Chapter Twenty-Eight

Wheels

YESTERDAY WE TOLD Kyler about the twins we were having and explained it the best we could. I think he understands what we were talking about, but I'm not sure. He did agree to tell everyone in the club about the babies when we go down there again. Brooklyn wants him to hold the pictures of the ultrasound when he tells everyone we're having a boy and girl. We've been keeping an eye on him since giving him the news because we're not sure how he's going to react to having two new babies in the house with us.

He didn't have school today for some superintendent conference thing or something. Our routine is off because I took the day off as well. After breakfast, Mia was really fussy so Brooklyn put her to bed early. Shortly after, Kyler disappeared and we let him have some time until I look at the baby monitor and see him sitting in front of the crib. It's been a long time since he's just sat in her room as a guard like he did when we first brought them home. Getting off the couch causing Brooklyn and Gavin to look at me, I shake my head and point at the monitor to let them in on what I see. Brooklyn gasps as she sits up, prepared to go talk to him.

"I've got it, Little Warrior. Don't turn the audio up. Kyler knows it's down low and I want him to feel comfortable to talk to me," I tell them as I head up to the nursery and stop in the door.

"Mia, Brooky is having two babies. They in her belly now. We leave when they have them," Kyler says, his words not as good as normal because he's upset. "I keep you safe, okay?"

We've noticed that when Kyler gets upset, he doesn't talk as well as normal. I'm not sure what it's from, but Theresa told us that sometimes, kids will regress when they're under stress. He's had a few accidents at night as well. We don't make a big deal out of it because he's so upset. Whoever gets him up simply has him take a bath while they pull off the soiled bedding and remake the bed. It doesn't happen every night, but considering it typically doesn't, we know he's dealing with something that he can't quite articulate. Hearing what he's just said tells me that he thinks we're going to abandon him and his sister when the babies arrive.

"I don't think I can carry much," Kyler says, "but I have my wagon so we be okay. Maybe we go live with Nanny? Her doesn't have kids, just chickens. We can... I can help her, you are too little."

Walking toward him, I drop down to the floor and look at him. Seeing the devastation on his face breaks my heart. He's already lost his parents, now he thinks he's losing us too. "Kyler? Little Man, look at me." When he glances at me, I open my arms and am unsurprised when he jumps into my lap, his little body shaking as sobs break free. Maybe I should've let Gavin come up for this because I feel very unprepared to explain what we eventually plan to do when it comes to him and Mia.

"Little Man, you and Mia aren't goin' anywhere when the babies are born. You're both part of our family. We're gonna need your help to watch over the girls and also teach your baby brother how to do things when he gets older."

"Brother?" Kyler asks. "Gavin is brother. How can the babies be my brother and sister too? Mommy and Daddy went to Heaven."

I try to think of how best to explain in a way that he can comprehend. "We're a family, right? Me, Gavin, Brooky, Mia, and you. When the babies come, they'll be part of the family too. We love you and Mia so much, Kyler. You'll always have the three of us, I promise."

"Okay," he whispers and I can tell he's still not sure about what I'm telling him as he looks up at me.

I don't know what else to say right now because I don't know what Gavin wants to do in the long run. "Come on, let's let Mia sleep, okay?"

He sighs, but gets off my lap and then reaches up to take my hand as we leave the nursery and head back downstairs. I see the look on Brooklyn and Gavin's face and realize that even though the monitor was low, they were still able to figure out what has Kyler so upset. Brooklyn is trying hard not to let the tears spill over her lashes as she looks at us. This is a battle I'm not sure she'll win. Today is an emotional day after what Kyler's just said and she's already emotional with all the pregnancy hormones running rampant through her.

"How about we take your bike out for a ride?" Gavin asks, getting off the couch and standing before his brother.

The weather has been a bit crazy lately, but we have a clear day so we may as well take him outside and hopefully take his mind off things. Kyler nods, still very much lost in his head as he looks between the three of us.

"Okay if I ride, Brooky?" he asks her, his lip wobbling as he looks at her and only her.

"You can ride, Little Man. I'll come out and watch you," Brooklyn tells him as Gavin and I lead Kyler into the garage. She grabs the monitor and follows behind us since Mia is still asleep. Instead of entering the garage with us, Brooklyn goes out on the porch to wait for us so we have a few minutes alone.

As soon as the three of us are in the garage, Gavin kneels down in front of his brother and looks at him. For a minute, he doesn't say anything. I'm worried that he's about to break down and leave us alone when he's been doing so well.

"Kyler, you're my brother and that will never change for any reason. Our family is changin' and that's okay. When everythin' is done, Brooklyn, Jayce, and I will adopt you and Mia. Do you know what that means?" Gavin asks him as Kyler shakes his head in response. "That means you and Mia will be our children. We'll be your parents even though you already had a mom and dad. Because they're in heaven now, you'll live with us and will never have to worry about not having a home to come to when you need it. We all love you and Mia so much, Kyler."

"Love you, Gavin," Kyler says, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Gavin's neck as his little body shakes. "We won't leave you ever?"

"Never, Little Man. You will stay in our home as long as you want to," Gavin promises him as he continues to hold our boy in his arms as they have their moment.

"You love us?" Kyler asks, looking up at me.

"I do love you and Mia very much. Our new babies won't take away from that, Little Man. We'll all love the four of you the same," I answer him, crouching down and holding out my arms for him to step into.

After giving Kyler the reassurance he needs, we get him in his riding gear and make sure his helmet is secure. Gavin opens the garage door so Kyler can push his bike out. He's gotten really good over the last few months and tries to do as much as possible on his own. Kyler is really independent when he doesn't get lost in his head because of everything he's been through recently. Theresa, his counselor, has assured us we're doing well. She meets with him regularly so we can get ahead of anything that might be bothering him. His tantrums have lessened significantly, which is good, because it's difficult to discipline a little boy who is acting out due to grief. He doesn't have the capacity to verbally express what he's feeling, so he throws tantrums instead. Gavin and I stand by him as Kyler looks up at Brooklyn and calls out that he loves her. Brooklyn loses her battle as the tears slide down her face and she tells him she loves him too.

We let Kyler ride for an hour or so before we go in to get ready for lunch. He's happier than when we brought him outside and the ride did him some good. It's the same thing all of us do when we need to clear our head—we ride our bikes and let the wind take away all the negative shit so we can come back with clear heads. Apparently Kyler is the same and needs an outlet when he's feeling overwhelmed. We'll do whatever he needs. That will never be an issue for any of us.

As we go to sit down for dinner, there's a knock on the door. I go to open it and find Mrs. Deville standing there with a smile on her face.

"Mr. Sord, it's good to see you again," she greets me, as I step back and allow her into our home.

"It's good to see you as well. Did we know you were comin' tonight?" I ask her, confusion filling me.

"No. This is my last surprise visit. We have to do so many of these visits when people take children into their homes here. If you don't know we're coming, you can't put on a front and pretend things are going well if they truly aren't. I've been here for breakfast, lunch, and now dinner time. How are you all doing?" she informs me as she looks around the house to find toys scattered in the living room and one of Kyler's papers from school on the counter with a bunch of crayons spilled out next to it.

"Um, I'm sorry about the mess," Brooklyn says, standing up from her chair immediately as she reaches out to grab the table so she's steady and doesn't fall over in her haste to get up.

"I don't see a mess, Mrs. Sord-Calhoun. I see a home that's lived in and toys out the kids were playing with before dinner. I'm also seeing school work and crayons out because you're ensuring Kyler keeps up with his school work even though he's had the day off of school. I know those papers were sent home even if the teacher doesn't expect them to be completed. She just wanted to send the kids home with something for the long weekend," Mrs. Deville says as she steps up to the table. "What's for dinner tonight?"

"Tonight we're having Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and peas. We have rolls to go with it. Kyler is having milk to drink with his dinner. We've been giving Mia parts of what we eat for every meal. We're careful and write down everything the kids eat. I've been keeping notebooks with everything the kids have to eat, when they've been to the doctor, Kyler's grades, and everything else. Especially their schedule," Brooklyn says, rushing to the island where she grabs the notebooks she's been writing in every single day.

Mrs. Deville takes them and looks through the pages as she joins us at the table, telling us to proceed with eating. Kyler tells her all about his day, including riding on his motorcycle. Brooklyn quickly explains it's one for his age and doesn't go fast. She tells our caseworker about his riding gear and helmet as well. She pulls out her phone and gives it to the caseworker so she can watch one of the videos Brooklyn has made. Mrs. Deville makes a note in our file with a smile on her face.

"Kyler, do you like living here?" Mrs. Deville asks him while he eats his dinner.

"Yeah. Mia and I are loved here. Gavin wants to keep us," he states proudly while looking at his brother. "I like school and can play with my new friends there. I'm learning colors and reading."

"Wow! That's a lot, Kyler. Do you think Mia likes living here?" Mrs. Deville questions, a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah. She scares everyone here," Kyler says referencing the morning we realized she started sleeping through the night.

Gavin explains the story as Mrs. Deville laughs and assures us we're not the only ones who experience that fear when a baby sleeps through the night for the first time. She also assures Brooklyn we did everything right by checking on Mia, being prepared to call in the doctor, and asking someone older who has raised her kids and grandkids. I relax back in my chair and finish my dinner as Kyler and Mrs. Deville talk.

"This is the schedule you have the kids on every single day?" Mrs. Deville asks us as she continues looking through the notebooks.

"It is. They actually got used to it a lot quicker than we anticipated. It seems as though Mia and Kyler love the structure we've given them while still having the ability to change things up when it's necessary," Brooklyn answers her as I stand up and start collecting the dirty dishes from the table while making sure Mia has enough food as she plays and eats at the same time. "I also have a calendar on the refrigerator with all of their appointments. I figure when they get older and start whatever activities they're interested in, it'll be a bigger one, but for now, it works."

There are mashed potatoes in her hair and gravy covering her face. She's so dirty from dinner and enjoying her food that it's hard to see her eyes. Parts of her hair are actually sticking up in places because of the mashed potatoes. She truly is a sight to behold and I wonder if we get points deducted by Mrs. Deville because our girl is a wreck. Turning around, Gavin snaps a picture of her as she laughs at him. Somehow, Mia always knows when someone is taking a picture of her and hams it up for the camera.

"She's precious. The doctor is okay with her having regular food with you?" Mrs. Deville asks, making another note in our file.

"He is. She's old enough for the food and to have her formula supplement it when she needs a drink and when she goes down for a nap or bed," I answer her, setting the dishes in the sink to rinse off while everyone talks and the kids finish their meal.

"Good. Has she gained weight since you started her on regular food?"

"She has. Mia was just at the doctor yesterday for a check-up and she's gained almost three full pounds. I know it doesn't seem like much, but Dr. Crewes is happy that she's finally gaining some pounds," Gavin answers her as he looks over at Mia.

"Good. I'd rather have her gain three pounds than to lose even a pound. He's happy with her progress since she's been living with you?"

"He is. Her next appointment will be just after she turns a year old for her shots and another check-up. If we think she's losing weight or not handling things the way she should, we can call him at any time and he'll come right out to see her. We don't have to take her into town if we're unable to," Brooklyn answers again as Kyler lets us know he's done with his dinner.

As usual, our boy has eaten everything on his plate and finished his milk. Again, a note is made in our chart as Mia starts hitting the tray of her high chair. That's her sign to tell us she's done eating and wants to get down.

"Mama!" Mia yells out, holding her arms in the air. "Mama. Mama."

"She's certainly vocal when she wants to be. What do you do with Mia now?" Mrs. Deville asks us.

"Now, she'll go up and have her bath before we put her in a fresh diaper and pajamas for the night. She's got about a half hour and then we'll put her down for bed. Usually she lays in her crib and watches the mobile until she can't keep her little eyes open any longer," Gavin answers this time as I clean up Kyler from his dinner before he grabs his paper and crayons to get back to work.

Mrs. Deville goes up with Gavin and Brooklyn as they get Mia ready for bed. I watch Kyler after dealing with the dinner dishes and loading them in the dishwasher to start once the baths are done for the night. It's one of the last things we do every day. When she comes back down with Gavin, Brooklyn, and Mia, Mrs. Deville asks us to talk to her for a minute as we all make our way to the kitchen, leaving Mia and Kyler in the living room where we can watch them closely.

"I'm very impressed with everything I've seen here since you brought them to Odin's Gap. You've managed to get them into a good routine, Mia is gaining weight and eating food with you daily, and Kyler is thriving. I did note the few times he's had a breakdown and worried about things until you talked to him. That will happen. He's still processing the changes in his life. I've talked to Theresa and she agrees with that assessment. If you feel you want to adopt Mia and Kyler, I will do whatever I can to help you," Mrs. Deville tells us as Brooklyn smiles and her eyes fill with tears once again. "Plus, you have so many people to help you, which will come in handy when the baby arrives."

I grin and say, "Actually, we're having twins."

"Oh my, four kids under one roof? That's going to be fun," Mrs. Deville teases. "Do you know what you're having yet?"

"One of each," I reply. "Since Mia's still so little, we'll have all three of them in the nursery until they're a bit older, like Kyler, then they'll get their own rooms."

"Unless they want to share," Gavin says. "Either way, we've got plenty of room, and can always add on if we want."

"I'm just glad we do have the support system here at the compound," Brooklyn says as a knock sounds on the door and Nanny lets herself in our home.

"Nanny, it's good to see you again," Mrs. Deville says, greeting her as she rushes in to Mia and Kyler.

"Hi," she says, giving the kids her full attention as usual.

"I'm done here for the night. Thank you for giving these kids such a happy home filled with love and support. I'll schedule my visits from now on and you can always call me if you need anything at all," Mrs. Deville says, walking toward the door as I follow her to make sure she gets in her car okay.

The last thing I tell her is that we're getting the kids a puppy because Kyler's responded so well to our friend's dog. She tells me that's a great idea as long as we don't feel we'll be overwhelmed with the kids and a puppy. I assure her we'll have more help than we could ever need on a daily basis as she gets in her car and leaves the compound. I spend a few minutes outside breathing in the crisp, fresh air before heading back in the house. Brooklyn is just disappearing upstairs with Mia to lay her down for bed as Kyler finishes the last block on his paper. He'll have to get in the bath now and get ready for bed so we can read him a story or two. The next few days we'll keep a close eye on him to ensure he knows we're serious about him and Mia staying with us forever and that he doesn't have to think of ways to get her to Nanny's house because of the twins. We'll also talk to Theresa about it so she can get a better read on him in their next session. Our days are filled with chaos, love, support, wonder, and everything in between. I wouldn't change a single thing about it.