“Mommy!” “Mommy!” I felt myself being shaken and I groaned. “What do you boys need?” I asked sleepily. I looked over at my sons. They were 3 year old twin boys.

Both had light brown hair, pale skin, and muddy eyes. They looked exactly like my boyfriend, their father. “Breakfast,” they said at the same time, rubbing their stomach hungrily.

I sat up, stretched, and rubbed my eyes. “Where’s daddy?” I asked. “He’s with grandma,” the older one, Shawn, said. “Grandma” was actually their father’s grandma. Their real grandma was an abusive bitch. I would never let the boys near her.

“Alright, alright, alright. Let’s go. What do you want?” I asked, forcing myself to get up. “Pancakes!” Shawn said eagerly. I nodded and picked him up. “Do you want pancakes Shane?” I asked the younger twin.

He nodded and impatiently reached for my hand. I let him hold it as we made our way downstairs to I could make them breakfast. I set Shawn down after releasing Shane’s hand and began to make the batter.

“Morning Ali,” my boyfriend, Ben, said as he came in. He looked dead tired, like always. Ben worked incredibly hard to make money so we could move out of his dad’s house into an apartment. He was considering community college so that he could get a good job.

“Hi Ben,” I said with a smile. I kissed his lips before going back to breakfast. “Morning kids,” Ben said with a small smile. “Good morning daddy!” Shawn said with a bright smile. Ben ruffled his hair and hugged him.

“Where’s Shane?” he asked curiously, looking around the kitchen. I frowned and looked down. “On my leg,” I said. He was tightly clutching my leg. I knelt down and brushed his hair out of his face. I frowned even deeper and pressed my hand to his forehead.

“Ben, can you get Shawn breakfast? I’m going to take Shane’s temperature. His head feels really warm.” Ben frowned and came over. He pressed his hand to Shane’s forehead. He pulled it away and kissed Shane before standing up. “Alright,” he said, nodding.

I picked Shane up and carried him to the bathroom. I grabbed the thermometer and placed it under his tongue. I gave it a little before pulling it out of his mouth and sighing. “Come on Shane, you can go lay down for a little okay?” I asked softly. He whimpered and placed his head on my shoulder. I kissed him and brought him into his room.

I placed him in his bed and stroked his cheek. “Call for me if you need anything. I’ll check on you,” I said and left his room.

“Well?” Ben asked anxiously as I walked downstairs. “101.2,” I said, shaking my head sadly. Ben sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll go get him some Tylenol for now and we can take him to the doctor’s if it doesn’t go down a little by tomorrow.” I nodded in agreement and sat down with Shawn as Ben left the house.

***Ben’s POV***

I left and made my way to Wal-Mart to get Tylenol for Shane. Maybe I would get the adult kind for myself. I felt like I was getting sick lately. Maybe it was just a combination of stress and lack of sleep. Plus I didn’t eat right anymore.

Maybe I’d pick up a pack of cigarettes for myself. NO! I groaned. I couldn’t waste my money on that shit anymore. I would just stop at my friend Chris’s house and smoke a little. I had been doing that ever since the twins were born.

Ali didn’t want me smoking near the boys. She thought I had quit smoking. I had for a little while but then I realized I was stressing too much to give it up.

I pulled into the parking lot and got out of my car. I made my way into Wal-Mart and grabbed some Tylenol for Shane. I paid for it and went outside. I began to head back to my car.

“Hello Benjamin.” My heart stopped and I froze. A voice. A familiar, female voice. A girl that had tried to break Ali and I up when she was pregnant. A girl that still wanted me. A girl that would do anything to split Ali and I up.

A girl named Jenny.