I send Ki and Mark home, telling them goodnight and hugging them.

I bathed the kids, brushed their teeth,  put them in pj's and let them sit downstairs on the couch and watch some TV, while I wait for Joey.

The doorbell rings at 8 o'clock and Lacey and Hunter race to the door, only to slam into Joey.

"Jay!" Hunter and Lacey scream as they cling to his legs, and he fakes it being difficult to walk.

"Hey, kids!" Joey smiles at me and spins around, making the kids dizzy as hell.

They both fall off of his legs, laying like a starfish on the floor.

We smile at each other, and Joey points to the fridge.

I smile and nod, watching him dig a cream soda out from the back of the fridge.

"I want a sip!" Hunter yells, Lacey not too far behind him.

"Meh, too!" Lacey begs.

"No, guys. You need sleep. Dad and I have a really good day planned and you NEED SLEEP!" Joey looks at me and smiles.

Lacey and Hunter have watched a few of my video's and scream, "SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK!!!!!"

I look down at them, grab them both by their ankles, and hold them off the ground.

"Excuse me?"

Both of them look confused and slowly and cautiously say, "Sleep is for the weak?.."

"THAT'S RIGHT!!" I yell, putting them on my shoulders and swinging them around.

They scream and giggle, calling for help from Joey.

"The Dad force is too strong!!" Joey calls as he follows behind me, up the stairs, into the kids bedroom.

I toss Lacey into her bed and throw Hunter into his.

Joey tickles Hunt and I tickle Lace.

I kiss her forehead gently and say, "Goodnight, baby. I love you."

"I luh yoh, too, Dada." She smiles her little smile and wraps her little arms over her stuffed dolphin named Lyla.

I walk over to Hunter, kiss his forehead too and move his still chubby arms, "I love you, Bud. Goodnight."

He leans up and kisses my cheek, "I lovvvees you, too, Dad." He tangles his arms and legs into a long pink blanket, pulling it close to his chest.

Fuck gender roles.

He wanted a pink blanky.

That's what he got.

I put on a playlist that Lucky and I made just for them to sleep to.

I close their door, trying to make the click seem smaller.

Joey pats my back, walking me downstairs.

"I think we should take them to the water park tomorrow."

"We shall." I smile and tell Joey goodnight, after I finish chores.

I wash Lucky's clothes, straighten her desk which is full of drawings from the kids, I wash the dishes, clean up Lucky's side of the bathroom, and finally lay down on her side of the bed.

Her pillow smells of roses on a summers day in the middle of a meadow.

The single rose on a winter day that still lives.

I feel the heat of her skin seap through the sheets, igniting my chest with warmth.

"I love you so much."

I fall asleep, crying.

I wake up a few hours later to feel Lacey pressed against my chest, Hunter against my back, and Joey is on my side of the bed.

"I love our family, (Y/N)." I say to the empty air, and pull Lacey closer to me.