Now What? - Sequel To "Not Herself"

Part 7

~*~*~About One Year Later~*~*~

~Kim's P.O.V.~

I wake up to the sound of Kennedy mumbling nonsense and Cade clapping his hands. I pull myself out of bed and pick up the two almost one year olds. I wish Jack was here for their first birthday but he won't be back in Seaford for another week. Even though I'm in Chicago still. I walk downstairs to see Helen cooking breakfast, Sloane and Paris playing, and Brody trying to keep Sloane off of him.

"Hey, guys." I say, handing Kennedy to (the now seven year old) Paris.

"Where's the birthday girl?" Helen asks. 

"In the living room." I answer.

"Happy birthday, Kim." she nods.

"Hey, Kimmy!" Sloane say with extra excitement.

"What are you hiding?" I ask, already suspicous.

"Nothing." she chirps.

"Mhm." I say, raising an eyebrow.

"Sloane, be quiet." Brody says.

"Breakfast, kids!" Helen yells from the kitchen. Sloane takes Kennedy from Paris and we all walk into the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast, mom?" Paris asks as I put Cade in his highchair. Sloane sets Kennedy in her's and we sit down.

"Food." Helen smiles. Paris comes and sits beside me as Helen sets a big pan of pancakes on the table.

"Yummy!" we all say at the same time.

"Glad you like looking at them. But eat them." Helen tells us. We all reach for the pancakes and put them on our plates. After we're finished eating them, we all go into the living room. Paris turns on Disney Channel and the twins play with some of their toys on the ground.

"When do you go back to Seaford, Kim?" Brody asks.

"Why? You want me out of your house so you and Sloane can...." I notice Paris is listening to us so I change my choice of words. "Do things." I finish. Paris goes back to watching her show and Brody glares at me.

"I was just wondering." he says.

"Mhm." I reply.

"What time is it, Helen?" Sloane asks as she looks over her shoulder at the only mature adult in the room.

"It's about 10:15am." Helen answers.

"Oh! Brody, we gotta go." Sloane says.

"Where?" he asks, completely confused.

"You know where. Ris, you wanna come with us? We're leaving now." Sloane announces.

"Yeah!" Paris cheers.

"Where are all you guys going?" I ask.

"We have to pick up my cousin from the airport." Sloane says. A little too quickly if you ask me.

"Um, okay then." I reply.

"Alrighty. Bye bye!" Sloane waves as they all walk out of the house. I look down and see Cade looking up at me. I reach down and pick him up. Kennedy is still babbling nonsense and chewing on toys.

"Hey, Cade. How are you, buddy?" I ask as I gently bounce him up and down on my knee.