Hot Coffee (The Hollens) novel Chapter 65

Emma's POV

"Evan. Stop right there. You have to come and take your bath!"

"No. I don't wanna take a bath mommy. I bathed yesterday already."

"Evan!"

He was running in all the corners and hiding spaces in his room so I couldn't reach him. It has been seven perfect years.

"Evan, if you don't come out of there I'm going to call your dad!"

"No! Don't call daddy. I'm coming out mommy!" 

He appeared in front of me smiling innocently like an angel. Well, at least threatening him by putting his dad on his case worked. 

I handed him his bath towel and toothbrush and led him to the bathroom. I turned the temperature of the water to warm.

"I don't want you to watch me bathe this time mommy. I'm a big boy and I could do it myself."

"Okay, my big boy," I said with a smile and sat down on his bed.

"Mommy. Mommy!" Emily called from outside.

"I'm in your brother's room!" I called, hoping she'd find me and stop shouting. 

Her little hands pushed in the door and she came up to me with a frown, holding her favorite doll.

"What's wrong baby?"

"I can't get the dress to go on," she answered, almost crying.

"Let Mommy help you." I took the dress and the doll from her hands. 

She was putting it on the wrong way. I showed her how to do it correctly and she gave a bright smile when the doll in the dress.

"You're the bestest mommy in the whole wide world." She threw her small arms around my neck.

"And you're the bestest daughter in the whole wide world." I hugged her small frame in my arms.

"And I'm the bestest son in the whole wide world!" Evan said, stepping back into the room with soap all over his back and behind his ears. 

Emily giggled at him.

"What's so funny? Am I funny to you?" he asked with hostility in his voice.

"Yes you are. You look like a soapy monster," she teased.

"Take that back!"

"No!" she snapped back.

"Mommy, tell her to take it back!"

"Mommy, tell him to go back to the bathroom!"

"Mommy! I want her out my room!"

"Mommy! Tell him I'm not going anywhere!"

"Stop it!" I let out. 

They both fell silent. 

"You two need to stop yelling at each like this all the time. Y'all are bringing out the bad in mommy, and mommy doesn't want to be the bad guy. Evan, go back into the shower and wash yourself properly."

"But mommy--"

"Now Evan." 

He huffed and puffed and went back to the shower.

"Ha ha!" Emily laughed.

"Stop it. Stop teasing your brother all the time Emily. You know he's temperamental."

I took her downstairs and the chef prepared pancakes and strawberries and whipped cream for her. Evan joined us eventually and the chef made him his favorite food-- boneless sliced fish simmered with garlic and ginger sauce and a side of fries.

School was out for the summer so I had them all to myself. Two months of trouble, screaming, yelling, fighting, running all over the place, and knocking things over. 

I ate my cheeseburger and drank a tall glass of orange juice.