more life / b.simmons (2)

6

3 months later

folding her clothes as small as they'll go, amari stuffs them into her suitcase, nervous and excited to head back to work after being at home for a year. ben, on the other hand, has other opinions on her going back to work—none that correspond with how he felt a few months ago. he's stressing because he has a five game road trip, and he can't take the kids.

pushing open her door, adrian runs in and sits down next to her. "do you have to leave, mommy?" he asks, picking up a folded shirt and putting it in her suitcase. amari smiles at him and sighs.

"yes, baby, but i'll be back," amari says, running a hand over his braids and then rubbing his back.

adrian pouts and gets up and jumps into her suitcase. "i want to go with you!" he says, sitting down. amari laughs and puts more clothes in.

"i wish you could! maybe next time, honey," she says. adrian lays down and amari tickles his sides, making him squeal with laughter. she kisses him all over his face and pulls him out of her bag and places him in her lap. "you  want to help me pack?" amari asks, kissing the top of his head.

he nods and she teaches him how to fold, and he tries his best. he puts clothes in, smiling at amari after every shirt he places in the bin. once they're finished, amari goes to the closet and looks for shoes. "these, mommy?" adrian asks, holding up a pair of air maxes.

"sure, baby. go put them by the bag," adrian does as she says, and ben and kyra enter the room.

"helping mommy pack?" ben asks adrian as he drops the shoes.

"uh-huh!"

"i want to help!" kyra says. ben puts her down and she runs into the closet after adrian. "mommy, can i help?"

"mhm. go put these by the bag," amari hands her a pair of heels and kyra runs out and puts them next to the air maxes.

the twins put six pairs of shoes out in total and kyra puts her feet in a pair of heels. "be careful, baby," amari says. ben holds out his hands to kyra and helps her walk around.

"mommy, can i wear those?" kyra asks, pointing to her YSL heels that have the logo as the actual heel. amari looks at her like she's crazy.

"girl, no," she says. kyra pouts.

"why not?"

"because i said so," amari says.

"daddy, can i wear those?" kyra asks, looking at him and giving him puppy dog eyes. amari scoffs and snatches kyra out of her shoes and kisses all over her face.

"mommy just said no," ben says, not looking up from his phone. amari tosses kyra onto the bed and puts her heels back in the closet.

adrian crawls onto the bed and lays next to ben, and he wraps his arm around his son. "whats up, lil man?" adrian holds his fist out for a fist bump and ben gives him one, a smile on his face.

amari sits at the end of the bed and rolls over on her side to look at beautiful family. "i wanna go with mommy," kyra says.

"you don't want to stay with daddy?"

ben licks the inside of his jaw. "you guys go play, i need to talk to mommy," amari looks at ben weird, but the kids get up and leave the room.

"about what?"

"i have a five game road trip, i can't take the kids," ben states, licking his lips. amari freezes, digging her palms into the mattress.

"what?"