life. He loved her dearly, and still did even now, years after her passing. She had told him about her struggles, how her parents wanted to lock her up, send her away for being different. He had been angry at her behalf but blamed it on the times. But now, generations later, he had somehow ended up with a woman who wanted to do the same with his children. But Jade wouldn't let her.

"Okay, my turn," he said and took the toothbrush from Agatha, gently held her chin and began brushing her teeth. When he was done, he picked her up and let her spit in the sink. Then he did the same with Ariel. He carried them off to their room and helped them change into their pajamas. As he put the beige nightgowns with ruffles on them both, he smiled widely. He had chosen those. They were a little bit old-fashioned, but it made them look even more like little angels to him. Plus, the linen was thin and smooth, so it was gentle against their skin.

They each had a bed, but neither wanted to sleep alone so they just slept together and switched between the two.

"Which bed do you want to sleep in tonight?"

They looked at each other and then nodded. "Ariels." They both said at once.

Jade shook his head and smiled. He was used to them having their own conversations by now, but he still marvelled at it. Unlike Freda, he thought they were amazing. He felt infinitely blessed to be their father.

"Bedtime story?"

They both nodded.

"Which one?"

They looked at each other for a moment and then nodded.

"Guess How Much I love You?" he guessed.

They both beamed at him.

He ruffled their heads and after he had read the book three times, they finally fell asleep. He kissed them both on the forehead and then made sure they were tucked in well so they wouldn't catch a cold. Their sheets were also made out of linen with ruffles, as were the curtains. In the corner of the room was a rocking horse that his father once had made for him. Jade had painted it and fixed it up for his girls.

He quietly exited the room and closed the door behind him. He couldn't postpone it any longer. Now that the kids were asleep, he had to talk to Freda.

Charlie moved away from Jade and the girls and went to find his grandmother.