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ISLA
I wakeup the next morning with a foot in my back, a baby butt in my face, and my five year old on top of me. I really don’t understand why they have to be as close as possible at all times, but I really have to pee. Feeling around for my phone to check the time. The blinding light takes a minute to get used to when I find it. Seriously? It’s only four thirty? I’ve been asleep for three hours and this is way too early to be awake.
After spending fifteen minutes untangling myself from the little octopuses that were wrapped around me, I’m finally able to use the bathroom. I’m unfortunately wide awake so I head to the living area in our suite, and relax on the couch with some hot green tea and a biscuit.
After eating my early morning snack, I snuggle down in the throw blanket that was on the couch, and put the TV on. I’m desperately trying to will myself back to sleep when my phone dings, telling me I have a text message. Who the hell is texting me so late? It's an unknown number and I immediately start shaking.
Unknown: Hey Isla, I hope you don’t mind, Silas gave me your number. I know you’re probably asleep, but I wanted to pack a picnic for the kids and us for this afternoon, and just needed to check for allergies and preferences with the kids. No rush, just whenever you wake up. Thanks, Bodie.
I slowly let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It's fine, we are fine, I tell myself. She won’t be able to find us. I changed our name and she doesn’t know where my family was from. I take a minute to calm down and add his number before responding.
Me: Hey Bodie, that’s very thoughtful, the kids will love it. Arden and Vivian are allergic to strawberries and none of them can have anything with red dyes as they are allergic to that as well. They aren’t picky, the boys just don’t like spicy food. Vivi will eat pretty much anything. Thank you for checking.
It amazes me at how thoughtful these men are. Yesterday with Silas was amazing. It was nice just having someone there with me even just doing something like car shopping. Plus that kiss… it’s been years since I’ve had any wanted physical contact with a man. Hell it’s been years since a man has even made me feel something, now I have three that have made my panties melt. Another ding brings me out of my spiraling thoughts.
Bodie: Well of course I’d check. I have to take care of my kids now don’t I? Since we are getting married and all. *winking face* Have you picked a date yet?
Oh god, he’s never going to let that go, but damn he’s a fucking amazing cook.
Me:You’ve never met my kids, so you don’t even know if you’ll like them. Besides, three kids is a handful.
What am I getting myself into with these men? I don’t understand how five–because I'm sure the others are just as hot and freaking amazing men–actually want to be around my kids, much less me. I’m nothing special. I mean, I’m not ugly I guess, more average, or at least I would be without all the tattoos and piercings, and the purple hair.
I’m not a small girl by any means. Shit, I’ve been pregnant multiple times, given birth to three kids, and had to have emergency surgery, so my stomach is soft, and covered in stretch marks and scars. Hell, everything is covered in stretch marks and scars, between the pregnancies and years of abuse. Honestly, it’s why I covered so much skin with tattoos. Fifty-seven total months of breastfeeding have made it where the girls aren’t even in the same time zone.
Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. I doubt this will even go anywhere. Men like that won’t be interested in someone like me, especially with all my baggage. I’m pulled out of my self deprecating spiral when my phone dings again.
Bodie:I’ve met you and was instantly smitten. You’re beautiful and strong. I’m sure being raised by a mother as amazing as you that your kids are just as wonderful. Plus, you already asked so you can’t back out now, love. Get some sleep, it’s going to be a fun and busy afternoon. Goodnight, Angel.
I grin at my phone like a crazy person. How can this be my life now?
It’s strange to go from being told and shown how useless I am every single day to men that text me early just to make a picnic for my kids. And oddly it’s easier than I anticipated to imagine them in my life.
Me: I think you’re crazy, and we will see if you still think that after spending the day with my little monsters. Goodnight Bodie.
I watch a couple more minutes of TV then crawl back in bed with my babies for a couple more hours of sleep.
* * *
Nothingin the world prepares you to be woken up by someone breathing on your face, prying your eyes open and seeing a fucking Hulk face three inches from you. Screaming, I roll over only to fall clean off the bed, and knock my breath away.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU CHILD?” Raising up to see which of my crotch goblins took ten years off my life, I find Arden rolling around laughing like a damn hyena, green mask in his hand.
“Oh you think that’s funny, huh?” I ask as I jump up and grab his feet. Sliding him to me, I start tickling him while he is laughing and screaming for his brother to come help. All of a sudden I have Lochlan jumping on my back, so I swing him around and toss him on the bed and tickle him as well. Just as I’m about to let them up, Vivi comes running in.
“Me next! I want tickles!” Grabbing her and tossing her on the bed next to her brothers, I tickle her and blow raspberries on her belly. Now we are all out of breath from playing and laughing.
“Have y'all eaten yet?’’ I ask them, as soon as my breathing evens out.
“No ma’am, we just got up. Sissy had to potty and woke me up, so I took her to go, and bubba just got up right before I came to get you,” Arden tells me, yawning.
“Okay, let's see… It’s quarter to nine, and the guys will be here around one, so let’s go get breakfast, then we can play in the playroom for a bit. How does that sound?”
Arden thinks on it for a minute. “Can we have chocolate chip pancakes?” he asks eagerly.
Tapping my finger on my chin to do my thinking face, I pretend to consider his request. “Hmm, I think I can do that!” At that, all three cheer then run for the door. Following them to the kitchen, we find Maw-Maw cooking.
