I wrap my arms under Tara’s to pick her up. Her legs kick and her arms flail as though she’s drowning in the crumb filled disgusting pool of carpeting. Then the aliens have completely taken over her little body. Screams bellow out of her small lungs as her feet leave little bruises all over my legs. “Let’s just buy some more tokens,” I shout over to Kailey, who’s putting Drew’s coat on. I guess that’s a no from the death stare she returns my way. Maybe I should mention I’m not asking for a three way, just to give this little three headed monster some coins. Keeping my mouth shut, I grab my jacket from the bench, throw Tara’s in between us. Lucky for me, Kailey’s handling Drew and Chloe. However, even with this two to one ratio, I think I got the raw end of the deal. Actually, I’m sure of it as I watch the trio ahead of me calmly walk through the front doors while Tara’s screams become louder screeches the closer we get to the front door.

That teenage girl stops me with some sort of black light, waiting for our wrists. Kailey stands on the other side of the rope, and I sigh, pulling my wrist out, holding Tara out with one arm. Can this little bubblegum chomping girl not tell I’m about to get kicked in the nuts if I don’t control her legs? After we’re cleared to leave the premises, I turn back around and say, “You should really think about selling alcohol.”

“Oh sir, we don’t want any responsibility for parents driving—” she starts her most likely well-rehearsed Showtime Palace response.

“Not for me, for ones like this,” I interrupt and point to Tara. The young girl looks at me confused, no doubt those tight clothes are cutting off the circulation to her brain. “Yeah, never mind.” Realizing she’s not getting my joke.

“Oh, I gotcha,” she laughs as the door shuts behind us.

“Trey, she’s probably still trying to put it together.” Kailey laughs. With a calming Tara in my arms, her cries still there, but slowing, I stare down at Kailey. I love her so much. I’d put myself through this hell every day for the rest of life, with one stipulation; she has to be with me. “What are you staring at?” She knocks me with her hip.

“The most beautiful girl,” I say and wink at her.

“Oh, Trey,” she looks up at me with those sparkling eyes and love induced smile.

“Did you catch her? She just turned the corner,” I tease, and laughter erupts out of her.

“And here I was being all arrogant thinking you were talking about me.” She ventures to her side of the van and after we buckle everyone in, we stare at each other from both open doors.

“Be arrogant, be smug, be confident, baby. To me you’re the top number one billboard hit of all time; that one song that people try to redo, but nothing compares to the original. The first version is so amazing and beautiful that no one can even come close.” She smiles widely over to me, and climbing into the seats we shut the doors.

“You’re number two on that list, babe.” She winks, strapping herself in.

“Hey, can’t we be tied,” I joke.

“There’s only one number one, you said so yourself,” she teases, giving me that heart melting smile.

“That I did, baby—that I did,” I agree and we look into each other’s eyes for a few beats, knowing how lucky we are.

“Can we go now?” Chloe pleads from the backseat.

Giving Kailey a wink, I start up the soccer mom mobile.

One thing can be said for Showtime Pizza Palace, it might be a few hours of hell, but you get rewarded tenfold when they all crash. The low music plays in the van with nothing but silence from the passengers. Kailey and I don’t talk, and I wonder when this became so comfortable. It’s only been a short few months and I’ve already turned in my black book for a chore chart. The astonishing thing is I love it.

When I think about Jen and her impending death, it ties me up in knots. I can’t imagine knowing I have such a limited time to be with my children and leave them in the hands of others. I’d rather go quickly and not have to think about it. Kailey and I will definitely be there for these three kids and Caden when Jen passes, but I hope, on some level, Kailey and I will be able to build a family together as well. Of course, stay close to her family. I would never take that away from her or the kids. Eventually, Caden will want to start again, maybe remarry. Right? Then again, I’m most certain if Kailey died, I’d never recover. Shit, not that we’re married now, although some days it feels like it.

With me starting the job and her moving in with them, our lives have shifted. Our time is more limited, but that doesn’t stop me from loving her or wanting her. I see her pulling away more and more every day as the inevitable comes closer. She’s always talking about my exciting job and how all she did was take the kids to the park or found some new craft to do with the girls. The worry etches in her face as our lives move in two directions. I enjoy hearing about what she did; it only makes me wish I was with them. She doesn’t see that, though. All she sees is the difference between our days.

The house is dark when we pull up, and we quietly open the doors. I grab Chloe and Tara in my arms, while she gets Drew out of his seat. The sound of the television comes from the family room, as we walk the kids upstairs. I drop Tara off and she splays across her pink canopy bed. Thankfully, she doesn’t have her jacket, since she was in a fit of rage when we left. I toss a blanket over her and turn around. Next is Chloe, in her purple room and she tries to kick me when I take her shoes and jacket off. Slowly waking she buries herself under the covers. “Sing to me, Trey?” she softly requests. Racking my brain for a lullaby, I only have a song that’s been embedded into my mind for a while lately. I sit down next to her and clear my throat a little before starting “Elderly Woman Behind a Counter In a Small Town” by Pearl Jam. As her eyes begin to droop, I lower my voice and slow my vocals until I know she’s fast asleep. When I stand up and turn toward the door, Kailey’s leaning against the frame, peering in at us. The light from the hallway halos her perfect body. She’s gorgeous and she’s mine. How great is my life?

“What a beautiful song? What’s the name?” she asks as I quietly shut Chloe’s door. I tell her the name of the song, and she shrugs her shoulders. “I had no idea you could sing.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” I say, leading us to the staircase.

“You sing beautifully, baby,” she tells me, leaning into me. I guess I should plan on serenading her one day.

We quietly make our way downstairs where Jen is laying propped up against Caden. They both turn our way when we take a seat on the loveseat. It still amazes how quickly this house became like a home to me. The uncomfortable feeling from my first time had vanished by my return. “So Trey, how was your first time at Showtime Pizza Palace,” Jen mimics the talk of the character bear.

“Holy shit, how come none of you warned me?” I ask. Kailey brings her legs under her, resting against my body.

“You have to experience that place to really know what it’s about,” Caden proclaims. “Thank you,” he sincerely adds.

“No problem.” I nod.

“What did you guys do?” Kailey asks, and they laugh lightly to themselves. Yeah, I’m guessing Jen wasn’t too tired.

“Why don’t you two go out?” Jen mentions, and I glance at the clock. It’s only nine o’clock, shit where did my carefree life go. A few months ago, I wouldn’t even be pre-partying yet.

Peering down at Kailey, she kind of perks up a little. “You want to?” I ask her, and she shrugs her shoulders. Kailey gives Jen a kiss on the cheek, and we leave. We climb into her Honda to drive over to my house.

The house is bustling, and I wonder when it became the party house. Oh yeah, when dipshit Rob moved back in. He and Dex have been partying day and night. Besides the small reprieve we had during graduation weekend, he’s been here all the time. That’s why I usually keep Kailey and myself holed up in my room, stopping his prying eyes from staring at her.