Page 18 of Shooting for his Heart
He pouted. “We can never get anything cool.”
“What do you mean? I’m making all of your favorites.”
“Even cheesy bread?”
“What’s baked spaghetti without cheesy bread?”
“I’m done with the salad. I’ll check on the spaghetti,” Marshae stated.
“Boys, go wash your hands. The food is almost done.”
My nephews sprang from the table and took off for the bathroom. I took the moment of privacy to speak to Marshae.
“Thank you for everything, sis.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, looking up from making the plates.
“Helping with the boys, Shae.”
“Shawn, you don’t have to take full responsibility for the boys. I’m their aunt just as much as you’re their uncle.”
“I know, sis, but I’m the one who made the decision to get custody of them.”
“It wasn’t your cross to bear. I should have been the one.”
“Don’t do that.” I shook my head.
“You know I’m right. When Marcia lost the boys, as her twin sister and a woman, I should have taken them.”
“I had the means and time. It doesn’t matter that you’re a woman, Shae. It doesn’t matter that you and Marcia are twins.We’re all we got at the end of the day. I would be less of a man if I thought that just because you were a woman, you should have taken the boys. They needed a male figure in their lives. As long as you know how instrumental you are in this whole arrangement, it works. They love and appreciate you just as much as I do,” I said, walking around the table to wrap my arm around my sister’s shoulder.
“I know. It’s just that motherly instinct kicking in sometimes, I guess.”
“You need to worry about having children of your own, not raising someone else’s.”
She scoffed. “I could say the same about you.”
“You’re the one talking about motherly instincts. Unfortunately, I don’t have those.”
“You’re a great father to the boys, though. I feel like you would be doing yourself a disservice to think that you don’t need kids because you have them. As much as I can’t stand you sometimes, I think it would be interesting to see a little version of you running around.”
“You sure about that?” I hiked my brows, not believing her.
“Not exactly.” She laughed. “You should think about it, though. You’re getting old. It’s time to think about starting a family of your own. Yes, the boys are your family—we’ve established that. I mean, kids of your own. I need new people to spoil rotten.”
“You’re doing a good enough job with Nick and Ev.”
“Yeah, I just love them so much. That’s part of the reason that I feel like they should be with me. Plus, I’m more stable.”
“You’re not more stable than me. You’remorestationary, and yes, that helps me. We’re a team.” I kissed her forehead and tipped her chin up so we were eye to eye. “You do more than enough for us, sis. Don’t ever think you don’t.”
“Can I get two pieces of bread?” Evan asked as he plopped down in one of the chairs.
“You eat the first one, then we’ll see,” Marshae told him.
“I don’t need no salad, Unc,” Nick said, waving me off as I placed a small bowl next to his plate of spaghetti.
“Your little, scrawny arms say otherwise.” I shook my head.
