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I go about making new toast and just finish plating their cheesy eggs when they come bouncing back in. I set their plates down on the counter and they climb up on the barstools.
I turn around to get their juice but Roman has beaten me to it and sets them down next to their plates.
I keep blinking my eyes wondering when I’ll wake from this dream. It has to be a dream.
Right?
“I have no clue how to fix Helene’s hair so I’ll leave that to you. Can I help with their lunches?” He asks.
Who the fuck is this man and what’d he do with my husband?
“Um,” I stutter. “Their pasta salad is already made and their oranges are in their kits. I just need to pack them and add a drink. Hunter likes apple juice and-“
“Helene likes flavored water. I got this.” He smiles and opens the fridge to retrieve their food.
The twins sit at the counter eating their food, so I walk over to them. Helene’s hair is a mess since I neither braided nor rolled it in curlers or scrunched her hair after she bathed last night, and I’m going to pay for it this morning.
“I messed up last night, huh?” I ask her, touching the tangled bird's nest that has rooted in her hair.
“Yup,” is all she says.
“You want a French braid?”
“Yes, please. Two!” She exclaims.
“Okay, Princess.” I move over to wear Hunter sits and rub my hands over his frizzy curls. “And how about you? Want a braid, too, my handsome son?”
“Mooom,” he whines, trying to hide his smile.
I chuckle and say, “finish eating. I’ll go get the stuff for your braids. Hunter? when you’re done head upstairs and brush your teeth. I’ll come up to comb your hair when I’m done with Helene’s.”
“ ‘k, mom,” he mumbles through a mouth of eggs and a little spittle flies out.
Twenty minutes later and both kids have eaten, brushed their teeth and gotten their hair combed.
“You kids get your shoes. I’m on drop off duty this morning,” Roman calls out from his office.
“Huh?” Hunter quips.
Roman walks into the mud room and all three of us just stare at him.
“Daddy,” Helene says in a soft voice. “You never take us to school.”
He squats in front of her and says, “I know, sweet girl. And that’s a shame on me. From now on, whenever I don’t have to be to work early, I’ll take you to school.”
“Yay!” They both shout, arms in the air and jumping up and down.
“Plus…I want to talk to you.” He looks to me then back to the kids. “I have to go out of town this week so I need you to be extra good for your mom. You both are going to have some duties to help out while I’m gone.”
“No, daddy. Why do you have to go?” Helene’s pouty lips frown and she looks like she’s on the verge of tears.
Roman blinks rapidly trying to dry the moisture building in his eyes.
“I’ll be back this weekend. then we can do something fun. Okay?”
She nods then wraps her arms around his neck. He keeps her in his arms when he stands and reaches for her backpack.
“Roman, you’re wrinkling your shirt,” I point out.
