Where it All Began

Today's the Day, Maybe

*Another time jump, only one month ahead*
Maddie
Wes has just gone into work for the day so I'm home with the twins until he gets home tonight. I haven't been feeling the greatest since last night. I think that I'm getting small contractions, but they're not a big deal right now. Wes will be home later and then we can go to the hospital. Hopefully Marcus can watch the twins. I put all that aside and went to wake the twins up for breakfast. Since they are in their new rooms, everything has need easier. They can get out of bed on their own and they can somewhat get dressed themselves. I walked to Alya's room and quietly opened the door in case she is still asleep. Hey baby girl. Time to get up. She opened her eyes and looked up at me. Mommy! What? Can we go to da firehouse today? And see Unca' Alex? We might be able to fit that in. We can go after we eat okay? She nodded her head and quickly got up and went to her closet to start pulling clothes out to put on. Hey Alya, how about you let mommy get your clothes out today okay? Oday. I smiled and went over to the closet and pulled out a pair of her favorite shorts and a shirt. Here Baby, can you put these on while I go get your brother up? Again she nodded at me so I walked to Taylor's room and got him up. I walked into Taylor's room and gently shook his shoulders. Hey Bud, it's time to wake up. Mama? Yeah Sweetie? When's Daddy gonna be home? Not until later tonight. But, after you and your sister get up and eat, we're going to go to the firehouse and see Uncle Alex and Aunt Marley! Does that sounds fun? He smiled and shook his head. Okay, then lets get you dressed and then we can go eat.

I got the twins dressed and downstairs to eat. After we all ate I got the bag ready and we were out the door. "Okay you two, let's go." They followed me out to the car and I helped them into their car seats. I got into the drives seat and we went to the firehouse. I got out of the car and help Alya out and then Taylor. They both started running inside. "Hey you two! Get back here and hold my hand. You know better than that." Taylor looked up at me with his big blue eyes "Sorry Mommy." "It's okay, Bud. C'mon, lets go inside." They both grabbed my hand on either side of me and I lead them into the station. Alex was walking inside from the apparatus floor and saw us come in. "Maddie! Hey, how's it going?" "Pretty good, getting closer and closer to the due date.. I think it could be any day now." "Well come in!" I smiled and the four of us walked in. Alex walked around the corner into the common room and yelled "Mama and littles in the house!" Everybody got up and walked towards us. Then with all the commotion Alex bent down in front of Alya and Taylor. "Hey Munchkins. You being good for mom?" They both nodded at him and smiled a big grin. Alex laughed and then picked them both up, running around the common room with them then. Marley came up to me and we started talking. "You feeling okay Mads? You look a little off..." "Yeah, of course. I'm good. Just been feeling a little off the past couple days." "Okay. Well you know if you need anything you know where to find me." "Thanks."

About twenty minutes later we were all sitting around the table in the common room talking. Alex was still playing with the twins, running around and tickling them to death. I smiled at him when he looked up at me. A few minutes later they came to sit down beside us all at the table. Alex had Taylor in his lap and Marley had Alya. Alex looked at me then and joined in on the conversation. "So Maddie. you guys coming to the picnic tomorrow?" I had completely forgotten about that. Every year the CFD hold an annual picnic and Wes and I have gone the past 4 years. "Yeah, hopefully we can make it. I just hope this one can hold off a couple more days." I say as I put my hand on my stomach. "Are you going to tell us the name of that little girl before she's born?" Marley looked at me with pleading eyes. "Fine, she should be here before you guys can go blabbing your mouths anyway. Alya, do you want to tell everybody the baby's name? Do you remember all of it?" She nodded her head and looked around the room for a brief moment. "Her name is Awexis Faif." Everybody gawked over the way Alya had said her name. "That was the most adorable thing in the world." By now Taylor had fallen asleep in Alex's lap, out cold. So, we should probably head back. It's past nap time, obviously. I gestured towards Taylor's sleeping form. They just wanted to come see everyone. I'll see you guys tomorrow. They all said goodbye and Taylor woke up from his sleep state. He stood up and grabbed onto my hand as we walked towards the car. Say bye bye to everybody, Taylor. He waved his other hand as we got to the door. I walked with the twins to the car and got them settled in before getting behind the wheel and driving towards home.
After the twins woke up from their nap after the firehouse visit, I put a movie in for them and they sat together on the couch while I worked on an early dinner for when Wes gets home. He gets off at 5 and it is now 4:30. Everything will be done by the time he gets home. I was stirring the rice in the pan and felt a slight pain in my abdomen. Luckily it quickly faded away. Hopefully little Alexis can wait until after the barbecue tomorrow. I continued to cook and felt two little hands tap my leg. Mama? I looked down and saw Alya smiling up at me. Yeah Princess? Can I put my pjs on now pwease? Why sweetheart? It's not bedtime yet. Don't you want to wait for daddy to get home so he can give you a bath and tuck you in later? I wanna see uncle Awex tomowow though. If I go to bed earwier then I can see him earwier! I couldn't help but chuckle at her attempt to say everything she just did. Sweetie you will see uncle Alex in the same amount of time either way. Let's wait for daddy to get home and after we eat dinner okay? She gave a dramatic sigh. Ookayy. Sometimes I wonder how she became so dramatic. She is her father's daughter though. Besides her hair and her eyes, she is all Wes. She acts just like him and it is the most adorable thing. Taylor though is a spitting image of his dad. Hair, eyes, everything. I continued to cook dinner. About 30 minutes later everything was done and I put the stove in low to let it stay warm while waiting for Wes to get home. I went and sat down with the twins in the living room. They were on the floor playing with their toys so I sat down on the couch behind them. I watched them and smiled before I heard a car door shut out in the drive. I looked through the window to make sure it was Wes. Alya, Taylor. Daddy's home! They both smiled from ear to ear before running out the front door with me right behind them. They ran into their dad's arms for a hug. Like everyday, Wes crouched down and held them in his arms. Today longer than normal though. He kissed both of their heads and hugged them tight before picking them both up and carrying them inside. He got to me and smiled. I could tell something was wrong but I wasn't about to bring it up in front of the kids. I would talk to him after dinner after the kids were put down for bed. We all sat down and ate what I had made earlier before takin the twins up for a bath and then bed. By the time their baths were over and they were laid down for sleep it was going on 8:30. I kissed Taylor's forehead as I tucked him in. I quietly walked out of his room over to Alya's to tuck her in as well. Wes had tucked her in and was switching with me now to go to Taylor. I kissed his cheek as we passed in the hallway switching rooms. I went into Alya's room and kissed her forehead as well. I slowly stood back up, trying to take the soreness out of my back. Being almost 9 months pregnant isn't easy. Wes and I met back in our bedroom and I sat next to him on our bed, putting my hand on his back. Talk to me Wes. What's going on? He started shaking like he was going to cry. But he went on. We had a case.. This little girl, she was taken away from her family. She was raped, beaten. Anything bad you can think of to happen to a little girl, she got it. When I saw her today when we found her, all I could think of was Alya, Taylor and Alexis. She isn't even in the world yet and it scared the crap out of me. He started sobbing and I pulled him into my arms. In between sobs he uttered out a few words. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to any of my family. I kissed the side of his head. Sh, it's okay baby. It's okay. We're all safe. Nothing bad is going to happen. I spoke soothing words into his ear as his sobs turned into shaky breaths. He pulled me into a tight hug. I love you. I love you too. He kissed my forehead and put his hand on my stomach. He dried his face with the palm of his hand and looked at me with a softer face then. How're you feeling? Pretty good. I think she should be here within the next few days. He smiled at me and I remembered about the barbecue. Oh! I took the twins to the firehouse today and Alex reminded me of the barbecue. I completely forgot about it. It's tomorrow, I told him we would try to make it. Alya's pretty excited to be able to see Uncle Alex two days in a row. He chuckled and smiled at me again. We will definitely be going then. Don't want to break a couple of almost two year old hearts. I laughed and sighed, content to be sitting next to my husband in bed. I curled into his side then, having already changed out of my day clothes and info a pair of sweatpants and Wes's old academy shirt, one of my normal sleeping attire. Wes wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead. Go to sleep Love. Sleep in tomorrow, I'll get the twins ready for the barbecue and then we can go after you're ready. I smiled and wrapped my arm around his middle before falling into a deep sleep.