A Hale Love Story

The Tell

Kenzie's POV

"You all good in there?" I called out through the bathroom door.

"Yes mommy" Lia called back and I smiled walking back over to the bed where Derek was laying back watching the news.

"I can't believe this" I sighed sitting down on the bed before flopping back. "Since when does she want to take a bath by herself?"

"She's six years old Kenz, she's probably going through an independent stage"

"Exactly she's six, I'd understand if she was eight but not six" I exclaimed quietly and heard his chuckle.

"Is someone having empty nest symptoms"

"No I'm not having empty nest symptoms, she's my baby and she doesn't...she doesn't need me" I argued punching his side.

"Kenzie relax your overthinking this just because she wants to bathe herself doesn't mean she won't need you, your still her mother and she'll always need you whether she realizes it or not" I sighed since he spoke some sense but it didn't mean I had to like it.

"I guess I just miss it you know" I said closing my eyes.

"Miss what?"

"Having a baby around" I admitted. "Lia's so grown up and I miss those little moments when she was my little baby" my mind flashed through all the tiny moments when Lia was just a newborn especially the first time I laid eyes on her.

"Well we could always-" my eyes snapped open as I sat up to stare back at him knowing what he was about to say.

"Don't go there Derek...just don't" I stood and walked towards the bathroom again and knocked on the door again. "You finished in there, you're gonna get wrinkles"

"Okay mommy" I smiled and opened the door shutting it to avoid Derek's eyes which were staring at me and helped Lia out of the bath and dried her off all while thinking about what Derek had started.

I knew he wanted more kids but I wasn't so sure I did, it's not because of him in fact I wanted to give him a big family because we'd always talked about having at least two...maybe three but after the fire and everything else we've had to suffer through I just didn't want to risk anything happening to anymore family especially my pups because I wouldn't survive it.

"Okay bed time" I told Lia shaking off those thoughts.

"I don't wanna" she argued running over to our bed and jumped up crawling over to Derek. "Daddy don't make me go to bed" she whined looking at him with such big eyes and the cutest pout I had to bite my lip just not to laugh.

"You have to go to bed Lia, it's late and you have school"

"I don't want to go to school"

"Don't you want to see Lucy?" I cut in moving across the room to sit down on the bed.

"No we're not friends no more" Lia argued and I frowned since they were friends the other day when we were at the park.

"What happened?" Derek asked her.

"She said you we're bad" Lia replied looking up at Derek. "She said you killed Aunty Laura" my breath caught in my throat as I stared across at Derek who met my eyes since we didn't think kindergarteners would even concept what the police had said about Derek.

"Did she say anything else?" I asked her and she nodded.

"She said her mommy said she couldn't be my friend, I tolds her I don't wanna be friends cause my daddy's not bad"