Keeping You

Bonus Chapter 'And they say romance is dead..'

Juliet

"Mom! Mom! Mooooomm!" Matthew screeched, each word louder than the last.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I called back.

"Mom!"

I set the whisk and bowl down and headed to the living room to see what the fuss was about. Colin was trying to play video games while Matthew was blocking the television with his hands spread on either side.

"What's going on?" I asked, wiping the sweat off my face.

"Mommy." Evangeline, our one-year-old, wrapped her arms around my leg. "I want cake."

"No cake right now, Evie, baby. We didn't have dinner yet. Colin, why is your brother blocking the television?"

"Because he's a sore loser," Colin grumbled.

"Mom, he's cheating. Every time we play, and I'm about to win, he puts his hand over my face, so I lose." Matthew whined, stomping his feet.

"No, I don't!" Colin shouted, standing up.

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do!" Matthew shoved him, and then they started hitting each other as they rolled around on the carpet.

Christ, give me strength.

I moved Evangeline off my leg, set her down by her toys, and then grabbed their collars and pried them apart.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "We do not hit in this house. You are brothers. I don't expect you to get along all the time, but you will learn to respect each other. Now, sit down. Now." I urged when they huffed. I sat down on the ground with them. "Colin, were you cheating?"

"Barely."

"I'm going to ask you again. Answer me with a yes or no." I sighed. "Did you cheat?"

"Fine! I did. Once." He put his finger up.

"Mom, he cheated more than once." Matthew intervened.

"If you're going to fight every time you play this game, then I will be taking it away. We don't cheat when we play, and we don't shove and hit." I scolded. "What do we always say?"

"Use your words." They said in unison.

"Mommy doesn't like it when you guys hit each other." Evangeline decided now was the right time to come and plop herself in my lap. I held her and gave them warning looks. "Face each other and talk it out. Come on."

They angrily turned to face each other, their arms still crossed over their chests, and while Matthew didn't mind apologizing, I could tell he did not feel like doing it this time since Colin provoked him.

"I don't like it when you cover my face," Matthew said.

"I don't like that you're better at playing this game than me," Colin muttered.

Matthew's face relaxed slightly, and he dropped his hands. "I can just teach you. You don't have to cheat."

"You shoved me." Colin expressed.

"I didn't mean to," Mathew said, his head bowing. "I didn't mean to hit you."

"It's okay. I didn't mean to, either. Do you still want to play?"

Matthew shook his head. "Mom, can I go to my room?"

"Do you want space, or do you want mommy to come later and get you?"