Denial is the Way

What Ender does when Nevan goes to work:

Ender took the twins to the park, putting them in a stroller as he wheeled them around the track. The park was new for the twins as they looked at everything they could see. 

 

The stroller had a cover that blocked the sun from them. However, some spots were clear so that the twins could look out of them and Ender could look inside at them. 

 

He put the cover over them as he could hear the babies babbling, talking to each other. 

 

Ender smiled, "Are you enjoying the outside?" 

 

The twins made a few more noises. 

 

"Better than me; I don't like being outside most of the time," Ender responded with a sigh. 

 

He is at the park by himself since Nevan had to go to work today. Ender was a bit bored at home as he video called his mother so that she could see her grandbabies while giving Ender some company. 

 

She is the one that suggested going to the park for the twins and letting them experience more of the outside world. 

 

Ender agreed even though he did not want to go. But if it is for his babies, he will do anything for them. 

 

He walked them around the track for a few more minutes before making his way towards a bench, sitting down as he put the stroller in front of him. 

 

He pulled out a water bottle, drinking half of the content before leaving it on the table as he looked at the twins. The twins had toys with them as they held onto them. Vera and Emil looked back at Ender, babbling some more. 

 

Ender picked up the cover, taking it off as he picked up the pacifiers hooked to the twins' shirts and put them in their mouths. The twins automatically started sucking on them. 

 

"Are you two hungry again?" Ender asked. 

 

The twins only sucked on their pacifiers in response. 

 

Ender pulled out his phone, checking the time as he saw that there were still two hours before Nevan's lunch break. He put his phone away, looking back at the twins. 

 

"Okay. Let's get in the car, and I can take you two somewhere to eat." 

 

Ender put the cover back over them as he grabbed his water bottle, putting it on the side of the stroller. Then, he pushed the stroller to the car, opening the car doors as he put the babies in their car seats. 

 

He closed the doors, opening the trunk as he took apart the stroller and put it in the back. Once he finished, he got into the car and started driving them to a restaurant. 

 

It took about twenty minutes to reach the place as he parked his car close to the entrance. Then, he pulled out his phone and pulled up the restaurant's site so he could order some food.

 

He is going to have them deliver the food to the car. 

 

Before he started the order, Ender got out of the car, moving to the backseat to sit with the twins. He sat in the middle of them before reaching for the twins' bag and pulling out baby food. 

 

Since they reached four months, Ender wanted to try baby food on them. 

 

He had organic banana blueberry baby food. Ender opened it as he pulled out a spoon to use. "Who wants to try the food first?" Ender asked. 

 

Emil's pacifier fell out of his mouth, so Ender took that as a response.

He dipped the spoon inside the baby food, only taking a small scoop as he put the spoon towards Emil's mouth. 

 

At first, Emil stared at the food, making Ender wonder if he should have made some bottles when Emil opened his mouth. 

 

Ender gently stuck the spoon in his mouth as Emil took the food off the spoon. 

 

Vera watched the whole time, her pacifier falling from her mouth as she opened it. Ender, seeing Vera opening her mouth, laughed, "Okay. Okay. I'm coming, Vera." 

 

He took another small scoop and fed Vera. 

 

They both must have liked the baby food because they kept opening their mouths, wanting more. 

 

Ender fed them the whole jar, closing it when there was no more. "All done." He said. 

 

Emil and Vera looked at the jar with frowns on their faces. 

 

Setting the empty jar down with the spoon, Ender went back on his phone, looking through the restaurant's menu as he ordered some food for him and Nevan. 

 

Once he finished ordering, Ender paid from his phone as he sent the order. 

 

He waited for the order to finish preparing itself as he stayed in the back playing with the twins. 

 

He pulled a book out that talked about different colors. Opening it, Ender started to point at the colors, showing the twins. 

 

"This color is red," Ender pointed at the red square in the book before touching Vera's socks and Emil's beanie, "these are also red." 

 

The twins watched Ender's hand before Vera reached for her socks and Emil his beanie. "Oh." They spoke. 

 

Ender nodded, "Yep, it is red." 

 

Then he went to the other page with the color green on it, "Look, this is green. Can you show me what else has green?" 

 

Vera looked at the socks on her feet then back to the book. Taking a more prolonged glance while making some babbling noises, she looked at her shirt with pictures of trees that had green leaves. She slapped the tree.

 

"Ah!" She yelled. 

 

"Good job, Vera!" Ender praised. 

 

Emil looked at Vera, then at his shirt. But his shirt did not have any green on it. But, the pacifier hooked on his shirt is green. So, Emil touched the pacifier, grabbing it. It seemed like he wanted to take it off, but the pacifier wouldn't come off. 

 

"Good job, Emil!" Ender praised. "You two are so smart." 

 

He continued to read the book to them, moving back to the beginning when he finished. He wanted the twins to pay attention to the shapes this time. 

 

Thirty minutes passed when Ender's phone dinged, indicating that his food was ready and someone was coming to deliver it. 

 

"Book time is over, little ones." He told the twins as he stepped out of the backseat and made his way to the driver's seat. 

 

Someone arrived, delivering the food as Ender thanked them when he grabbed the food, driving away. 

 

The bag of food sat in the passenger seat as Ender drove to Nevan's company. 

 

When he reached the building, Ender drove into the parking garage, looking for Nevan's car. Once he saw it, he parked next to the man. No one would say anything since the spot is reserved for Nevan and Ender. 

 

He stepped out of the car, opening the back seat as he pulled out two carriers. He unstrapped Vera, putting her into the carrier. Ender did the same for Emil. 

 

Vera sat in the front while Emil was on the back of him. 

 

He picked up the twins' bag, closing the doors. Ender opened the passenger door to get the food, closing and locking the car doors right after. 

 

Walking to the elevator in the parking garage, Ender hit the button to the top floor. 

 

It took close to a minute as he stepped through, making his way to Nevan's office. The workers would glance at him before going back to work. 

 

Ender stopped by the secretary's desk, who typed on the computer, only to stop when he looked up and saw Ender. 

 

"Ah, Mr. Long, good to see you. And congrats on the twins." The secretary spoke. 

 

The twins made noises of acknowledgment since they recognized the word 'twin.' 

 

"Thank you. Can you tell Nevan I'm here?" 

 

The secretary pushed a button, calling Nevan. 

 

"Yes?" Nevan answered. 

 

"Mr. Long and your babies are here." The secretary responded. 

 

"Tell En to come in." 

 

The secretary let go of the button, getting ready to say something, but Ender was already walking to the door, waving thanks at him. 

 

Ender opened Nevan's office door, closing it behind him. 

 

Nevan got up from his chair, walking towards his couch to sit down. Ender joined him, taking Vera off him as he handed her to Nevan. He then brought Emil to the front. Ender also set the food on the table and the bag on the ground. 

 

"This is a pleasant surprise." Nevan smiled. 

 

"Don't act like we don't surprise you when you have to go to work," Ender responded. "Is that right, Emil and Vera?" 

 

"Ah!" They yelled like they were agreeing. 

 

Nevan chuckled, taking Vera out of the carrier as he sat her up on his lap. Vera started touching her sock like she was trying to tell Nevan something. 

 

Nevan raised his eyebrow. 

 

"I was teaching them color. Vera is trying to show you her red sock." Ender answered as he took Emil out of the carrier, sitting him in his lap. 

 

Nevan touched Vera's sock, tapping it, "Did you learn the color red, Vera? That is amazing." 

 

Vera smiled before slapping the tree on her shirt. 

 

"The color green too?" Nevan asked Ender. 

 

Ender was opening the bag of food as he started separating it, "Yep." 

 

Emil did not feel like showing off as he relaxed in Ender's hold, observing his fingers. 

 

"That's awesome, Vera." Nevan continued to praise. Vera tried to show off more colors, but Ender stopped her. 

 

"Vera, let daddy eat first, then you can show him later." 

 

Vera tilted her head before touching her sock again. Ender shook his head at her. 

 

"You know how Vera is." Nevan laughed. 

 

"Hopefully, she won't be like this when she gets older," Ender responded. "Now, eat your food. You don't have that much time for a lunch break." 

 

Nevan leaned over, kissing Ender's cheek, "Thank you for the food." 

 

"You're welcome."