<< >>
Junior: Reality Strikes
"I'm pregnant."
She watched as Tony's jaw nearly fell to the floor. "Oh my God... baby--"
"I know. I shouldn't have jumped the gun with the fertility treatments, you know? Just let nature take it's course. I'm so sor--"
"No, no," he interrupted, tugging her down next to him. "Don't apologize. I... I think it's great."
"Really?"
"Really," he pressed his lips to hers and smiled. "Really."
"It's gonna be tough, you know? Two babies? I mean baby babies. They'll only be six months apart."
"That's okay," he smiled, running his hand over the slight rise on her belly that he had failed to notice. "They'll be close."
--November 8, 2018--
"Ryan Anthony! Quit pulling your sister's hair!"
"Sorry, Mama," he pouted, frowning darkly when his sister poked her tongue out at him.
Abby poked her head into the living room and narrowed her eyes at the little girl with curly black hair. "Bella..." she warned, turning her attention to her husband as he sat in his recliner with a beer in his hand watching the Ohio State football game. "Tony, control your children, please. I can't make dinner and watch them."
"Huh? What'd they do?"
She rolled her eyes before returning to the kitchen. "Just keep an eye on them," she called over her shoulder. "Remember what happened last time?"
He grimaced, turning his attention away from the TV to look at his children. It had been nearly three years earlier, but it was still a vivid memory he carried with him. They had just moved into their new house and their two three year old children wanted nothing more than to explore it. He had only turned his back for a second, but Ryan's screams made him drop the box he had been carrying.
Running back down the stairs, the first thing he saw was Bella sitting next to her brother, stroking his hair as he cried, his lip bleeding profusely.
"Daddy, Tony falled down," she said, calling her brother by his middle name.
Shaking his head, he brought himself back to the present and looked over at his wife of four years. "On it, Abs."
"Smart ass."
He offered her a cocky grin and pushed himself out of the recliner, cocking an eyebrow at the two first-graders that were elbowing each other.
"That's enough, you two," he said gruffly, though he immediately leaned down and scooped Bella into his arms as he ruffled Ryan's hair. "How about we go get some ice cream?"
He grinned when his daughter wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, his son mimicking the motion on his waist as they told him over and over how much they loved him.
"Great," Abby chuckled, her hands resting on her hips. "You're gonna get 'em all riled up, and once again I get to be the bad guy."
Setting Bella down, he pulled them both over to stand in front of him. "Go ask your Mama to come with us, huh?"
"Mama, Mama!" They cried, running over and wrapping themselves around her legs. "Come with us to get ice cream!"
She offered her husband a tortured sigh before allowing a small grin to cross her lips. "Okay. Let me turn the oven off."
"Yay!"
Running to the door, they pulled on their shoes and jackets, hopping impatiently from one foot to the other as they waited for their parents.
Tony pulled Abby's jacket down from the coat rack and met her in the kitchen, wrapping it around her shoulders as he kissed her lips gently. "Love you."
"Love you too. Now come on, the last thing they need is to have only ice cream for dinner."
She allowed him to lead her to the front door where their children were waiting. "C'mon you two," she said, ushering them out the door. "I swear sometimes I feel like I have three six year olds instead of two."