Chapter 14 - Back to Work

                                    

                                          
Hey! Look an update before 10pm! Are you proud of me? I'm proud of me. 
                          
ANYWAY .. On with the story!
                          
Melissa's POV
                          
                  
                          
A week or so after New Year's, after the kids had gone to bed, I lay in bed cuddled up to Henry when I remembered a serious topic I needed to talk about. 
                          
"Honey, I've been thinking that I want to go back to work," I said into the silence. 
                          
"Are you sure?" 
                          
"Yea, three of the kids are at school now, the twins can stay with one of our parents during the day." 
                          
"Sounds like a good plan. Any idea on the hours you'd want to do?" 
                          
"Probably in between the two school runs. About 9-3." 
                          
"Okay, call your boss tomorrow and see what he thinks. He'd be a fool to turn down your offer." With that thought, I cuddled up to him more and fell asleep. 
                          
The next morning, we told the kids over breakfast what the plan was. The older three weren't going to be affected by it too much, but Mitch and Kirstie didn't seem too pleased with the idea. They didn't fully understand what it meant, but they knew they weren't happy about it. 
                          
After the school run, I called my boss from the job I had before I went on maternity leave. It was a very quick phone call. He was eager to have me come back again. He understood why I wanted the hours I did, I still had to look after my kids, I could just leave my youngest with their grandparents for a few hours. As it was mid-week he wanted me to start back on Monday, he was very enthusiastic to have me back. 
                          
Monday came around all too fast. Henry helped me get the kids ready, and then went off to work. Thankfully it wasn't to a camp, just the main offices a few minutes away. I got all the kids in the car and went to school like normal. Kevin, Avi and Scott blew kisses to me and their siblings, before jumping out the car and scampering off to their classrooms. I trusted Kevin to drop off his younger siblings the same way he picked them up at the end of the school day. Once I was sure they had got into school safely, I pulled off and drove to Henry's parents' house. 
                          
"Mama, where go?" Mitch asked when he realised we were going to wrong way. 
                          
"Your grandparent's house," I answered. It only took about 10 minutes to get there; I hoped the twins would settle quickly so I could leave for work. They were excited to see their grandparents, but I still wasn't sure they understood what was really going on. They eagerly ran up to the door and frantically knocked on it. 
                          
Henry's parents opened the door very quickly and took the twins into their arms just as quick. 
                          
"Hello my darlings, you excited for today?" Henry's mum asked. 
                          
"Play day!" Kirstie squealed. I knew that she was trying to say that she was going to play all day like normal. She still didn't know that it wouldn't be at home like normal. I stayed with them for 10 minutes, and then gave both Mitch and Kirstie a giant bear hug. 
                          
"I'll pick you up later. Have fun today," I said. It was then they realised, or thought they realised, what was going on.
                          
"Leaving us?" Mitch asked. 
                          
"No I'm not leaving you forever, just for a few hours." 
                          
"NO GO!" Kirstie practically screamed, and then she burst into tears. Both of them wrapped themselves around my legs, begging me not to leave them. 
                          
"Not love us anymore?" Mitch asked quietly. 
                          
"Aww sweetie, I'll always love you. Nothing is ever going to change that. I'm just going to work like Daddy does. I'll always come back for you. It's not forever, just a few hours. Like Scottie, Avi and Kevin. They always come home at the end of the day." 
                          
They looked up at me and wiped their tears away. I got down on their level and waited for them to figure it out. They looked at each other and then back at me, proceeding to wrap their arms around my neck and hold on for a little while. Once they pulled away, they had calmed down enough to talk again. 
                          
"Promise always come back?" Mitch asked. 
                          
"I promise." 
                          
"Pinkie?" Kirstie said, holding out her pinkie finger to me. Mitch was holding out his pinkie as well. I linked my pinkie fingers in theirs and smiled, a pinkie promise to them was the biggest form of promise that could never be broken. I hugged them one more time and kissed both of their heads, before heading for the door. 
                          
They waved at me as I got in the car, blowing kisses. I sent kisses back and pulled out of the driveway. I watched them out of my mirror, they went back into the house, with relatively sad faces, but I knew they would be okay for the day. It would take them a while to get used to this new arrangement, but they would get there eventually. For now I would deal with their tears and resistance. I let my mind wander on the way to work, mainly focusing on what the twins might be doing. All they had known so far was being with me 24/7. I hoped this would help get them ready for going to pre-school the next year. It was still a way off, but it was a good idea to start earlier. 
                          
It took them a few weeks to get used to being without me during the day, but they finally believed that I was always going to pick them up. With them being settled at one of their grandparent's houses for the day, both Henry and I were able to go to work without stressing about our youngest. They were happy with the new arrangement and understood what it actually meant.
                          


                          
A/N: Just a short one today. Didn't feel the need to drag this chapter out. Lots of cute moments from Kirstie and Mitch though. See you next week!