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In My Life

A month had passed in the Buckingham household and things were getting back to normal. The thank you notes for gifts guests had sent were in the mail weeks ago, honeymoon was over, Stevie and Lindsey were back to work and the kids were in school, moaning about homework and extra curriculars.

Stevie bounded down the stairs to meet her children who were arguing over breakfast. She poured herself a cup of coffee and just watched her teenage twins, smiling. Suddenly, Callie and Dylan stopped and looked at her.

"Mom, why are you smiling like that? Dylan is being a real jerk!" Callie said.

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Callie argued. "See?"

"I just love you both so much!" Stevie put down her coffee cup and squished her children in a hug. "You are the light of my life."

Lindsey joined them in the kitchen with Iris on his hip. The curly haired blonde practically leapt out of her father's arms to get to her siblings. "Morning!" He kissed Stevie's hair. "What's going on here?" he asked, looking terribly confused.

"I'm asking myself the same thing" Dylan said.

"I just love them all so much, Lindsey, don't you? They're the most perfect, wonderful children in the world." Stevie finally let them go and instantly attached herself to Lindsey. "And you are the most handsome, incredible husband. You're so amazing that I married you twice!"

Lindsey chuckled. "Yeah, but you divorced me in the middle of all that marriage."

"Is she on something?" Dylan asked.

"I'm not on anything, silly. I'm just so...." Lindsey looked up from coffee cup. Stevie's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so happy!"

"Ahhh...hormones!" Callie said, hopping down from the barstool at the counter. "It's okay, mommy. We love you too. You're a great mom and we are lucky to have you. You're my best friend." The tall brunette hugged her mother, rubbing her back.

"I'm your best friend?"

"Of course you are." Callie tried her best to calm her. "Why don't you finish your coffee then we can have breakfast as a family?"

"Okay." Stevie pulled away, wiping her tears.

"Wow!" Lindsey mouthed and Dylan laughed.

"Come on, little one. Wanna make pancakes with mommy?" Iris nodded vigorously, taking her mother's hand as she plopped her onto the counter. "Remember, its hot" Stevie warned.

Lindsey motioned to the older two to meet him in the living room while Stevie was cooking with Iris.

"After your mother's doctor visit today, I want to take her out. I know we just got back from our honey moon but I want to do something special for her."

"I don't know dad." Dylan began. "If she gets that emotional over us even when we're arguing, imagine what would happen if we did something nice for her? We'd have to float out of here on a raft!" Lindsey chuckled but Callie elbowed her brother. "Hey! What was that for?"

"It wasn't funny. You don't have to go through the changes she does!"

"Don't be such a stick in the mud, Callie. It was just a joke. What, are you on your period or something?"

"If I am or not is none of your business!"

"Women!" The boy rolled his eyes.

"Can we just pay attention? Get it together." Lindsey said, trying to reign them in.

"Sorry" the kids said in unison.

"That's alright. So what do you think we should do?"

"We should go on a trip!" Callie said. "Something short, just over the weekend. Maybe we can rent a cabin or something."

"Hmmm..." Lindsey was thoughtful.

"Is mom really that outdoorsy, though?" Dylan asked.

"She can be." Lindsey thought. "Or maybe we can do something just the two of us."

"Wine country!" Dylan exclaimed, as if he had the best idea ever. "Beat that, Callie."

"She's pregnant, doofus. She can't drink."

"Oh yeah..." Dylan's face turned red from embarrassment and Lindsey laughed.

"I would take her back to the hot springs but she's been weird ever since she read that submersion in hot water can raise the body temperature too much and boil the baby." The children had horrified expressions on their faces. "That's been disproven....I think. Anyway, why don't I just get her jewelry?"

"Girls love jewelry." Dylan agreed.

"That's true, but what would you get her? Maybe you should take me to help pick it out."

"I did pretty well last time. Remember the ring on her finger and that bracelet I got her? She still wears them both. Proudly, I might add."

"That's true." Callie nodded. "I just think mom would appreciate an experience a lot more than something material. You're right, dad. You should go away with her somewhere, just the two of you."

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you two alone, especially with Iris." Lindsey bit his lip. "I'll work out the kinks later. I still have time, right?"

"Yeah, sure, you've got a few hours." Dylan nodded confidently.

"This is going to be a disaster..." Callie said, walking back toward the kitchen.

Dylan shrugged, as did their father and followed after Callie.

Stevie smiled at the sight of them, putting Iris back down to join her brother and sister at the table. She was getting too big for her high chair and Stevie knew she couldn't force her to be a baby forever. The little girl took her seat at the table and Stevie burst into tears unexpectedly.

"Yikes! Have fun on your trip with all of that!" Dylan said and Lindsey held onto his wife, whispering comforting words to her.

"Let's just eat, sweetheart. Are you hungry?" She nodded.

"I just can't get over how grown up everyone is! The babies are now fifteen and my littlest little is going to be three!"

"But we're having a brand new baby for you to cuddle and nurture."

"They're going to grow up too and everyone will leave me! I'll be an empty nester!"

"I'll be here and you said I'm basically a child for years. You can always take care of me."

"I guess that's true." Stevie allowed him to let her go, his arms still around her waist. She sniffled, wiping her tears with her napkin from the table.

"And the kids will come here all the time, even when they're all grown up. We have at least three years with the twins and fifteen more with Iris...the baby will be here for at least eighteen..." Lindsey frowned. The more he tried to comfort her, the more he realized he was still so far away from having a quiet house and the man cave of his dreams.