Page 41 of Protecting Addison
“All right, anyone have homework they need to get done?” MacGyver asked.
Artem and Borysko looked at him as if he had three heads.
“We have party. No school.”
But MacGyver shook his head. “The party’s over. Things are going back to normal now. And that means chores and homework. How can you expect to get smarter if you don’t do your school stuff? Go grab your backpacks and we’ll see what’s in there,” he said in his no-nonsense tone.
Thirty minutes later, Ellory was sitting next to Borysko, helping him with his English homework, and Addison was with Artem, watching him do some math problems. MacGyver was on the couch with Yana in his lap, reading a book out loud to her.
He took a moment to sigh in contentment. For a moment there, he thought he’d lost this. That somehow the kids he’d learned to love as if they came from his own loins would be taken from him. But here they were. All under the same roof. Happy and healthy. Maybe a little more cautious about their immediate futures, but he hoped that would fade sooner rather than later.
He owed Tex big time. The man didn’t like to be thanked. Hated it, in fact. But he didn’t care. MacGyver would somehow show his appreciation in a way the former SEAL couldn’t complain about. But how did you thank someone for saving your family?
Bedtime was a little rough. Yana had a meltdown, and Artem and Borysko seemed to be afraid to turn off the light. But finally, after reading three books and making a huge nest of blankets and pillows on the floor of the boys’ room that all three kids and Ellory settled into, all was quiet.
Feeling more exhausted than he had after some of the missions he’d been on, MacGyver fell into bed.
“Whew,” Addison breathed as she lay next to him.
MacGyver didn’t hesitate, he reached over and pulled her closer. She came willingly. Her head rested on his shoulder as she sighed in contentment.
“I’ll talk to Yana’s teacher in the morning. Let her know what’s going on. It might be a good idea if you do the same when you drop off Artem and Borysko.”
“Of course,” MacGyver reassured her.
“It feels right.”
“What does?”
“Having them home.”
MacGyver couldn’t agree more. “Yeah. Is this gonna get easier?”
“What?”
“Raising them.”
Addison chuckled against him. “No.”
“No?”
“Nope. Thesearethe easy years. When they actually like their parents and want to be around us. They don’t mind school, there aren’t many bullies. Learning is fun and they’re easily entertained. Wait until they get to be Ellory’s age. Hormones will kick in. Zits will happen. Little things will ruin their lives forever. Social media. Texting. Phones. It’s gonna be hell.”
MacGyver laughed. “Can’t wait.”
“Yeah, me either.”
Surprisingly, they were both sincere.
“One of these nights, when we have more energy, I’m gonna show you how happy I am to have you at my side for this adventure,” MacGyver said.
“So…like in fifteen years or so?” Addison joked.
MacGyver chortled. “Let’s hope it’s sooner than that.”
He felt Addison scoot a little closer. Her arm went over his abs and she moved her head slightly to kiss his chest. “Yeah,” she agreed.
Once again, MacGyver found himself holding his wife as she fell asleep against him. It was quickly becoming his favorite thing in the world. He had a brief vision of her doing the same thing, but after he’d exhausted her by making love to her over and over.
