Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 236

As they walked down the hall to their bedroom, Malia couldn't help but keep the conversation going. "You know, if we do have another baby, maybe it'd be good for Carter in the long run. He's so used to being the center of attention. Having a little sibling to take care of might teach him patience."

Colby chuckled as he opened their bedroom door. "Patience? For Carter? I think that's a long shot."

Malia laughed, sitting on the edge of their bed. "Okay, maybe not patience. But he might learn how to share the spotlight a little better. I mean, look at Liam—he was the baby before Carter came along, and now he's adjusting."

"Barely," Colby pointed out. "Liam still tries to steal Carter's toys every chance he gets."

Malia raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you can't deny they have their moments. Remember last week when Liam gave Carter his favorite dinosaur toy to cheer him up?"

Colby smiled at the memory, sitting beside her. "Yeah, that was sweet. They're like a storm and a rainbow—chaos one moment, inseparable the next."

"Exactly," Malia said. "And I think Carter would love having someone younger to dote on. He might not realize it at first, but he's got such a big heart."

Colby leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "I'm not saying no. I just... I want to make sure we're ready for it. Between work, the kids, and Carter's needs, it's already a lot."

Malia lay down beside him, propping her head up with her hand. "I know. But think about it. Our family is already a circus—what's one more act in the show?"

Colby laughed. "A circus is right. Do you think Caitlyn and Colleen would be excited about a baby?"

"Oh, absolutely," Malia said confidently. "Colleen would want to name the baby, and Caitlyn would probably want to dress them up like a doll."

"And Liam?" Colby asked, smirking.

Malia groaned playfully. "Liam would probably try to claim the baby as his sidekick and teach them all his mischievous tricks. Or worse, try to steal their toys."

Colby shook his head, laughing softly. "And Carter?"

Malia paused, her expression softening. "I think it would be an adjustment for him. He'd need a lot of reassurance, especially in the beginning. But I really believe he'd rise to the occasion. He loves being part of a team—he just needs to feel secure."

Colby nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "You're right. And it's not like we'd be doing this alone. We've got each other. And, let's be honest, the kids already keep us on our toes. Another baby wouldn't be that much different."

Malia smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "That's the spirit."

Colby turned to look at her, his eyes soft. "Alright, let's keep talking about it. No decisions yet, but... maybe it's something we can seriously consider."

Malia grinned, resting her head on his shoulder. "That's all I wanted to hear. For now, let's enjoy the chaos we've already got."

As they lay there in comfortable silence, the faint sound of Carter stirring in his crib echoed through the baby monitor. Colby sighed, already sitting up.

"And speaking of chaos," he said with a small smile, "guess who's awake."

Malia laughed, playfully nudging him. "Your turn, Dad of the Year."

Colby kissed her forehead before heading off to check on Carter, a quiet sense of excitement blooming in his chest at the thought of what their future might hold.