The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... - Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Ani Pov
"Shit," I whispered as I rushed out of bed, tripping over the sheets. Quickly, I pulled on some clothes and got downstairs to see the twins waiting for me, "Okay let's go!" Today is the first day I'm taking on the kids alone. Already I'm running behind and screwing things up. I drove past the school's entrance, did the loops wrong, didn't get the kids to the entrance they were supposed to be at, and after dropping them off - I was exhausted already. "How did Cassie do this?" I muttered.
Driving to a coffee shop, I took a couple moments to think. I need to go grocery shopping for the house... but what do we need? I think the girls need some pads or do they use tampons? Has Jessika even had her period? What sizes does she use? Scented or not?
Hell, what do they even eat? So I ven know how to cook?
"Ugh," I groaned, rubbing my forehead, "I usually just come home and stuff is there.... fuck."
Suddenly a message came through from Jaelynn:
Jessika told me how you dropped them off late. From now on I'll drop them off in the morning, you pick them up.
Since you're going grocery shopping later, here's a list of what they need/want. I'll be staying at Peter's. Jessika has been instructed to call me if anything happens.
Jakob is allergic to peanuts and Jessika isn't a fan of sweets - unless it's something mama makes. I recommend you don't cook since your cooking has never been that great.
Text if you need something.
Harsh.
I guess I deserve it. I did act... never mind. I don't want to think about it right now. Sipping my latte, I played with my hair and tried to relax a bit.
I wonder how work is going.
Did Jeremiah get my case reports? I should message him.
How is Jennifer?
~
Picking up the kids wasn't hard. Pulling up to the pole, I played on my phone until Jakob knocked on the window, "Hey, how was your day?"
"Good," he said, hopping in, "Jessika is staying behind to practice more for our game tomorrow."
"Your game is tomorrow?" I asked, pulling out of the school.
"Yes. It's at 7 and will go on til 9. Make sure to come around 5:30, park in the back. Also, being $5 and when you get to the gate, tell the security guard your Jessika and I'd second mom. He'll probably crack a joke and then let you in. Walk to the back and enter through the left entrance with the words 'Alligators' on it. Sit in the fourth row, least populated. If you want food, get some before because it's expensive. Also, don't shout for the first hour because it'll mess Jessika up," he kept going and going, so finally I cut in.
"Jakob, why are you telling me this?" I asked.
He shuffled a bit, squirming, "Because you don't know anything about our games... you've never came before. Jessika... do you know she trains for 5 hours a day. She says because she's not that smart, she has to be amazing in sports to... well... because you were amazing at something."
"What?" I asked.
He huffed, "Jessika has wanted nothing more than to have you at our games, okay? She plays every game just in case you decide to show up. She trains the hardest and she cares the most... so don't mess anything up for her." The women in our family have always been outspoken, strong and opinionated... so to see my sweet soft-spoken Jakob say all of that... I felt guilty.
I ended up buying dinner because I failed at cooking. Jessika was picked up by Jaelynn - Jaelynn just dropped her off and left without saying anything. Jessika ate quickly and rushed off to her room, while Jakob played video games after finishing the little bits of homework he had. Now I'm cleaning the dishes - my lower back cramping from me being bent over in a weird angle.
"This is hell," I muttered.
All I've been thinking about was how I would love to go back to work. To not be surrounded by glares and judgement.
How fucking tiring it was to be home.
~
Cassie Pov
"Thank you," I told the young girl as I grabbed my bags and headed back to the car. Leaving my family behind was hard... but waking up in a hotel alone... that was heartbreaking.
I found myself longing to go home, to hold the twins and kiss Jaelynn's head. I wanted to check on Ani, make sure she wasn't overworking herself...
But what would that do for us?
Instead, I went to work and taught all day. At some point I felt as if my body was about to collapse from all the dancing. During one of the classes, Shelby came in to say hi, "Someone looks beat."
"Six classes each doing heavy cardio," I grumbled, "I'm ready to take a six year nap."
"I remember those days. Exhausted but excited," she laughed, brining me a water. As I reached out to grab the bottle she said, "You wear your wedding ring as you dance?"
"Of course," I said automatically, "you're never supposed to take it off." I wasn't exactly thinking at this moment. I was just craving water.
"And that necklace?" She said, "The locker seems heavy. I'll help you." She reached over to unhook it, but I slapped her hands away.
"Touch my locket and I'll break your hands," I threatened, then shocked at my reaction, "I'm sorry... this necklace... it means everything to me."
"It's the same one since high school," she said, "you wore it everyday, during every practice. I never saw you without it." I slightly nodded, remembering all the times I threatened people when they tried to touch it. "It's from Antonia, isn't it?" She asked.
I nodded, "It has been the only thing keeping me alive... even now... even through all our troubles, I just need to look at it... to hold it and I know it's all okay. Because whatever souls are made of, hers and I's are made the same."
~
Giving the security guard a ticket, I grab the flowers and coke before walking to his stone. Dirty with moss and leaves, I clean it up. It took me hours to finish, but once it was sparkling I placed the coke and flowers in front of his name.
Elijah Winters
Smiling at it, I mumble, "I'm sorry that it took me so long to come here... to see you again. I guess a piece of me hated you for leaving me behind." Opening my own coke, I take a sip and continue on, "Back then, when I was high on coke and drunk off my ass, I remember seeing your face. I couldn't figure out who you were and the more and more I saw you, the angrier I got. A piece of my mind blocked you out... trying to protect me from the trauma... but now... now I am trying to embrace our pasts. I'm trying to confront her... to no longer be afraid of her. We both dealt with the same things: the insults, the beatings.... starving us, choking us, hitting us out of random. I still remember the day I watched her shove your face into a bucket of ice water to have the bruises on your face disappear. Remember when she kicked me so bad, that I had to wear pants for the entire summer? God she was horrible."
Another sip, another sigh.
"My son, Jakob... he reminds me of you. He's always smiling... loving and kind. He does everything he can for his sister - Jessika... everything he can for me," I said, chuckling, "one day, I'll bring my family here. Let them sit around and speak to you."
For the remainder of the time, I just rambled about my life. My past in the hospital and before. How Antonia and I are having trouble. How much I love our children.
So when the sun was setting, I said my goodbyes and whispered, "Good night my knight."