Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby

Chapter 3

"Come on, Nixie, Bertie, let's hurry up and wrap Daddy's birthday present," Ziah Baker smiled at the excited 3-year-olds as they ran full-speed over to the rolls of wrapping paper.

Ziah placed her hands on her 7-month pregnant belly and sighed, her eyes betraying just how exhausted she truly was. Being the sister and fiancee of two Marines deployed in Afghanistan wasn't an easy thing in the least of bits. Her breath hitched and she jumped, startled when two well-built, tattoo-covered arms came around her from behind and two hands rested gently over hers.

"You all right, baby?" Matt Sanders asked, nuzzling his nose into Ziah's neck and then pressing a kiss right behind her ear.

"I'm just a little tired, Mattie," Ziah sighed as she leaned back into his arms and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Why don't you go lay down, sissy?" Zacky asked, helping his kids apply dark purple wrapping paper and a huge black bow onto a large, refrigerator-sized box.

"I can't, Zee. It'll ruin the whole surprise for Brian."

"I'm sure Brian will text you or call you once he gets through the traffic he's stuck in..."

The kitchen phone rang then and Ziah reached over, pulled the receiver from its cradle and put it up to her ear. "Hello?" she greeted as cheerfully as she could muster.

"Hey, Zi. Listen, I got out of a heinous traffic jam. I should be there in about ten minutes," Brian sighed, rolling his eyes.

"That's fine. Just take your time. Getting here safely is the most important thing."

"Yeah. How are the little hellions doin'?"

"They're great. Perfect little angels," Ziah replied, grinning at her brother and his children trying to smooth down the quite crooked and crinkled wrapping paper.

Brian let out a little bark of laughter. "Yeah, I'm sure they are. Did they take their nap today?"

"Yep, they took a couple hour nap without problems."

"Wow. That's a bit surprising."

"Uhm...yeah, I know." Ziah bit her bottom lip. "Way to almost blow the whole surprise with your big fuckin' mouth!"

"Well, that's good. It means that they should be easy...easier to get them into bed tonight."

"Mmhhmm. Well, I better get back to the angelic hellions. We'll see ya in about ten minutes."

"Okay. Love ya, sis."

Ziah smiled brightly. "Love ya, too, bro." She returned the receiver to its place and then turned her attention back to the box and the three members of her family giggling and joking around with pieces of tape, ribbon and wrapping paper. "Brian said he'll be here in ten minutes, but knowing him like I do, it'll be more like five."

"I know. My husband is not known for his willingness to wait," Zacky laughed, cleaning up the wrapping paper, ribbon and tape remnants. "'Kay, Nixie, Bertie, Papa's gonna go get changed. Remember, you can't tell Daddy that Papa's here. Okay?"

Phoenix and Liberty nodded their heads slowly, giggling as they put a finger up to their lips.

Zacky laughed as he copied his children. "And who taught you this?" he asked, arching an amused eyebrow.

"Momma!" Phoenix giggled, pointing to Ziah.

"Really?"

"Yup," Liberty answered matter-of-factly.

"Ziah, you are such a bad influence," Zacky sighed, shaking his head dramatically and them smirking at his younger sister.

Ziah rolled her eyes. "Whatever. At least I didn't teach them how to use their other fingers."