Choosing Life

Chapter Ten

Hadie chuckled as he and Chip worked to finish up the decorations in the ballroom they'd taken over with the help of Emir and Akiho. Actually Emma at the very least had requested that they take Emir off of her hands for the day.

You see, one of the two shadows had in fact managed to time the pregnancy of their significant other to Mal's pregnancy. Something that in all honesty would have concerned Hadie more if he hadn't grown up around Jay and Harry.

"How're those balloons coming Geene?" Chip called and Hadie looked over at the corner where his little sister and his adopted sister-in-law were hard at work blowing up balloons.

Though Rea still needed help tying off the balloons so it had quickly become an assembly line where Rea blew them up and Genevieve tied them off.

"How many balloons do you need Chip?"

"Akiho requested that we do as many as we can so that when Mal and Ben walk in here, it's like a waterfall of balloons falls down on them."

"...how is he allowed to be an adult?"

"It's something we question every day. Now about those balloons?"

"I can't count that high!"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm six you imbécile!"

Chip shook his head. "Remember what your maman taught you about using nice words Genevieve? But good job on the French!"

"Thanks Chip!" Genevieve said, perking up slightly at the compliment. "Can you come help me count? I think Rea and I have blown up a bajillion balloons!"

"Coming right up," Chip chuckled. "Hadie, are you good to finish up the streamers while I help the girls?"

Hadie nodded. "We'd better hurry though. Akiho and Emir can only keep Mal and Ben districted for so long after all."

"Please if I know those two, they could keep Gaston distracted," Chip said, shaking his head.

"That's...that's not that hard. All you'd have to do is show him something shiny where he could admire his reflection."

"Why am I in no way surprised about that?"

Chip and Hadie chuckled before Hadie shook his head and went to finish up the streamers while Chip went to help the girls with the balloons.

It was a good thing because not fifteen minutes later, they heard the familiar yip of Estelle down the hall and the voices of Akiho, Emir, Ben, and Mal carrying. Almost as if Akiho and Emir were trying to let the others know they were coming.

"You guys seriously didn't decide to throw us a baby shower did you?"

"Ben, of course we did!" Emir said with a grin. "What kind of friends and shadows would we be if we didn't throw you a shower?"

"Um friends and shadows with their own wives?" Mal ventured as she walked over to give Hadie a hug, Estelle following her to give Hadie a lick before trotting over to the girls.

"Irrelevant!" Akiho shook his head. "Besides, Emma and Elle are having a girl's day while we spoil you as the siblings, bio or otherwise, we are!"

Ben snorted as he walked over to Chip. "How'd they rope you into this?"

"You seriously think I need to be roped into insanity like this Benji?"

"Oh right. Forgot who I was talking to," Ben chuckled as Chip pulled him into a hug. "Still, you didn't have to do this. I know you're busy with work and—."