We've Got It All Figured Out... For Now

Once I got off of the phone with Kirstie, I let out a little sigh. I really hope Josh contains himself. Kirstie’s almost twenty-six now… she’s not going to want an eighteen year old when she is happily married and has two kids! I swear he hit his head way too many times.

“Mommy looks flustered,” Tanner teased as he walked into the room with Jayden by his side… and a red Popsicle in his mouth.

“Popsicwe?” Jayden asked while holding his icy treat out for me.

“No, but please don’t get that everywhere?” I whined playfully.

“Aw, come on, Ky. Let the kid have some sticky fun,” Tanner countered while plopping down next to me.

“Where’s Mase?” I asked, diverting this subject.

“He wanted to get his own,” Tanner replied like it was nothing.

“Tanner, he can’t reach those,” I shot at him, shooting up from my spot to dart to the kitchen… just in time to see the full box of Popsicles fall on Mason.

Once they all fell to the floor, he slowly turned his head to look at me... and smiled innocently. I tried so hard to hold in my laughter, but it came out, along with Tanner’s. I didn’t even know what to do. Do I scold him for doing something that he knew he needed help with or just let it go? Whatever it was, I turned to Tanner and nuzzled my face into his chest.

“He’s just like you,” I muttered out.

“Did you find one, Mase?” Tanner continued to chuckle.

“Uh huh,” Mason replied while picking one up and walking out of the room… leaving all the frozen snacks on the floor. Oh that boy.

“You can’t let him do that,” I shot at Tanner before I went over to pick up the Popsicles.

“He wanted to do it,” he went on, still laughing.

“What if something heavier fell on him?” I snapped, sending him a look that made his features fall.

“Are you ok?” he asked, scrunching up his brow.

“Josh is being weird and it’s bothering Kirstie… so it bothers me too,” I sighed.

Tanner stared back at me for a few seconds without saying anything. He didn’t get it! He just didn’t get it! She’s my best friend… we’re practically sisters. If something’s going on with one of us, the other kind of feels it too.

I shook my head at him before bending down to pick up the contents that fell out of the freeze. Once they were all thrown back into the box, I stuck them back inside the icebox and slammed the door. Before I turned around, I felt two warm arms coil their way around my waist and a soft pair of lips gently press against my skin.

“What’s going on with Josh and Kirstie?” he asked softly with his chin resting on my shoulder.

“Josh is jealous of Justin,” I muttered out.

“Why?” He’s a kid,” Tanner countered.

“I don’t know… he’s Josh. There’s not a lot I understand about that guy,” I said through a forced giggle.

Tanner went on to spin me around gently before sat me down on the counter and placed himself between my knees, looking up at me with a cute smile. It had the power to bring my across as well.

“Josh needs to realize that he is such a lucky guy to have a girl like Kirstie. You know, she’s sweet, caring, and loves that man to no end along with their children. And on top of all of that she’s beautiful. I think Josh lets little things block that from him though,” he said, trying to soothe my mind… It didn’t help much.

“But… I think there’s a guy that’s so much more luckier than Josh,” he went on, smiling brighter than before.

“Who?” I asked, looking at him quizzically.

“Me,” he grinned bigger than before.

I felt my face flush bright red before I nuzzled my way into the crook of his neck. His hands found their way to my back and started go gently rub up and down.

“I love you,” I said, my voice muffled from being pressed against him.

“I love you too… and those two little boys in there,” he replied, kissing my cheek.

“Oh my gosh, they have Popsicles!” I shot out before I hopped off of the counter to go check on them.

I nearly screamed when I saw them. Mason was still licking away on his orange treat while it dripped down his hand and onto his pants. Jayden was sitting on the floor, red all over him. His face, his arms, his clothes… the carpet! And of course Tanner laughs.

“I’ll get the carpet cleaner,” he said, leaving me with my hands over my eyes.

“Mommy, can I have another one?” Jayden asked while holding the stick out for me.

“How about later? I need to get you two cleaned up,” I was able to get out. “But… why don’t you two give daddy a hug before that,” I grinned, wanting to get Tanner back from all of his chuckles earlier.

The two boys pushed out a yeah before yelling for Tanner. He came in, looking at the two before they went sprinting over to him. After Tanner had caught on to what they were doing, it was too late. The boys already had their sticky limbs wrapped around him.

“No!” he groaned playfully.

“Daddy’s sticky too!” Mason giggled.

“Why didn’t you two get your mom?” Tanner asked, sending me a playful glare.

“She told us to get you,” Jayden smiled.

“Oh,” he replied, looking at me a teasing hurt expression.

I let him go and rounded the boys up the stairs to let Tanner clean up Jayden’s mess. Maybe that’s all Joshie boy needs… a Popsicle to cool off and have Kirstie and the kids be there to clean up his mess. Because you always love your babies… even if they’re a sticky red and orange mess.