DAY ONE [declan rice]

EPILOGUE

Anna's POV
25th December 2021

It's 4am and Theo is jumping up and down on our bed.

Today is Christmas Day so me and Dec expected to be woken up early by Theo.

But we didn't expect it to be this early.

"SANTAS BEEN!" He stops jumping but doesn't stand up, he jumps and lands in his bum in the middle of me and Dec.

"Theo speak quietly before you wake up Pay-" Decs interrupted by Payton starting to cry.

"I've got it." I stand up and make my way to her cot.

"Sorry daddy." I hear Theo say before he lies down next to Dec.

Theo is 3 years old and Payton is a few weeks old.

I walk in to Payton crying in her cot, trying to wriggle around.

"I know sweetie, come here." I pick her up and cuddle her.

We moved the rocking chair that was in Theo's room to Paytons and I love it so I make my way to her nursery.

I rock in the chair and get her to sleep before standing up to put her back in her cot in our bedroom.

I walk out her room slowly and quietly into ours to find Dec and Theo fast asleep in the bed.

I smile at them and squeeze into the bed careful not to wake them.

Hopefully we can get a few more hours of sleep before waking up again.

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I wake up again to Payton's crying filling the room.

I look at the clock and see that is 6:30am.

"It'll do." I whisper to myself as I get up and make sure Payton is ok.

"Good morning baby girl." I say whilst turning on her night light and as soon as she sees me, she stops crying.

"Happy to see me?" I walk over and lift her up out of her cot and into my arms. "Did you just want some attention?"

She grabs and pulls at my t-shirt which is her telling me that she's hungry.

I make my way to her nursery and sit in her rocking chair.

About half an hour later, me and Payton are having morning cuddles after she's done when I hear footsteps in the hallway.

"There you are. I was wondering where you were." He walks in and smiles at us. "My girls."

He kisses the top of my head and then moves to kiss Payton, I smile at his actions.

When Payton opens her eyes and realises that Dec is standing she smiles.

"Good morning my gorgeous girl." He takes her off my chest as I go and check on Theo.

I walk in and he's just waking up.

"Good morning buddy." I say whilst I walk over and kiss the top of his head.

"Morning mama." When he realises it's Christmas again, he jumps up and starts to jump up and down again.

"ITS CHRISTMAS!" He jumps off the bed and runs around the house repeating the same words.

I follow him out the room and meet Dec in the hallway.

"He's too energetic." I laugh and nod my head in agreement.

"You'll have half his energy when you've had your coffee." He chuckles as we go downstairs.

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"Is it time to open our presents?" Theo has been asking the same thing all morning.

"Yeah it is." I put Payton on her baby walker that I put a floor on so it doesn't move. When I found it and fell in love with and instantly bought.

It was quite expensive but I had a lot of money so I didn't mind.

Theo runs to the living room and sits in his place surrounded by presents.

We take it in turns to open presents when I find an envelope with my name on.

"What's this?" I ask and look at Dec but all he does is shrug his shoulders.

I know he has something to do with it because he has a slight smirk.

I open it and there's a piece of cardboard with a few pieces of paper.

I get the cardboard out first and read what's written on it.

To Mummy,
From Theo and Daddy!

I open the folded paper and see that they are adoption papers.

"I want you to be Theo's legal mum." Tears come to my eyes as I'm that happy.

"Really?" The tears fall down my face as Theo comes over and hugs me.

"Of course mummy." I hold onto him and kiss his head.

"So what do say?" Dec asks nervously like I'm going to say no.

"Of course I will." Theo cheers in happiness.

"Thank you so much." He whispers in my ear.

He goes and starts to play with his toys as that was the last present.

I look over at Payton and find her playing with wrapping paper.

I chuckle and look at Dec.

"I love our family." He places his hand on top of mine where my post Payton bump is.

"I've got a secret to tell you." He leans down and whispers something in my ear. "I've loved you since DAY ONE."

THE END