Lily: a Jolivia story

Nine: Kids

Five years later

August 10th, 2027

"Good morning, Liv."

I woke up to see Josh standing beside our bed in our new house. He had a smile on his face as he held our two year old son, Carter.

"Good morning, Mr. Bassett," I grinned and kissed his lips.

I took Carter from him and smiled at my boy; he had the same curly brown hair that all of our children had. They inherited it from their dad.

"Mommy! It's my first day of first grade!" Lily came in running dressed in a frozen dress and rain boots.

She was now six years old, and would be seven in two months.

I glared at my husband.

"She picked out what she wanted to wear, and I was not about to tell her to change." He said, bouncing Carter up and down as he squealed.

Lily hugged me and I kissed her cheek, and soon was met by Matthew clambering up onto the bed.

"It's my first day of kindergarten, Mommy!" He yelled.

I laughed and accepted the hug he gave me.

He was five years old and wearing a dinosaur shirt with jeans and Velcro adidas.

"Oh, you two are getting big!" I said and hugged them again.

Lily and Matthew laughed until a honk sounded outside.

"That must be Aunt So-So and Uncle Mama!" Lily yelled and her younger brothers chased after her. Well, Carter tried but he's slower than his older siblings.

Josh scooped him up and walked downstairs to meet our old friends.

I put on a shirt and gym shorts, brushed my teeth and hair, and went to the nursery.

Carter shared this nursery with his baby brother, Alden.

Alden smiled at me as I undid his sleep sack and changed his diaper; then I finished and scooped him up to kiss him.

"Hi buddy. Did you sleep so good!" I cooed.

He was nine months old and had curly brown hair just like every one of his siblings.

I carried him down the stairs and met with Matt and Sofia in the driveway.

Sofia hugged me and took Alden before going to watch the kids play.

Lily, Matthew, and Carter played with Matt and Sofia's five year old daughter Annie and her three year old sister Callie.

Annie looked just like Matt while Callie looked like Sofia.

Annie was born a few months before Lily turned two. The whole cast showed up at the hospital to congratulate Matt and Sofia on being new parents.

I met up with Josh and Matt.

"Hey, girl! The kids are playing before we take them to big school and pre-school. Oh, and Daycare. Josh signed Carter up and I signed Callie up. Gotta start early," Matt said.

I laughed. "Matt, don't you ever get tired of taking them to school?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I rather enjoy it. Now, I never expected you guys to have four kids in six years."

I swatted his arm. "I wouldn't change it! I love them."

He smiled. "I know. Come on, kids! We're going to be late! Uncle Mama has to go to work!"

The kids all climbed in after each other into the suburban and Josh and I buckled them into car seats and booster seats.

We kissed the kids goodbye and off they went.

Back inside the house, Josh sighed as he got off the phone. "I have to get to the studio. Something about "it's urgent you perform the new song today!" Ugh. Bye, I love you." He kissed my forehead before closing the front door behind him.

Sofia came over to me, sitting down, holding onto Alden.

"There's something I need to say," she began.

I smiled. After having four kids of my own and watching my friend have two, I was familiar with this.

"I'm..." She started but I cut her off.

"Congratulations! Another little baby!" I hugged her and she smiled.

"I'm telling Matt tonight. We've been on the edge of having another after my miscarriage a few months back, and this one just happened. I'm so excited though!" She said.

I was happy for her and Matt. Three kids would suit them perfectly.

~~~~~~~

Several hours later, after we tucked our kids into bed and shut off all lights, Josh and I laid down on the couch while he flipped through the channels.

An old segment of The Tonight Show was playing.

"Stop there," I told him.

We watched. It was Josh's interview with his ex-fiancée.

"Can you even imagine what life would've been like if you'd actually married her?" I asked.

Josh cuddled me close and ran his hands through my hair.

"No. You and our kids are all I'd ever want. Even if something as silly as GroundHog Day happened, I wouldn't regret our life."

I smiled up at him.

"Hey, I have a question." I asked.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at me. His brown eyes glistened in the tv light.

"How would you feel if we added one more?"

He raised a brow. "One more what?"

I smiled, placing his hand on my stomach.

"Another one," I emphasized.

His eyes widened.

"Really, are you sure?"

I laughed.

"I took a test after Sofia left and Alden was napping. I always like to check every month and normally they're negative, but I got the darkest positive."

He smiled and kissed my forehead.

"I'd love nothing more, Mrs. Bassett, than to have five kids with you."