Bumps

Andrew and I loved our four boys. It was such a blessing to finally have a full house. Stella and I spent our days caring for them while Andrew as off working at the police station. He had a big drug case he was investigating, but that was all he could tell me.

Since I was busy with the kids, I didn’t have much time to work on my garden, but Stella and Andrew helped out as much as they could. It was good too, with four toddler boys to care for, money was extremely tight, and soon they would be old enough to start school. That just meant more expenses.

I often found myself worrying about them starting school. It was more than just normal worries for me, I wasn’t sure if anyone knew about Andrew and I. If they did, would their kids know? Would my kids be picked on for having two dads? Stella went with me to sign the kids up once they were old enough. She even went to the parent-teacher meetings with me since Andrew was always working.

I never corrected them when they referred to her as “Mrs. Greymane”, it was just easier than trying to explain the situation. Each day that our kids returned, we would ask them how their classes were. They gabbed about their friends and homework and cool things that happened. They never mentioned anything about being bullied. I knew that Chris and Caleb were close and always stuck together.

Each of my children had a unique personality, I have decided to shed a little light one each boy.

First, there is Colton.

He is a very smart kid, always getting straight A’s on his report cards. He spends a lot of time studying and learning anything he can. When it comes to people, he can be grumpy at times, but typically is happy. I must admit though, he is a bit absent-minded. His one love in life is machines. Anything with wheels fascinates him. He found an old junk tractor at the scrap yard and begged me to take it home.

After he does his school work, he is usually outside dinking around with the hunk of junk. I have faith that someday he will become a mechanic or inventor.

Next, we have Chris.

He is a very heavy sleeper, trying to wake this kid is like trying to wake the dead. I must admit, he is rather evil, he and his partner in crime, Caleb are always out getting themselves into some kind of mischievous things. He is the ring leader of their shenanigans, and he is quiet proud of it. I believe that he gets his evil side from his grandfather or grandmother.

You can usually find Chris making Caleb his errand boy. I try to stop it, but that kid is pretty sneaky. I really worry about the future of these two.

This brings me to my next child, Caleb.

Physically, he is almost identical to Chris, the only real difference is that Caleb has blue eyes, and Chris has green. He is always Chris’s accomplice, and could be considered evil also. I do think he would act different if it wasn’t for Chris being such an influence. Caleb also tends to be very inappropriate whenever he finds it necessary. He is one of those kids you wish you could just duct tape their mouth shut when company is over. I can only imagine what that boy says at school.

Sometimes Chris pushes Caleb to the limit, and he lets him know it. I don’t worry about him too much, I know he is good deep down, I’m sure someday he will break away from the evil-doings of his brother.

My last, and kind of more favored, son is Cole.

Always quiet and in the back, Cole is a really good kid. He is always getting lucky breaks and finding money while walking. He is easily impressed by new things and loves to meet new people, despite his shy demeanor. He loves sports, any chance he gets his is outside exercising. Lately his new thing is football, I can only imagine what he will turn to next.

He has told me that he wants to be an athlete when he grows up. Maybe become a soccer player, or a receiver for football. He has even had thoughts of becoming a jockey. I’ve never been near a horse before and neither has he, but I would never kill a kid’s dreams.

With the boys in school, I had more time to focus on my garden. Stella was always going out for long periods of time. Sometimes staying away all night. It was very unlike her, but I didn’t want to upset her with my questions. It was lonely being home alone, though, after so many years of having the boys and Stella around me every day. I wondered if she had grown tired of my family, and perhaps planned on leaving us.

I confronted her about the disappearances one day, as she was walking out the door. She simply told me not to worry, that she was just enjoying herself. I did worry, I worried a lot. I knew I would be crushed if she left us, she was a part of this family, and always would be. I loved her in a way that I could never express. She had given me so much, without her, this life would not exist. I just couldn’t bear to think what I would do without her here.

On a rare Saturday, I had my whole family together, including Stella. I decided to pack us up a picnic lunch and we all walked out to the river. We spent the whole day out there. The boys played tag while us adults lounged around and talked. Stella seemed focused on something, but I couldn’t read what was on her mind. I knew asking would have been a waste, but I did love gossip, and I couldn’t wait for her to tell me.

When we returned home that evening, Stella made us a wonderful spaghetti dinner. It was odd that she didn’t eat with us, she just stood back and smiled as the kids plowed through their food. After we were done, Andrew cleaned up, and Stella rounded the kids up to help them wash up and get to bed.

When Stella returned to the kitchen, she asked for Andrew and I to accompany her to the study for a chat. I knew that whatever she had been thinking so hard about today, she was finally going to spill. I was excited, but also nervous, it wasn’t like her to act this way.

We all sat on the couch in silence for a few minutes as Stella collected her thoughts. She eventually spoke up, “I have something to tell you guys.”

We urged her to tell us. She heaved a great sigh and continued, “I have been seeing someone.”

From the way she said it, it seemed that she anticipated us to be upset with her. “Since the boys are getting older, you two don’t really need me anymore. Originally, I was just going to stay with you, Raven, until I got on my feet. I had planned for a few months, but those months have turned into years. I just think that it’s time for me to move on.”

I was quick to jump in, “Stella, you don’t have to go. We all love having you here with us.” The truth was I just didn’t want to lose her.

Andrew chimed in too, “You are just as much a part of this family as the rest of us, there is really no need for you to go Stella. The kids adore you, and so do we.”

It was hard to see the pain on her beautiful face, “It’s not that I don’t feel loved here, or that I feel you guys don’t want me here. I just feel like I need to go out and see the world. Snowshoe is getting old and he has never been out of this house.” She laughed and hugged her old cat. “I want to experience the joy of being loved. I want what you two have. Minus the kids of course, although I do care for them very much.”

“I’ve met a great guy named Philip, and he has two older daughters from a previous marriage. He doesn’t want more kids, and neither do I. We are so great together and I do believe I have fallen for him. He has asked me to join him in Appaloosa Plains and see where our feelings take us. Do you guys think I should go?” I could see the lust for him in her eyes, the way his name made her excited. All the love I felt for her, told me to tell her not to leave me. I wanted her to be happy to, and my selfish mind couldn’t get around that. I sat there in silence not wanting to ruin anything.

Andrew spoke the words I could not form, “Of course you should Stella. We all love you and will hate to see you go, but you have to take care of you now. Remember that you will always have a room here, and we will not change a thing.”

Stella jumped from the couch and embraced us both in a tight squeeze, “Thanks, you don’t know how much this means to me!”

She proceeded to run up the stairs to her room so she could call Philip and agree to his proposal. I was left in the study with Andrew, my face struggled not to show my pain. I turned to face my husband and whispered, “I’m going to miss her. I knew this was going to happen someday, but I still am going to miss her.” Tears began to slide down my cheeks.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, and a sweet voice spoke into my ear, “I know babe, I know.”

It was only a matter of a few days before I saw Stella off to her new life. She took Snowshoe with her and disappeared beyond the horizon; headed to Appaloosa Plains to be with the man she loved.

My boys were all very upset, they cried when their “nanny” left them. They had all thought of her as their mother, but they would never call her that. To them, she was always “nanny”.

As the school year ticked by, summer break was coming up fast and the boys were stoked to have three whole months to stay home with me. Our lives continued on without Stella there, we ate dinner as a family and spent weekends outside together. I often helped them do their homework so they could go out to their favorite activities.

One Thursday afternoon, the kids were still in school, Andrew was at work, and I had just finished up my daily gardening. I went up to the craft room and had begun to paint. My phone rang out, startling me out of my painting daze. The ID said that it was coming from the police station and I answered it with a quizzical “Hello?”

“Yes, this is Linda from the Riverview Police Department, I’m calling on behalf of Officer Andrew Greymane. Is Mrs. Raven Greymane there?” The lady seemed to be in a panic.

I bit my lip, “This is Raven, Andrew is my husband.” My reply was almost automatic, and there was an awkward pause.

“Uhhmm, right, okay. Well then, I have called to inform you that Officer Greymane has been injured today while out on a case which I cannot give any details about. He has been air-lifted to the Rivers Hospital here in town. I can give out no further information over the phone, if you wish to find out more, you will have to personally go to the hospital where the nursing staff can fill you in.”

I heard a sharp click as the phone was slammed down. A monotone buzz ringed in my ears but I could not move. I stood in shock, my mouth agape, had I really just heard what I thought I had?

 Wanna see more Kid Pics?
Chapter Eight: Holding On