(Sky’s POV)“Pfft! Pilot,” Angela teased me as I left the cockpit.I sneered, walking toward her on the couch. “Tease me all you want, but I’m not flying this plane with a hangover.” Not ever when my children are inside the plane.After last night, nothing from my plan A to B happened. I had to call my pilot to fly us back to the city, and we had to leave earlier because her swollen foot worried me. Leyanne and Lyra Helene were sitting and reading a book about sea urchins, the one I asked Gen to buy to bring for the kids. Selene was just with her Mommy, lying on top of her mother with her tiny arms around Angela’s neck.“What’s with her?” I asked worriedly.She shrugged and tilted her head to see our youngest daughter’s face. Selene was not interested in doing anything, not even reading a book with her sisters. She just wanted to be in her mother’s arms.Before sitting, I kicked Anya’s seat, causing her to get up and pull up the eye mask on her face. She scowled at me. “Wait until th
(Anj’s POV)“On business…”My eyes flickered on the TV when it flashed a familiar face that even my children stopped playing with Nitro on the floor. Our old television did not do justice to giving my children a clear picture of their father, whom we had not seen for almost two weeks. Yet, their faces lit with joy upon seeing his face, and they all focused on the screen.He called once, but I let Leyanne answer the phone, and with three girls to talk to before I had my chance to hold my cellphone, he had to say goodbye because his meeting was about to start. He promised to call again, but he never did.When the screen flashed a video of Sky, catching him walking and talking sweetly with Lalaine, although it was a few seconds video, three pairs of eyes widened and looked at me. Dylan rose to his feet; not bothering to take the remote control on the center table, he pressed the power button and turned off the TV.“Daddy’s busy,” Dylan hissed as he walked back to the single sofa.I gave
(Anj’s POV)Dylan deepened his kiss, taunting my tongue to play with him. It was challenging to make my brain stop thinking so many things despite the passion and fire of his kisses. I did not resist when he pulled me to sit on his lap, wishing to shut down my brain even for a few minutes to enjoy this moment. When I kissed him back and curled my fingers in his hair, he just lost himself to me that his hand grazed the skin of my shoulder, sliding slowly to the hem of my shirt, groping his hand underneath my clothes.But before he could reach the cup of my bra, I caught his hand, and I couldn’t believe I was gripping his wrist so much just to stop him. I was out of breath when I pulled away from him.“We’re here to talk, not to -” My heart hammered in my chest when I heard footsteps.Anya!I stood up quickly and ran inside, and I was right; Anya was there, pacing and panicking around the kitchen and not knowing what to do.She raised her hands in the air. “I… I d-didn’t see a thing.
(Anj’s POV)“Negative! Negative! Negative!” Anya chimed in as she kissed the girls on the head.Dylan glanced at her as he stood up and gave her a glass of milk.Anya raised her eyebrows and looked at him. “You know I’m a coffee person, Dylan.” She looked at the glass of milk as if Dylan had given him something weird.The girls giggled. “You look funny, Aunt Anya,” Selene said.I smiled, missing this kind of morning where I could hear my girls giggling because their Aunt Anya made them happy or did something funny. “You’re not drinking coffee from now on,” he said as he sat back in his seat and checked on Leyanne’s plate. “Eat your fruits, Leyanne.”“But I don’t like cantaloupe,” She pouted, and before Dylan could encourage her, Lyra Helene picked up the slice from her plate.“I like cantaloupe,” she put it in her mouth and smiled at me.“And I don’t like milk,” Anya said. “You know I’m lactose intolerant, right?” She snarled at him.“It’s lactose-free,” he answered. “End of discus
(Anj’s POV)“Are we there yet?” Leyanne asked.“Not yet,” I answered as I turned the car to an exclusive residential neighborhood where I think the most expensive homes were. “Are we there yet?” Selene asked this time.“Almost,” I said nervously, glad that they were my daughters because if not, I might lose my patience with them.“Are we there yet?” It was Lyra Helene’s turn to ask.“I guess,” I whispered as I gazed at the familiar metal gate. We had to go through the security guard, but when I showed him my ID, he did not ask any more questions; he opened the gate for us, and I drove to the familiar long driveway before stopping in front of the main door.I took a deep breath after stopping the car, inhaling and exhaling again when I opened the door and waited for my children to get out of the vehicle. I did not tell them why we were visiting their grandfather because I was afraid that Steve might be on his deathbed, and I had no intention of bringing the bad news to my children b
(Anj’s POV)“Just kill me, Sky,” I gritted my teeth, so furious at him that I wanted to hurt him.Steve begged us to talk in private and sort things out after my three children wailed as Selene told them the terrible news that their father wanted them to stay, just them, excluding the mom in the picture.We could have talked in some other places in the house, but he chose the bedroom, and I was too angry at him that I stomped my feet and walked upstairs. His bedroom had not changed a bit, maybe the linens or the curtains, but it was the same way I remembered it.He was quiet, just sitting on the edge of the bed, his elbows propped on his knees while his hands were on his head.“You don’t make the decision alone when it comes to my children, Sky,” I said angrily, and as I paced around his bedroom, my chest was in pain as I listened to them crying outside while Finn was trying to calm them.“I only said that because you scared me, Anj. I know you… You will outsmart me again and leave wi
(Anj’s POV)“What gift?” I asked again when Steve didn’t answer.“Let’s talk about it some other time when my son isn’t here,” he chuckled. He tapped his bedside, asking Sky to sit beside him, and when he did, he only held and squeezed his hand.Tears welled in my eyes, hating this moment like being part of his last breath. I took a deep breath. “Mr. Mars -”“Steve, please,” He cut it. “Dad would be much… much better,” he whispered and smiled at me.“Steve, then,” I chuckled softly. Calling him dad would be weird for me. “Olivia said just a short visit, and I haven’t prepared for this one-week stay. Would you mind if we go home and get some stuff for the kids and me?”“No. I’ll provide you with everything you need,” Sky cut in, gritting his teeth like he was ready to bite me.Leyanne gasped and looked at me. “But Nitro -”“And my homework -” Lyra Helene cut in.Sky looked at Selene, waiting for her to utter her concern.“I just want my Mommy,” she said, not smiling at him. “And you ca
(Anj’s POV)“What’s he doing here?”Dylan came in with a paper bag of groceries in his arms as Anya opened the door for him and beat her into asking the question.“Uncle Dylan! Aunt Anya!” My three kids rose to their feet and ran to them, puckering their lips as they kissed Dylan and Anya on their cheeks.I stood up, helping him with the paper bag. “Long story, but he has no plan of leaving for tonight,” I said as I walked with them toward the kitchen.“Where would he sleep?” Anya raised her eyebrows at me. “I’m not sleeping in your bedroom.” “Why would you sleep in my bedroom?” Dylan asked, turning to her.She sneered at him. “I’m talking to my cousin, Handsome. Not you. And why would I sleep in your bedroom?”He raised his hands. “Just asking, Anya. At least we’re clear on that.” He peeked at the kitchen door. “I’m cooking grilled chicken and baby potatoes. Who wants baby potatoes?”“Me!” Selene raised her hand and chuckled.“I do!” Leyanne and Lyra Helene said altogether, causing