Life Without Them (On Hold)

Chapter 10: Blowup

North

Brandon stops me right before we get to the kid's doorway. I turn to him in question and he sighs.

"Look, I know you guys mean well, and you wanna do right by Sang and these kids, but you need to remember that they already have a life here. They have a home, and the kids have friends, and Sang has a good job."

"What are you tryna say to me, Brandon?"

I may appreciate what him and his team has done for Sang Baby and the kids, but we're here now.

"I'm saying don't think you can just sweep them away. Even after this Volto thing is over. She may be playing nice for the sake of the kids, but I have no such qualms."

"What do you mean for the sake of the kids?" I scoff.

"You really think she wants her kids to see her upset with their fathers? Those kids love you guys, even if you haven't been around for them. All those kids want is for their family to be together again, and Sang will do anything to make sure her kids are happy. But we won't let you manipulate the situation. You're not taking them away from us."

"We're their fathers," I seethe.

We have every right be want our kids to be with us, and if that means packing all three of them up and taking them back to Charleston where they belong, then that's what we'll do!

"And we're the uncles they've cried to at night. So don't think for a second, just because they don't have our DNA, means that we don't have a bond with them."

Before I can come up with a proper response, Morgan sticks her head out of the doorway.

"Daddy North, Uncle B, are you two fighting?" she asks with a tilt of her little head.

"No."

"Yes," Brandon tells her at the same time as me.

"What are you doing?" I angrily whisper to him.

"We don't lie to the kids," he says to me. "Morgan, go get your brother."

"Is everything ok Uncle B?" she asks timidly.

"We're making pizza, Magpie, go get your brother," he tells her, avoiding the question.

"Ok."

Morgan gives him a quick nod before going back into her room.

She's just as intuitive as her mom. God, I can't believe how much we've missed out all because of that Volto jackass.

"I thought you said we don't lie to the kids?"

"I didn't lie," he tells me. "I just didn't answer her question. That way they know not to push it. If you avoid talking about something, they know to back off. Unless they really want to know the answer, then you're screwed."

"Ooooo, Mommy!" Cole screams out. "Uncle B said a bad word!"

"Thanks a lot runt." Brandon smirks as he leans down and starts to tickle Cole. "Last time I say anything around you. I thought you had my back."

"I do! I do!" Cole gets out around his laughs. "I'm sorry."

He's definitely Gabe's kid, ha.

Brandon stops a few seconds later, while Morgan looks on with an intelligence far beyond her years.

"I thought we were making pizza, Uncle B?" Morgan asks him.

"We are, Munchkin. Come on, let's go."

I watch as he picks up my kids like it's the most natural thing in the world and feel my heart squeeze a bit. It hurts to admit that he's right. They do have a life here, but we'll be a part of it, no matter what.