I'll Fight Hell to Hold You

When Do We Tell The Girls?

While Paul was busy making cookies, Hannah and Taylor came in. Aurora was following them, trying to carry four dolls. Paul took the dolls and set them in a chair. He helped the girls set their table so they could eat cookies. "Where's Mady?" he asked Taylor.  

"Sissy in de libing room. Her wan' cookie bu' she no hear us say dey ready."

Paul went to pick up his youngest daughter so she could sit with her sisters." Does everyone want milk with the cookies?"

Aurora didn't like milk so Paul gave her apple juice instead. Mady signed that she wanted juice too so Paul set down two glasses of milk and two glasses of apple juice. He poured  pitchers of milk, orange juice, apple juice, water and tea and put them on a tray. After adding freshly baked cookies, Paul carried them upstairs to the bedroom.

The door was cracked so Paul pushed it open further with his shoulder and went in. Setting the tray down, he leaned over and kissed Tommy's cheek. Seeing Tommy's eyes open, Paul sat down on the bed and waited for him to wake up completely.

"Do I smell cookies?" asked Tommy, still half asleep. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. 

"Yes, I baked them a few minutes ago." Paul passed him the plate. 

"Ooh, chocolate chip." sighed Tommy. "Yum."

Paul laughed as Tommy greedily shoved two in his mouth. He wound up with chocolate all over his lips. Paul kissed him, licking off the chocolate. "This is why we have four children." murmured Tommy.

"And one more on the way." added Paul, pulling away.

They ate all the cookies and drank orange juice before heading down to the kitchen to join the girls. "When do we tell them?" whispered Paul.

"When I'm further along." whispered back Tommy.

They walked in to find all the cookies eaten and the girls cleaning their table. Aurora had even wiped her dolls' faces and hands. She ran to Tommy as did Mady. Taylor and Hannah asked if they could help cook dinner. Everyone was assigned a task so dinner wouldn't take so long. 

Except for a short time when Tommy became short of breath, everything went fine. Paul made lasagna and garlic bread while Tommy worked on the vegetables and dessert. The girls "helped" with the salad.