Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 224

As Colby sat on the couch with Carter nestled in his lap, he glanced around at the aftermath of the grocery trip. Bags were scattered across the kitchen floor, half-unpacked. Malia was already in mom-mode, moving between the fridge and pantry to organize everything they'd bought.

"Don't get too comfortable," she called over her shoulder with a smile, noticing Colby leaning back. "We still have some of this to put away."

"I've got my hands full," Colby replied, motioning to Carter, who was now half-asleep with his bottle. "He's finally calming down."

Malia chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Convenient timing."

Liam's Chaos

Meanwhile, Liam was in the corner, surrounded by candy wrappers. "Liam!" Malia called out, noticing the evidence of a hastily eaten Snickers bar and a half-peeled Skittles bag. "We just got home. Dinner first, then candy."

"But Mom, I was hungry!" Liam protested, attempting to hide the rest of his stash behind his back.

Colby raised an eyebrow, shifting Carter slightly so he could sit up. "Liam, hand over the candy. You know the rules."

Liam pouted but reluctantly handed over the remaining bars. "Fine," he muttered, shooting a glance at his sisters. "They didn't even ask for candy."

The girls, who were quietly stacking cereal boxes in the pantry, giggled and stuck out their tongues at Liam. "That's because we listen," Caitlyn said smugly.

Carter's Little Moment

Just as Colby stood to carry Carter to his playpen, the toddler stirred. His little fists clenched his new dinosaur blanket, and he let out a soft whimper. "Shh, buddy, it's okay," Colby murmured, rocking him slightly. Malia walked over and placed a fresh pacifier in Carter's hand, which he immediately nibbled on.

"You think he'll go down for a nap?" Malia asked.

Colby glanced at the clock. "If we're lucky. He's been full of energy all day, but he's tired now."

Carter's eyelids fluttered as he fought sleep. "No nap," he mumbled, his voice barely audible. Despite his protests, he was out within minutes, leaving Colby to gently place him in his playpen.

The Sisters Take Charge

While Colby settled Carter, caitlyn and Colleen took it upon themselves to sort the rest of the pantry. "Mom, where do these go?" Colleen asked, holding up a bag of pasta.

"Top shelf," Malia replied, smiling at her youngest daughter. "You two are such good helpers today."

Caitlyn grinned. "We're just better at listening than Liam."

Liam,overhearing this, stomped his foot. "I'm a good helper too!"

"Then help me with the milk," Colby said, returning from the living room and handing Liam a jug. "Careful with it, though."

Liam perked up at the chance to prove himself and carried the milk to the fridge with a determined look.

Quiet Moment

As the chaos died down, the family gathered in the living room. Carter was still snoozing in his playpen, his blanket pulled tightly around him. Liam was sprawled on the floor with a toy truck, and the girls were flipping through their sticker books.

Colby sat back down next to Malia, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We survived another trip," he said with a laugh.

"Barely," Malia replied, leaning into him. "But hey, at least we're stocked up for the week."

"For now," Colby added, glancing at Liam. "Until someone sneaks into the candy stash again."

The room filled with laughter as Liam tried—and failed—to look innocent. Even Carter, still half-asleep, stirred briefly to let out a sleepy giggle before drifting back off, his family's love and warmth surrounding him.