A Melwood Story

/chapter thirty-seven/

A Melwood Story
Chapter 37

Melissa

"Mom," I say. "You don't have to come with me."
"Yes, I do," she argues. "Now, stop complaining, let's go."

I hold Kaleb's hand and Adaline in my arms as we go down the porch stairs to the car.

It's Thursday and it's time to leave to go back to Los Angeles. My mom decided last night at one in the morning that she was going to come with me and the kids back to California.

I do really want her there. So much. But, if I seem like I need her too much, she'll leave sooner and I don't want that.

"Don't stay too long, Julie!" my dad calls from the car as we head into the airport entrance.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her glance back at him with a wink.

—in Los Angeles—

The flight wasn't fantastic. Well, with six kids, a two and a half hour flight is never fantastic or easy going for that matter.

We all pile into the car my mom called for us and head home.

When the car pulls into the driveway, I almost immediately notice a note tucked into the door.

"I want to get it!" Lulu calls, even though she's the farthest away from getting out the car.
"I want to!" Sofia says as I set her down on the ground.
"No," I say firmly. "No one is touching it except mommy. Okay?"
They all nod, and Sofia stays put on the ground.

After everyone is inside, I take the note out from the door, then follow after them, shutting the door behind me.

It reads, Hope you're still on for Saturday. Can't wait to see my kids. Love, Chris.

I can't believe he left a note and made a big scene out of it when he could have just called or texted.

"What did the paper say?" Lulu asks.
"Nothing important," I tell them. "Let's get all the bags upstairs so I can start washing all your clothes. All of you."

As I head up the stairs behind all the kids except, Adaline who's in my arms, my mom steps up beside me. "What did it say?"
"It was Chris just saying he's excited for Saturday."
She shakes her head and then continues up the stairs. "What are you, cheetahs? Slow down before you fall, Maxwell!"

I smile at her calling Max, Maxwell because since he learned how to talk and form full words he has been hated being called Maxwell. The only time I use it is when I call him by his full name. Maxwell James.

—on Saturday—

Saturday rolls around too quickly.

I wake up at 7 a.m. to a crying angry Kaleb jumping on my bed.

"Kaleb Christopher Wood, what are you doing?" I ask, rubbing my eyes to see him better.
"Nya told me that I can't see daddy today!" he nearly screams, still jumping and crying.
"Do you want to see daddy?" I ask, knowing this is how it usually goes with Kaleb. He gets mad his older siblings are doing something without him and he gets angry for no reason.
He stops short, thinking about it. "I don't know."

"Do you know what daddy looks like?" I ask him.
He shakes his head.
"Then you and Addy will be going to the babysitters for a few hours, okay? Sound good?" I pull him into my arms, holding him close to my chest. "I love you, buddy."
"I wuv you too," he says into my neck.

I get all the kids where they need to be by eleven o'clock. At 11:03 a.m., Chris rings the doorbell. I glance around to see if one of the kids are jumping up to go get it, but none of the four of them move.

My mom stands from the end of the table. "I'll get it. He hasn't seen me in almost four years anyways." She moves down the hall to the door. When she opens it, it takes Chris a moment before he recognizes her.
"Julie," he says, testing her name.
"Christopher," she says, opening the door wider so he can come in. "Welcome."
He smiles at her with a small nod, nervous.

Next to me, Nya giggles a little. "Dad's scared of grandma."
I look over at her. "Nya," I say, warning.
She makes eye contact with me. "Fine. No more jokes about dad. Got it."
"Good," I say. "Thank you."

Chris makes his way into the dining room where we're all seated.
"Hey, guys," he says, a half-fake, half-genuine smile plastered on his face.
"Hi, daddy!" Lulu says from the other side of the table. She jumps up and runs over, hugging his waist.
"Hi, Lulu. How are you?" he asks, hugging her back.
"Okay," she says, pulling away from the hug to see his face. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," he says, looking over at Nya and I quickly before continuing. "Hopefully I won't have to leave for too long again."

"Hopefully," I hear Nya whisper.
I hold her arm gently. "Do you need to go upstairs?" I whisper.
"No," she whispers back, still looking forward. "I'm perfectly fine."
I let go of her arm and look back at Chris talking with Lulu.

"Do you four want to go out to the backyard?" he asks. "Or something else?"
He's nervous, and that's all I can think about. He's nervous around his kids. Why should he be nervous? Lulu isn't radiating waves of hate and he's still acting shaky and different.

"Why don't you guys go out to the yard while I talk to your dad for a minute," I say, pushing my chair out and walking over to open the door.
They rush past me, following after Nya out to the yard.

I shut the door. "Why are you acting weird?"
He looks at me. "I'm not acting weird."
I narrow my eyes at him. "What are you not telling me?"
He looks over at my mom quickly, but she shoots him a glare to look back at me. He does.
"Fine, okay," he says. "I got a call yesterday from that girl that I met in Paris."
"Oh no," I hear my mom whisper.
"She thinks she's pregnant with my baby."

I roll my eyes. "Are you sure she just didn't figure out that you were a famous actor and thought it would be funny to pull a pregnancy prank on you?"
He rests his hand on the back of a chair. "I'm going to make sure she isn't and go and check."
"To Paris?" I ask. "You're leaving again?"
"No, she's coming here," he says. "To Los Angeles, I mean."