Reality Check

302 Found

3 years later

Hello Friend. Yes, friend. I know it's been a while but You were only in my head we have to remember that. If I were to keep you around I'd run the risk of not knowing what's real anymore. Shit. It doesn't matter anymore, I know it's all real, that's why I haven't done this in a while I guess.

It's been three years without you... three years without Mr.Robot too, he's gone for good. I know he showed up after almost two years the last time but, now that I look back on it, he said Goodbye. He was ready, I was ready, it was time to let go, and I feel good about it, I don't miss him - I don't miss him because I'm not alone anymore. I have my kids and family.

Alex is 6 years old, can you believe it? It feels just like yesterday when I had him, yet he's just started first grade. I'm so proud of him. He's doing so good, he's not an all A's student but I know he tries his best that's all that matters. Ruth and Nathan are 3, they're getting more talkative as they learn new words and I find myself having the strangest of conversations with them. I think Nathan might be left-handed, everytime I give them coloring books to fill he holds the crayons in his left hand, but then sometimes he holds them in his right, so I'm not quite sure. Oh yeah, and I got a new job a couple of months back, it's a simple IT gig but it pays well, it's getting hard to live comfortably in the two small apartments I'm renting, Shaila's old place is the kid's room and during the day, they trash my apartment with their toys after kindergarten. Maybe of my job, I can't always pick up the kids from school, so it's always Either Darlene or Nancy who get them home. Nancy is a godsend, it was so hard the first year with the trio, I don't think it would have gone as well without her help. She'd take Alex in when I had to go with the twins to the Pediatrician or she would always help me with them when they were fussy, even though she never had any kids of her own she has some sort of innate know-how for dealing with kids. But now as she's getting older I try not to bother her with everything, I have to figure these things out for myself as hard as they may be. I go on walks with the kids as often as I can, we always pass by Coney Island, there is something about that place that pulls me towards it, I can't explain but they get to play in the sand, and during the warmer months, they get to go swimming.

5 years later (2028)

Hello friend... I turned 42 last week, can you believe it? So many things happened in ten years and to think I wanted to kill myself when I was 29... That was only 2 years before Alex, my baby. Only 5 years before the twins, they give me so much joy every day. And to believe I was just going to let all of that unknown happiness go with the wind. If not for that day... if not for Trenton's brother I would have never lived to see any of this. I would thank him or something but he probably doesn't remember me.

When I first met Nancy she said, she believes things happen for a reason... Maybe she's right?

I was upstairs when I heard the front door open and Alexander ran inside, his siblings trotting in behind him. I walked down the stairs to see them.

"It's my turn!"

"No, it's mine!"

They were already arguing who was allowed to be on the computer first...

I bought this house about 2 years ago now, in the New York suburbs, but I wasn't about to buy them each their own PC, they're only 11 and 8 I don't want them sitting all day, their phones are already enough.

"Calm down, guys. Alex had the computer last, so Ruth can have it now."

"Thank you, Daddy." She beamed jumping up and down on the spot and then quickly ran upstairs to my office.

Alex and Nathan just sat there, angry.

"You two. Homework."

They groaned as they walked away to their rooms.