Some like to sleep, We like to play

Bandit and I make our way into the kitchen to get a drink of water and when she sees the dishes from breakfast she throws her hands in the air and exclaims "Oh no mommy big mess." I smile down at her and agree before adding "Mommy will have to clean it all up." She scrunches her little forehead up in concentration before adding "Wit bubbles?" "Yeah B, mommy will use bubbles but you already had a bath remember so we can't play with them today." Bandit looks disappointed as she nods her head in agreement. "You wanna draw while mommy cleans up?" I ask her and she nods before raising her arms so I pick her up and sit her in her high chair, wiping over the tray and leaving the room for paper and crayons. When I come back I sit them infront of her and turn to do the dishes. Fifteen minutes later I am putting the last clean dish away when Bandit says "I finished mommy" holding her paper out to me. I take it and look at the scribbles on the front. "Good job B" I tell her and she says "it's a pony mommy." "Well it's a very pretty pony and I think it will have to go on the fridge" I tell her and she claps her hands as watches me stick it to the fridge.
When I turn back around Riley comes walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes with one little fist and dragging his favourite blanket behind him with his other. His hair is all messed up and he looks adorable. "Hey sleepy man" I say quietly before going over and picking him up. He rubs his face into my neck as I walk him to his highchair and sit him in it. "How about lunch guys" I ask and Bandit nods like her head is going to fall off. I make each of them a cheese sandwich and cut them into four little triangles before sitting a plate infront of them and turning back to get them a little sippy cup of juice. As I'm putting the bottle of juice back in the fridge I hear "No, mine" right before the crying starts. When I turn around Bandit has leaned over and taken some of Riley's sandwich. "Bandit Lee Way what are you doing? You have your own sandwich don't eat your brothers" I scold her and her lip quivers before she too bursts into tears. I sigh and think about which one I should comfort first when I hear the front door open over the sound of their wails. Gerard comes into the room as I pick up Riley shushing him and calming him down and he immediately crosses to Bandit who launches herself out of the chair into his arms telling him between sobs that I'm a mean mommy. Gerard looks down at her and says "That's very naughty Bandit. Mommy isn't a mean mommy I think you need to say sorry to her." Bandit shakes her head but then reconsiders and turns to look at me "I's sowwy mommy. Riley can have some of my lunch" she says and I smile and tell her that she's a good girl. Bandit stops crying and Gerard sits her back in her chair and once I've calmed Riley down she offers him a piece of her sandwich. He takes it and shoves it in his mouth, the fight forgotten. Gerard smiles at them leaving the room and I follow him. "Hey what's going on? Why are you home so early?" I ask and he turns to look at me cupping my face in his hands.
"Baby I don't work at the gallery anymore. They fired me" he tells me and I stand there in shock. "Why?" Is all that comes from my mouth and he explains about budget cuts and not being able to afford his salary. "But it's ok baby, I promise we'll be fine. I'll get another job and we have savings so it'll all be ok" he tells me as he pulls me into his chest. I nod having complete faith in him before pulling away again. "I better go check on the monsters before they upset each other again" I joke before leaving him alone for a while and going back to kitchen. I glance over my shoulder one last time and he smiles greatfully at me and I know he needs time alone.

That night Gerard has somewhat recovered and is laying on the floor in the living room on a blanket with the kids singing some song from a kids show they watch together sometimes and Riley and Bandit are screaming out backup. I smile to myself and think about how great Gerard's voice is and how much I wish he sang more.
After we put the kids to bed Gerard and I fall into our own bed exhausted. I curl into his side and he wraps his arms around me tightly. "Sing to me?" I ask and he smiles before starting to croon out a song I've never heard before but his voice sounds so beautiful that I close my eyes and let it lull me to sleep.

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