A long day of work was finally over. Kendall was was exhausted. His uniform was covered in oil. He couldn't wait to take a shower and get out of these greasy clothes.
He opened their apartment door, entering their meager apartment. "Connie, I'm home." he greeted. He didn't speak loudly. The twins might be sleeping. He wouldn't want to disturb them.
"Hey." he heard Connie apathetically reply.
She was on the couch. She looked disheveled. Her hair was tangled. She had bags under her eyes. She was dressed in nothing but her underwear. Some football match was playing on the TV. She seemed to be half paying attention to it, looking distracted.
"Are they sleeping?" he asked.
"Yes, they're sleeping for now." she answered in a dull and tried voice.
He stepped into the bedroom to take a look. The bedroom was tiny and could barely fit both a crib and a bed. There in the crib, Leo and Luna were sleeping. They looked so peaceful.
Kendall figured he should shower already. He discarded his dirty clothes, and stepped into the shower. He soaped himself. This male body. He'd had it for more then half a year now. No longer was it unfamiliar or strange to him. He had gotten used to it. He had to. He had no other choice but to accept it. It was much easier to adjust to this body than to adjust to suddenly having to work long hours to support a family of four. He felt around his dick. He was a little horny. He hoped Connie would be up for some fun later on. He knew they were both tired, but he needed it. He needed it to get his mind off all this. He stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. He felt refreshed and clean.
Wearing some fresh clothes, he sat down at the couch. Connie didn't react to his arrival. She just just continued to stare at the TV with a glazed look.
"Football. I should maybe watch some more of it." he said. "You know, he guys at work talk about sports like all the time, maybe I could learn something so that I could join in. "
Connie didn't reply.
"What should we do about dinner?" Kendall asked. "We could order something. It's Friday after all."
Still he got no reply from her. He guessed he should just wait. Sometimes Connie got like this. He just hoped she wouldn't get worse. He heard her snivel. She turned towards him. Her eyes were wet. She seemed just about ready to burst out crying.
"Kendall, I can't do this anymore." Her voice was trembling.
He wanted to console her He thought of what he could say to make her feel better, but then the sound of a baby crying pierced the air.
"I can check up on them." Kendall suggested.
"No." she refused. "I'll handle it." She seemed decisive, holding her tears back.
Before Kendall could protest, she stood up and walked to the bedroom.
She came back carrying little Leo in her arms. He was no longer crying. "It's just Leo who woke up. Luna is still asleep." she said. She sat back down. "I think he's hungry." she mused. She shifted the cup of her bra, letting Leo access her nipple. He suckled away. He looked content and calm. His mother also looked calm, though that might just be a forced display.
Still breastfeeding Leo, Connie asked Kendall a question.
"Kendall, do you think we'll live like this forever?
"I don't know." he answered. He wished he had a better answer.
"Ah! I hate this." she snapped. "Not knowing. Not knowing anything. Leo and Luna, I care for them, I love them, but our lives could shift again, making them disappear, and you know what? I would accept that. I'd be happy to go back. I want to be Connor again, this entire life be damned. Am I a terrible mother for saying this? Of course I am. I never asked for this. This was forced upon me by who knows what. I want out, out of this shit. I am absolutely-"
Leo cried, interrupting Connie.
"There there." she gently rocked him. "Mommy is sorry. Mommy was too loud wasn't she?"
After a while, Leo was calmed down and put back to bed. After that, Connie returned. She seemed more relaxed. While still exhausted, she didn't look to snap or cry anymore. She snuggled up to Kendall.
"Pizza." she said.
"Huh?"
"You said we could order food. I want pizza."