The Longer Engagement

63: Making Bracelets

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024

It's been two weeks since Kelly's funeral, and about a week since the adoption was final. For some unknown reason, the adoption went by fast, and now Sam and Brenda officially have four kids together, though they aren't biological and not including Santiago or Benny. Justin and Janessa had started calling them mama and dada already. Kelsey wanted to call them mama and daddy, but she didn't know if they would want her too. While they were down stairs with all of there friends and family, she came down and walked up to the two and asked to talk to Brenda. They went in the kitchen and Brenda said,

"What's up?"

"Um, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Can I call you mama? Or would that be weird since your only 15 years older than me?" Brenda smiled slightly and bent down to her level.

"To me, it wouldn't be weird. If you want to call me mama, than you can. I would love it if you did." Kelsey smiled and hugged her. Brenda went back in the living room, fanning her face, as Kelsey went upstairs. Sam wrapped his arm around her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"She just asked me if she could call me 'mama'." She said, looking at him, then at everyone else. The girls awe'd."She asked me if it would be weird since I'm 15 years older than her."

"God, she's smart." Sam said.

"She wants you to go up to her room for some reason. Didn't tell me why. And, we really need to decorate their rooms."

"I know. I'll be back in a little bit." He said and kissed her forehead. He went up up to her room and knocked on the door. She was sitting on the floor, making bracelets.

"Hey squirt, you wanted to see me?" He asked jokingly, sitting in front of her, Indian Style.

"Yeah, can you make bracelets with me?" She asked, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. He was sort of let down, thinking she was going to ask him something else. But he smiled and nodded.

"Just don't tell anyone. i'm a grown man, I shouldn't be making bracelets." He said and she giggled. He took some string and tied it to a bead so the other beads didn't fall off.

"That's how you do it? That makes so much more sense." She said, doing the same as him. He chuckled. Brandi and Bella came into the room, with Hope, the puppy that stayed with Brandi after she had her puppies. They plopped on the flopped next to them and watched them intently. Sam laughed. It was quiet, Kelsey humming to herself.

"Sammy?" She asked. He looked up.

"Yeah, Sweetie?" He asked.

"Um...Can I call you daddy? I know it's weird, but I've never been able to call anyone daddy and I really want a real daddy." She said. His heart broke at the look in her eyes. He put his finished bracelet on the floor and then scooted over next to her. He hugged her and said,

"Of course you can, Sweetie. I might not be your real daddy, but I'm sure going to act like it. From here on out, you are my daughter, okay?" He told her. She nodded, smiling brightly and hugged him. They resumed making bracelets, and he heard someone snort. He looked up and saw Puck, Finn, and Mike standing in the door way. Sam's cheeks turned red.

"What the hell are you doing?" Puck asked, snickering afterwards.

"Making bracelets with my daughter. What's it look like?" He asked. Kelsey giggled.

"Do you want to make them too?" She asked sweetly. They looked at each other, and sat on the floor, grabbing some string. Eventually, all of the boys, Sam, Chord, Puck, Finn, Mike, Jake, Ryder, and Artie were in Kelsey's room, making bracelets with all of their kids sitting next to them, the ones who could sit up, watching them. Santiago was sitting next to Sam, pointing at random beads, telling him to put it on the string. Sam finished the necklace and tied it, putting it over Santiago's head, on his neck. Santiago began crawling out of the room and went down the stairs backwards. He'd figured out how to go up and down them on his own. He crawled to Santana and pulled himself up, showing her the necklace.

"Who made that, sweetie?" She asked.

"Dada!" He squealed. The girls looked at each other.

"Speaking of him, where is he and the other boys?" Brenda asked. The girls shrugged, and then there was a knock on the door. It was Mary, Sandy and Stacy. Stacy and Mary each had to boxes of those beads that kids use to make necklaces and bracelets, along with one roll of stretchy string.

"What the hell?" Brenda asked.

"Sam texted me and asked me to buy it and bring it. I don't know why, but I did it." All of the girls looked at each other, and made their way upstairs, where they heard many little voices giggling and talking happily.

"Daddy! You're head is to big!" Julia exclaimed, giggling. Rachel and the girls looked at each other and walked into Kelsey's room. Sam, Kelsey, Janessa, and Justin were sitting on her bed, still making bracelets.

"What are you guys doing?" Mercedes asked.

"Making bracelets, duh." Puck answered.

"How did this get started?" Quinn asked.

"Me! I asked daddy to make bracelets with me, then Uncle Finn, Uncle Noah, and Uncle Mike came in wondering what we were doing and then started making some too! Then the rest ended up coming in here." Kelsey said. Brenda raised an eyebrow at Sam, and he grinned at her cutely.

"Well, why don't we take this downstairs so all of us can make them? It seems pretty crowded in here?" Brittany asked. Brenda took a quick picture of the boys in the room, then of Sam, Kelsey, Justin, and Janessa. She put the pictures on Twitter.

Brenda Evans @BrendaEvans

My babes making bracelets in our newest daughters room, including those crazy boys and my nieces and nephews!