The Kings IV II

2

Fred

"I'm sending you away."

Alexis slowly looked over her shoulder at me, still rifling through the stack of mail in her arms. "You're exiling me?"

"Yes," I said, "to a spa retreat."

"With other women?" She asked, the expression on her face strong, as they usually were.

"What's the problem with that?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Other women don't typically like me."

"They're jealous," I muttered, pressing a kiss to her temple, "what do you want for breakfast?"

She sighed, resting her chin on my shoulder. "Peace."

I chuckled. "You wouldn't trade the chaos for anything, mama."

She smiled. "Yeah. You're right."

She pressed a kiss to my shoulder and rubbed my back. "Henry's soccer game is today, you know."

"It's been on my calendar for a month," I said, beaming down at her.

"And Josie's-"

"Got piano lessons, yeah," I said, opening the cabinet beneath the stove.

I pulled out an iron skillet, spinning it around in my hand with a smile on my face.

"That's heavy," she said, leaning against the counter.

"I'm strong," I said, grinning down at her.

"Mm hmm, you are," she suggestively muttered, lifting an eyebrow.

I placed the skillet on the stove, scooping her up into my arms. "Four minutes. Max."

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her forehead against mine. "As tempting as those four minutes sound-"

"Mornin'!" Josephine pleasantly greeted.

I sighed, smiling up at Alexis. "Almost had it."

"Almost," she said, giggling as I placed her on the counter.

I smiled down at Josie, throwing her over my shoulder. "How's my princess?"

"I'm good! How's the king?" She giggled, "get it? Your last name is King!"

"She's going places," I chuckled, placing her on the counter beside Alexis.

"Hey, smile," I said, scrambling around for my phone.

"Haha!" Henry yelled, jumping up on the counter behind the girls. I chuckled as he wrapped his arms around them, and the three posed for the cutest picture.

"Super cute," I said, "Henry, nice jump, dude. Gonna be a football star before we know it."

"Please don't do it again," Alexis said, wrapping an arm around his middle.

"He does that all the time," Josie said.

"Tattletale!" Henry yelled, scoffing.

"Troublemaker!" She yelled, turning around to face him.

I grabbed Henry's leg, pulling him over my shoulder. "Before you break a bone."

"Fred, please don't grab him like that," Alexis said, her hand over her chest, "you're going to give me heart failure."

"Tell Mommy that this is what boys do," I said, turning on the stove eye.

"Yeah, Mommy, this is what boys do," Henry said, still hanging upside down.