Sudden Changes || e.d

~22~

18 years later

My children are finally graduating. I give Ethan's hand a small squeeze while Alex walks across the stage to get his diploma. I quickly wipe a fallen tear from my eye. Ethan pecks my forehead when Emily's name is called. Her eyes scan the crowd until they land on us. She waves before walking off the stage. Now that our children have gone, it feels like an eternity before all the students are done.

After the last speech from the principal everyone gets up to find their kids. Alex and Emily run over to us and drag us outside. "Its not that crowded." Emily said. "Yeah," Alex says breathlessly while looking over his shoulder. Ethan and I look at each other before we laugh. "We know you guys just don't want us to get stuck talking to teachers." I say. "Yeah, thanks," Ethan says, "now hurry up let's get out of here." We all run to the car and pile in before heading home.

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Flashback

"Its okay baby," I gently say to Emily, "it'll be over before you know it, I promise." Trying to coax a 6-year-old child off of you for their first day of school is hard. "No momma," she said as she tried to grab onto my hand, "please stay." I dropped to my knees and looked her in the face. "Go sit with Alex hun," I say pointing to him quietly sitting in the corner, "he'll be with you all day. It's just like at home, you get to play all day until I come back to get you." I wiped the tears from her face. She sniffles before she heads over to Alex. I quickly head out the classroom door to find Ethan waiting for me. I grab his hand as we walk out of the building.

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The second we enter our house the twins rush to their rooms to change. They give a quick goodbye before dashing out the door to go hang out with their friends.

"We did good Jayden." Ethan says as he hugs me from behind. I turn around in his grasp and softly kiss him. "I know we did E, I'm just not ready to let them go." I say quietly. "Jayden, you already have." Ethan says, "Look at them, they have their own lives, ready to be lived. They'll forever and always be our children, nothing can change that." I smile at him before I run to the kitchen.

I open the fridge and take out the water balloons I had stored in there before we left. I pelted them at him before quickly running to hide in the bathroom. I heard him slam into the door before jiggling the door knob. "Ok Jayden, you win." He said. I heard his wet feet shuffle against the floor before I heard clinging pots and the sink turn on. I knew he was filling the biggest pot we had to drench me in water. I freaked out knowing he'd wait all day, and I had no escape. I took a chance and tried to sneak outside. I opened the back door before I realized the sink stopped running.

I saw Ethan running at me with a pot full of water. I slammed the door and ran to the fence. I forgot we got a lock for the gate, turning around I saw Ethan walking toward me. "You better not," I said shakily, "Ethan don't you dare take another step forward!" "Alright." He shrugged. Then, without warning, he launched the water at me. I instantly got soaked and we both started laughing.

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Flashback

It was quiet, too quiet. I knew my family had teamed up against me, but I was ready. I snuck out the back door and headed toward the gate. I silently pushed it open and saw Alex and Ethan crouched behind the air conditioner. I grabbed a handful of water balloons and launched them. A few hit but most didn't. Ethan turned around and shot me with the water hose. Alex started throwing a few balloons of his own. I tried to run back into the yard but Emily was behind me with a bucket of water. She three it on me before running toward her brother. Ethan kept the stream of water on me and the kids kept throwing balloons.

In defeat I finally fell to the floor with my hands up. We were all laughing until Ethan suddenly turned the hose on the kids. They screamed and ran behind me. I quickly ran and hid behind Ethan. The twins were trying to hide behind each other as Ethan kept the stream steady. I tickled Ethan causing him the drop the hose. I picked it up and aimed it at him. He dropped to the floor and covered his head. Alex and Emily ran over to me and filled up the bucket, they dumped it on his head before he reached out and grabbed them. He used them as a shield until I turned off the hose. We all got into a group hug and laughed.

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Ethan and I were cuddled up on the sofa when I got a text from Emily.

Em: mom come get me
Me: where are you
Em: at that frozen yogurt place down the street
Em: alex is here with me
Me: ok we're on our way

"We have to go pick up the kids." I say getting up from the couch. "Do I have to drive?" Ethan asked as he got up. "Umm of course you do, how else will I play these lit tunes?" I say with a wink. Ethan cringes while grabbing the keys. We hop into the car as I start my playlist. When we arrive we see the kids outside on the sidewalk.

"Are you guys okay?" I ask concerned. "Yeah mom," Alex says, "we just got tired." We get back into the car, before we drive away Emily asks, "Can we actually stay and get some yogurt?" I looked at Ethan and he shrugged. The place was open and completely empty. "Sure, why not." Ethan said as he got out of the car. The cashier looked tired so we hurried and got our yogurt. We climbed back inside the car and drove to the park. We got out and sat on the swings. We talked for what seemed like hours. The twins told us what they were planning to do. Ethan and I told them this is where we used to go. Before it got too dark we decided to head back home.

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Flashback

"We are going inside guys." I said. They both groaned. "Ugh mom, going places with your parents aren't cool." Emily complained as we drove to get frozen yogurt. "Well we could lock you in a basement and only feed you bread crusts." Ethan said. I giggled and the twins groaned again. "Please don't be weird inside." Alex sighed. "Pssh we're never weird." I said to him sarcastically.

When we pulled up their faces drained of color. Inside was a group full of teens. Knowing what it was like in middle school. I told them to write down what they wanted. They thanked me and stayed in the car with Ethan. After I got all our orders we drove to the park. We went and sat on the swings. The twins told us about middle school and how excited they were for high school. Ethan and I told them what it was like when we were in high school. We also warned them about how people could be.

After we got home I pulled Emily aside and told her about Jack. I told her if any boy treated her like that to tell me or Ethan. "Don't let it get too far, okay." I said. "Yeah mom, I promise." She hugged me before we went back out to the rest of the family. We all played Mario Kart for the rest of the night.

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"Be careful!" I called out. "We will mom! Don't worry!" Alex yelled out from the car. This was it. My children were off to college. "We love you!" I called out while they started the car. "We love you too!" Emily called out. I stood in Ethan's arms as we watched our children drive away. Ethan picked up my chin and wiped away a few stray tears. I sadly giggled before I pecked his lips.

My loves, my pride and joy, my children were grown, off to go see the world and live their lives. I knew nothing bad would happen to them. I knew they'd have a guardian angel watching over them.

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A

: y'all.... This is it.... The last chapter... Ugh this is a huge weight off my shoulders and also another crack in my heart lol
my friend is harassing me to finish so I'm not gonna proof read
This book was amazing to write and I'm so thankful for all the support I've gotten. I truly love you all and thanks for reading💖

Btw there will be an epilogue, nothing too long though