𝒢ℯ𝓉 ℳℯ 𝒪𝓊𝓉

𝟷𝟹.

Justin's POV
"All done buddy?" I ask Jackson as he ate his last bite of French toast. "Yup," he tells me as he hands me his empty plate. "Daddy, can you help me put on my jacket please?" Melanie asks me. I lift my arm up and look under it to see her at my hip as she tugged at my slacks. "Yes, give me one second, okay?" I tell her as I walk to the sink and she releases a small whine as I didn't do what she asked me to.

"Just a second my love," I say as I rinse water on the plate so that the syrup doesn't stick to it. "Jackson, go put your shoes on while I help your sister with her jacket please," I tell him and he jumps off the chair and goes upstairs to put on his shoes.

Drying my hands with a paper towel, I then bend down to help my little Melanie put on her jacket. "Zip up or no?" I ask her once it's on so that she is comfortable and she shakes her head no. "Alright, make sure you zip it up when it's windy okay? And you have your shoes on..." I say as I look down and I see she had on sandals. "Mel, it might rain today, you can't have your sandals on, you need something to cover your feet baby, like boots," I say and she makes an exaggerated frown.

"No frowny face, only your mother can use that on me," I tell her as I pointed at her with a smile and she giggles but then drops her smile. "I miss Mommy," she mumbles with a frown and I sigh. "I know pumpkin, momma just needs a bit of help right now," I say and her eyes get watery.

She sniffles and I give her a hug. "We'll all see her soon," I say and she lets me go. "How soon?" She asks me and I tell her, "I'm not too sure, but it'll be soon okay?" I say and she nods her head. "Okay," she says in her small voice. "When she comes back everything will be back to normal alright, you'll forget mommy was even gone," I say and she wipes her tears with her jacket.

"Go put your boots on, we're running late," I say and she nods her head as she then walks away.

Standing up, I fold back my sleeves to my wrists and button them. My heart sank as I missed Ana doing this for me every morning before work.

I missed her so much. I wasn't even mad at her at this point, to be mad at her was childish of me. I know her heart is to always help people. I just need her back in my arms. If she was mad at me however, I wouldn't blame her. I deserved it for being a horrible husband to her at that moment.

The kids have been taking it horribly. It's hard to get them to sleep at night knowing that their mother hasn't given them a good night kiss and hug. But I hope she can get out soon.

"All done!" Jackson says as he jumps off the last step of the staircase making my thoughts run away. "Wait for me!" Melanie yells down the stairs and I grab their lunchpails from the fridges along with a water bottle.

"Here you go," I say as I hand them their food and water. I then grab my suitcase and my keys from the table and I move my head signaling for us to go. "Let's go," I say and we all three leave the house. "Wait I forgot my umbrella!" Melanie says and I sigh as I then turn around and I open the door for her and she goes inside to get it.

"You have yours?" I ask Jackson and he nods his head. "Come on Melanie, you're going to be late!" I tell her and she immediately comes running down the stairs with her huge backpack being more than half her size.

"Alright anything else before I lock the door? Speak now or forever hold your peace," I say and they both giggle. "You're funny Daddy," Jackson says making me smile and I smile at him as we then go to my car.

"Backpacks on the floor," I say as I open the door for them and they go running in. I then turn on the engine and let the radio play. "Seatbelts," I say as they sat down and they put them on. "The two inmates have apparently been missing for about a day or two, no one knows how they might of escaped," I hear a woman on the radio say.