Page 19 of Fierce-Dane

To him, it was his time alone where he was answerable to no one.

Tomorrow, he and the kids would go back home afterbreakfast, the kids would entertain themselves while he worked out again and then he’d find something for them to do as a family before they showed back up here again for dinner.

Monday he’d take the kids to daycare, then go to work. His mother would pick them up if he was held up at work, which normally happened when he was on call, then he’d come back here and not even go home. He hated that the most. They’d repeat on Tuesday into Wednesday morning and Mel would get the kids at daycare Wednesday.

Then he wouldn’t see them again until Sunday morning.

He had it all worked out in his schedule and that was why he was able to schedule his massage with Sloane again. This was on a Wednesday since he’d have the kids on Thursday. Plus he wasn’t on call that week.

“I’m glad to hear that,” his mother said. “I’ve never been one to have someone else touch my body like that.”

His mother wasn’t a prude by any means, but she always had opinions in life.

He supposed, though his parents had those opinions, they were also open minded about the important things.

Like his adoption and never keeping that a secret from him.

Chloe and he always knew they were adopted. Chloe actually talked to her biological mother now and again and even had half siblings she communicated with.

That family had been invited to the wedding two months ago. He wasn’t surprised and his parents didn’t feel threatened by it.

You couldn’t ask for much more than that when it came down to it.

He didn’t know who his biological parents were and didn’t care.

When Mel brought it up, he brushed it off.

To him, they didn’t want him. They tried and couldn’t do it and gave up.

Mark and Doreen Grey had adopted him at three months old.

They gave him a great life and were in his corner every step of the way.

They were still doing it now.

He felt like he couldn’t thank them enough.

And when his ex said she wanted to know more about his genetics before they had kids, it might have been one of their only fights.

But it didn’t stop Mel from doing what she wanted, and two kids later, he was thirty-five years old and spending the night with his parents.

He let out a big sigh knowing this had never been how he’d thought his life would be.

“It was worth it,” he said. “And I’m going back. So I’m glad that Tiffani thought of it. It was perfect.”

“It’s about time you’re doing something for yourself,” his father said, walking into the room. “Tyler, what games do you have planned for us tonight?”

His parents were good that way. If the kids were here on the weekend, they brought out board games for them to play as a family. Because, hey, doesn’t every single full-grown adult want to spend their Saturday nights doing that?

“I want to play Operation,” Tyler said. “Maybe I can be a doctor like Dad.”

“I want to be a doctor like Dad,” Tiffani said.

Oh boy, here they went again.

He supposed there were worse things in life than his kids wanting to be like him.

“Why don’t you both go get the coloring books and crayons out and color me a nice picture,” his mother said.

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