WTF? (Chubby!Mom!ReaderxChildren!BTT) Ch. 2

    Francis sighed peacefully through his nose, letting his mother run her fingers through his soft blonde hair as the two of them watched a French movie, The Intouchables. It wasn’t exactly appropriate for a child his age, but Francis begged (Name) into watching it. While it may not have been age appropriate, the story was very nice.

    “Mama . . .”

    (Name) turned her head to see Antonio and Gilbert standing at the foot of the stairs, wearing their pajamas. She quickly paused the movie, gestured them to come over and they did, climbing over Francis’s legs to sit on the couch next to (Name).

    “We’re sorry about today, mutti,” Gilbert mumbled, hugging her around her waist.

    Today.

    Dear lord, today.

    It wasn’t exactly an easy day for (Name). Originally she had just planned on taking her three sons to the park and getting them a small treat afterwards. But then she ran into Julius Vargas and his two friends, who just so happened to be the fathers of Francis and Antonio, and apparently their deceased friend, Alfher, was the father of Gilbert and Ludwig. So naturally, when everyone put the pieces together, (Name) was bombarded by a sobbing Frenchman, loud children, a loud giant, and an Italian who kept asking her to bear his children. Whether he was serious or not still remained a mystery.

    (Name), in the heat of the moment, picked up her kids one by one, and calmly yet quickly left the cafe. She carried them all the way home, earning protests from Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert. Once they were home, Gibert and Antonio began to demand some answers while Francis was still stewing over meeting his father for the first time ever. After an hour of yelling, (Name) sent them up to their rooms until they calmed down. They did so, quite angrily, and for the next hour, (Name) and Francis listened to them throw a tantrum, which included screaming, crying, throwing objects, and breaking said objects.

    (Name) felt horrible and when she tried getting them to come down to dinner, they refused. So (Name) ate with Francis, putting a smile on just for him. But Francis sensed the mood and decided they should just watch movies for the rest of the night. So they changed into more suitable clothes for a movie marathon, made popcorn, and haven’t moved from the couch in hours.

    “We feel really bad for what we did,” Antonio said with a frown.

    “I know you three are stressed after today’s events, believe me, I am too,” (Name) said, running her fingers through Francis’s hair event after he shifted his position so that he was laying on his back, looking right at her. “But jumping me with all these questions are not going to solve anything. Now, if you still want to know, ask me one by one your questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. I can’t guarantee you’ll be happy with the answer. So, who wants to go first?”

    “Me! Me!” Gilbert said and shot his hand up.

    “Alright sweetie, what’s your question?” (Name) asked.

    “How did the Frenchy know my vatti?” Gilbert demanded.

    “Uh, well . . . let me think for a moment,” (Name) said, searching the recesses of her mind for the times she spent with Gaul. She never met his friends, but he talked about them quite a bit if you got him going. There was the tall and silent giant, the happy-go-lucky womanizer, and the serious German. (Name) could vaguely recall Gaul mentioning Alfher at one point while they were dating. “If my memory serves correct, then Gaul was friends with your father. He was great friends with Julius, I believe, but something came between the two of them.” (Name) was only going off of assumptions, but the descriptions Gaul used at the time perfectly fit Julius.

    “What was it?” Gilbert asked.

    “Your mother, the one who gave you life,” (Name) said and bit her lip in thought. “I think . . . they both loved your mother very much, but she chose Alfher over Julius. Who’s next?”

    “Is Afonso my papa?” Antonio blurted then covered his mouth.

    “Yes, Afonso is your papa,” (Name) sighed, hoping he didn’t ask how they met.

    “So then why-”

    “Ah-ah! It’s Francis’s turn,” (Name) interrupted then looked down at her blonde boy. “Do you have a question, Francis?”

    “Why is he here? Why now all of a sudden?” Francis asked, sounding frustrated at the thought of the man who left (Name) was in town for who knows how long.

    “As you know, Gaul sends us money every now and then along with a letter. Today I received a late letter from him explaining how he’s here on business. He wanted to take you and me out to dinner and see how you’ve grown, but only if I replied to his letter,” (Name) said.

    “Well, say no. I don’t want to see his stupid face ever again!” Francis exclaimed then rolled onto his side, still lying on (Name)’s lap but now his legs were sprawled across his younger brothers. “You deserve better than him.”

    (Name) smiled down at Francis and kissed his hair, then did the same to Antonio and Gilbert. “I know. You boys are just so sweet to me, I love you all!”

    “And we love you,” they said in such perfect unison, it was actually kind of creepy.

    (Name) was out on the town later that week on a Friday while her sons were at school. She was doing some simple grocery shopping before she had to run to her job at a rather boring business firm. The hours were decent and the pay was good enough for a mother with three kids. But (Name) couldn’t stand sitting behind a desk for hours with nothing to do other than file paperwork, transfer the paper documents onto the computer, stuff letters into envelopes, and other boring business things.

    “(Name)!”

    Said woman turned around and grinned as her best friend, Elizabeta, approached her, pushing her own cart of groceries.

    “Hey Liz, I didn’t expect to run into you here,” (Name) said.

    “Well, you know what they say, expect the unexpected,” Elizabeta giggled then smirked. “Like earlier this week. Word is you ran into Julius Vargas, Afonso Carriedo, and Gaul Bonnefoy a few days ago at Afonso’s cafe. Is it true?”

    “Liz, cmon, really? Who told you you?” (Name) asked.

    “Well, I did happen to be walking across the street with Roderich and Ludwig when I saw you in the safe. So, what did those perverts want with you?” Elizabeta asked, wiggling her eyebrows and walking down the aisles side by side with (Name).

    “Well, you already know my history with Gaul,” (Name) said and Elizabeta nodded solemnly.

    “The bastard deserves to go to the fifth ring of hell for abandoning you,” Elizabeta growled then a smile crossed her face as she dragged (Name) down the cooking ware aisle. “If he ever bothers you again, just give me a call. I’ll be glad to come over and deal with the tramp. But, uh, why was he there in the first place? Didn’t he run away to France?”

    “Yes but apparently business whisked him away back here and Julius was apparently friends with him and decided to call him to meet us at the cafe,” (Name) explained.

    “So why were you and Julius together at Afonso’s cafe?” Elizabeta asked as she picked up a cast iron pan, inspected it, and checked to see how heavy it felt in her hands.

    “Well originally I was just taking the boys to the park and then we would get a treat afterwards. But then Antonio came running over to me saying that Julius’s grandson, Lovino, was hurt. I fixed him up and Julius decided to take us out for treat at Afonso’s cafe as a thank you,” (Name) said and dragged Elizabeta away from the cooking ware. It unsettled the woman as to how many pots and pans she owned, most of which were used as weapons. “But how do you know Julius and Afonso?”

    “You really don’t know?” Elizabeta gaped at her. “(Name), Afonso’s cafe is the most popular in town and he’s not exactly shy with the ladies either, and Julius is the richest man in town. He also happens to own the business you’re working for. I’m surprised you haven’t seen him waltzing around the place. He usually flirts with any female in a fifty mile radius.”

    “I don’t think I’m his type,” (Name) said as she debated with herself if she should spend a little extra cash and get ice cream or a small container of gelato, or just wait until her next paycheck.

    “(Name), don’t say things like that! You’re perfect the way you are!” Elizabeta huffed and hugged her friend, stroking her hair all the while glaring at anyone who gave them funny looks.

    “I know I am, Liz. I have a nice ass, I have a nice chest, and I love my body just the way it is, even with all the stretchmarks. But Julius seems like the type to go for models,” (Name) said and tried to shove Elizabeta away.

    “You know there are plus sized models too~” Elizabeta grinned, clinging tighter to her friend.

    “You know what I mean,” (Name) pouted. “Besides, I don’t have time for a love life. I have three sons to take care of and I want the best for them.”

    “Oh (Name), you should treat yourself every once in a while. I know you want the best for Gilbert, and Antonio, and Francis, but you deserve the best as well and that includes having a piece of man candy adoring and loving everything about you and your children,” Elizabeta sighed and released (Name) from her tight grip. “Well, I better get back to shopping. Keep me updated if you ever find a hubby, or at the very least a boyfriend. I’ll be over later tonight with Ludwig.”

    “Okay, see you then, Liz,” (Name) said and resumed her shopping.

    Once she was done and unloaded everything at home, (Name) quickly changed into more professional attire and left for work. Her outfit consisted of a black pencil skirt, a deep purple blouse the boys got for her for Christmas with the help of Elizabeta and Roderich, and black flats. With a touch of makeup, she was ready for her day at work.

    (Name) arrived at the office building fifteen minutes later and rushed inside, quickly greeting her coworkers along the way. They were all nice to her and if there was any negative feelings directed towards (Name) it was because she was good at her job. Well, not necessarily good, but she actually did the work with little to no complaining. It was why she moved up in the office more often than others. As long as it was better pay and they were willing to work with her schedule, (Name) was willing to do it.

    “Ah, good morning. (Name),” a friend and coworker, Hilda Kirkland, greeted as (Name) sat down in her little corner office which was right next to hers.

    Hilda was a big woman like (Name) with long, beautiful blonde hair and such pretty green eyes. She was nice and motherly, but everyone knew better than to mess with the woman. It was a wonder why she married her husband, a rather bossy, messy, and perverse man who always teased Hilda about silly things like who would cook, what they should do, etc.

    “Hello Hilda, how are your sons doing?” (Name) asked and turned her computer on.

    “Allistor is a troublemaker as always. Last night he managed to get Liam and Dylan to join his shenanigans and they cut Arthur’s hair in his sleep. Lovely thing, waking up to your youngest screaming like he was being murdered,” Hilda chuckled dryly as she passed (Name) a large box containing letters, envelopes, stamps, and glue sticks. “Here, we’re stuck with mailing duties today since the big, big, big boss is coming in today.”

    “Seriously?” (Name) sighed and took the box, dropping it on her desk ungracefully. “I swear, every time we get wind that the head honcho is coming, all the girls downstairs dump their work on us. What’s so special about him anyways?”

    The big, big, big boss hasn’t really come to their sector of the building because the younger girls downstairs keep him busy. Was he that good looking or was he a really nice guy or what? What made this guy so special?

    Elizabeta’s words crossed (Name)’s mind. She hummed to herself as she set to work stuffing the envelopes. It could be possible that Julius was the big, big, big boss if what Elizabeta said was true. She hasn’t met the BBBB before, but knew he was quite powerful and liked visiting the office from time to time to check on his workers. Yet, he never made it passed the first floor. (Name) decided to prepare herself so she wouldn’t be surprised if Julius walked through that door.

    Going to a music station on her computer and putting it at a volume that wouldn’t disturb the other workers, (Name) and Hilda listened to a multitude of celtic songs and classic 70’s music, ‘cause who doesn’t like music from the 70’s? So they sat there, humming to the songs while stuffing, sealing, and stamping envelopes.

    “Look alive people! Look alive! The BBBB is coming, I repeat, the BBBB is coming!” one of their co-workers, a lively Grecian woman named Athanasia, came running through their office, startling everyone by her news.

    She used to work downstairs but was promoted up to their floor around seven months ago. Quite possibly, she might be the only one who knows what the BBBB looks like above the first floor. Of course, she keeps what he looks like a secret to the rest, it’s her method of torture for the rest. On more than one occasion she has lied about his identity just to keep everyone on their toes.

    “The BBBB? He never comes up here!” Hilda protested.

    “Is this another one of your tricks, Athena?” (Name) asked, using the nickname she preferred to go by.

    “I’m not kidding! I was heading up here after I dropped off my little Herc at day care and saw him heading for the stairs with a trail of broken hearts behind him. He’ll be here any minute!” Athena yelled and took off running to her corner desk.

    “What the hell are we supposed to do?” (Name) asked Hilda, who shrugged.

    “Continue working, I guess,” she replied and folded another letter perfectly before shoving it into an envelope. “Do you know his name, or what he looks like?”

    “Not a clue,” (Name) shook her head, deciding to shut off their music just incase the man who held their jobs in his hands didn’t like it. “That’s kind of sad, isn’t it? We don’t even know his name.”

    “Whose name, bella?”

    (Name) jumped at the voice and turned to her right, seeing an all too familiar Italian man leaning against her desk with a smile on his face. From the corner of her eye, she could see Hilda scowling. It unsettled (Name), for Hilda only scowled like that around people who crossed her, royally pissed her off, or were untrustworthy folk.

    “U-Um, what are you doing here, Julius?” (Name) asked, unnerved by her friend’s expression.

    “Why, I came to check on my workers, but I had no idea you worked for my company, bella!” Julius said then looked at Hilda, his smile never faltering. “And you too, Hilda. When was the last time we actually met face to face?”

    “When you didn’t pay your tab at Vortigern’s bar and I paid it for you!” Hilda growled, narrowing her eyes at the handsome man. “You still owe me three hundred dollars, tosser.”

    “Right, right, sorry about that, amica. I had urgent business to attend to,” Julius said with a nervous laugh before returning to (Name). “I think I may have to visit more often now that I know you work here, (Name).”

    “You’re not going to ask me to bear your children again since I’m the mother of your best friends children, blood or not, are you?” (Name) asked with a raised eyebrow and bored tone of voice as she stuffed the envelopes.

    “My apologies, bella, I was just teasing you,” Julius grinned, chuckling a little. “Allow me to make it up to you by taking you out to dinner.”

    “I can’t.”

    “She can’t.”

    “Why is that?” Julius asked the two women before him.

    “It’s my turn to babysit tonight,” (Name) answered, grabbing a glue stick to begin the process of sealing the hundred or so envelopes. “It’s Friday night, which means date night for my friends and they also happen to have kids. So we alternate who stays home to babysit. Not only will I be watching after my boys tonight, but Hilda’s four boys and Gilbert’s brother. I will have eight boys to take care of and I won’t have time for you.”

    “I told Allistor to help you out this time now that he’s fourteen. Can you believe it, (Name)? My oldest is already fourteen!” Hilda said in awe.

    “Four? Since when do you have four boys?” Julius asked, his jaw falling just a bit.

    “Since five years ago when they had to cut me open to get my last son out,” Hilda replied curtly.

    “It has been too long,” Julius mumbled before putting on a charming smile. “Well, (Name), if you’re busy with eight kids, how about I come over to help you watch them? I’ll even bring Feliciano and Lovino!”

    “No thanks, I got them all under control, especially if Allistor is going to help me,” (Name) replied.

    “Pleeeeease (Name)?” Julius whined. It really was a wonder how he could be so serious one moment and childish the next. “I know Feliciano and Lovino would really like to play with other kids their age.”

    “You might as well just accept it, the bastard won’t leave you alone unless you do,” Hilda said and sealed an envelope. “Trust me, he won’t give up once he has his eyes set on something, particularly a woman.”

    “Hey!”

    (Name) sighed and internally debated her options. Eight kids on her own would be handful, even with Allistor’s help. But she really didn’t to deal with him or Afonso or Gaul. Then again, the twins were pretty cute and her sons really wanted to see them again. Maybe they could also get along with the Kirkland boys and Ludwig.

    “. . . Fine, but don’t think too much about it. I just need help with taking care of all the boys,” she said with a defeated sigh and continued to work.

    “I promise you won’t regret it bella!” Julius cheered.

    But as night came, (Name) was slowly regretting her decision. After work, (Name) picked up her sons from the daycare they had at school and drove home where they all cleaned up the house for their coming guests. At five o’clock sharp, Hilda and Vortigern dropped off their sons and Elizabeta and Roderich dropped off Ludwig. The little German boy clung to his brother, quiet as ever, and Arthur clung to (Name), still upset that his once long golden locks were now choppy and uneven.

    “I want you all to behave tonight. We’re having three more people come over,” (Name) said, looking at the boys who were lazing around in the living room, watching whatever was on TV.

    “Who’s coming over, mama?” Antonio asked.

    “Mr. Julius and his grandsons,” she replied.

    “Who’re they?” Liam asked.

    “Some old friends of Ma and Da,” Allistor huffed, looking at (Name) irritably. “Why is that tosser coming over? He’s nothing but trouble!”

    “How do you know?” Dylan asked, squinting his eyes at the older red head.

    “‘Cause I’ve met him before and he was flirting with women left and right and he still hasn’t paid Ma his debt after all these years,” Allistor said then looked (Name) in the eye. “I swear if he tries pulling anything on you, he’s a dead man. You’re way too nice to even be with a man like him.”

    “That’s very sweet of you to say, Allistor, but you don’t have to worry about me, okay?” (Name) asked with a grin and ruffled his messy red hair. “But if you think he’s up to something bad, feel free to stop him at any time.”

    “You hear that, maggots? If that bampot tries anything, we strike!” Allistor exclaimed towards his brothers, Ludwig, Gilbert, Francis, and Antonio.

    “Don’t worry mutti, we won’t let him touch you!” Gilbert said and Antonio and Francis nodded their heads in agreement.

    Before (Name) could calm them down, there was a knock at the door. The children quieted down and stared at the door like a bunch of vultures. (Name) rolled her eyes and smiled at them before walking over to the front door and opening it.

    “Ciao, bella!” Julius greeted the woman before him, carrying Feliciano and Lovino in each arm.

    “Hello, come right on in,” (Name) said and held the door open wider to allow him inside.

    Julius set the boys down and Feliciano immediately dragged his twin over to the other boys in the house. (Name) closed the door and walked passed Julius to the ten boys she would be watching over for the rest of the night with the handsome Italian man.

    “Alright, so what do you boys want to do?” (Name) asked with a pleasant smile.

    “Do you still have the castle in your backyard, (Name)?” Liam asked with wide green eyes.

    “Yes I do, do you all want to play on that while I get dinner ready?” (Name) asked.

    “Yeah! Last one there is a rotten egg!” Dylan yelled and they all ran towards the back door, minus little Arthur, who still clung to (Name)’s legs.

    “Why don’t you go play with them, Arthur?” (Name) asked, picking up the small boy and holding him in her arms.

    “They’ll just make fun of me,” he pouted, unconsciously running a hand through his hair. Hilda and Vortigern must have been too busy today to actually take the time to fix it.

    “Well, how about I fix my your hair for you then you can show it off to the others? . . . I’ll make scones just for you if you let me,” (Name) offered and the boy visibly brightened and nodded his head. “Alright then, Julius, watch the boys while I fix Arthur’s hair.”

    “No problem, bella. Nothing will go wrong under my watchful eye!” Julius said with a grin.

    (Name) walked to the bathroom and switched the lights on. She stood Arthur on the black and white tile bathroom counter then dug through the drawers until she pulled out a pair of scissors and a comb. There had been many times when Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert were younger and they gotten their hands on a pair of scissors so they could play barber shop. By now, (Name) was a pro at fixing children’s murdered hair cuts.

    “Just stay still and it will all be over soon,” (Name) said, running the comb through his hair and began snipping away at it.

    Several minutes later, Arthur had short messy hair. He ran his tiny hands through his blonde hair, observing the new-new haircut from different angles.

    “So what do you think?” (Name) asked, putting the scissors and comb away and sweeping the hair on the counter into the little trash bin.

    “I like it longer but this is okay too,” Arthur said. looking at his reflection.

    “Okay, now run along and go play with the other boys,” the plump woman said and set him on the ground.

    He took off running but (Name) took her own pace following the younger boy. She watched Arthur run out into the backyard where an old wooden castle was. (Name) had built it several years ago with her own hands when her sons complained about how their neighbor had a plastic house in their backyard and they wanted one. Needless to say, it was a huge pain, but (Name) did it all for her boys and she couldn’t have been happier when she saw their smiling faces when they saw the finished masterpiece. Sometimes, it was a good thing to have been raised by a father who liked to tinker and build contraptions.

    It had two towers around Julius’s height, a “throne” room with no ceiling, a bridge connecting the two towers over the throne room, and a broken drawbridge that could no longer close. Though it wasn’t perfect, all the boys loved it. They were climbing all over it. Francis stood in one tower, yelling in his limited French at Allistor, who stood in the throne room, wearing a crown woven from some bendy branches (Name) collected and made half a year ago. Gilbert was “sword” fighting with Antonio against Dylan and Liam, using a pair of sticks they found lying in the yard. Lovino stood in the other tower, trying to push Feliciano down the steps so he had it all to himself. Arthur ran out and picked up a toy bow and arrow and started launching the arrows at Allistor. Julius sat back and watched them play, chuckling every now and then.

    (Name) smiled to herself before walking back into the kitchen, prepared to make a meal for an army only to be interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Huffing, (Name) walked over to the phone and answered it.

    “Hello, (Name) speaking,” she answered.

    “Hi Ms. (Last name), it’s Yao,” came the voice of the teenager who lived just down the street.

    “Is everything alright, Yao?” (Name) asked, biting her lip in worry.

    Yao was barely nineteen years old and was the sole guardian of his younger siblings after their parents passed away the previous year. (Name) had given him her number in case he ever needed her help if he was feeling overwhelmed or if he had a problem with the children that he couldn’t handle himself. Occasionally (Name) would look after his siblings if he had an important test to take or when his job got in the way.

    “My professor changed the deadline for our fifteen page report to midnight tonight and I only have six pages done! If it’s not a lot of trouble, could you watch my brothers and sisters?” Yao asked, sounding a little desperate.

    “Well, I actually have the Kirkland boys, Ludwig, and two others as well as my three sons. How about you have them sleepover and you can have the whole night to yourself?” (Name) asked, looking through the cupboards in her kitchen to see if she had enough food despite the shopping she did earlier this morning. Yong-Soo, however small he may be, could eat like a grown man.

    “Are you sure? I don’t want to burden you, aru,” Yao said, sounding unsure.

    “They’re not going to spend the night, so it will be fine. I’ll be over in a few to pick them up, okay?” (Name) asked.

    “Well, alright. See you then, Ms. (Last name),” Yao said.

    (Name) hung up the phone, shoving it into her pocket, and hurried to grab her coat. She wandered out to the backyard and caught Julius’s attention.

    “I’m running to a neighbors house down the street and picking up five kids. Stay here and watch the others, okay?” (Name) asked but didn’t wait for a response as she ran back through the house and to the front door.

    She swung the door open and froze in her steps. Standing in front of her was Gaul, his hand raised to knock on the door. They stared at each other before (Name) narrowed her eyes and sidestepping the Frenchman, closing the odor behind her. She would have asked how he knew where she lived, but then she remembered his letters.

    “What are you doing here?” (Name) asked instead in monotone.

    “Please, (Name), I just want to talk with you and our son,” Gaul began but silenced himself when his former lover raised her hand to stop him.

    “Francis is my son, not ours. I raised him on my own. The only thing you’re helping with is sending checks for not only Francis’s but Antonio’s and Gilbert’s college funds. Besides,” (Name) hesitated to repeat Francis’s words from the other day. “. . . He wants nothing to do with you.”

    “But (Name)-”

    “Gaul.”

    He took a sharp intake of breath. It was the first time he heard (Name) say his name in years and it was like sweet music to his ears. But to (Name), it was weird saying his name out loud. This was the man who tore her heart out and abandoned her in her time of need. It surprised her how civilly she spoke to him. She always imagined that if their paths crossed again, she would scream at him, slap him, something to make him feel the pain he left her with. But her mind was clear and her voice was even. After all these years, he may only send the occasional letter and check, but he became nothing more than just another handsome face in the crowd to her.

    “I don’t think either of us can love you,” (Name) mumbled and took a glance at the father of her eldest son. “What you did is completely unforgivable, especially what you did to Francis.”

    “But . . . I’ve never met our son before this week,” Gaul said softly, hiding the pain from (Name)’s words.

    “Exactly. Instead of staying around, you abandoned me and Francis. When he was just a tot, he would constantly ask me where his papa was. Do you know how much it hurts to tell your own son that his father won’t ever come home?” (Name) asked, noticing how the blonde Frenchman flinched. “Those letters and checks you send . . . they feel like you’re trying to keep me quiet so I don’t go blabbing about how you had an illegitimate child with a foreign woman.”

    “No, mon ami! That’s not what they were meant for. I-I . . .” Gaul struggled with his words, running a hand through his loose silver blonde hair and sighed. “. . . I was engaged to be married when we met so my family’s company could merge with another powerful business and create strong connections.”

    . . .

    “You WHAT!” (Name) shrieked, eyes wide.

    “Please calm down, mon ami!” Gaul pleaded, but (Name) felt she was on the verge of a panic attack.

    When they had been together, Gaul never talked much about his past. He mentioned a few times that his family was rather wealthy and they weren’t exactly on good terms. But not once did he mention being engaged.

    “You were ENGAGED when we were TOGETHER! Oh god, I’m a homewrecker. I’m a HOMEWRECKER!” (Name) yelled.

    “No, no, no, mon ami! I hardly knew the woman I was to be engaged with, so you see, you didn’t ruin anything,” Gaul said quickly with a nervous chuckle.

    “You moved to an entirely different country and I became pregnant with your child. How is that not ruining anything?” (Name) asked, raising an eyebrow.

    “Those were my choices. I wanted to be with you, (Name). I loved you and the moment you told me you were pregnant, I couldn’t be any happier! I wanted to marry you and raise our son together!” Gaul yelled, his voice laced thickly with emotions he tried to keep in check. “But . . . I also wanted my parents to know they were going to be grandparents. I called them . . . and they told me if I didn’t come back to France, they would do all they could to ruin you and Francis. I was to keep out of contact with you, but I managed to send the occasional letter when they weren’t breathing down my neck.

    “(Name) . . . I loved you and I still do and I’m sorry for what I did, but I did it to keep you and Francis safe,” Gaul said softly, his impossibly blue eyes glazing over.

    (Name) shook and stared at Gaul with wide eyes. She inhaled sharply before letting it out slowly.

    “You . . . you idiot! I don’t care if they would have ruined me financially or blackmailed me or whatever, I wanted to be with you! I wanted us to be a family but with you gone, I was just a single mother. With you gone, I had to be the mother and the father for Francis and later Antonio and Gilbert. But maybe . . . maybe it was for the best you went back to France. With you gone, I was able to give birth to my sweet little Antonio and we found Gilbert and Ludwig when they were so small . . . with you gone, even though it was hard, I was able to be the mother of two other beautiful boys,” (Name) sighed and turned around. “I advise you not to show your face to Francis. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”

    “Let me give you a ride then, mon ami,” Gaul said softly.

    “It’s just a few houses down. Thanks for the offer,” (Name) said tiredly.

    She walked away from her house and her former lover and towards Yao’s house. Gaul’s words spun around her mind like a vicious hurricane. This was starting to sound like an even cheesier soap opera than the novelas Antonio likes to watch. Hey, if she managed to run into Afonso on the way to Yao’s house or on the way back, she would have hit the trifecta.

    (Name) walked up to the small house and knocked on it a few times. There were shouts and squeals from the other side and a minute later, the door flung open and five little children launched themselves at (Name). Cam and Mei, four year olds, each held one of (Name)’ hands and while the little Taiwanese girl had a cheery smile on her cute face, Cam’s face was void of any emotion, much like Kiku and Leon. Leon, another four year old, was grabbing onto the hem of her coat. Yong-Soo, the youngest of the bunch at three-years-old, had a wide grin on his face and hopped up and down in front of (Name), raising his arms and telling her he wanted to be lifted. Kiku, a small six year old Japanese boy, stood off to the side of Yong-Soo, carrying his small backpack that (Name) remembered buying for him for his first year of kindergarten. They each wore a backpack, probably carrying pajamas, clothes for tomorrow, their toothbrushes, and any toys they might have stuffed in them.

    “Thank you so much, Ms. (Last name),” Yao said, his long hair disheveled and bags under his eyes. “I don’t know how I can repay you, aru.”

    “You’re a freshman in college, Yao. If you need any help, you know you can just give me a call,” (Name) said with a smile.

    “Thank you again, Ms. (Last name),” Yao said with a grateful smile.

    After a chorus of goodbyes, they left. After a switch of arrangements, (Name) carried Yong-Soo with one arm, who used her bosom as a pillow and had his tiny hands grasping her coat, Mei still held (Name)’s hand skipped next to her, and that left Cam, Leon, and Kiku to walk in front of them.

    All of them, including Yao, were adopted by their late parents. They couldn’t bear their own children, so the next best thing was to adopt. They adopted Yao when he was ten and lived happily together before deciding to adopt more children so Yao could have siblings. It took years going through all the legal documents and processes, raising al the money for adopting, but they managed to adopt Kiku, a newborn when he was adopt from Japan, Leon, two when he was adopted from Hong Kong, then came Mei from Taiwan and Cam from Vietnam. Lastly, Yong-Soo was adopted from South Korea.

    Each time a new baby was brought home, their family would host a welcome home party and (Name) remembers going to each one with Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert. She stopped by whenever she was invited over, but they weren’t really a huge factor in her life until they became orphaned and Yao was left to take care of them. Now it seemed like at least once a week (Name) would stop by to see how they were doing, if they had enough food and money. If they didn’t, (Name) would consult her sons and once given the okay, would give them their newest check from Gaul. Yao was always hesitant to accept them but he had to put the needs of his siblings first so he would always accept them and to show his gratitude, cooked fine (and cheap) cuisine he learned when he attended World W Academy.

    “Tell us a story, (Name)!” Yong-Soo exclaimed suddenly.

    “Oh yeah? Like what?” (Name) asked, a smile playing on her lips.

    “The story with you!” Mei said and tugged on (Name)’s hand. “What happened with all the strange men?”

    (Name) smiled a little. The day after her little encounter with Julius, Afonso, and Gaul, she stopped by their home to check on how things were going. They roped her into telling a story, as they usually do, and (Name) told them of earlier in the week and meeting her old boyfriend and Antonio’s father in a more kid friendly way.

    “Well, Julius and his grandsons are at the house now so you’ll be able to meet them,” (Name) said but Mei and Yong-Soo shook their heads.

    “Tell us, da-ze!” the little Korean boy demanded, earning a giggle from (Name).

    “Alright, alright, just calm down there, little man. As I said, Julius and his grandsons are at my house. I found out just this morning he’s the head of the company I work for and kind of begged me into helping me babysit the others tonight. Remember Gaul?” (Name) asked.

    “Franny’s abeoji?” Yong-Soo asked.

    “Yes. Well, just before I came to get you five, he showed up at my house,” (Name) said then chuckled when Mei gasped.

    “What did you do?” Mei asked.

    “I . . . wasn’t too friendly I guess. But I told him the truth and I guess he told me the reason why he left in the first place. I think that’s enough for now, and don’t start whining, we’re already here,” (Name) said, setting Yong-Soo on the ground as the group walked up the driveway and into the relatively small two-story house.

    “But why did he leave, (Name)? If he says he loves you, why did he leave?” Cam asked, setting her backpack by the door along with her siblings.

    “Maybe if you guys are good, I’ll tell you the rest as a bedtime story.Now run along, everyone else is in the backyard playing on the castle,” (Name) stated.

    The siblings ran towards the back door and (Name) made her way back to the kitchen to work on dinner. The tough part was deciding what to make. Now that she had five more mouths to feed, and picky eaters at that too, (Name) was a little stumped on what to make. She rummaged her cupboards and refrigerator, pulling out a variety of meat, vegetables, noodles, rice, sauces, spices, and bouillon cubes. Dinner wouldn’t take too long to make if she cooked on high and fast and those kids could get pretty impatient.

    “Alrighty then, let’s get to work,” (Name) muttered to herself, throwing off her coat and onto a nearby hanger.

    For the next hour and a half, (Name) ran around her small kitchen, cooking rice, boiling noodles, frying meat, baking vegetables, and making broth on her poor, poor stove. Occasionally she would stop for a breather every now and then, getting glimpses of the backyard through the window in the kitchen. She didn’t know when it happened, but the kids managed to drag Julius into their game. They reformed it so it was the Kirkland siblings, Francis, Gilbert, and Antonio  v. the Wang siblings, Feliciano, Lovino, and Julius. Arthur was the wizard king of the castle and was waging war against Kiku, a king from a foreign land. The rest were the soldiers fighting for their kingdom who would actually take hostages. So far Dylan captured Leon and Julius helped Cam capture Antonio. Just as Allistor and Gilbert were going to clash with Mei, Cam, and Yong-Soo, (Name) stepped out into the backyard.

    “Dinners ready everyone. Youngest to oldest, I already set the table up,” (Name) said.

    “Time out!” Arthur cried out.

    (Name) was swarmed by thirteen children, Allistor carrying the youngest ones who probably would have been trampled if he hadn’t picked them up. Julius chuckled at the sight and stood next to (Name), watching the children scurry over the the table. Feliciano stuck close to Kiku and Ludwig, a found friendship blooming between the three, and Antonio stayed close to Lovino, including him in conversations whether he wanted to or not.

    “They sure are a rambunctious group, bella,” Julius commented with a grin as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel so old after playing with them.”

    “You get used to it after awhile. So where do you feel like sitting? The kitchen or the living room? By the look of it, the kids want to sit at the table,” (Name) said, nodding her head towards the table where there was a minimum of two kids sharing a chair, all of whom were talking very loudly.

    “The kitchen sounds nice, bella,” Julius said and gestured for (Name) to lead the way.

    They stopped by the table to fill up their own plate of their choice of food before heading into the kitchen.

    “So, what made you go up passed the first floor?” (Name) asked nonchalantly before taking a bite of her food.

    “S-scusami?” Julius coughed, choking a little on his mouthful of pasta.

    “In all my time working at the business firm, not once have I heard of your name and we had no idea what the president looked like. If it weren’t for the girls downstairs and Athena, we probably thought you were just something made up to increase productivity on the rest of the floors. So why the sudden change?” (Name) asked.

    Julius sighed before grinning sheepishly. “When I met you, your name was very familiar. So I may have done a little research and found out you worked for my company. Feliciano and Lovino just adored you and wanted to meet you again. Believe me when I say that it’s the highest compliment you could get, especially from Lovino! It’s very hard for mio nipote to warm up to people, which I admit is partly my fault, but he didn’t even curse at you!”

    “So you visited me so I could meet Feliciano and Lovino again?” (Name) asked, raising a brow. “What if I hadn’t told you I was babysitting tonight? I clearly recall you trying to ask me out to dinner.”

    “Alright, so maybe I wanted to see you too, but it doesn’t change the impression you left on my grandsons!” Julius said, a rather handsome smile on his face as he leaned towards (Name) with a gleam in his eyes. “I would love it if I could visit you more often, tesoro.”

    “Have you heard of personal space?” (Name) inquired, taking a step back. It was only then she noticed how quiet the children were being. “I’m sorry, but you really should stop now. If you continue to do whatever you’re doing, I cannot be liable to any damage to your person.”

    Over the years, (Name) learned that when Allistor was determined to protect her from “bad” men, he was like a hitman with an army of little kids. Hilda would tease her oldest son, saying he had a little crush on (Name). Of course he would get embarrassed and yell incomprehensible words in the thickest Scottish accent known to man. But (Name) couldn’t deny the fact he was insanely protective, he was up there with her own sons. So that meant any man who was either A) mean to the woman or B) showed some interest in her, they were in for a world of pain.

    “Please, (Name),” Julius said smoothly and cupped one of her hands between his larger ones. “It would mean the world-”

    “He’s touching mutti!” Gilbert shouted.

    “Attack Formation HM!” Allistor yelled.

    (Name) sighed and tugged her hand away from Julius. “Don’t fire me, I gave you a fair warning.”

    “Cosa?”

    Allistor, his brothers, Gilbert, Antonio, Francis, and Ludwig jumped up from the table and ran towards the kitchen. They all jumped on Julius, trying to tackle him to the ground but he was a surprisingly sturdy man. There was a mixture of shouts in numerous different languages as the kids constantly tried to throw Julius off balance. (Name) shook her head and sighed before wandering over to the dinner table and taking Allistor’s seat at the head.

    “Why are they attacking nonno?” Feliciano asked in a watery voice as tears filled his eyes.

    “Oh, sweetheart, don’t cry,” (Name) said softly, reaching over the table and smoothing his hair.

    “It’s a normal thing, you get used to it,” Leon said casually with a shrug.

    “Yeah, they’re really protective of Ms. (Name) and they like to beat up guys who are meanies to her or if they like-like her,” Mei added with a giggle just as Julius was finally taken down to the floor.

    “Ha! They don’t stand a chance against nonno! He’s the strongest man ever and he’ll kick their butts!” Lovino declared loudly, making (Name) giggle.

    “Hilda wouldn’t like finding bruises on her boys and neither would I. Now, how about we finish up dinner and leave them be, okay?” (Name) suggested.