The Best Years

21

Halloween was always one of Holland's favorite holidays. She loved dressing up, getting to be anything she wanted to and she hated that this year, even the thought of getting dressed up, seemed to be too much effort. She hated feeling like she was missing out but it took everything she had to help Chloe into her costume.

Chloe had decided to be a gymnast for the holiday. She wore a sparkly blue leotard and one of Holland's gold medals that Holland had taken out of the trophy case. Chloe sat perfectly still, not daring to move, as Holland brushed out her thick curls and styled her dark hair into a plaited style similar to one she had seen Simone Biles wear before.

"Look here." Holland said softly to Chloe and the girl turned around, a wide grin breaking across her face at the sight of the lipstick Holland had only let her wear when she competed.

Holland made a fish face to encourage Chloe to stick her lips out and the girl repeated her actions. A light chuckle sounded from Holland's chest at the exaggerated pose Chloe took, but she dabbed the bright red lip paint softly and then instructed her to smack.

"Perfect." Holland told her, bending forward to kiss Chloe's forehead.

"Why aren't you dressed up, Momma?"

"Sorry, bug. I'm just so tired. Next year, I promise, you, me, Cal, and the baby will all do fun costumes."

"Okay." Chloe agreed simply. "We can be princesses."

"Sounds good to me." Holland agreed.

""Where's my little gymnast?" Calum called, stepping into Chloe's pale yellow room dressed in a Team USA jacket he had bought to support Holland in Tokyo. It seemed the perfect pairing to Chloe's costume and he had donned it to take her trick or treating.

"Can we go yet?" Chloe asked excitedly.

"Yep, Uncle Mikey and Aunt Crystal just pulled up with Camp, and the Hemmings' should be here any minute with Cai. Go get your candy bag."

Chloe hurried off down the hall to her playroom to grab her pink trick or treating bag and Cal took a seat next to Holland on Chloe's bed.

"You okay? I know you love Halloween and I hate that you're missing out."

"I'll be fine. I'm gonna set the candy out for kids who come by and then probably take a warm bath, try to relax some and help my back."

"It's still bothering you?"

"Yeah, nothing serious. I called Natalie but she said it's probably just that the baby has run out of room and to expect to be at least a little uncomfortable until I go into labor."

"Okay, well, we won't be going far, just a few streets and I'll have my cell on me. If you need me just call."

"I will. Go have fun with our girl." Calum nodded and stood, bending back down to kiss her before he disappeared into the hall.

"Come on Clo!" He called when he reached the front door. She appeared a moment later, candy bag in hand, a wide grin spread across her face. She bounded out the door and he closed it behind him. He greeted his friends before turning his attention to the children who laughed and talked animatedly.

"Look at that, a week into knowing each other and as thick as thieves." Michael said.

"Well, we always knew our kids would be." Calum replied. "Just need to get the Irwins in on this."

"Good luck with that."

"Ah, I don't think it'll be much longer. Even if they say they want to wait a while still, I don't think they'll hold out but another year or two."

"Guess time will tell." Michael said thoughtfully and Calum nodded.

"Let's go kids!" Sierra called out and the group formed a small convoy; a family of anime characters, a gymnast and her fan, and a Queen, King, and Princess.

The neighborhood the Hood's lived in was inhabited by many celebrities and other elites the like. The elevated social status meant a greatly lessened chance of anyone caring who they were and thus, an added layer of protection for their children. Even so, Calum kept his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary, as much as he tried to feign confidence for Holland, he was still on edge from the paparazzi who had managed to sell Chloe's picture to the tabloids.

As they trekked through the neighborhood, the kids laughing and eating more of the candy than they were placing in their bags, he kept his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

*

Halloween passed and so did Camp's third birthday. He quelled his disappointment that he would not share his day with the new baby by diving head first into his birthday cake, much to his mother's chagrin and father's amusement.

Calum and Holland, much like Camp, also grew more anxious with every passing day as their baby's due date lingered only a week away. With Calum's supervision of her meals Holland was able to stay on track with her dietary plan and Natalie agreed that as long as there remained no further changes, their birth plan could remain as written.

The nursery had been decorated and Holland bided her time by rearranging bits and pieces of decor. Anything to stop her from going stir crazy. For Calum's part he was a dutiful husband, constantly by her side to the point where finally she became annoyed with him and asked him to call the boys and get out of the house so she could have some alone time and that was how he found himself at Ashton's.

With the band in a bit of a lull following their most recent album and tour Ashton was considering a sophomore album for his solo music after his previous success and had invited Calum over to serve as a bit of a sounding board.

The house was in a disarray, bits of sheet music, sketches, and notes covering every visible surface and sat crossed-legged among the mess was Ashton. His curly dyed-black hair was tied back and he held out a worn lyric sheet to Calum, awaiting his critique.

Ashton had a hard past, full of memories he had repressed and hidden inside his heart as the boys had grown up on stage. He now, as a grown man with more life behind him, had a delicate and beautiful way of telling the stories that were solely his to tell. HIs lyrics resonated with people and it was why his first project on his own had done so well and why, Calum knew, his second was sure to chart the same course.

"This is fucking good, mate." Calum exclaimed as he read over the story of a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"It still needs a bit of work, but here, I'll play you what I have so far so you can get the feel of it." With that Ashton picked up the acoustic guitar that was lain haphazardly across the couch and began to play. Hours passed this way, the two friends lost in their own musical world until the shrill tone of Cal's phone broke them from their trance. The sun had dipped below the horizon and covered the outside world, visible through the wall of windows in Ashton's living room, in darkness.

"Hello?" Calum answered, his voice coming out a bit high pitched at the sight of Holland's name and photo on his screen.

"Hi baby."

"Everything all right love?"

"Yeah, but I think you should come home. I'm having some contractions and I think these ones might be the real thing."

"I'll be there as quickly as I can." He promised, grabbing his jacket as he ended the call. "Gotta go, love you!" He yelled behind him to Ashton who only smirked and waved as Calum disappeared out the front door and into his car.

An: ahhh it's time 😱

Boy or girl?

What name did I go with? What's the nursery gonna look like?

Will everything go well?

Ily,
Sav 🖤