BAD NEIGHBORS

SNOW

Wang Laohu loved the snow.
He loved running in his yellow and purple boots on the cold white mantle that covered the playground grass.
And he loved playing with his mom and dad, who when they saw the snow became two children like him.
Just then, they were building a family of little snowmen together.
"Look, love! This is mommy... This is daddy... And this is their baby" Shen Yue smiled at him, pointing at the snowmen.
Wang Laohu watched them carefully.
Yue and Dylan marveled at his concentrated expression.
"What are you thinking about?"  Wang He Di asked curiously.
The child took some snow and with his little hands covered by gloves he formed a ball and placed it next to the three snowmen.
"See? They're happier now" Laohu said.
"Uh? What is it?" Dylan and Yue didn't understand.
"A little brother" replied the baby tiger, simply.
Wang He Di sought Shen Yue's gaze, but the girl had her eyes on their son.
"Do you think the little snowman would be happier with a brother?"
"Sure! Who wouldn't want a little brother?" Laohu exclaimed.
"So... Would you like it too?".
Dylan's eyes went huge as he heard those words.
What was happening?!
Wang Laohu wrapped his arms around his mother's neck and gave her peck on the lips.
"Yes. But I'm happy with you and papa too."
Shen Yue's heart melted... Laohu was only four years old, but he was so attentive to her and Dylan... She knew that kiss was a way to reassure her.
She kissed him back and smiled at him.
"Who knows, maybe one day a little brother will come for you too," she whispered.
Laohu's eyes lit up.
"That would be great!" he exclaimed.
"Come on, go play some more with the snow".
When the child left them alone, Yue walked over to Dylan and hugged him.
"Cutie... Do you think baby tiger has realized?" he asked her.
"What?"
"I mean... Do you think he realized we're trying to have another baby? That little brother thing, so suddenly!"
Yue laughed.
"A few days ago was born a little brother of one of his friend... I think that's why he's thinking about it," she replied.
She raised her head and rested her chin against Dylan's chest to be able to look at him.
For some months they had decided to have a second child... Yue had Wang He Di's image in her heart when he had asked her to enlarge the family, with a red face and a trembling, shy voice.
She had accepted in a flash... Because it was her own desire.
"Now I understand," Dylan chuckled.
The boy leaned towards her to kiss her softly.
Their cold red noses brushed.
"Tiger, how about we take Laohu to my parents tonight and... We work on our project?" he winked at her.
Yue blushed and patted his arm.
"Stupid! Don't talk about it here!"
"What?! We have to work hard if we want to churn out another little tiger, right? We can't laze around... And then we've seen all those new pos..."
She hit him so hard that she took his breath away for a moment.
"Shut up, you idiot!"  Yue snapped.
Wang He Di burst out laughing.
He loved seeing her blush because of him.
"I love you" he said with a big smile.
Yue hugged him again.
"Me too, even if you're an idiot."
"Uh, thanks. You're very kind," Dylan grinned.
"Anyway, Didi... We could really take Laohu to your parents tonight, if they agree. Not to work on the project, but to celebrate."
"Uh?"
"The project has already finished".
Yue smiled seeing Wang He Di's confused look.
She took his hand and brought it to her belly.
"The new baby tiger is already here," she said excitedly.
"You... Wait... You..."
"I'm pregnant, Didi!"
Shen Yue watched Dylan's face light up with joy and emotion and she gasped. He was beautiful.
"Oh my God! We made it! I'm so happy! So happy!" Wang He Di held her close and filled her with kisses.
Yue closed her eyes, enjoying all of his love for her.
"How are you feeling? Are you sick? You didn't tell me anything! When did you find out?!"
Yue smiled and stroked his face.
"I'm ok, don't worry. For now I have no nausea. I just feel a little tired. This morning at work I almost fainted... Don't make that face, I'm fine now!
My assistant insisted on taking me to the hospital, where they did the tests and... Well, they gave me the good news! I wanted to wait until we were alone to tell you."
Dylan kissed her again and then again... And then again.
"Thank you," he whispered, looking into her eyes.
A very sweet smile broke on Shen Yue's face.
"You made me think back to when we found out I was pregnant with Laohu... It was different, wasn't it?"  she giggled.
"You were terrified! You freaked out! Well, we were both terrified, actually..." Wang He Di replied, amused.
"Terrified, but happy. Our baby tiger was a gift we didn't expect... A beautiful surprise... While this new creature is a gift that was given to us after asking so much... We are really lucky" said Yue.
"Really lucky," Dylan repeated, then he kissed her again.
"Mama! Papa! No more kisses!"  Wang Laohu yelled from a distance.
The two separated instantly, both with red cheeks.
"Hey, baby tiger! Do you want to go to your grandparents tonight?!" Dylan yelled back.
"Yes! Can I also sleep with them?!"
Wang He Di secretly made a victory sign and Yue slapped him laughing.
"Of course!" she replied to Laohu.
When she turned back to Dylan, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss.
"I saw you, mama! Enough kisses!"