Only The Beginning

Chapter 6 (Let Me Go)

Hi, Loverlies!!! 👋🏽 I'm going to change the font I've been typing in simply because I've finally found some real time to actually write and create. So, without further ado. (P.s. OTB is #103 in adult romance!! I NEVER thought I'd get any kind of ranking. Thank you guys!!)

Bowling with Bri, Mario, and Lylah is the most fun I've had in a while. I love Lylah' larger than life attitude. She is what I envision Logan will be similar to in a couple of years.
Mario was winning the game of course, with Lylah right behind him and Bri behind her. Guess who was last. Yup, little ol me!
Mario has just bowled another strike, when I looked down at the time, it was almost 3pm. We'd spent two hours bowling and it was great but I needed to pick up the babies at 3:30pm.

"Guys I'm going to have to go soon." I said
"And where do you think you're going ma'am?", Mario looked at me curiously through his long eyelashes.
"Please don't go Ms. Lira!" That came from Lylah, she was lookingon up at me and holding on to my hand.
"I'm sorry Lylah but I have to go and do something very important, that I absolutely cannot miss." I said looking down at her.
I don't know why I don't just say I have to go and get my kids.

Bri already knows where I am going so she hasn't said anything.

I get down to Lylah's level, "I'll see you really soon, as long as it's ok with your dad." I look up at her dad from under my lashes.
"Yeah, we'll see Elira and Bri later at dinner. Wont we ladies?" He has a smirk on his face by the time he's finished talking and his little girl is bouncing her toes at the idea of having dinner tonight with us. He knows there is no way I can say no now, but I'll have the kids tonight.
Tapping Lylah's nose, I say, "Yes, you will see us later." She hugs me excitedly and we say our goodbyes. Bri hugs Mario and my stomach feels a little weird. They let go and he hugs me and the tightness in my stomach and my jaw relax. The hell is wrong with me!?

When Bri and I get in my car she doesn't say anything. I know she's letting me think but in a few minutes she's going to freak out!
"What the hell was that Lira!!!" She exclaims after 10 minutes, as we're pulling up to the babies school.
"What was what?" I say acting dumb as I roll my eyes and get out the car.
"You know what I'm talking about. The bowling, the flirting, the hug, loving on his daughter! You like him!" She says all in one exasperated breath.
I roll my eyes at her dramatics.

"First of all, you need to slow down and breathe. Secondly, his daughter is beautiful and you know I love kids. Thirdly, he's a really cool guy to hang out with but you know I'm married and my husband would throw a fit if he knew we hung out with Mario." I tell her a little frustrated.

"First of all, you and I both know that asshole you call a husband, no offense, isn't even going to be home before dinner so it doesn't even matter. What he don't know won't hurt him. And a simple dinner with friends isn't cheating!" She's raised her voice slightly and I know it's because she really doesn't like the way that Riley treats me.

I ignore her rant since we've walked into Little Tikes Daycare/Preschool. I sign the kids out and walk down the hall to get Logan while Bri gets Lance. Logan runs to the little wooden door the moment she sees me, I live for these moments.
I open the little door and squat down, "Hi mamas! How was school today?"
"It was good mommy, I ate a jelly sandwich for lunsh." It's cute hearing her say "lunch" because she makes a "sh" sound instead of the "ch" sound.
She grabs her book bag off of the hook with her name on it and hands it to me while she puts on her jacket. She turns around and looks down the hall, sees her brother with Bri, and takes off to hug them. Watching Logan with her little brother is one the things I love most in this life. The way they love each other is a love I wish I had with my brothers. I sigh, thinking of them and walk towards my kids.

"We're going to have dinner tonight with one of me and mommy's friends tonight, okay guys?." Bri is bending over smiling at the babies and her eyes flicker to mine. She's being cruel and she knows it. Sure, get my kids excited and happy so I can't say no to them. Now I'll be forced to go because as soon as she said that they both started asking a million questions. My babies started talking early and they never stopped after the very first sentence.

"Who's your friend mommy? Do they like kids? Do they have kids? Girl or boy? Is Daddy coming?" Logan and Lance fire questions back to back without giving me a chance to answer. Logan asked the question about Riley and her eyes looked hopeful. I hate that the hope in those eyes will dim when I tell her, her father isn't coming along.
"Hey guys, we can get ice cream from Velvet Freeze before we got to dinner at 6, how does that sound?" I try to reason with the toddlers. They get even more thrilled by the end of my sentence and we head off to get ice cream.
We all got in the car and headed for ice cream, but my mind was on Mario. What would he think of my kids? Most people think I give them too much freedom, including their dad, but I'm letting them be themselves unapologetically. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.