ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Cross Pov

“Can’t you stay a little longer Crossie? I don’t want you to leave,”

Anna protested.

“Anna, I have to work and Kathy has to go to school, don’t worry we will come back during weekends,”

I said pulling her in for a hug, she wasn’t convinced though because she kept protesting.

“I don’t trust you on that, that’s what you said the last time and it took me almost giving birth for you to show up, I don’t want the next time we meet to be on my kids’ graduation,”

She exaggerated, I rolled my eyes as my beautiful wife and my mom walked in, I smiled at my baby, she looked stunning and had a bright smile on, every day she gets even more beautiful and every day I think God and my parents for bringing her to my life, she was everything.

“What’s going on here?”

My lady asked, and Anna pulled off our hug and went to hold Kathy instead.

“She doesn’t want us to leave, she is being a crybaby, s mom who is a crybaby,”

I teased.

“Leave her alone,”

Max said entering the room, he was also leaving too which made Anna even sadder, I had tried talking him out of going back to South Africa but it had not worked, he said he needed to complete what he started, Anna didn’t like him leaving and going so far neither did I and my parents but that was what he wanted and we were going to allow him to do it.

“Says the one who teases her and makes her cry,”

I replied.

“I don’t make her cry, do I, Anna?”

He asked her.

“Don’t talk to me, I don’t know who you are,”

Anna responded, and I burst out laughing.

“What’s funny?”

My mom asked giving me a dirty look, she too didn’t want any of us to leave, she even tried talking to Dad to let someone else run the New York office while Kathy and I return home to Arizona permanently, but I didn’t want that, I was used to New York and no matter how much I wanna stay here in Arizona, I couldn’t think of staying here permanently not to mention Kathy has to finish school, okay that wasn’t an excuse but still.

“Anna, we will come visiting soon and you can come and visit too,”

Kathy said, I smiled at her as she hugged Anna.

“I have to believe you, mom, it’s back to being just the two of us again, you are my only true best friend,”

She said walking to our mom.

“But it’s not just the two of you though, there is dad, and the twins too,”

Max said.

“I agree,”

“Still doesn’t change the fact that mom is my only true best friend, the both of you especially Max, you guys are bad, I don’t like you,”

“Bruh, you love us,”

“Unfortunately, please come visit soon, I am going to call and disturb you guys every day,”

“Of course, we will,”

Max and I chorused.

“I am gonna miss you guys a lot, thank you for everything Crossie and Maxie,”

“No please don’t call me that, my name is Max,”

Max complained, he didn’t like the nickname Anna gave him but I was different, I like her calling me that, my baby sister was cute.

“Let it be Max, it suits you,”

I said to him.

“No it doesn’t, I hate it,”

“This is why I don’t like you, Max,”

Anna complained, my mom came to the rescue before they could start their usual bickering, they were always fighting but they both have the closest bond, Max had come running to Arizona from South Africa right after she gave birth and has been doing papa duty without complaining, which was a surprise because Max wasn’t the domestic type, he was as much of a sucker for Anna as I was.

“Okay, enough people, the travelers are going to miss their flights, and Anna you need to rest before those cuties wake up,”

Our mom said.

“Okay time to go wifey,”

I said to Kathy pulling her to me as Anna pouted again, I knew she was gonna end up crying when we leave but like I promised her we were going to be more regular in visiting so she is gonna get used to it soon.

“Bye Crossie, I love you,”

“I love you too Anna, take care of yourself and my godchildren,”

I said hugging one-sided while still holding on to my wife who joined the hug.

“I will you take care too and call me when you guys get home,”

“We will,”

I said as we made to walk out of the room.

“What about me? Don’t I get any I love you and hugs?”

Max asked.

“Get it from those ladies in South Africa,”

Anna said and left the room, we all followed her laughing as Mad grumbled behind us, Anna had to go with the twin nanny to check on them so she bid us goodbye and went up to the kids’ room, me, my mom together with Max and Kathy went out of the house to where the cars were parked.

“Remember all I told you, my dear? Don’t stress yourself and don’t let this guy out of your eyes,”

My mom said to Kathy for the hundredth time and I had to resist rolling my eyes.

“Mom, she has heard you, thank you,”

I said and helped Kathy into the car and got on the other side, Max was going to leave after we do, he said he had something to do before he goes, I didn’t bother to ask him since his flight wasn’t until eleven am unlike ours that was by eight-thirty.

“Alright, see you guys around,”

I said as the driver taking us to the airport started the car.

“Come visit soon,”

“We will, mom,”

Kathy said as they waved at each other.

“She looks sad,”

She voiced when we left the house and I laughed, my mom always look that way whenever we were leaving the house.

“She is used to it, Anna is the one I am more worried about but she will get used to it too,”

“I hope so,”

“She will, now Mrs. Salvador, it’s time to go live our life together, how do you feel?”

“I feel happy and at the same time sleepy, I woke you early,”

“You are an early riser so why are you complaining about waking up early?”

I asked drawing her close to me, she rested on my shoulders.

“I don’t know it might be the pregnancy hormones,”

“Oh, that, well you can get some sleep while we get to the airport and finish up during the flight,”

I said patting her back softly.

“Feels good,”

She whispered snuggling closer.

“I love baby girl, and I can’t wait to be with you now and forever,”

“I love you too, I am going to be with you forever,”

“Sounds like a plan,”

I said and kissed her as the car zoned to the airport, our lives were gonna be so great in New York I just know it…