Reaching up, Cherish pulled her nametag off and looked at it for a long moment before she flung it in the trash, “Fuck them.” She said with a straight face. She was done, and it showed. The corner of her mouth quirked as she wet her lips and waved him to follow, “Tell me what I missed with them today, please.” She expressed.
At the sound of her voice, both little heads turned in her direction and two, tiny smiles broke in an instant. Cherish listened to Simon as he animatedly told her what happened, and which spit up on who, all the while she greeted each baby with a barrage of kisses. Her independence could wait and her pride would heal, but deep down Cherish knew this was where she was supposed to be.
Chapter 12
December.
One magical and early morning, three days from Christmas, Cherish pulled into the driveway and parked in her spot one last time. There was a large, black rental van backed into the driveway with the trunk wide open along with the side door of the house. She shut the garage door from the outside and hurried towards the house with a quick pace.
Jack was bent over in the small trunk, "Get the big van, they said. That way we can all go to the airport together. Heaven forbid we had to take two separate vehicles!" He running a hand through his hair; exasperated. He stared at the luggage by his feet before he looked to the small trunk. The volume of bags wasn’t going to fit.
Cherish held onto a small package from Wal-Mart as she passed him by to enter the house, "Hey Jack!" She called.
He gazed over his shoulder to her and smiled, "That was quick!" He replied.
"I have to be quick when..." Slamming into Simon Sr.'s chest, Cherish held her hand out and stopped herself, "...sorry uh...dad." She said gingerly testing how he'd react. Once Thanksgiving had come and gone, Margaret insisted that Cherish approach them in the same manner Simon did. After all she was the mother figure of their grandkids and if she wanted to be closer, they welcomed her with open arms. Smiling at Simon Sr., she made her way around him and into a house that was complete chaos.
Miriam was running around and helping Margaret pack another item they didn't need. Simon stood there and argued with his mother as he brought down yet another set of bags from his bedroom. And the babies jumped away in their bouncers watching reruns of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Miriam held a finger up, "Are you sure that TSA won't think a can opener is a weapon? I don’t think we’ll need it."
Margaret pressed a few fingers to her forehead, "But how do you know the cabin will have one? Then we'd have to travel in all the snow to get one!" She expressed.
Miriam glanced down at the opener in her hand and cleared her throat, "What exactly are we going to be eating out of a can?" She asked.
Cherish snickered to herself as she greeted both ladies, "I'm back! Excuse me." She said.
"Hey baby." Margaret said as watching her disappear into Simon's office.
"Hello, Cherish." Miriam replied.
Cherish shut the double doors behind her and set the white and blue package down on the desk. Knowing she would soon have to enter the fray with the others, she took the time out for herself. Since Emily's funeral, she had thought a lot about the people outside of the office. They weren't perfect, they had their problems, and they still had to heal from a terrible loss. But, that didn't stop them from accepting her and Jasmine with open arms. The skepticism she had at first had vanished once they all stepped up to the plate and took care of her when she needed it most; even if she had refused. She’d never had support and now she never wanted to let it go. Cherish loved every one of them; especially Simon. He was a father to her little girl. She wasn't lacking in love, Cherish wasn't struggling to raise her alone, and when he gazes at Jasmine, Cherish knew what a man in love looked like.
Inhaling a deep breath, she ran her fingertips under her eyes and caught the pesky tears before they fell. She chuckled while shaking her head. Holidays truly did make people emotional. Humming, she sat down behind Simon's desk and pulled the package closer. Running her finger beneath the flap, she reached in and pulled a stack of photos out. Starting with when the babies were born.
Simon, of course, complained about the disposable cameras and their grainy quality, Cherish found them to be useful in a pinch; nostalgic. Both babies were so small in his arms and he looked like a shell of who he was now. Sighing softly, she ran a finger across his face. The photos she flipped through weren't of importance. Their first bath, first outing, tummy time, and the look on Simon's face when Jr. projectile launched green poop across his father's leg.
Cherish broke into a light laugh before she sniffed again. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked across the room to see how large her children were now. They used their legs to kick themselves away from the floor and played with the colorful toys rattling with them. Wow. Six months old.
Inhaling a deep breath, she continued through the pictures. There was one Simon took of her. She was sprawled on the bed, fast asleep, with one shoe on, one in her hand dressed in her work uniform. When she should have been at work, he decided to take a picture. Halloween rounded next and the babies were dressed as a bee and a honeycomb. Jr.'s robust frame compared
