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Robby has just finished getting all of the kids from various carlines after school, a task not for the weak.
The twins are still in car seats in the captains chairs in the middle row of the car. Milo and Clark are in the back, and Jake is up front with Robby.
On occasions when Jack is with them, Jake piles into the third row with the other two boys. Right now, Jack is at home waking up from a day’s sleep in preparation for the night shift.
Robby needs to stop at the grocery store and get some much needed items. They’re in desperate need of fruits and veggies, the peanut butter is almost gone, they could probably use some milk, and they definitely need eggs.
They’ve also started Clark on PediaSure shakes because he’s not gaining enough weight and they’ve only got one left at home. He’s a little guy anyway, but they now have him on ADHD meds which are suppressing his appetite. He also literally never stops moving so he’s constantly burning calories. It’s an uphill battle getting him to eat and they’re concerned, so his pediatrician recommended starting meal replacement shakes as needed.
When they get to the store, Robby helps Junie out of the car seat while Jake helps Nell. Milo climbs out between the seats and Clark tries to flip over the back of Junie’s car seat but ends up stuck upside down in her seat.
He gets the giggles and Milo quickly follows suit. Jake rolls his eyes and puts Nell down before grabbing Clark out.
“Can’t you just act normal?” Jake says with another annoyed eye roll.
The joys of teenagers.
“That was really rude.” Clark pulls on Robby’s arm. “Papa, tell Jake that’s not being respectful.”
“I’m just saying what we’re all thinking,” Jake says back.
Clark growls and runs at him. Robby stops him with a hand on his head and Clark continues fighting against the hand holding him back. He’s swinging his arms and jumping around.
“Okay, Muhammad Ali.” Robby squats down and gently squeezes Clark’s arms to give him some deep pressure sensory input. “Clarky, we are in a parking lot and this isn’t safe. Let’s make it to the sidewalk and then we’ll talk.”
He drags a grumpy Clark along with him while Jake and Milo each hold one of the girl’s hands.
When they make it to the sidewalk, Robby says “Alright, man,” to Jake. “That might have been a little hurtful to him, you know?”
“Sorry,” Jake murmurs and then goes about putting Junie in the front seat of the shopping cart. Robby puts Nell in the back and she sits pressed up against the end of the cart. Robby wishes he could also stick Clark in there, but the three of them together leave no room for groceries anymore.
By this point in the day, Clark’s meds have worn off and he’s his usual handful self.
“Clark, hold Milo’s hand.”
“No! I’m not a baby! I don’t need to hold anybody’s hand.”
“It’s not about you being a baby, but if you grab one more thing off of a shelf I’m going to lose my mind, and as much as I preach respect I’d like to model it, but you’re making it very hard right now.”
“Holding Milo’s hand isn’t going to stop me from grabbing stuff off the shelf,” Clark says with his hands raised like what can you do?
At least he’s honest.
“Papa, I want that!” Junie is pointing and Robby turns around to see what she’s looking at. It’s brightly colored candy at the end of an aisle.
“We’re not getting candy today, Junie.”
“We never get candy!” She whines.
“Yeah, never!” Clark agrees.
“That’s an exaggeration because you each got to pick a candy just a couple of weeks ago, remember?”
“That one’s out of my tummy for a long time now. My tummy can’t even remember the taste,” Junie says.
“We’re not getting candy today, sweet babies. We’re here for a few things and then we’re getting home to spend some time with Daddy before he has to go to work.”
“Daddy would let us get candy,” Clark mutters.
“Well, that’s Daddy’s choice, isn’t it? Too bad for you, you’re with Papa.” He ruffles Clark’s wild curls and says “Let’s keep moving.”
They make their way through the produce section, carefully picking fruits and veggies that will actually get eaten.
Nell is leaning over the side of the cart pointing at the dragonfruit. “Papa! I want to try that fruit! One of my friends from school had that and I wanted to try!”
Robby mindlessly and wordlessly sits her back down in the cart, looking at the bananas.
“Please, Papa?”
A little old lady nearby smiles at them and says “You have your hands full.” Something they hear often and are used to at this point.
“Oh yes,” Robby laughs as he re-situates a standing Nell again.
“Papa!” She huffs in frustration.
“You don’t often hear kids calling their dad Papa these days,” she comments.
And Clark, in all his innocence, spins around in circles and says “Well yeah, we can’t call him Daddy because we already call Daddy that. How confusing would that be?”
The lady’s mouth is dropped open in surprise, and Jake guffaws loudly at her reaction.
As they’re walking away, Jake continues laughing. “Oh my god, the look on her face.”
“What’s so funny?” Clark asks.
Robby grins. “Nothing, buddy. Jake is just being silly.”
Jake’s humor tapers and he shakes his head in amusement. “It’s like, geez lady it’s the 21st century, what’s so shocking about two dads?” He snorts again and side eyes Robby, and in a random tender moment says “I’m glad it was you guys.”
Robby pulls him into a one arm hug and says “Me too, buddy.”
They finish their shopping without very many more incidents (does the boxes of mini muffins getting knocked over really count if Milo tripped over his own feet? No matter the hysterical laughter that ensued and had Robby shushing all five of his children despite his own amusement.)
Everybody pitches in and grabs a bag when they get home. Luckily Clark’s doesn’t have anything breakable or fragile because he fires it across the room like a missile.
“Clark,” Robby admonishes.
“Alright, you little menace,” Jack says from the bedroom doorway, and children run at him from all directions.
Jake hangs back, too cool to be seen acting excited to see a parent figure.
The kids all launch into tales of their day as Robby goes to unload groceries. Jack follows shortly after him and picks up a bag before placing a sweet kiss on Robby’s mouth.
Robby looks around at their little domestic bliss and says “You know, we’re raising a pretty dang good little bunch of human beings.”
Jack gives him a look filled with amusement and love and says “Hell yeah, we are” before giving Robby a teamwork fist bump.