New Life, New Memories

11. Bed Time

Riker's POV:

After rehearsals I took Kinley and Kenzie home to have a little rest before everyone got home for our family supper time.

"Ok girls this is going to bed your new bedroom where you'll sleep." I said stopping them in front of their bed room door that had their names painted in cursive writing on it.

I opened the door and they ran into the room looking at everything possible and touching everything they could reach. Kinley was immediately drawn to the copious amounts of stuffed animals my brothers had bought them. Whereas Kenzie ran over to the beds and picked the one closest to the window, commandeering it as hers. I laughed to myself thinking how interesting it was to see their completely different personalities, then got ready to brace myself for whatever was coming next when I told them it was nap time.

"Okay Kinley come into bed to have a rest." "I no want rest!" she screamed. "Why not, Bird?" "I want you stay with me." Kinley answered quietly. "Don't worry, Bird I'll be downstairs working. I won't leave you. I will never leave you or Kenzie. Now let's get into bed and have a rest, alright?" I reassured her as I picked her up bringing her to her bed. "Off please." Kenzie said referring to her sweater. When I was done getting Kinley into her bed I went to Kenzie and took her sweater before she laid down and closed her sweet blue eyes. I gave her a quick kiss on the head and walked to the door, turning off the light and closing it slightly. But before I did I whispered "rest well my beauty's."

I made my way downstairs and found my dad sitting at the table working on his computer. "Hey dad. I didn't know you were home." I said getting his attention. "Hey Riker. Yeah your mom and I came home early so she could get things ready for tonight." He informed me. "What's going on tonight?" "Mom didn't text you?" I shook my head no so he could continue telling me what was going to be happening tonight. "Well Ellington and his parents are coming over for dinner and I think your mother also invited Vanni to come join us as well." Fantastic... is what I thought while my dad told me of the events to come tonight. "Oh..." was all I was able to get out. "Is there a problem?" "No not really. It's just it's Kinley and Kenzie's first night here and I don't want them to be frightened. That's all." I trailed off, trying to not give hints on what I was really thinking. "Riker, I know that's not the real problem. What's really going on in your head?" My dad had took his attention off his computer and put it fully on me signalling that he knew something was bugging me. I sighed then gave in and told him all the things I was thinking.

"Dad how did you feel when you found out Rydel was a girl? Because I'm terrified. I feel like I'm going to mess it up. I feel like the girls are going to have the most uneventful life because I'm not going to let them out of the house cause I'm scared they'll get hurt. Dad what do I do? How do I let go? How do I protect them, but still let them enjoy life and create memories? How do I give them everything without taking the fun out of it?" by now I was slightly crying.

"Riker. I can't tell you the answer to those questions I have to let figure it out on your own. What I can tell you though is that I was scared to have a daughter. I thought that she was never going to be let out of the house so that nothing bad would ever happen to her. But there came a point in time when I needed to let her go and experience things for herself even if it got her hurt. I needed to let her know that I would always be there for her when she was hurt and that she would always be loved by me. As for protecting them, you protect them by loving them. You let them have experiences that make you nervous, but them excited. You let them do almost everything they ask you to do, because you know in your heart that it'll make them learn things that they otherwise probably wouldn't learn. You give them all the love you can. That's how you let go."

I was now full on crying because I knew that what my dad had said was true. "Thanks dad. It really helps, but I'm gonna need you along the way and mom and everyone else as well."