AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Fifteen
True to his word, Tim drove Erin home after her shift that ended at six a.m. He returned home to sleep a few hours, woke up at ten after his alarm rang long enough to awake the whole neighborhood.
“Damn, I’m late.” He should have been at the Perkins’ already. After slipping on his shorts and a t-shirt, he grabbed his backpack, and shoved his laptop in it as well as his bathing trunks, two towels, his wallet, keys, sun glasses, and ran to his car. Still groggy, he sent a text to Teresa.
“On my way. Should be there in ten minutes. Let Erin sleep. I’ll take everyone to the swim club.
When he arrived, Erin was in a sundress, the straps of her bathing suit peeking out from under the dress’s shoulders.
“How come you’re awake?”
“I slept long enough. No way I’ll miss the fun at the pool. The kids are in bathing suits, each with his or her bag ready. They finished breakfast not long ago and will have lunch when we come back. I’m just packing bottles for the twins to sip on after the pool.”
“Great. If you don’t mind taking the girls, I’ll drive David and the twins. I want them to get used to being with me, away from you.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t like my babies away from me.”
“Come on, Erin.” Tim shook his head. “Don’t spoil them so much. You should get used to them growing up.” He turned his head right and left. “I don’t see Teresa. Isn’t she coming?”
“No, sir. Mom has a date.” Erin tilted her head and smiled.
“Seriously? So soon?”
“Yes, sir. They didn’t waste time. Russell is picking her up at eleven. I insisted she should be back by five. I need time to nap and get ready for my late shift.”
“Right. I’m picking you up at seven and keeping you at my house after your shift.”
“I already told Mom.”
“And? What did she say?”
“She just mumbled something under her breath. I think it was ‘bout time’.
Tim laughed. At least he could count on Teresa’s support.
He moved the toddlers’ car seats into his car and buckled the children while they happily babbled.
“Can I sit next to you?” David asked, his eyes glinting with pride.
“Sure, but from time to time toss a glance at the babies. We want to make sure they’re okay.”
David nodded. “You can count on me.”
Tim checked on Erin’s van. The four girls occupied the second and third rows. “Is every one okay in there?”
“Yes,” the girls shouted together.
“We’re ready to follow you,” Erin added.
He bent into the open window and whispered in her ear, “I like that.”
At the Swim Club, they had a blast, playing, chatting, and laughing. Tim organized a swimming competition for the older children and swam next to them with each toddler holding on to one of his arms.
At twelve o’clock, he helped Erin dry and change the twins, and then set them in their strollers with a bottle to suck on. While Erin napped on a lounge chair, next to her babies, he dove back into the pool and swam with David and the girls for another hour.
“We’re getting out now, very quietly to allow your mom to sleep a bit longer. Bring your towels, and go over to the other side of the pool to sunbathe. I’ll whistle when it’s time to go home.” An hour later, they returned home exhausted and starved.
Erin served them the ham sandwiches prepared by their grandmother, milk, carrots, and cucumbers on the side. “We have cherries for dessert. When you’re done, wash your faces and go play in the backyard.”
