Cherish laughed a bit and shook her head, “Well I’m glad.”
Susan exited the bathroom and paused as she saw Simon and Cherish entering the elevator. She looked from side to side, rolled her eyes, and pulled out her phone. Instead of texting him, she decided to hold off and bring it up when on Monday, when the charity case wasn’t around.
Pressing the B button, they descended to the garage. The metal doors opened and showed the parents shutting the trunk and facing them as they came into sight, “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m looking forward to dressing the kids up when we get home.” He whispered to her.
Cherish stepped off the elevator and arched an eyebrow, “You have fun with that, between you and I, my feet are killing me.” She replied.
Simon gave a half smirk, “Sure. You sleep, and I’ll play dress up. There’s nothing strange about that, is there?” he asked.
Staring at his parents as they approached, Cherish rolled her lips in and shook her head quickly, “Nope. Not strange at all.” She expressed.
Hugging the parents and thanking them for doing their part, Cherish and Simon said goodbye to Emily’s for good. They had a flight to catch that evening. They kissed the kids one last time and waved before they followed Simon’s parents back to the elevator.
Getting into the car, they were winded and tired, but felt rejuvenated. Little by little, Cherish found the good in people again and Simon found his own sense of happiness and normalcy. Had he been alone, this would have never happened and for that, he was thankful.
The car pulled out from the parking garage and rounded the main entrance once again. Susan leaned against the window and pushed her lips to the side as she watched them leave with a dull expression. Her blue gaze locked onto the back of the car as it turned out of sight. Grimacing, she ignored the stragglers who told her that the party was a success. They all knew Susan wasn’t the most pleasant person to work with. In fact, she’d made the last two weeks hell to prep for Simon’s party. They were relieved when he called in, unbeknownst to her, and redid the entire thing; to something they all could enjoy.
Looking down at her phone, she texted Simon that she didn’t get to say goodbye, but she’d see him on Monday. Pressing send, she sighed before she finally left the building and went home like everyone else.
Chapter 9
Rubbing the haze and grit from his eyes, Simon sat on the edge of the bed. The sheets where Cherish would usually lay were empty and wrinkled. She’d done her morning jog, showered, and brought the babies downstairs so he could sleep. He was a little restless through the night and she wanted the transition to be as easy as possible. His lunch was made and sat in the fridge.
The day for Simon’s first day back to work had arrived. He showered, shaved, and dressed in a pressed suit. He looked the part of partner in a law firm as he should but didn’t feel ready. Mentally, he had been putting it off and was unprepared despite how hard he tried. Now, he didn’t have a choice. He had to go.
Jasmine sat in a small rocker by the table, while Jr. resided in Cherish's arm. Simon wasn't the only one who had worries. This would be her first time by herself with the children. Margaret had called the night before and said she'd stop by at noon to help with the home stretch, but that was four hours away. She was nervous and doubted her ability to take care of two newborns at the same time. But, just like Simon, she needed to get through and move past it.
Taking the last step down the stairs, he leaned over and ran his finger over Jasmine’s little cheek, “Good morning.” He softly uttered to his gorgeous eyed girl. He saw Cherish had the briefcase he’d organized the other night at the side door and breakfast on the table; ready for him. He felt truly blessed to have her around.
Cherish turned to face him and smiled, "Well, look at you. “You look great!" She said. Holding Jr. up and out, she leaned into his ear, "Look at your daddy. You're going to look like him one day." She whispered.
A smile smacked on Simon’s face. Reaching out for his son, he ran a hand over his fluffy head. Bringing Jr. close to him, Simon sat in front of his food. Jr. sat tucked against his father's chest and simply stared in his general direction. Simon drank some coffee but didn’t eat much. He mostly picked at it. “How long have you been up?” he asked.
Cherish poured herself up a glass of water and drank, "I've been up for about almost two hours." She said looking at him with a pause, "Hey, are you alright? You're going to do fine."
Simon did a double-take at her. He found it easier to worry about her than himself, “I should be asking you that. You must be tired and we both have a long day. Don’t be afraid to call my mother.” He stated.
Cherish took a seat at the table across from him and leaned against the surface with both elbows. She looked out of the window at the trees and driveway before she scratched at the base of her head, "Your mom will be here at noon. I just hope I have the energy. I might nap when they go down in the afternoon or when she gets here. I'm sure we all will be fine." She replied.
“Yeah, you’re right.” He replied.
Looking to Simon again, a man
