I'm Still Yours, Klaus (Book 4)

CH. 9

NINE:

Saturday, January 27th
9:49 AM

• DANIELLE •

I slowly rolled over in bed from my side to my back. I turned my head to see I was alone. Klaus was gone. I furrowed my brows as I saw the sun pouring in brightly. Even through the closed white curtains. What time was it? Sitting up slowly, I stretched deeply. Arms over my head and back arching. I slept amazingly. The best night of sleep I've had in a long time.

Wait a minute. I could hear the kids. Audrey was screeching and one of the boys— Probably Atlas was arguing with her, yelling. What time was it? My boys were always up, at the break of dawn sometimes. Anywhere from 5:30 to 7:30AM. I've grown accustoming to them jumping on my bed and waking me up every morning. As I went to reach for my phone, I spotted a note next to it on the nightstand.

I grabbed both. I raised my eyebrows at Klaus' handwriting. Reading it, I began to smile, "Good morning, baby girl. Don't you dare rush out of bed. I'll take care of the kids and breakfast. When you're up send me a text and I'll bring up food and a surprise."

I put the note down and picked up my phone. Almost ten o'clock! I hesitated for a moment, waiting to see if the kids were still throwing a fit. There wasn't anymore screeching but the sound of a huge crash that sounded like glass breaking had me jumping out of my skin. I wasn't going to be having breakfast in bed.

I rushed out of bed, running down the stairs just as I heard the sound of crying. "No one move!" I heard Klaus shout as I made it the bottom. I turned the corner, pushing open the swinging kitchen door.

"What is going on?" I asked.

"Mommy!" Atlas sobbed from the floor around the island wooden table which was covered in all sorts of dishes and ingredients.

"Love, you're supposed to be relaxing," Klaus frowned, sweeping up something around where Atlas sat. "Everything is... not under control. I'm sorry, I don't even know what happened."

I barely heard what he said over Atlas' cries louder now that I was here. Beside him, the rest of the kids were talking over each other trying to explain. "—And Audrey knocked over your statue," Hope finished her sentence.

"Okay, okay," I sighed, slipping past the girls to carefully pick up my crying son. He had a cut on his leg but it was on the surface. I glanced at Hayley who was standing shocked and overwhelmed, holding Adonis away from the mess, both near the back door. Two adults, four children? Clearly not enough.

I rolled my eyes, bouncing Atlas on my hip. "It's okay, baby. Mommy's going to kiss it better. I promise," I told him, placing a kiss on his temple to console him further. "Girls, hands up, you're dirty, follow me," I said, walking around them and leading the way to the nearest bathroom.

I placed Atlas on the toilet seat, wiping his eyes. "Mama, I'm sorry," Audrey said. "I broke your little man."

"Statue," Hope corrected.

"Girls, please," I sighed. "Don't start. Auds, baby, it's fine. Statues can be replaced. You and your siblings cannot. You all know better than to act like this. Screaming, fighting, and running are not allowed in the house."

"Sorry," both girls chorused.

"Hope, wash your hands and help your sister," I instructed. I would get the full story from them later. While they did that, I grabbed my first aid kit to clean up Atlas' scratches. Afterwards I sent the girls to sit in the living room and not to touch anything. "What band-aid do you want? We got dinos, Batman, and flowers."