Two Women

My two girls just kept staring at us with this 'are you kidding us' look.

"OK, all of you, its really our decision, and we aren't positive, yet. We just wanted your input."

Over the following few weeks, we didn't lack for trying. Each and every opportunity we had, we were keeping in practice.

After a very entertaining few weeks, Connie showed me her empty box of pills and asked, "yes or no" to start the next box.

"No, lets live dangerously!"

It too another four months to finally get an idea that we just might have an addition coming to our family.

Just to make sure, we waited for one more missed period before we visited her doctor.

Sure enough, we were going to add to our family, in about six months, give or take. And we didn't want to know the sex. We just weren't fussy.

All during the following six months, both my girls paid very close attention to all the changes Connie was going through. Even with this being her third child, it had been over fourteen years since Darnell was born.

Her biggest complaint was the need for a few bushel baskets for her boobs, they got so big.

This in itself was new territory for me, because even with our two girls, Brenda hardly needed a bigger bra.

I had to re-learn everything about dealing with a pregnant wife. Mood swings. Food cravings. Finding a comfortable sleeping position. And so on.

Yes, our sex life tapered off, dramatically, but I didn't really care.

Between work, and the other kids in our very busy house, the time was flying by.

One thing that helped is we got Korista her drivers license, and found a fairly reliable car from our police confiscation lot. Yes, we had it checked out, and she felt comfortable driving it. She proved to both of us to be mature and responsible in all that she needed to be.

As luck would have it, just as I was getting ready for work, and the kids were getting ready for school, child number three, or five, depending on your counting system, decided to let us know who he/she was.

It took nearly two hours of serious labor before Daniel Jaxson Harris made his appearance. Nearly eight and a half pounds and twenty inches long, he was a picture of health. What little hair he had was a very light shade of brown.

We knew right away that he would be Danny, right off the bat.

All four kids couldn't wait to see their newest brother. Wait, five kids, counting Charlene. She was walking all over the house, and making all sorts of noises, which included some words we all could understand.

Getting our newest addition home the next morning, all three of the middle kids couldn't wait to tell their school friends about Danny. They even snapped a picture, or two on their phones to show him off.

I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate at work, so I took some well deserved time off.

I worked twice as hard at home than I would have working, but home was far more rewarding.

I even remembered how to change a diaper, with Connie reminding me the difference changing a little boy, as opposed to the girls I'd changed, many years in the past.

As Korista was nearing her eighteenth birthday, we started allowing Hector to take her out on dates. We trusted her judgment enough to know what our limitations were.

Both she and Hector knew there wasn't going to be a little brother or sister for Charlene in the foreseeable future.

With our life continuing to get better, we all adapted to our more than hectic home life. With four teenagers, plus a toddler and a newborn, nothing was done quietly at the Harris/Nichols house.

Here was a family of biracial kids, white kids and black kids, all living under one roof.

Sure, we had our arguments, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Show me a house with eight people living in it without arguments, and I'll show you a fantasy house.

As Janet and Darnell were starting their senior year of high school, they asked us if we could have a serious discussion.

"Dad, and mom, would it be possible if Darnell and I possibly could date? We mean date each other."

Talk about being blindsided, and, yes my girls had started calling Connie mom.

"Is their anything going on we should know about?"

"No, dad, nothing like that. Its just we've become very good friends."

Connie and I just looked at each other, and we really couldn't think of any reason to say no.

"Its OK with us, as long as you both know what you're getting yourselves in to."

"We do, and its nothing we haven't heard already, living in the same house." my daughter told us.

One evening, while not hearing a single noise, I turned to my wife and asked if we were finished having kids.

"I truly think we are, you old man" which she said with a mile wide grin.

Just then, Danny decided he was done napping, and most likely wet.

Getting him changed and fed, I held him on my shoulder and asked if he thought he needed any more brothers or sisters.

Both my girls were just coming into the living room, having finished their homework, and started laughing.

"Any more, and we'd need to buy a deserted hotel, or something," they both said.

With two of our kids graduating high school, they both got accepted to Eastern Washington State University, in Cheney, just west of Spokane.

Janet wanted to major in accounting, while Darnell surprised both of us and wanted to major in education.

Lindsey was starting her final year of high school, and Charlene and Danny were just joys to be around.

Korista and Hector started dating, and I did remind him that I carried a hand gun. This I said with a smirk, that he understood. He had best be on his best behavior. Or else.

To be on the safe side, Connie took Korista to her doctor and started her on a reliable birth control method.

"You know, Korista, just because you have those pills, doesn't give you free reign to test their reliability."

"I know, mom, Charlene is more than enough for me, right now."

Approaching the ripe old age of forty, I was promoted to Assistant Police Chief, that seemed more political than law enforcement. I did keep my hand in the police end of things, making sure to keep my police force running smooth.

I also was very aware of how all five of our kids were doing, as well.

We couldn't have been more proud of Korista, getting a job as a secretary with a medium sized law firm in town. She and Hector are getting very serious, with him working at a large auro repair shop, and starting to talk about marriage.

They were already living together, with Charlene, so our house was a bit quieter.

Danny was doing his best to turn my hair a little grayer, each day, finding more ways to get into mischief.

My love for Connie keeps growing with each passing day, causing me to sit back and reflect on my 'Two Women'

I won't tell you our life is perfect, but its as good as we both make it.