CHAPTER 16

Michael's POV:

The sun came out to play today which only means it is a great day to take my girls to the beach. It was like a pre-birthday outing, I just wanted to do something special for them before the actual birthday party. 

Of course, the girls were both so happy to hear about the beach, their mum had put them in their best dresses and had gladly handed them over to me so she could have her alone time for some while before they came back. 

The drive to the beach was so much fun, I had played the best of Shawn Mendes's songs all through and the girls seemed to be obsessed with Shawn Mendes. 

I had invited Marie to tag along but she bailed saying she had to plan the birthday party since it was fast approaching.

 I had packed up food to eat at the beach, cheeseburgers and cupcakes with sandwiches. On getting to the beach, the girls ran around like they were birds that had just been set free. 

I went ahead to set up our space for the picnic while keeping an eye on the twins so they wouldn't get close to the beach under my watch. I had begun to sit down so I could watch them from afar but Jada came to drag me towards, trying to convince me to make Sandcastles with them.

 I made beautiful Sandcastles and we took pictures. By the time we were done people had begun to leave the beach because it was getting late, We packed up and headed home. 

My phone rang and I picked it up, it was Marie that was calling. She begged me if the girls could sleep over at my side because she had suddenly had a serious migraine and would love to just sleep all through without worrying about the kids. I told her no problem and told the girls they wouldn't be going home but crashing at my place.

 Jada was excited but Jasmine kept on asking why and if something was wrong with their mum. I had to convince them both that it was nothing and that by morning they would be back home. 

On getting to my apartment, I made them dinner and when we were done, I asked them what they wanted to do but couldn't decide on anything.

 I realized I got a karaoke machine a week before so we did some karaoke and had the best time of my life. 

Jada and Jasmine began to bicker back and forth on who was the best artist between Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth. I just stared at both of them and laughed as they continued to argue. 

When it went on for hours and they weren't going to be stopping anytime soon, I packed up the karaoke machine and put on a movie for them. 

That was another issue because Jada wanted to watch Encanto while Jasmine wanted to watch Moana.

 I couldn't pick a side because that obviously led to a grudge so I picked a whole different animation which was the secret life of pets.

 Of course, it made them upset but as I watched, they realized it was a funny movie. They laughed throughout the movie and by the time the movie was done they were pleased to watch another one and insisted I pick it. 

I chose Boss Baby and it was another hilarious movie for the girls. By the time the movie ended, Jada was fast asleep and Jasmine just laid on my arm.

 I had thought she had slept off until when I wanted to stand up and she asked why I hadn't been in their life from the onset. She told me she would be happy if I was staying with them and we were one big happy family. 

After saying that she slept off and I struggled to carry them both to where they would be sleeping. As I set my blankets to the couch, I heard a knock on the door and I began to wonder and get worried about who could show up at the front of my door in the middle of the night.

 I took a baseball bat while making my way towards the door, I opened the door quietly and by the time I opened the door, I found out it was Sam.

 He looked like he had just been involved in a fight, he had bruises all over and blood all over his face. "Help…. Help me" he said before he passed out in my arms. 

I quickly slammed the door and struggled to get him onto the couch while making a silent prayer so the girls wouldn't wake up and find a dying man with blood lying on the couch in the middle of the night. 

I took out my first aid box and started to treat him and put bandages on all his bruises. It took him about two hours before he could wake up. 

He woke up startled like he just woke up from a nightmare. I had to calm him down and ask him what exactly happened but he wouldn't talk. 

 He just insisted that nothing happened and I shouldn't make a big deal out of it but I kept on asking him if he had joined a gang or something that he should talk to me about.

 He got angry and was heading for the door to leave but I just told him that he could sleep over and that it was already in the middle of the night and it wouldn't be safe to go out there.

 I promised him I wouldn't ask him again but he could sleep on the couch and first thing tomorrow morning he could leave.

 He seemed to want to resist at first but then he changed his mind and made his way towards the couch. 

I took some blankets from my room and used that opportunity to check on the twins to see if they were still fast asleep and they were. 

I quietly jammed their door and made my way to the sitting room to lie down on the floor with my blankets to make myself more comfortable. As I closed my eyes to sleep I heard Sam mutter thank you and then I dozed off