LUVIE [fin. / unedited]

s i x

l u v i e

I watch this man walking up and down the pathway, unable to decide whether to knock again. I can never see his face because it's either facing away from me or facing the ground. I don't really have the faintest idea who it is.

I look out the window watching this man, walk up to the door getting ready to knock, but just before turning away and walking back to his car, opening his door and his hand tightening on his car door. I take a deep breath, watching him do this multiple times. When he finally gets to the door and looks in the general direction is when I know who he is. William.

My breath catches in the throat. He's here! Why is he here, though? I think through all the reasons, not finding any. There is a small knock on the door, "I got it!" Allen and Alek scream at the same time. Eric comes up behind me. He quickly sees my face, tears going down it. I bury my head in his chest.

"I don't know what to do! He's here! William is here! He is going to see the twins?" I feel tears go down my face. Allen comes in the room, "Mommy, there's a tall man at the door that looks like Alek wanting to talk to you." Allen says huffing. I tilt my head, maybe he doesn't remember the picture. I pick him up holding him on my hip. I quietly go to the door to see Alek looking at William in curiosity. Alek is questioning William, "Why is the grass green? Why is the sun so round?" He asked. "Alekxander Rogers Rigressa!" I scolded, he smiled sheepishly. "Come here," I told him holding out my hand.

Eric came over to me giving me a kiss on the cheek, "I'm going upstairs, babe. Do you want me to take the twins?" He asked. I nodded. "Go with Eric!" I sit Allen down, he grabs Eric's hand. I look up at William, seeing different feelings flash through his eyes.

"So, you have kids?" He says after a long moment. I nod, You mean "we" they're yours too! "Who's the guy?" He asks, "Um...that's Eric." and he's gay! I say to myself. "Are you too a thing." He asks, suddenly going quiet. "No. He is just a friend."

"So who do the kids belong to?"

"Me."

"And?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, I do. Frankly, I would like a second chance. Luvie, I was naive, and I was only in my senior year! I didn't know what to do with a kid!" I took a deep breath. "Yeah, but you could've forgotten about it! It's not your body! You said to take care of it! And that's exactly what I'm doing!" I cross my arms angrily, realizing I just gave myself away. The twins too. A loud shrill comes from the stairs, and Alek comes running in. "Mommy! Mommy!" I look down at Alek.

"I asked Uncle Eric, and he said Daddy's dead! But earlier you said that Daddy was going through," Alek gives me a look with his eyebrows raised, "personal problems." I look over at William, picking up Alek. William's eyes grow wide, "Is he mine?"

"You mean them?" I gently ask him. "Them? What do you mean by them?" Just as he says this Allen comes running through. "Mommy!" He stands at my feet raising his arms above his head. I pick him up and place him on my hip, Alek pouts. So, I picked him up and placed him on my other hip. I look at William, many different emotions flashing through his eyes.