"From This Day Forward (Part 3 to One Night Stand)"

"Parenthood"

It was 3:00 am & everyone in the house was sleeping soundly until Baby Miranda & Baby Manny woke up. Piercing cries filled Antonio's room as both Antonio & Serena were rudely awakened out of their sweet slumber. Antonio grabbed Miranda first & laid her on Serena's chest & then he went back for Manny & grabbed his bottle from the warmer on the bedside table. Serena turned on the lamp on her nightstand & sat up so that she could properly hold & breastfeed Miranda. Serena's eyes were half shut & she struggled to keep them open.

It had been a few days in on Antonio & Serena's co-parenting journey. They had begun a new venture on their relationship & this parenting thing & decided to tag team. So every week, they had switched up their living spaces. They would spend a week at Serena's & the next week they would spent time at Antonio's. Their arrangements were going well up until this particular night. Both Antonio & Serena smiled & looked at each other as they held their babies while feeding them.

Antonio: Hashtag parenthood...
Serena: Yup.

Antonio & Serena both leaned in for a kiss & sat close to each other while holding their bundles of joy. They eventually placed their babies back in their cribs & the whole house was asleep again.

The morning came sooner than they both had expected. The looked over at Manny & Miranda & the two babies were sleeping peacefully. Serena was leaning on Antonio's chest. She loved leaning on his chest & hearing his heartbeat & feeling his breath on her forehead. Antonio started singing softly to her & she closed her eyes as she held onto his hand.

Antonio: So, I'm going to the soup kitchen, you wanna join me or do you have school stuff?
Serena: I can come along.
Antonio: I'll have my abuella watch the babies.
Serena: Are you sure she'll be ok?
Antonio: Hey, if my abuella can raise me, I'm sure she can watch M & M for a few hours.

Serena smiled & looked over at the crib where Miranda was laying & then looked up a Antonio. Life couldn't be better than it was right now. Miranda & Manny, or "M & M" as Serena & Antonio so often called them stayed asleep. Serena & Antonio jumper at the opportunity to get ready for the day. Antonio & Serena grabbed coffee to go & said bye to Antonio's grandparents on their way out.

The two were inseparable & went everywhere together. Every time Antonio had band practice, a musical performance or his charity work, Serena was right by his side. Antonio accompanied Serena to the library to study & even helped her out with projects for school. And when they would bring their babies out around town, people thought that Manny & Miranda were twins. Serena loved her little family. Antonio enjoyed having Serena & Miranda around, but was scared she'd get too close & would eventually find his secret out.

They got to the soup kitchen & started helping offload the food delivery trucks. The soup kitchen workers all knew Serena by now & she knew everyone by name. There was a new worker there that day that she didn't recognize. It was a female. She had beautiful tan, olive skin & long, dark curly hair. She walked towards Antonio & Serena & called Antonio out by his name.

Girl: Antonio!
Antonio: Gabby...
Serena: How do you know each other?
Gabby: I'm Manny's mother.