BRIEToday is soccer day for the boys, and Michael was coming over so I decided to invite my mum and sister to have a day together with the girls since Luca was going with the boys too. “ Lisa, get the door”. I shouted from the kitchen where I was making some treats for us for the day.“ Uncle Mikey”, I heard Lisa while Iadey way to the living room. Lisa hugged her grandmother and aunt and the duo soon jumped into conversation, “ Guess what aunt Anna”, Lis said excitedly “ohhhh, there's gist girly”. Anna said equally excited. I rolled my eye aat their antics. “ Hey mum”, I said. “ Hey honey, how are you doing?”. “ I'm good mum”.“ Heyyyy, so I don't get any hugs now from you sis?.”Mike said, ever dramatic with his hands on his the right side of his chest. “ You know the heart is on the left side right”? I said while hugging him.“ Mine's on the right”. He said rolling his eyes at me. “ If you both are done with your antics, mum interrupted our soon to be brewing argument.May I kno
ALEX Today was going to be very hectic for me. Taking two weeks off from work wasn't the best idea but I couldn't change it for the world. Spending time and getting to know the kids was something I really needed. They make me happy, I don't remember when I was this happy, this was something I was missing all through my life. Brie and the kids make me happy. The house is no more quiet as they have practically moved in with me and dad. Their banter, laughter, food fights, loud noises fill the whole house. Even dad is more happier with the kids always around him. The warmth that spreads through me whenever I'm going home is unexplainable. HOME. The word so foreign yet so comforting. The sound of my office door opening brings me out of my thoughts. Revealing my best friends " Hey man, what's up." Mason And Micheal greeted while sitting in front of me. The both of them propping their legs on my table. " The fuck!!, get your legs of my table, Now, you both". I said slightly getti
BRIEI looked down at my phone smiling as Alexander's name lit up the screen “ I'm outside”. After the whirlwind of the past weeks with the kids, moment like this, calm and domestic feels unreal. “ Heading down now”. I replied.The ride down the elevator felt longer than usual, anticipation building with each ding. The glass door of the building opened and there he was leaning casually against the hood, his tailored jacket off and his shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing strong forearms. The moment his gaze met mine, a slow smile spread across his face, sending a warm flutter through me.“Hey there, beautiful,” he said as I approached, his deep voice full of affection as he kissed my forehead. The gesture erupting a pool of butterflies in my tummy.“Hey yourself,” I replied, unable to stop my own grin.He stepped forward, his hand gently grazing my lower back as he opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in, inhaling the familiar mix of leather and his cologne.“Long day?” he asked
Brie’s POV The tension in the car was suffocating. Alexander’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that I thought he might break it. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. I watched him from the passenger seat, biting my lip, wanting to ask but knowing better than to probe in front of the kids. “Mom, look! I drew this!” Emma’s cheerful voice broke the silence as she held up her sketchpad, oblivious to the heavy air. “That’s beautiful, sweetheart,” I said, smiling at her in the rearview mirror. Alexander didn’t respond, and I noticed Luca glanced at his father.When we pulled into the driveway, the house was lit up like a beacon. The familiar warmth of home greeted us, and as soon as we walked through the door, we were met with the sound of laughter. Damien, Dave, and Lisa—were already in the living room, locked in one of their usual banters. “You can’t seriously think pineapple belongs on pizza, Damien,” Lisa was saying, her tone incre
ALEXThe office felt colder tonight. It wasn’t the temperature but the heavy silence, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. My sanctuary, once a place of focus and strategy, now felt suffocating, like the walls were pressing in on me. I sat behind my desk, nursing a glass of bourbon, the amber liquid catching the dim light from the desk lamp.Ricardo’s face haunted me—his smug smirk, his piercing eyes. The encounter at the mall was brief, but it had triggered memories I’d worked hard to bury. The way he said “ just surprising an old friend” A knock at the door startled me.“Dad?”I looked up to see Damien peeking inside.“Yes, buddy?” I asked, trying to sound normal.“Just wanted to say goodnight,” he said, stepping in. His voice carried a maturity that always surprised me, even though he was only sixteen, “And… is everything okay?”I hesitated. “Why do you ask?”“You’ve been quiet since you guys got home,” he said, frowning. “It’s not like you.”I forced a smile
ALEXThe week went by quickly, with each day mirroring the one before it. I continued thinking about Ricardo and the ramifications of his abrupt homecoming between job commitments and the customary household rituals. Ricardo was a threat, not simply a ghost, but I wasn't one to linger on the past. Now that Saturday had arrived, the house was a hive of weekend activity. As usual, Brie went above and above to make sure our visitors had anything they wanted. Although Mason was coming for the first time, Brie wanted to make sure he felt welcome, even though Michael was family. --- Naturally, Michael came first, smiling like he owned the place and carrying a box of pastries. "Uncle Mikey!" Emma's voice could be heard as she hurried to welcome“Sunshine!” Michael exclaimed as he lifted her up with ease. “Have you been causing trouble, or is Damien still hogging that title?” “Hey!” Damien exclaimed from the couch, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m a reformed man, Uncle Mike. Haven’t caused t
BRIE The blaring sound of my alarm clock woke me up from my deep slumber. Reaching to switch it off, I checked the time displayed on it. 5:40am. Reaching to my left, I found it empty, Alex must have gone for a workout in the gym. I decided to lay in bed for a while to have some me time before a certain toddler waltz in as usual demanding for food. For the past week, Luca has been waking me up early, demanding breakfast, I guess it's part of his growth process but I don't mind, it gives me and him some ‘’ mama and Luca” time. We cuddle, he plays with his toys, I watch him while I drink my cup of coffee before the older ones start waking up. I pick Luca up, placing him in his play pen. “ Luca baby, mommy is going to wake sissy up, okay”. I cooed. He gives me a cute nod. Making my way upstairs to Emma's room, I slowly open the door to find her already waking up. “ Good morning sweetheart,” "Good morning mommy”. “ Did you sleep well?”. I asked. “ Yes mommy “. “ Ok now let's fresh
THIRD PERSON POV The days following Lisa's period passed in a haze of meetings, phone calls, and strategizing. Alex found himself more on edge than usual. He had always prided himself on being a man who thrived under pressure, but the reappearance of Ricardo Matteo was like a splinter lodged deep beneath his skin—impossible to ignore. He couldn’t shake the unease, no matter how hard he tried to focus on the present.Brie noticed it, of course. She always did. And while she did her best to maintain an air of normalcy for the kids, Alex could see the concern etched into her face when she thought no one was looking.The kids, perceptive as ever, had picked up on the tension too. Lisa, in particular, had grown uncharacteristically quiet over the past few days, while Damien and Dave seemed to channel their unease into endless teasing and roughhousing. It was their way of coping, Alex supposed, but it only added to the chaos brewing inside him.By Friday afternoon, Brie decided it was tim
Alex’s POV The next morning, Alex woke with a heaviness in his chest, as if the weight of his own thoughts had transformed into something tangible overnight. The promise he’d made to Brie lingered in his mind: today, he would tell the family everything. After breakfast, Alex gathered everyone in the living room. The kids were scattered across the plush couches, their expressions ranging from curious to mildly annoyed. Brie sat beside him, her reassuring hand on his arm. Michael and Mason were also present, their faces solemn, already understanding the gravity of the situation. “Is this another one of those family meetings?” Damien groaned, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh. “Can’t it wait? I was about to beat Dave at FIFA.” “You wish,” Dave shot back, but his teasing tone faded when he caught the serious look on Alex’s face. “Enough,” Brie said gently. “This isn’t just a meeting. Your father has something important to share with all of us.” The room fell silent, all eye
THIRD PERSON POV The days following Lisa's period passed in a haze of meetings, phone calls, and strategizing. Alex found himself more on edge than usual. He had always prided himself on being a man who thrived under pressure, but the reappearance of Ricardo Matteo was like a splinter lodged deep beneath his skin—impossible to ignore. He couldn’t shake the unease, no matter how hard he tried to focus on the present.Brie noticed it, of course. She always did. And while she did her best to maintain an air of normalcy for the kids, Alex could see the concern etched into her face when she thought no one was looking.The kids, perceptive as ever, had picked up on the tension too. Lisa, in particular, had grown uncharacteristically quiet over the past few days, while Damien and Dave seemed to channel their unease into endless teasing and roughhousing. It was their way of coping, Alex supposed, but it only added to the chaos brewing inside him.By Friday afternoon, Brie decided it was tim
BRIE The blaring sound of my alarm clock woke me up from my deep slumber. Reaching to switch it off, I checked the time displayed on it. 5:40am. Reaching to my left, I found it empty, Alex must have gone for a workout in the gym. I decided to lay in bed for a while to have some me time before a certain toddler waltz in as usual demanding for food. For the past week, Luca has been waking me up early, demanding breakfast, I guess it's part of his growth process but I don't mind, it gives me and him some ‘’ mama and Luca” time. We cuddle, he plays with his toys, I watch him while I drink my cup of coffee before the older ones start waking up. I pick Luca up, placing him in his play pen. “ Luca baby, mommy is going to wake sissy up, okay”. I cooed. He gives me a cute nod. Making my way upstairs to Emma's room, I slowly open the door to find her already waking up. “ Good morning sweetheart,” "Good morning mommy”. “ Did you sleep well?”. I asked. “ Yes mommy “. “ Ok now let's fresh
ALEXThe week went by quickly, with each day mirroring the one before it. I continued thinking about Ricardo and the ramifications of his abrupt homecoming between job commitments and the customary household rituals. Ricardo was a threat, not simply a ghost, but I wasn't one to linger on the past. Now that Saturday had arrived, the house was a hive of weekend activity. As usual, Brie went above and above to make sure our visitors had anything they wanted. Although Mason was coming for the first time, Brie wanted to make sure he felt welcome, even though Michael was family. --- Naturally, Michael came first, smiling like he owned the place and carrying a box of pastries. "Uncle Mikey!" Emma's voice could be heard as she hurried to welcome“Sunshine!” Michael exclaimed as he lifted her up with ease. “Have you been causing trouble, or is Damien still hogging that title?” “Hey!” Damien exclaimed from the couch, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m a reformed man, Uncle Mike. Haven’t caused t
ALEXThe office felt colder tonight. It wasn’t the temperature but the heavy silence, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. My sanctuary, once a place of focus and strategy, now felt suffocating, like the walls were pressing in on me. I sat behind my desk, nursing a glass of bourbon, the amber liquid catching the dim light from the desk lamp.Ricardo’s face haunted me—his smug smirk, his piercing eyes. The encounter at the mall was brief, but it had triggered memories I’d worked hard to bury. The way he said “ just surprising an old friend” A knock at the door startled me.“Dad?”I looked up to see Damien peeking inside.“Yes, buddy?” I asked, trying to sound normal.“Just wanted to say goodnight,” he said, stepping in. His voice carried a maturity that always surprised me, even though he was only sixteen, “And… is everything okay?”I hesitated. “Why do you ask?”“You’ve been quiet since you guys got home,” he said, frowning. “It’s not like you.”I forced a smile
Brie’s POV The tension in the car was suffocating. Alexander’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that I thought he might break it. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. I watched him from the passenger seat, biting my lip, wanting to ask but knowing better than to probe in front of the kids. “Mom, look! I drew this!” Emma’s cheerful voice broke the silence as she held up her sketchpad, oblivious to the heavy air. “That’s beautiful, sweetheart,” I said, smiling at her in the rearview mirror. Alexander didn’t respond, and I noticed Luca glanced at his father.When we pulled into the driveway, the house was lit up like a beacon. The familiar warmth of home greeted us, and as soon as we walked through the door, we were met with the sound of laughter. Damien, Dave, and Lisa—were already in the living room, locked in one of their usual banters. “You can’t seriously think pineapple belongs on pizza, Damien,” Lisa was saying, her tone incre
BRIEI looked down at my phone smiling as Alexander's name lit up the screen “ I'm outside”. After the whirlwind of the past weeks with the kids, moment like this, calm and domestic feels unreal. “ Heading down now”. I replied.The ride down the elevator felt longer than usual, anticipation building with each ding. The glass door of the building opened and there he was leaning casually against the hood, his tailored jacket off and his shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing strong forearms. The moment his gaze met mine, a slow smile spread across his face, sending a warm flutter through me.“Hey there, beautiful,” he said as I approached, his deep voice full of affection as he kissed my forehead. The gesture erupting a pool of butterflies in my tummy.“Hey yourself,” I replied, unable to stop my own grin.He stepped forward, his hand gently grazing my lower back as he opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in, inhaling the familiar mix of leather and his cologne.“Long day?” he asked
ALEX Today was going to be very hectic for me. Taking two weeks off from work wasn't the best idea but I couldn't change it for the world. Spending time and getting to know the kids was something I really needed. They make me happy, I don't remember when I was this happy, this was something I was missing all through my life. Brie and the kids make me happy. The house is no more quiet as they have practically moved in with me and dad. Their banter, laughter, food fights, loud noises fill the whole house. Even dad is more happier with the kids always around him. The warmth that spreads through me whenever I'm going home is unexplainable. HOME. The word so foreign yet so comforting. The sound of my office door opening brings me out of my thoughts. Revealing my best friends " Hey man, what's up." Mason And Micheal greeted while sitting in front of me. The both of them propping their legs on my table. " The fuck!!, get your legs of my table, Now, you both". I said slightly getti
BRIEToday is soccer day for the boys, and Michael was coming over so I decided to invite my mum and sister to have a day together with the girls since Luca was going with the boys too. “ Lisa, get the door”. I shouted from the kitchen where I was making some treats for us for the day.“ Uncle Mikey”, I heard Lisa while Iadey way to the living room. Lisa hugged her grandmother and aunt and the duo soon jumped into conversation, “ Guess what aunt Anna”, Lis said excitedly “ohhhh, there's gist girly”. Anna said equally excited. I rolled my eye aat their antics. “ Hey mum”, I said. “ Hey honey, how are you doing?”. “ I'm good mum”.“ Heyyyy, so I don't get any hugs now from you sis?.”Mike said, ever dramatic with his hands on his the right side of his chest. “ You know the heart is on the left side right”? I said while hugging him.“ Mine's on the right”. He said rolling his eyes at me. “ If you both are done with your antics, mum interrupted our soon to be brewing argument.May I kno