A Heavy Metal Christmas

Chapter 8

*SIX YEARS LATER*
"Juliet! Stop chasing your brother!!" "Anthony, give the Barbie back- Anthony!!!"
Jake and I run after our six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter and scoop them up.
Juliet wriggles in my arms, swiping at her brother and yelling, "Gimme my doll, you big meanie!!"
In Jake's arms, Anthony holds out Jule's Rockstar Babe Barbie and grins. "You mean this one?" he giggles.
Jake plucks the doll out of his hand and gives it to Juliet.
Anthony looks up at Jake and whines, "Aw, come on, Dad! I was gonna give it back!"
Jake lifts an eyebrow and asks, "Now or later?"
Anthony drops his eyes and crosses his arms.
"Mm-hm. That's what I thought." Jake says with a smirk. He sets Anthony down and tells him, "Now, apologize to your sister."
I put Juliet down in front of her brother. Anthony shuffles his feet a bit, then glances up at Juliet and mutters, "Sorry for taking your doll."
Juliet hugs the toy and replies softly, "It's okay."
They awkwardly hug, then run off together. I smile at the adorable sight. Jake moves to my side and slips an arm around my waist. "We're pretty good parents, huh?" he asks proudly.
I rest my head on his shoulder. "Yeah," I answer. "Thank God for Haley. I wouldn't know the first thing about parenting if it weren't for her."
I look up at Jake, who was smiling to himself. "I hear you," he agrees. "I didn't know Sid knew so much about being a dad. Guess it comes with experience." He shrugs, then looks down at me. "But you definitely stepped up to the plate," Jake continues, squeezing my hip. "I think I would've gone insane in those first few years if I was solo."
I giggle. "Thanks, babe. You're not doing so bad yourself." I poke his side. "Thanks, princess." Jake says with a chuckle.
He then slips a knuckle under my chin and tilts my head up to kiss me. He pauses, then whispers, "I love you."
I smile, then turn so that we were pressing together and I slide my arms around his neck. "I love you, too." I murmur.
Then I close the distance between our lips, and his arms tighten around me.  We kiss for a few seconds before we were interrupted with four rather loud, "EEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!"'s.
Jake breaks the kiss, and we both look over to see Sid, Juliet, Anthony and Isabella standing a few feet away from us with disgusted looks on their faces.
I laugh and let go of Jake. "Hey, Sid. What's up?" I ask.
"Well, I was going to ask you guys if you wanted to come to the park with the kids and Haley and I, but if you're busy, then..." Sid answers with a small grimace.
I roll my eyes, then say, "Nah, that sounds fun. Let's go." I take Jake's hand and follow Sid and the kids out, meet Haley at the door, and go out to start walking to the park.
As we walk along, I couldn't help but take a look around and soak in the details of the day. Happiness wells up inside me, and a huge smile develops on my face.
If someone had told me my life would be this amazing when I was fifteen, I would have laughed in their face.
But now, eleven years later, I'm more grateful than I have ever been in my life. I have a wonderful husband, two adorable children, loving uncles, and an amazing father.
I couldn't be happier.

~THE END~