It Goes On - Book l

Thanksgiving with the Riley's - Part 1

I hope everyone had a good holiday! I ate more than what I can handle, but it was worth it. I'm finally back in Montana and wrote this entire chapter on the plane and edited it when I got home to my laptop. I flew to Kentucky to be with family members I have there that I haven't seen in a while, and my mom and siblings were supposed to go to the KISS concert in Knoxville as we had been waiting all year for it only for them to cancel. Man, I was so upset, but I just hope Paul overcomes his sickness so I can hopefully see them in the future! 

Anyway, you all have been gifted with a fluffy chapter of Simon and the twins as well as Johnny bantering with Simon per usual! This was so fun and cute for me to write, and I had a smile on my face when I got to the flour and marshmallow fight. 

My heart swells for domesticated/father Simon. I hope yours does, too. 

*

 Simon's Point of View:

"What did you eat, lass?" I scoffed down at Evie, my nose wrinkled at the putrid stench coming from her diaper. I was told that a baby's first shite would be the worst, and I believed it.

But this lass changed my mind on that when I was changing her today. Jesus fucking Christ, I had smelled chemical warfare better than this! The collar of my t-shirt covered my nose, but it still didn't mask the smell. Fuck, I just hope Jacob didn't eat whatever she did.

I spent a few moments longer cleaning her up, ensuring that every bit of that monstrosity was gone, powdering her bottom and creases of her legs to rid the possibility of a rash before putting on her new diaper and changing her into the outfit Kiera had picked out for her to wear to our late Thanksgiving dinner.

"You look just like a baby doll, angel," I smiled down at her, picking her up after I had buttoned up her onesie and slid on the matching pants. Her little socks were adorable and so was the matching bow, but I refrained from putting it on her as I felt that it took away from that perfect face. "Just please tell me what your mum fed you earlier so I can make sure you don't eat it again. Jesus, you've definitely surprised me with that borderline projective in that diaper." I chuckled at her, those perfect brown eyes staring back at me.

She truly was an angel.

She and Jacob both.

I held her close to my chest and kissed her temple, "I bet you feel better, yeah? I hope so. Let's go see what your mum and brothers are doing."

She smiled at me, showing me those new teeth that had come in, and I couldn't help but frown at the realization that my twins were growing up too fast. Sure, I was eager to see them grow into phenomenal beings, but I never wanted to watch them do so as I wanted them to stay small forever, to coddle them, feed them, spoil them, and to protect them from the evil this world could be.

I carried Evie into the kitchen, smiling at Kiera as she sprinkled marshmallows onto the sweet potato casserole that had just come out of the oven. She made this every year, and I wish she didn't make it just once as I couldn't get enough of it, especially when I realize every year that I was the only one who ate the most of it at gatherings. I bloody loved sweet potatoes, and the way she manages to make them into a casserole with a homemade glaze and topped with marshmallows made my stomach grumble at just the sight alone.

Jacob smiled at me from the nearby high-chair and I returned the gesture. I held my index finger up to my lips at Evie as if we were being mischievous. I mean, I was being mischievous and Evie was my little sidekick. "Shh, we're going to surprise your mum with a little flour bath." I whispered, remembering Kiera and I's first Thanksgiving together – making sweet potato casserole before we had a friendly flour fight that ended with us both falling on our arse, laughing at the other while covered in flour, leading to our first kiss that sealed our relationship.