Living Life As A Younger Brother

Chapter

Cayden, Donovan, Cadmar

******

The time has come.

"Boys, you need to sit down." I plop my bottom on the end of the couch with my arms out in front of me, entwined at the fingers.

They sit, cautiously.

Kei stays perched on Cayden' s lap, staring at me with wonder in his bright eyes.

"What's....what's wrong?" I knew they would sense something was wrong.

"When Jeremy came by...he also brought some bad news....Keilighn's mother is going to court, and they need him to testify."

"What?! Why?"

I sigh. I hadn't told them how Kei had come about exactly. I didn't want their pity or feelings to disrupt their actions towards Kei. 

"Jeremy rescued him. His mother was horrible to him. He was starved, beaten, verbally and mentally abused and when he found Kei she was ready to sell him pleasure for money. We're not sure if sexual abuse is in the equation. God I hope not."

They all gasp in horror, knuckles crunching and bleeding white, screaming for a face, preferably of the witch, to pummel.

I felt the same.

"No!" Kei sobs. We all look to him to see tears running down his puffy cheeks and small hands balled against his chest for comfort.

I drop down to my knees in front of him and take him into my arms. He kicks and fights me all the way as I cuddle him as far as possible into my chest.

"You said you not leaff Me! Said! Said! No gon back!" He shouts, his stumbled words barely comprehensible due to  his tears clogging his throat.

"Ssshhhh shhhh ,   I promise you I will not let her have you ever again. You just have to say the bad things she did to you and guess what?" I question him.

"Wha?" He questions back.

"You will never have to see her again! She will go to a place where all the back people go to be punished."

"I not getting punished do righ? No like punish!" He demands.

"Nope! Youre a good boy and will never be punished like that ever again!"

I tickle his side and he giggles. I look to my other boys to see them staring at me sadly and angrily.

They're hurt.

As a parent, you wish to shield your children from the dangers of the world. I have failed.

Poor little Keilighn doesn't even understand the meaning of a larents love either.

And my boys don t understand the meaning of a mother's love.

Why must the world be so cruel?

"You know what?" I don't allow them to answer.

"How about we go on a family vacation? And also, why don't we help fund the foster systems? Help other kids!"

The boys cheer, as do I.

If I can change the world of one, than I've changed the world.

Some people think it is impossible. But perhaps not. The way I see it is if you change someone's world just a little bit, you've changed something in the world. Just try to make it positive.

"Okay, so where are we going?"

"Can we go camping or something? I bet little Kei has never been camping dad!"

"Well then it's settled. Boys, pack your things. We're going camping!"

Cheers all around.

*******

"Dad, have you seen my underwear?!"

"Probably in your drawer!"

"Oh, Yea!"

"Dad, I can't find my shorts!"

"Laundry!"

"Dad! Cayden won't give me my shoes!"

"They're mine!"

"No they aren't!"

"Ye-"

"Give me the shoes!"

"Dad! Where's the duffel bags?!"

"I thought I told you all to get your stuff ready 2 days ago?!"

"Yyeeeaaaa...."
"Oops.."
"Hehe"

I sigh, exasperated as I continue to pack Kei' s bag. He smiles and giggles at my expression and continues to swing his legs back and forth off his bed.

I stick my tongue out at him and he mirrors me, a tiny, pink tongue poking out from red, pouty lips. He squeals when I catch it with my fingers and I chuckle, letting his tongue go and wiping my hands in my pants.

We all do it.

"Help?" He questions me.

"Sure buddy, why don't you go get your toothbrush and paste?" I help him off the bed by his armpits and smile as he toddles to the bathroom on his little legs.

And to think, as a teenager I couldn't stand the thought of having kids. 

Now, I have four.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

****

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