Kensley

 

It had been an emotionally draining day.

My parents invited us to stay for a late lunch, which we agreed to. And when Sawyer was getting visibly tired, they offered their guest room for her to nap.

I was going to refuse, but when my dad asked London if she’d ever been sledding, it was hard to say no.

Liam had gone outside with London and my dad, while mom and I sat in the kitchen, nursing mugs of tea.

We spent an hour catching up on things.

I learned that while they’d been upset—hurt—over my pregnancy, they never intended for us to not speak to one another again. But their pride kept them from reaching out.

Considering Liam talked to me about my pride on more than one occasion, I unfortunately understood their decision.

It was, after all, my pride that kept me from reaching out to them.

I opened up to her about what had been happening with Mark over the last four years, and I even admitted to my mom that things with Liam had been fast…

But that they feel right.

“They look right, too,” mom assures me with a small smile.

It isn’t until four that Liam and I pack the girls up in the car to head to the rental cabin, but we leave my parents’ house with plans for breakfast.

“That went well,” Liam says, a few minutes into the drive. Sawyer is singing to herself in the car seat, and London is quiet. I wouldn’t be surprised if she falls asleep in the five minutes it will take to get to the rental cabin.

I nod. “It did. I shouldn’t have waited so long.”

Liam takes my hand and kisses the back. He doesn’t give me reassurances, but I know it’s not because he disagrees or agrees. It’s just who Liam is.

The rest of the short drive is done in silence and when we get to the cabins, London is indeed asleep.

“Let me get us checked in and get the keys. Lock the car after me,” Liam says, putting the car in park.

“It’s not exactly a dangerous place,” I joke. “But okay.”

He heads in and I do lock the doors. Looking over my shoulder, I smile at Sawyer. “Hey, girly. How are you doing? You good?”

“Yes,” she says with an answering smile. I reach back and squeeze her leg gently.

When Liam comes back with the set of keys, I unlock the car and he drives us down the road to our cabin. We wanted the girls to experience something unlike home, which was why we ended up at the rental cabins.

“They turned on the heat this morning,” Liam explains. “And the cabin was used recently so there shouldn’t be a piping issue. If there is, they can move us.”

“So, check the faucets before unpacking?”

Liam nods. “Yeah. I’m sure it will be fine though.”

And it was.

Because it was so late, and I didn’t want London sleeping into the evening, we woke her up—which was sure to show Liam another side of her, but…

Liam’s stuck with us now.

I laugh quietly to myself as I pull out the girls’ jammies, and Liam is rearranging their lovies on the bed they’ll be sharing.

“What has you laughing to yourself?” he asks, looking over his shoulder back at me.

“That London’s going to show you her crabby side, and that you can’t bail now.”

He chuckles and straightens. “I’m guessing her crabby side is like your crabby side—” I gasp and throw Sawyer’s fleece footie jams at him, which he catches easily, and one-handedly at that. “I can handle her crabby.”

“You remember that,” I say, smiling and shaking my head. He steps near and holds out the pajamas, and I take them back, placing them on the bed next to London’s.

It isn’t too much longer that he must wait, to experience London at her full wrath.

“I don’t like pasta!” She pushes that plate of macaroni and cheese away from her chair. We ordered from the local Italian place that delivers, grabbing a pizza, stuffed manicotti, and homemade macaroni and cheese for the girls.

“You love macaroni, London,” I say, pushing the plate back to her.

“No! Not anymore. I want that,” she points to the manicotti on Liam’s plate.

She won’t like it, but I let Liam place one of his stuffed shells on her plate.

Sure enough, she takes one bite and the stuffed ricotta cheese mix has her gagging at the table.

Before I can react, Liam is leaning over with a napkin in his hand, under her face.

She’s not going to throw up—I know her better than that—but she does spit out the barely chewed mess.

Meanwhile, Sawyer is happily playing with her cut-up pizza and macaroni, eating pieces with her bare hands, and dancing happily in her seat. We remembered to bring the girls’ chair pads—these two-inch thick hard pillows that attached to the chair and were in fun kid prints—but forgot Sawyer’s tableware. I gave her a plastic fork, which she used for the first few bites, but now she’s just having a blast, using her hands.

I don’t have the energy to correct her.

Soon enough, London is crying at the table because she doesn’t like this food and she’s not hungry and she just wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—which we don’t have.

I’m tired.

I’m drained.

I’m over it.

And when I glance at Liam, he looks so…

Fucking…

Calm.

“Girls, let’s take a bath and then you can meet my mom and dad.”

London sniffs. “We gotta drive?”

“No, girly. We’ll talk to them on the iPad.”

She sniffs again. “’Kay.”

And then she climbs down from her chair, calm as can be, but still sniffling like her life depends on it.

“C’mon, half pint. Bath time.”

Sawyer grins up at him, her face and hands a mess of pizza sauce and macaroni and cheese. “Girl, you are a mess.” He reaches out to her pigtail and pulls out a small noodle chunk.

Then, with a messy Sawyer in his arm and London holding his hand, he bends down to kiss me. “Finish eating. Don’t clean up. I’m going to eat more later.”

I look up at him, and I can feel that my look is tired and bordering on resting bitch face, but he just grins.

Bastard.

And I say that with love.

With the kitchen area quiet, I eat another stuffed manicotti before downing a full cup of water. I need something to do, so I clean up the girls’ spots then clean up the counter. I don’t put the food away, but I do make it presentable. I can’t deal with the mess right now.

It’s not too much longer before Liam and the girls are back, and London appears to be in a better mood. Liam even took the time to braid her hair.

“Go ahead,” Liam says softly to London, his hand on her head.

London walks over, and crawls onto the couch next to me, hugging herself to my side. “I’m sorry, mama.”

I glance over at Liam, who is standing at the counter and grabbing the iPad from the charger. He winks at me before carrying Sawyer over.

“It’s okay, London. Sometimes I get upset, too.” I kiss her on the temple and all is forgiven.

“We’re just in time,” Liam tells London as he sits on the couch beside her. “They’re going to expect our call.”

It’s six-thirty here, meaning it’s eight-thirty in Wisconsin. Liam assured me that it wasn’t going to be too late, even though it feels like it is.

He presses digital buttons and soon the iPad is ringing. I think I’m almost as nervous with this meeting, as I was for my parents to open their front door.

“Liam!” A tinny voice comes through, and Liam smiles at the iPad in front of him.

“Hey, mom. Is dad there?”

“Right here,” his mom says and from my angle, I can see as the screen moves and both his parents are in the frame.

“I have some people I want you to meet.”

“We’re excited, son,” his dad says and it’s true; he sounds excited.

“First, we have Miss Sawyer.” Liam lowers the screen so Sawyer’s face fills the box showing what our image looks like. He’s doing this in a one-by-one fashion, which has me smiling.

“Oh, Sawyer. You’re beautiful. Who’s on your pajamas?” his mom asks.

Sawyer doesn’t often talk to people she doesn’t know, and I think it’s because she doesn’t quite get what’s happening with this video call that she does answer, even if it’s softly and not incredibly easy to understand. “Minnie.”

“Minnie Mouse, she said, mom.”

“I heard her, thank you,” Liam’s mom scolds and I can’t help the small laugh from bursting from my lips. “That’s wonderful, Sawyer. How old are you, sweetheart?”

Sawyer’s shy side comes out now, but she holds up one finger. Then two.

“She turns two in August. We share a birthday,” Liam explains.

“We will have to have a big party.” Liam’s mom is animated in how she speaks with Sawyer, and I love it.

“Alright mom. More girls for you to meet.” He brings the iPad up so his face is in view again. “Next, we have London.” Then he moves the iPad, shifting his body so he can scoot London into his side. I glance at the screen, then at my daughter, who smiles shyly.

London isn’t a shy girl by any means, and it tickles me that she’s a semi-different girl today.

“Oh, hello, London. You’re beautiful too.”

“Thank you.” Her voice, like her smile, is also shy. “I have Doc on my jammies,” she offers, which makes everyone laugh.

“Doc McStuffins. I love that girl.”

“I have a Lambie lovie.”

“Oh, maybe I can meet her someday.”

London nods, and then offers no other words.

“Alright, mom and dad. Then there’s baby.” He moves the screen to showcase my large belly, and I shake my head. “You’ll meet that one in June or July.”

“When’s Kensley’s due date?”

“The twenty-eighth.”

“Third baby. I’m betting she’ll be early.”

“I don’t know,” Liam’s dad finally says. “Liam was ten days late.”

“Liam was baby number two,” his mom argues. Liam’s dad, smart man, only shrugs.

“Alright, guys, we can argue later,” Liam jokes, bringing the camera back to him. “So, these girls and baby are important to me, but the next person is very important to me.” I shake my head at him. He’s having fun though. “I want you to meet you daughter-in-law,” he says proudly before turning the iPad camera to me.

I smile and wave, and in the screen, can see that I’m blushing like mad. “Hi. I’m Kensley.”

“Oh, Kensley,” his mom says softly. “Your babies look so much like you.”

I smile. “I hear that a lot.”

“I’m Janet. And this is Richard. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“You too,” I say, nodding.

Liam hands me the iPad for a moment as he rearranges the girls, then takes it back and holds his arm out so all four of us are in the screen.

“Alright, mom. What are your questions. Shoot ‘em off. We’ve got bed time in twenty.”

I reach behind London so I can hit him in the back of the head lightly. “Liam. That’s rude.”

Both Janet and Richard laugh, as does Liam.

And then London is laughing, too.

And I’m still blushing.

But it’s good.

It’s all incredibly good.