Sanders Sides Parenting/Kids One-Shots

(35) Timetables - Emile

Summary - Life with 6 kids is never easy. But Emile, a busy father, makes their lives work and keeps everything in order.

This one includes all the Sides as the kids - so it's chaos. The ages are Remy (17), Virgil (14), Roman and Remus (12), Logan (5), and Patton (1-2ish).

TW - Mention of foster care, therapy (of course with Emile), mental health issues, addiction with family members, and FASDs (foetal alcohol syndrome).

Also Remy, Roman and Remus I tried to make Muslim (or at least first raised in Islam) in this chapter - if I have any phrases or behaviour wrong just mention it and of course I'll correct it as I'd love to learn more!

Words: 1132

6am... Emile woke up. He may have set his alarm 10 minutes before to watch some TikToks on his phone and get his eyes ready for the day. But right on the hour Emile recognised the cries of his infant son Patton, and sure enough he was wide awake and hungry. "Good morning mister." Emile smiled and picked Patton up, straightening his rainbow pyjamas and kissing his forehead. Patton still fussed but was a little quieter as he walked down the corridor for The Morning Knocking.

First was a black oak door with a few Starbucks stickers. Emile knocked loud enough for the occupant of the room to hear and spoke through. "It's Wednesday Remy, you up for school today?" The mumble indicated that the teenage Remy was awake. Remy was a Senior in high school and was honestly more of a friend than a son to Emile. He was placed in the foster system at 15 with his little brothers, and since his mother was a patient of Emile's there was no issue in Emile being a suitable foster parent. Emile wasn't his Dad, he was just the fun rent-payer that made sure Remy didn't overdose on his coffee.

Usually after making sure Remy was alive Emile would wake up Remy's twin brothers. But that wasn't needed - shouting and laughter was heard through the door. "Remus! Roman! Go down and get your breakfast!" The door burst open and the twins ran out and towards the kitchen. No doubt they'd make a mess there.

Finally in The Morning Knocking routine was the galaxy door, which again he knocked and spoke through. "Virgil! Up you get buddy." Virgil was again a patient in foster care years ago, Emile fostered him for a few years until his parents gave up custody. Emile adopted the teen straight away after that around 4 years previous. Emile was Virgil's Dad, but it took a while for that name to not seem alien to the emo teenager when referring to the cheery therapist. 

After Virgil emerged from his room Emile opened the final door, a door covered in children's book characters like the animals in Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh characters. There he let Patton down and allowed him to walk towards the bed to see his favourite brother - Logan. Emile placed a hand on Logan's shoulder and watched him slowly wake up. "Good morning!" He cheered then made sure Logan's leg brace was ready and got the tablets he needed to give the Kindergartener. Logan was a very sick child who was partially blind and had trouble walking, but Emile loved taking care of him. Logan was his baby - well, until Patton came into his care - but symbolically Logan was his baby.

Logan and Patton had a bath together in Emile's ensuite as Emile prayed the rest of the household hadn't used all the hot water. He loved seeing how close Logan and Patton were, they were a pair of biological siblings and actually the only children biologically related to Emile too - not that that mattered. Emile's sister suffered... a lot. It was difficult for Emile to talk about but it was the reason he became a therapist. When Logan and Patton were born, Logan with mostly physical difficulties and Patton with FASD. Emile was the best person for them, and Emile's sister was trying to get help.

As expected the kitchen was a mess with the older kids downstairs. Virgil was sitting quietly and munching on some Oreo O's with Remy eating some gluten-free cereal while Roman and Remus were fighting over whichever cereal had the most sugar. Logan sat himself down against the counter while Emile prepared Froot Loops for the smaller kids. 

"Alhamdulillah..." Remy mumbled in a whisper when he finished his cereal. He got up and cleaned his bowl, waving at Patton and placing Logan on a chair so he wouldn't be trampled by the hyper twins. He spun his car keys in his fingers while Virgil also got ready for high school. "You need help Emile or should Virgil and I head off?"

Emile smiled wide at Remy and stuck his tongue out at Patton while making sure he didn't spill any milk. "I'm alright, you have work after school?"

"Yep - see you at 5." And with that the two teens disappeared, leaving Emile with the twins and little ones. He tried to keep his eyes on the twins during their chase but it was becoming more impossible the faster they ran. Eventually they ran upstairs, presumably to shower and get dressed quickly before school. The twins preferred to eat before they showered otherwise they wouldn't eat at all.

6:50am... Emile focused on getting the remaining kids in the car. Patton was in his car seat next to the drivers seat, Logan in the centre seat and Roman and Remus either side. The middle school opened at 7am and it was a 10 minute drive to the campus, even longer if the twins were more hyper that day. Sometimes Remy drove them to school as well as taking Virgil and himself to the high school but Emile didn't like putting that much stress on him so managed the school run most days. "What classes are you looking forwards to today?" Emile cheered to the twins as he started to drive. Both twins responded recess, as expected, before slowly starting to reveal their excitement about a school project they had been working on that they were giving in that day. 

"And I have Drama Club after school, Remus has basketball practice." Emile nodded, that was also on his timetable today. That would mean Roman would have to be collected at 3:15, and Remus at 3:45. Knowing Remy he might want to collect one of them as he was fond of his brothers beyond belief. 

He unleashed the twins into the middle school gates, making sure they got into the school before driving off for the final stop - Logan's Kindergarten. Logan seemed to realise this and started clapping his hands excitedly. He loved school. "You excited buddy? You'll be a little early so you can play a bit more!"

7:30am and Emile waved goodbye to Logan as he walked (with some help from his teacher) into the classroom. He also placed Patton in the daycare next door and waved goodbye to him too. And finally he was alone in his car, feeling odd about it but nevertheless deciding to continue his day. At 8am he finally got to work, and his day was about to begin.

But at 2pm Emile would reunite with his family again, so his day was far from over. Still, he wouldn't change this for the world. Emile loved his family.