No Place Like Home

Chapter 16

Austin's POV
We all sang in unison as Kinsley watched us over her birthday cake, "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Kinsley! Happy birthday to you!"
"Now blow out your candles baby girl." I encouraged while squatting beside her high chair.
She blew as hard as she could with her little lungs, but the flames on top of the candles only flickered.
"Let Momma and Daddy help you." Ally said appearing on the other side of her.
I motioned with my fingers, 1...2...3.
All three of us blew and the flames disappeared into puffs of smoke.
"Yay!" Kins exclaimed clapping her hands.
Everyone else joined with her applause as Ally began cutting the cake.
"Ally, the cake is gorgeous!" Trish said, walking over to her.
"Thanks, I was up most of the morning making it, but it was all worth it because my little angel is two now!" She said leaning down and planting a kiss on Kinsley's forehead.
"I know, she's growing so fast!" Trish exclaimed, leaning down and tickling the birthday girl.
She erupted into giggles as Ally placed a little piece of cake in front of her.
"Where'd Carrie go Dez?" I asked looking around the kitchen.
"She went into the living room, she had to nurse Daniel." Dez said, motioning with his head.
"How are things going for you two, being parents now and all?" Trish asked.
"Things are great! Daniel just isn't a night sleeper; he stays up most of the night, mainly crying. Poor Carrie." He says looking back towards the living room.
"It'll get better Dez, don't worry. That's just what comes with living with a newborn." I say.
"Hopefully. She hasn't gotten much sleep this past month. It's really taking it's toll on her." He says.
"I think I'll go check on her, be right back guys." Ally says as she exits the kitchen.
I walk over to Dez and wrap him into one of our bear hugs. "It's fine man. It'll be okay."
A small grin cracked across his saddened face, "Thanks Austin. I know it will."
We're interrupted by hearing Kinsley excitedly scream, "Ahhhhh!"
We look over to see Trish seating in front of her making the oddest expressions.
Dez and I walk over while laughing, "Wow, you're having a good birthday, aren't you sweetie."
I pick her up from her chair, and she's still holding some of her cake in her hands.
"Dada, eee cay!" She exclaims holding her cake covered hands in front of my mouth.
I lean my head down as she smashes the crumbled cake into my mouth and over my face.
"Yummy!" I say, smiling at her.
She claps her hands, proud at what she has accomplished.
Dez laughs at the exchange between me and my daughter as I set her back down in her chair.
I walk over to the sink, and begin to wipe the cake off my face when I hear Dez speak, "Trish, what's wrong?"
I turn around to see Trish wipe away a tear that has fallen down her cheek.
Dez sits beside her at the table as I walk over and sit in front of her.
"It's nothing." She says, waving it off.
"Trish, something is definitely wrong." I say.
She takes a moment to think, and then looks at us, "I wanted to talk to you two about this later, not now. This is Kinsley's day."
We all look over at Kinsley who is immersed in devouring the rest of her cake.
"It's fine; I'm sure she won't mind." I say, giving her an encouraging smile.
"Well, as you know, me and Jace don't have any kids yet."
Dez and I nod our heads.
"Well, we've been trying, but we couldn't get pregnant...so we went to see a doctor." She says as tears begin to well up in her eyes.
Dez wraps an arm around her as she continues, "I'm...infertile. I can't carry a baby."
My mouth slowly drops open as she leans over to Dez and cries on his shoulder.
Dez and I share a glance, trying to figure out what to say to her.
She pulls away from Dez and places her hands on the table, "I didn't want to talk to Ally or Carrie about this. They wouldn't understand; they've both been pregnant and had fully healthy babies."
I reach across the table and wrap my hands around hers, "I wish Jace could've came to the party with me, maybe it would've made being around the babies easier." She says breathing deep.
"Trish, aren't there other options?" Dez asks.
"I mean, we can always adopt. There's always that." She says looking down.
"What's wrong with adoption?" I ask her.
"Nothing, it's just that I wanted to have a baby. I wanted to carry it for nine months, and then deliver it like any normal mother would." She says as another tear runs down her cheek.
Me and my best friend try our best to comfort Trish when we hear a little voice speak up, "Aunt Tish?"
Trish looks up with her tear stained cheeks at Kinsley, "Yeah baby?"
"Sad?" She asks.
I smile at how sensitive my little girl was becoming.
"Yeah sweetie, Aunt Trish is a little sad right now." Trish tells her.
Kinsley reaches up at her begging to be picked up.
Trish leans over and picks Kinsley up, setting her in her lap.
"Aunt Tish, face?" Kinsley asks, reaching up at Trish.
Trish gives her a sad smile, "Not right now sweetie."
Then, the unexpected happens.
Kinsley tries with all her might to make a silly face, which makes a small giggle escape from Trish.
"What was that?" Dez asks her.
"Face." Kins says smiling.
"You look like you were constipated." I say with a laugh.
And just like that, Kinsley has all of us forgetting about our troubles, if only for just a small amount of time.

ausllyfied: Thank you so much for continuing to read my story! This chapter was very complicated, I had it fully written, but didn't like it, so I deleted everything and wrote it all over. Hope you like it! I also hope you had a very, merry Christmas, and if I don't update again before new years, I hope you have a wonderful new year!
God bless! :)
p.s. don't forget to vote & comment ;)