Chaper 5

                                    

                                          

We arrive at a little diner outside of town. 
We walk in and find an enormous table available with a beautiful blonde woman already sitting at it; she looks just like Jesse. Dad walks up to her and kisses her; Liz Hunny; these are my beautiful older daughters, May & Rose & this handsome young man is my son Mark & last, this lovely lady has been lily Rose's best friend since birth. RJ pulls me closer to him and growls. Mark looks at him, then looks back at dad. You don't have to lie 
   we all know you are not my real dad. He showed up last year & tried taking me from mom. Dad looks at him. Listen, Mark, we have a lot of stuff to discuss, so please let me explain. We all sit down and order lunch before we start, Rose, I need to ask you something, and I would like you to be 100% honest with me. I look up at him. Ok, what is it? 
    First, he replies let me start by saying Happy sweet 16th, my baby! Now I've heard a rumor over the years about you, so please tell me if it is true that you have a 3-year-old daughter. Everyone looks at me; Mark & May look at me like you don't say a damn thing. I nod my head & he says ok, we will talk about that later. I would love to meet her and know her name before we pick her up and take her home tonight. 
    Now on to everything else; as you all know, this beautiful young lady from school, I hope. Well, she is your younger sister Jesse, she is two years younger than Rose. I look at her, and May yells so this is why you left us with that God-awful woman we call a mother?
    I laugh; of course, now I get it. I've always wondered why she looks so much like May & I. Jesse smiles; it's nice to meet you guys finally. I couldn't introduce myself or talk to any of you until Rose turned 16. I look at her and ask why's that? Dad interrupts I'm going to explain all of this right now. I met Liz when rose was 2; May was 4 & Mark was 5. I loved your mom dearly, but we had broken up that year; when I met Liz and she got pregnant. 
    I ended up getting back with your mom. Liz and I planned to try again when rose was 18. But on rose's 5th birthday I found out mark wasn't mine and there was a possibility that May wasn't either. 2 weeks later I couldn't take it anymore, so I left in the middle of the night. Liz & I stayed friends for a few years before we started dating. After two months, I did try coming back home, but your mom was back with Marks's dad already, from what she told me. 
    So I stayed away as she asked me. We had a deal; if I stayed away until roses 16th birthday, I could take you kids all home with me until you were 18; if you want to come now, Mark, I know I'm not your dad, and you're already 18, but you're welcome to go with if you would like. Mark looks at him; no, I'm good. I'll stay with mom. I leave next week for boot camp anyways.
    Ok, dad says, looking sad, May Rose, what do you want to do? I immediately yell yes. RJ lets out a breath. I didn't even know he was holding it, but why was he holding it in the first place while Dave & Jesse laughed at him? May I look at everyone is it ok if I come? Jesse & Liz are ok with this? Liz looks at her; of course, I'd love to have you, kids, all stay with us.