Family Stories - the Sequel

chapter 4

Saturday, 2nd September

Owen: 58; Amelia: 52; Luca: 23; Leo: 16; Lily: 16

Ryan: 27; Katie: 26; Riley: 10; Ian&Connor: 7

Liam: 24; Robin: 24; Victoria: 6; Audrey Blake: 4; Madelyn: 9 months

Finn: 24; Dennis: 24; Mason-Anthony: 2

Ruby: 24; Ethan: 25

Mira: 20; Eva-Maeve: 3

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"Auntie Wuby!", Mason yelled excitedly when his father brought over his phone as his other dad was bringing him to bed. "Auntie Lily!", he also beamed. "Uncwle Ethan!", he smiled widely. "Dada is bwinging me to bed.", he shared.

"Oh, that's so great, Honey.", Ruby answered. She had texted Dennis about her nephew already sleeping or not and when he had told her that Finn was currently getting him ready for bed, she had decided to call. "I miss you, my small bean."

"Me miss you too.", the two-year-old informed her. "But me see you tomowow (tomorrow).", he explained happily. "Why Auntie Lily no home?", he curiously wondered, because usually his aunt was with his grandparents.

"Because I wanted to visit your aunt and uncle, sweet boy.", the sixteen-year-old let him know, deciding to go for a lie instead of having to explain to a toddler why she was fighting with her parents.

"Oh, that gweat idea!", the small brunette cheered. "Wight, Dada?", he questioned Finn, who chuckled and nodded, before he encouraged the child to ask what the three of them had been up to today. "What has you been doing?", he asked.

"Have you been doing, Sweetheart.", Ethan taught his nephew, watching him put his tiny pointer finger against his chin to make a mental note. "But great question, Buddy.", he reassured him after. "Auntie Ruby wasn't feeling too well, so we had a stay-inside day and played lots of boardgames."

"Like we!", Mason exclaimed. "Dada comed home after work and when I waked up fwom my nap, he here. This morwning, daddy and I went to playgwound.", he informed the family.

"Woah and I see you practiced your sentences, huh? You are forming them so well, Baby.", Ruby praised her nephew and he nodded proudly. "Alrighty, it's time for bed now, so we'll see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful night, Love.", she said and gave him a kiss through the phone.

"Nighty night.", the tiny brunette giggled and waved, before he listened to his fathers saying bye as well and then watching his daddy hang up, so his dada could get back to reading to him before he had to sleep.

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Liam: 24; Robin: 24; Victoria: 6; Audrey Blake: 4; Madelyn: 9 months

---

„Hi. Thanks for picking me up.", Robin said as she climbed into the passenger seat of Liam's car. She had called him twenty minutes ago to ask if he could come get her since her date had taken her to a restaurant.

"Of course. You know you can always call me.", the redhead smiled at her and waited for his ex-girlfriend to get buckled up before he handed her her favorite Starbucks order, causing her to gratefully smile at him. "Was it that bad?"

"Yeah. He seemed really nice when we chatted online, and he was. But...he did not at all look like on the pictures he had posted, and he kept talking about himself the whole time.", his best friend shared and shrugged. "Next time maybe."

"Definitely.", Liam encouraged her and stroked Robin's left arm gently. "Wanna hear about the zoo?", he suggested, knowing how their daughters always made his ex-girlfriend cheer up.

"Yep.", the twenty-four-year-old replied as the young redhead started driving. "Did you go see the ducks?", she referred to their conversation they had had a day prior with Victoria.

"Not just once. You would think our child enjoys seeing lions or bears or whatever, but nope. All she cares about are ducks.", her ex-boyfriend joked, making her chuckle. "You look very beautiful by the way, Robin."

"Thank you.", the brunette mumbled, looking at him as he drove and sipping on her coffee. "Do you regret having kids with me? Do you wish someone else was your children's mother?", she wondered after a minute of comfortable silence. Sometimes, seeing him with Lydia and Lydia with the girls made her question her past with Liam.

"Not even for a second.", the twenty-four-year-old instantly responded while he stopped at a red light, giving him a moment to look into her eyes as he continued, so she knew he meant it. "You're my best friend, Robin. You have been for years now and it's sad that we didn't work out romantically, but that doesn't change the fact that you're one of the most important people in my life. You always will be. And I don't want you to ever doubt yourself. There is no one else I can or want to imagine as my kids' mother."

His words sounded so sincere, they made Robin smile, and she didn't quite know what to answer, so she just wrapped her arms around his right arm and leaned against his right shoulder as he drove her home.

Since they were so quiet now, she decided to turn on the car radio only to be hit with "Exile" by Taylor Swift. Tears were filling Robin's eyes, but she remained in her position. A few seconds later, she heard Liam sigh, which signaled her that the lyrics didn't leave him cold either.

But a call from Lydia interrupted their moment and the brunette sat up straight. She knew that the blonde couldn't see them through the hands-free device, but it felt wrong to stay in such a position when her ex-boyfriend was talking to his new girlfriend.

"Hi, Babe.", Lydia greeted him. "Are you on your way back?", she asked. "I miss you.", she added. Robin just rolled her eyes as she looked out of the window. He had been gone for like half an hour, how could she be this way?

"Almost. One more street until we arrive at Robin's and then ten more minutes from there.", the twenty-four-year-old replied softly. "Feel free to get ready for bed and pick out the movie we wanted to watch together tonight.", he suggested. "I love you!"

"Alrighty. Love you!", the blonde answered. "Good night, Robin.", she said. It was hard for the brunette to understand Lydia. Most of the time, she seemed like a shady bitch, but in moments like that she sounded somewhat sincere. Maybe she was doing it for Liam?

"Good night, Lydia.", Robin responded, but it took everything in her. She wanted to be nice, but she really just couldn't. As her best friend pulled into the driveway, he ended the call. "Thank you, see you tomorrow. Sleep well."

"You too.", the redhead smiled at her and waited for his ex-girlfriend to close the door from the inside to make sure she had actually arrived safely. Then, he started the engine once more to drive back home.