A Carnival Gone Wrong (Editing)

Epilogue

       "Dakota, get Nelle. I'm going to go tell Joseph, Erin, and Kinsley it's time to eat." I passed our two year old daughter over to him.

Nelle was two, and Joseph was five. Nelle had taken after me, with curly, bright red hair and hazel eyes. She had also unfortunately inherited my health problems. Joseph had taken after Dakota with his wavy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Both of our children were beautiful, and I didn't think it was possible to feel so proud of two kids. Nelle had arrhythmia, severe asthma, and she had been born a month and a half early. Because of it, she was small for her age. It was adorable though, because Joseph watched over her like a hawk. I could already tell he would be the overprotective older brother.

"Come on you two, we're about to eat." I said, walking into the playroom. Joseph and Kinsley were playing with their Christmas presents. Kinsley was Jana's six year old daughter, Erin was four,  and she had another on the way. We didn't know the gender of yet, but I was hoping it would be a boy so Joe wouldn't feel left out.

"Mommy!" Joe yelled, running into my arms. "Kinsley's being a meanie."

"I am not!" Kinsley protested. "I just told him I was older. That makes me in charge." she explained innocently.

"Well I'm older than both of you." I laughed. "So that means I'm in charge now, now go to the kitchen before uncle Alden eats all the food."

They both ran out of the room, yelling at Alden to not eat until they got in there. I laughed at the trio and went to join everyone in the kitchen.

       Dakota and I had been married for seven years. Most people thought twenty had been too young for us to get married, but considering we had been dating since we were sixteen, it wasn't too early at all. My mom and Steven had been married four years, and Logan and Jana had been married ten years. Alden had been dating someone, but none of us had met the person yet. He was doing a pretty good job of keeping it a secret. Even though Alden was older now, he hadn't lost any of his craziness. He had matured a lot, but he still goofed off and acted like an idiot most of the time. His love for cherry pie hadn't changed a bit either. It was weird how in eight years, everything had changed, yet not that much really has. We're all just one, big family now.

I walked over to where my mom and Steven were standing. "It's only twelve 'o' clock?" I asked.

I was exhausted. Joe and Nelle had refused to go to sleep because they were excited about Christmas. Dakota and I had to stay in their room until they went to sleep. And then, we had to get up at seven so we could put all the presents in the car and get over here by nine. I was going on three hours of sleep. Even after my kids went to bed, I stayed up to cook for today and wrapped the remaining presents.

      "Now you understand why I made you have a bedtime when you were younger." My mom smirked. "You miss it when you have kids."

"Dear God, I would give anything to have a bedtime again." I sighed.

"I'm right there with you." Jana laughed.

"Me too." Alden spoke up. We both looked at him.

"Alden, you could go to bed whenever you want." I reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to point that out."

"You're evil." I glared.

"I am not!" Alden gasped in mock horror. "Do you guys think I'm evil?" he asked the kids.

"I'm not a guy!" Erin giggled. "Me, Nelle, and my sissy are all girls! Joe is all alone."

"Jana is going to have a boy, and then I won't be all alone." Joe stuck his tongue out at her.