After the redemption {Sequel}

23 A new era

Adam POV

After we arrived home, we sat down together in the living room. The kids wanted to tell us everything they had experienced the day before. When they were done with their stories, they asked us lots of questions about the new baby. 

The hours passed in a flash. Alice followed Y/N and Alina wherever they went. She wanted to help with everything her mother did. It was really cute. Alice was already a great big sister. Aiden also kept caressing the baby. But at his age, other things were clearly more important. And besides, a baby was nothing new for him. Aiden had experience as a big brother. Playing with his cars and other toys had priority for him. Alina would still be there tomorrow.

"What should I make us for dinner? Any suggestions?" asked Y/N as she came back into the living room after putting the baby down for a nap.

"You should get some rest. I'll take care of dinner." I said to her.

"You?" she asked me skeptically.

"Yeah, I can handle it." I replied, even though I wasn't so sure that was true myself.

"What do you think about just ordering pizza? It's easy and the kids love pizza." suggested Y/N.

"Yes Daddy. Mama is right we love pizza. Right Ally?" said Aiden. I looked around and saw Alice tiptoeing towards our bedroom. Where the baby was sleeping.

"Alice stop!" said Y/N. She too knew where Alice was going.

"But Mama...I want to see Sissy!" Ally whined.

"I know angel, but Alina is sleeping. You can hold her again later, okay?" she promised our pouting daughter.

"How about you help me fold the baby clothes? Daddy can go ahead and order the pizza in the meantime." said Y/N to Alice.

"Yeah okay." replied Ally.

Not even half an hour later, the baby's soft crying could be heard over the baby monitor. Alice was already rushing towards Alina before Y/N could even get up from the couch.

Just before she left the living room, the doorbell rang. Y/N turned to me with a questioning look.

"That can't be the pizza yet, can it?" she wanted to know.

"Technically it can't be. You go ahead and check on Alina. I'll see who's at the door." replied I and made my way to the front door.

When I opened the door, my three partners in crime were standing in front of me.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked as they came in and greeted me.

"See! I told you he forgot. Dude tonight is game night. You invited us last week." said Kyle.

"Oh...oh yeah now that you mention it. I really totally forgot. It's no wonder with everything that's been going on." I replied.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Roddy wanted to know.

But before I could answer Y/N came into the room with Alina in her arms.

"Hey guys. What are you guys doing here?" Y/N also wanted to know.

"Adam forgot about our game night and we..." that's as far as Kyle got, because suddenly he noticed the baby in her arms.

"Holy... I mean... when..." he stammered.

"Yesterday at noon. I'm sorry I haven't called you yet, but we wanted to be alone with the kids first," I explained.

"Wow. At least now I know why you didn't answer the phone," Bobby said.

Suddenly the three men looked at each other as if they were talking silently. Without warning, they all shouted "Dibs!" at the same time.

"Guys calm down. You all get to hold her," I said as they started discussing who would get to hold the baby first.

"Ally, what do you think? Who gets to hold Alina first?" asked Y/N our daughter standing next to her like a guard dog. Alice thought about it for a moment.

"Who held me first?" she wanted to know.

"Uncle Roddy." said Y/N.

"Who held Aiden first?" she continued.

"Uncle Kyle." I replied.

"Then it's Uncle Bobby's turn." she finally said.

"You are so smart angel. You heard the judge Bobby. Come here." said Y/N and handed the little girl to Bobby.

"Good job you two. She's so cute." he cooed.

And so the three took turns and were beaming the whole time. Afterwards they had dinner with us, played with Aiden and Alice for a short time before they said goodbye to us.

A short time later it was time for Aiden and Alice to go to bed. I helped them get ready for bed as Y/N was busy nursing the baby. After the kids said goodnight to their mother, I tucked them both into bed and wished them a good night as well.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked my wife when I came into the bedroom.

"No. I'm fine. Go take a shower baby. I know you're exhausted too. I'll change her diapers and quickly clean up the kitchen. Then we can go to bed," she replied with a smile.

"You are right. I'll do that." I said and gave her a quick kiss before heading to the bathroom with my fresh clothes.

When I returned to the bedroom a few minutes later, Y/N was leaning against the doorframe, looking at our bed with a soft smile.

"I think we lost our bed." she said, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. I followed her gaze.

Alina was lying in the middle of our big bed. But she was not alone. Aiden and Alice lay to her right and left, holding her tiny hands while all three slept soundly.

"I left the room for maybe five minutes." she whispered.

"Let's wait a few more minutes until they're really sound asleep. Then I'll carry them back to their beds." I said, wrapping my arms around my wife.

This was an image I would never get enough of. My kids cuddled up together like that. How wonderful it would have been to see all of our children together like that. Instead, we would all always have two guardian angels watching over us. 

Y/N and I would forever be parents of five children, even if we could only hold three of them in our arms. The twins would still always be a part of our lives.

As we stood there embracing each other and watching the children sleep, I was once again overcome with love. With the love for my family.

"I love you, Adam." said Y/N as she lifted her head from my chest and kissed me.

"I love you too, Y/N." I replied, deepening our kiss.

"And you know what?" I asked.

"What?" she wanted to know.

"That's undisputed."