Flicker

29

Valerie POV

Ben's phone starts ringing and he raises an eyebrow looking from me to Levi as he answers his phone.

"What's up kiddo?" He asks as he puts her on speaker.

"We're at the hospital." She says quickly and Levi jumps up, grabbing Samuel as I grab Daniel.

"Is she in labor?" Ben asks chuckling.

"Yup! Now get your cute self up here or I'm bringing Gabby in the delivery room and traumatizing- HOLY QUACKERS THIS SHINIPITS HURTS!"

Ben chuckles as Levi looks at me funny, setting Sam down.

"Y'all wanna drop me off since your sister in law stole my car?" Ben asks and I nod.

"Can we eat first?" Levi asks hungrily, shoving his new found burger in his mouth.

"The baby won't wait." Ben pouts and Levi groans.

"Is this an order from my chief or a request from my brother in law?" Levi questions and I look down to hide my pink cheeks.

"Mommy!" Daniel screams and I pinch his leg.

"We're not screaming." I warn as Sam sits quietly, barely touching his fries.

"Brother in law." Ben smirks and Levi groans.

"Val, stay here with the kids and let them eat. I'm gonna go get Gabby." He acts like he's bothered but his smirk tells me otherwise, "Daniel you better behave. Be good, Sam."

I pull Sam to sit by me and poke his straw through his apple juice.

"Sam, do you like toys?" I ask and he nods, putting another fry in his mouth. I smile, "What kind?"

"Dinos." He mumbles and I let out a soft sigh.

"How bad did your old brother hurt you?" I ask gently as Daniel slurps his Hi-C juice.

"Hims threw stuff at me."

"Like what?"

He shrugged and continued eating.

"Daniel, buddy why don't use a napkin not your shirt." I plead handing him a napkin and trying to wipe ketchup off his blue shirt.

"Where did he hit you?" I ask Sam and he points to his arm.

I look at it and feel tears hit my eyes.

A few moments later, Gabby and Levi walk back in.

"He's still here?" Gabby asks and Levi glares at her.

"Gabby you ate right?" Levi sighs and Gabby nods.

Levi helps me clean up the table and I grab Sam as he grabs Daniel.

"Technically we're married." Levi whispers in my ear and I glare at him.

"Not by a pastor." I warn and he pouts.

We put the boys in the truck and Gabby climbs in with them.

"I'm gonna marry you." Levi whispers to me as he opens my door.

"Im a handful." I smirk as I climb into the truck and he playfully smacks my butt.

We drive home in silence, Daniel and Sam watching paw patrol on the iPad and Gabby scrolling through her phone.

When we arrive home, Gabby gets out and walks inside presumably to her bedroom as Levi and I got the two boys out their car seats and into the house.

"Hey Sam, you want to see your new room?" I ask with a big smile and he softly nods.

We take him to his new room which used to be Levi's office and his face lights up.

Race car bed and lots of toys and stuffed animals, light up starts on the roof and a night light.

"Do you like it?" I ask and Levi touches my shoulder as Sam hesitantly nods.

"Im going to go check on the other two." He whispers and I nod at him as I set the small bag he has down.

"When's the last time you took a bath buddy?" I ask and he shrugs, "Do you want one now?"

He shakes his head as he grabs a small stuffed animal of a bunny.

"Bunny." He whispers as he hugs it and I give him a soft smile.

"Daniel I am NOT playing with you young man!" I hear Levi and I groan as I smile at Sam.

"Play with your toys a minute." I offer as I walk out the room.

When I get out, I make my way towards the noise and find Daniel standing naked on the counter.

"Im not taking a bath !" He screeches and Levi takes a deep breath.

"Bath or spanking." He offers and Daniel turns to me with a pout on his face.

"No!"

I grab Daniel down and pop his thigh.

"Now Daniel." I order and he pouts.

"Hitting your kid because he doesn't want a bath? Classic." Gabby snorts and I turn around to say something but Levi catches it first.

"Little girl I'll be up to talk to you in a minute, get to your room and give me that phone cause ever since you got it you have been a reigning terror." Levi orders as grabs her phone from her hand.

Gabby POV

I turn around and walk upstairs knowing another spanking is probably coming my way but I'm so sick of them.

I pop into Sam's room and find him crying on the floor.

I look back and walk in, sitting beside him.

"Hey bubba what's wrong?" I ask picking the small boy up and setting him in my lap.

"They left." He sniffs and I pull him up to look at me.

"I'll never leave you." I smile and kiss his cheek, holding him close to me.

He sniffles and buries his face in my shoulder and I just hold him.

He just looks so sweet, so innocent, and just so helpless.

"Gabby?" Dad asks as he pops his head in and he gives me a soft smile.

"He was crying." I say quietly as I feel hims get heavier.

I look down and he fell asleep on me.

Dad gently pulls him out my arms and lays him in his bed.

"God knew what he was doing when I made that mistake, Gabbs. Im not going to give you all the details but my mind was messed up after loosing your Mom. So I took my anger out on God and did some things I shouldn't have, but look what came out of it." He explains, kissing the top of my head.

"Am I in trouble?" I ask quietly as we walk out the room.

"I'll let it slide, but the phones mine for tonight."