The Sanderson's

Chapter 11.

Bryanna adjusted herself in the seat of the truck, looking in the mirror at three of her four children. "How am I supposed to avoid stress?" She questioned Neil, "I have four kids, one on the way and I'm famous."

Neil shrugged, "I don't know, but we have to figure it out for the sake of our child." He cleared his throat and pulled into the driveway. "You should go get some rest." He spoke, looking over at his fiance. "I'll make dinner and deal with the kids for a little while."

"I'm not tired." Bryanna responded as she unbuckled herself and opened the truck door, slipping out. Her feet made contact with the ground and she opened the back door of the truck, unbuckling Joshua. She lifted him out of the car seat and rested him on her hip.

"You heard the doctor." Neil responded, "Bed rest. Less stress." He cleared his throat as he opened the back door of the truck, previously getting out and shutting the truck off when Bryanna got out. He watched as Elle and Dakota unbuckled themselves, then lifted them each out of the truck. He grabbed the three book bags and closed the truck doors, then locked up the truck and followed his family to the front door of the house. He watched as his fiance punched in the door code, then opened the door for the girls to head in first. She followed, then Neil stepped in and closed the door behind himself.

"Elle, Kota, homework." Neil spoke and watched as they nodded, handing them each their bags, then as they headed to the kitchen table. "What do you want for a snack?"

"Cucumbers!" Elle responded, "With ranch."

"Kota?" He asked.

"Apple." She spoke simply, opening her book bag to pull out her homework folder.

Bryanna smiled at her husband, who could perfectly wrangle the kids and set Joshua on the soft foam playmat with a few toys. "Fine, I will go rest. ONLY IF you have it perfectly under control." She bargained, "And you bring me the Nutella and dipsticks in bed."

Neil shook his head at his fiance and smiled, "You got yourself a deal."

Bryanna grinned and walked towards the stairs after kicking her shoes off by the mat, then slowly headed up the stairs, looking down at her seven month bump.

Neil returned from the kitchen and set each plate in front of each child, Elle's thinly sliced cucumbers covered in bagel seasoning and with ranch on the side and Dakota's thinly sliced apple with a dipping sauce of peanut butter. He looked down at Joshua, who contently played with his toys, then headed back to the kitchen to grab him a few crackers and each kid a juice box. He returned and set a juice box in front of the two of his girls, then opened one for his younger son and set it down in front of him with a small plate of crackers.

He grabbed the Nutella and go snackpack that he left on the table and headed upstairs to his fiance, who was in the bedroom, pulling out a pair of pajamas from the dresser. He smiled and took notice of the pink satin set that was from Victoria's Secret and smiled, "Your belly still fits in those?" He asks, recalling he had bought those for her on Valentine's day a few years back.

He chuckled as Bryanna nodded, "Barely. Starting to stick out the bottom." She said and took the nutella and go snackpack, heading into the bathroom. She filled the running tub with her calming lavender bubble bath, then pulled her hair up into a bun.

"I give it a few days until you can't fit into them anymore," Neil chuckled. "Your belly will probably start falling pretty soon. Maybe even next week." He winked at his wife, taking in her figure as she started stripping off. He whistled and stepped into the bathroom, leaning against the counter.

"Oh hush," Bryanna giggled, blushing. She stepped towards her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing. "Sometimes I miss when it was just us, I miss the time we used to spend together."

"Sounds like a vacation with just the two of us is coming soon," Neil smirked and wrapped his arms around Bryanna's waist, pressing soft chaste kisses to her forehead. "Now tell me again... How I landed you?"

"With that big ol'..." Bryanna trailed off, "Personality," She winked and pulled away from her future husband, slipping into the tub.

Neil chuckled and shook her head, "I guess so." He spoke and licked his lips, stepping out of the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and headed back down the stairs, his heart dropping when he heard his young son crying.

He rushed down the stairs and looked over at Dakota, who held him tightly.

"It's okay, Joshie, it was an accident," She tried to soothe.

"What happened?" Neil asked as he rushed towards the two of them, glancing over at Elle who tried to focus on her homework.

Something seemed off.

"Elle pushed him." Dakota stated.

"What?" Neil asked, looking over at her other daughter who avoided eye contact. "Elle, is that true?" The silence told him the answer. "Elle Juniper. Go to your room." Neil spoke sternly, as she didn't move, he raised his voice. "Don't make me count to three." He watched as she got up from the chair and scurried up the stairs, before he turned his attention to his daughter and his injured son.

"But daddy, she didn't mean to hurt him." Dakota said.

"It doesn't matter, she knows better." Neil cleared his throat and opened his arms to his son, who sobbed and let go of his older sister.

Joshua stumbled towards his father and whined.

Neil quickly lifted him up and held him closely, after looking at his split lip. He soothed his son and continued to hold him close, pressing small kisses to his head until he calmed down.