Chapter 45

Sebastian

I lean against my car door in the school’s parking lot. Parents, mainly mothers, pass me by, glancing in my direction before they find their usual spot in the school’s front yard.

I tilt my head down, looking over the brim of my sunglasses. Scanning the schoolyard., there is no sign of Miranda and her usual lab scrub outfit. She’s usually here bright and early, a sight to be seen among the sore eyes and expressions of other kindergarten parents.

The doors to the school explode open and a flurry of kids run out. Their screams and cheers fill the air. I can’t help but chuckle, watching as the kids find their respective parents. Hand in hand, they all walk back to their cars and exit the once lively and bustling parking lot, the area slowly dying down as more and more people leave.

I tuck my sunglasses into my pocket and lock my car doors, making my way towards the group of students. There’s no sign of Evan, or Ella and Noah for that matter.

I turn to the playground, scanning through the many faces of students and teachers as they play. They’re not taking turns on the slide nor are they playing on the monkey bars.

Have I seen Noah while trying to find Evan and Ella? Has he passed me by and I haven’t even noticed?

A small body collides into my right side, tiny arms and hands wrapping around me. I chuckle and look down, noticing a dark head of hair. Before I can open my mouth to say anything, another body collides with me. To my left stands Ella, looking up at me with a bright and beaming smile.

“Hello, you two,” I muse, a smile threatening to break across my lips, “how was school today?”

“It was good! We made melted snowmen out of paper today!” Evan declares.

“It was really fun!” Ella chimes in. I nod, slightly leaning down to be at their level.

“A melted snowman? That sounds fun,” I add to their conversation. The two of them let go of me and drop their backpacks to the ground. Evan points to the busy playground.

“Can we go play?” He asks with big eyes and an even bigger smile.

“Sure, but do you know where your mother is, Ella? Isn’t she here by now?” I ask, looking down at my daughter.

“I dunno,” Ella remarks with a shrug. “Can I play with Evan until she gets here?”

“I don’t see why not. Have fun, you two!” I can barely finish my sentence before they run off. I shake my head and chuckle, scratching the back of my head.

Who would have known that I would end up with such energetic kids? Well…I never thought I’d end up with kids, to begin with since I never really thought I’d find my fated mate.

Now I have Miranda and she’s given me a chance to explore fatherhood in a, well, unconventional way, but I’m not complaining.

My eyes land on a boy who stands under the shade of the building. He stares at me through a glare, arms crossed over his chest. I tilt my head to the side, amused by his expression and posture.

As I step closer to him, his features become more and more clear. He looks exactly like Evan, uncannily so. He diverts his gaze and looks down, inspecting his dinosaur backpack and the keychains that are attached to it.

His looks mirror Evan’s and his demeanor matches Miranda’s fiery side. This boy has to be Noah. There’s no way he isn’t.

I circle around him, taking cover under the shade, and lean against the brick wall next to him. The boy shifts in his spot, cowering closer and closer to his backpack. I watch Evan and Ella chase each other around the playground.

“You must be Noah. I’m Sebastian,” I say in a calm tone, trying not to alarm him. I set Ella and Evan’s backpacks next to his. Noah remains silent. I can see him staring at me from the corner of his eye. “It’s okay. Your mother told me the truth. You don’t have to be so nervous around me.”

Noah looks up with wide eyes. His mouth opens but nothing comes out. He looks away, staring at the playground. Ella and Evan run by, waving at Noah to join them. The corners of my lips tug up. I pat Noah on the back.

“You should go join them.” As soon as my words reach his ears, he runs off, leaving me in the dust. He calls out to Ella and Evan, who pause their game to let him join.

The three of them race around the tall tower in the center of the playground. Ella races up the stairs, yelling at them to get away from her. The two boys laugh and chase her up the stairs. Ella slides down the slide, tumbling onto the ground when she tries to bolt away.

Ella crawls to the side, a big pout overtaking her face. I take a step forward to help her, my fatherly instinct kicking in to protect her, but her brothers beat me to the punch. Evan and Noah jump to her side, helping her off of the ground.

I relax back into the wall, sighing in relief. I’m happy to watch my kids look out for each other. Nobody else will, so it’s good that they have each other’s backs.

I pick up the three backpacks from the ground, holding the straps in one hand, and swinging them back and forth as I walk to a bench inside the playground.

Where is Miranda? I haven’t seen or heard from her. No phone notifications, no missed calls from her, and no word that someone else is picking up Noah and Ella.

An Hour Later…

The school is now empty. Teachers, students, and parents have all gone home. Miranda still hasn’t shown up, so I let the kids play some more until she appears.

Noah, Ella, and Evan continue to play on the playground. Ella and Evan swing next to each other while Noah pushes them, trying to see how high they can go. I sit on a nearby bench, sunglasses on my face, slightly smiling at their joyous expressions.

“Higher, Noah!” Ella yells, her hair flowing with the wind.

“I’m trying!” He yells back, using all of his strength to push her.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” a feminine voice comes from behind me. I turn and see Miranda, who is out of breath, hunched over in her lab coat and sweatpants. I scoot to the side, making room for her on the bench. She sits down and rolls her head back, groaning.

“It’s okay. They’ve been having fun. You look like a mess, though,” I remark with a snort. She smacks my arm. “I can pick them up for you, you know. They are my kids.”

“It’s okay. I can handle it,” she instantly responds. We look at each other at the same time, eyes meeting. She blinks at me as if she’s waiting for me to make a comment.

“It’s the least I can do. I know Lily’s making you work overtime with the drug,” I counter. She hesitates.

For once: Miranda has no sassy remark or comeback. She looks forward and crosses her arms over her chest.

“I’ll think about it,” she mumbles loud enough for me to hear. She stands and cups her hands around her mouth. “Noah! Ella! Let’s go!” Her voice carries across the playground with ease.

Noah and Ella look in her direction with big smiles on their faces. Evan waves and she waves back.

Noah helps Ella down from the swing, running over to their mother. She holds their backpacks out, which acts as a barrier between us, and they snatch them from her hands. The three of them walk in the opposite direction.

Evan attaches himself to my side and we watch as they walk away, leaving us behind.

“C’mon, buddy, let’s go get some dinner,” I breathe out, turning him around with ease, heading in the direction of my car.