51
It’s safe to say that maybe the rides weren’t my best idea. Ayrie and Knightly follow behind us as I lead the way to the Galaxy’s Edge. It doesn’t take the twins long to demand us play with them. It’s surreal to capture the images I am. It turns out that Knight’s charm even works on our son
“You okay?” Maria asks when the three of them decide that they’re officially going to give the rides a chance
“Yeah,” I glance at the three of them one more time before looking over at her
“We’re kind of stuck together for a long time, Phoebs. Don’t close up on me now,” she bumps me. “Why don’t we give the boys.”
“No,” I don’t even let her finish the sentence.
“Okay,” she clears her throat.
“I’m just-
“I understand,” she smiles tightly. “Tjust want you to feel comfortable here,”
“I know. And I’m not trying to be rude. It’s just been a ride,” I admit. She laughs. “There’s a lot happening.” Ayrie giggles and pushes Aizen playfully and they start swinging around their lightsabers. Knightly hasn’t taken his eyes off of them. Not for a second. Neither has his father. “Is he really going to make things hard for me? Your ex–husband, I mean,”
“That’s never the problem with him. Knight demands perfection. He’s not going to make your life difficult in a sense where he’ll be the thing in your way. He’s going to open the door for you and if you go through it, he’s going to watch you every step of the way. He looks for your weaknesses first and then he starts poking at them. He’ll press and press until they become your best attributes.”
“That sounds.” I shrug. “Is it the way he pushes?”
“Yes” she nods. “He was mised by an animal,” she growls lowly. “And when he was very young, he sold him. He’s never spoken about his life after his father. But it turned him into the bastard he’s become. He knows no other way and he’s done so much that changing would mean defeat. Being the biggest asshole implies there are smaller ones.”
“Right, I laugh.
“If he wasn’t a piece of shit, he’d potentially be an okay father, she shrugs.
A sense of coldness creeps up my spine and turn around to see a woman staring at me. Immediately I go over to the twins and pick up Ayrie. Nightly turns back to look in the direction I had to find the woman gone. Then I feel it from every direction.
“Stay close to me,” Knightly whispers and lifts Alzen.
“You’re surrounded, Ruin’s voice sends a chill down my body. Ayrie’s arms wrap around me tightly. I pop the button on her wings and lower them. “All you had to do was come with me,” he addresses me: “I would have given you everything you wanted. You and your pups,
“No, thank you,” I get closer to Knightly so I can see Aizen as well.
“You’ve made a mistake, Maria says from behind me.
“You don’t have any backup,”
“We don’t need it. Alpha Knightly is a psycho, Knightly motions behind him.
From inside one of the shops, his father steps out. The blood drains from Ruin’s face and he jumps when a massive hand lands on his shoulder.
“Pop–pop” Ayrie shouts out of nowhere. “Mommy, it’s Pop–pop, Knightly laughs at the expression his father makes. “I want to show him my wings,”
“I don’t-“I look between her and Knight unsure what to do.
“I think we all want to see your wings, Princess,” Mr. Knightly cuts me off and gives me the okay to set her down.
“Look!”
Ayrie attempts to wiggle out of my hold and I set her on her feet before pushing the buttons back into place. She steps forward and spins around before lighting them up. Mr. Knightly laughs and steps out from behind Ruin with a giant Maleficent dragon toy behind his back,
Successfully unlocked!
“Stay,” he growls at Ruin before cautiously apping Ayn He locked in front of her. “Tu es belle, princesse,”
ce
“Your assent is terrible. J’aimerais t’apprendre si tu me le permets, she rushes out in a single breaths. He looks up at me questioningly.
“She’d like to teach you if you let her I translate because it was French but Ayrie speaks well Ayrie.
51
“I would love that, he nods and sets the dragon down next to her. He offers her a Spider man backpack and glances over at Aizen. My son is glaring at him. At least one of them is on team not the crazy
“You’re not going to be mean to me and my brother?” she asks, her chin lifted and her eyes focused on him like she’s daring him to say something she doesn’t like so she can destroy his soul like she’s done to many others before him.
“Never” he tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I just want to protect you,”
“See, he’s not bad man,” she holds her hand up to beckon Aizen over. Aizen turns away from them. “He shy. Other grandpa told us we’re not good,”
“He is very wrong. You and your brother are perfect. Just like your D.A.D. Mr. Knightly says reassuringly
“And Mommy,” she giggles. He looks up at me
“We’ll see,” is all he says. “For now, you and Mommy have to go back home,”
“But what about my un–birthday party?” she shakes her head.
“I’ll make sure you have a very happy un–birthday,” he boops her nose. “Just not here. I’m sorry, little love. But it’s dangerous,” “I get hug?” she steps back.
He smiles and stands. He leans down and picks her up along with the dragon. She hugs him and then turns to me so I can take her. He offers her the giant dragon and the backpack. She takes both.
“Always. Whatever you want,” he kisses her cheek.
He lifts his right hand and makes a circle gesture. The wolves surrounding us approached. He gestures for us to leave with his head. Knightly is at my side in an instant. Maria takes the dragon from us and we start to walk.
“Bye, Pop–pop. I miss you, Ayrie waves back at him. He stiffens and then waves back at her, “He is so nice. Like a big scary bear,”
I climb into the car to sit between them not wanting to be too far from them. Maria gets in the front seat and Knight drives.
“Why am I terrified?” I whisper.
*This for you, Icy. Pop–pop give you,” she holds up the backpack.
“Do you want it?” I ask him when he looks at Knightly and then at me.
“Why was he there?” he demands. “He’s not safe,”
“He’s not safe to others, Ayrie answers when the rest of us don’t. “He D.A.D’s D.A.D.
“Grandpa Shark is, he tries to correct her.
“So lucky. Daddy has two D.A.D.s. Mommy no has none,” she pats my hands. “I can share my D.A.D. with you, Momma,”
“Thank you,” I laugh, “Ayrie is right, lcy. Dad has two dads,”
“Like Joshua Smithers?” he asks.
“No,” I laugh. “Not like that,”
“Like Jessica H has two mommies?” Ayrie asks. Maria finally catches on and laughs,
“Yeah,” she says. “Just like that,”
“Ma,” Knightly growls at her. “They’re not going to like that,”
“They already beef, Maria shrugs and then turns to face me. “Are you okay? You handled better than you did the rides,” “I’m used to it,” I say honestly. “It’s been a while since it’s happened but, violence isn’t a stranger and I’d rather face it head- on and stay in control of myself than panic. My kids are around and their safety is my priority. Always,”
Subscribed
