I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You all kept me going and I appreciate it so much. This is the final chapter and I will really miss writing this one but I felt it was time for it to end. I hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I did writing it.
"Wyatt we have to leave in twenty minutes, turn off the video games and go get dressed." Zoe yelled from the kitchen
"Can't I wear this to Uncle Lavon and Aunt AB's?"
Zoe glared at him. "You are not wearing a ninja turtle costume to Christmas dinner."
"But I love it." He complained
"I know, you've been wearing it every weekend since Halloween."
"Cause it's cool."
"Turn off the tv and go get dressed into the outfit I have picked out for you."
"Fine Mom." He rolled his eyes, turned off the TV and ran upstairs
"5 is such a fun age." She shook her head and went back to icing the cake in front of her.
"I can't do it, I give up. She won't stop squirming and it comes out croaked." Wade was rambling as he walked into the kitchen with a tiny toddler in a red velvet dress and black tights, on his hip. She was the spitting image of Zoe, big brown eyes and dark brown hair that was a sticking every which way, he threw the hairbrush on the counter along with two bows. "I just can't." he said one more time.
"Ok fine, she looks so pretty. Come here Mia." She reached out for the baby.
"Hi Mama" she waved and went to her mother. "Hair" she pulled at her own
"Yes, Mama will do it." She gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Can you go check on Wyatt, make sure he gets out of the turtle costume and into his dress clothes."
"That I can do." Wade smiled "You look amazing by the way." He looked her up and down and grunted "Hot"
She smiled "Thank you, you look pretty hot yourself." They heard a crash upstairs. "Wyatt" Zoe sighed
"Oh Wyatt" Mia laughed and put her hand over her eyes
"Please go check on him." Zoe gave Wade a worried look.
"I'm on it." He ran towards the stairs
"And do his hair." She yelled after him
"Ok, Mia. Let's do your hair. Silly Daddy, you'd think after a year and half, he'd figure it out."
"My Dada." She smiled
"Yes he is." She sat her on the counter and quickly put her hair up into pigtails on either side of her head and put the bows in. "Adorable." She looked at the clock on the stove. "Ugh we need to go." She put Mia on the floor and then put her cake in the box and covered it carefully. "Where are those boys?"
"Boys" Mia yelled into the living room
"Thanks Mi" she laughed "Guys come on." Zoe yelled up the stairs
"Where are Wyatt's shoes?' Wade yelled down
"I had them next to his bed. Check under it."
"Got them."
"Your brother is a mess." She laughed and looked down at Mia. "Where are your shoes?" she asked
Mia shrugged her shoulders "No no." she laughed
"Yes you do, where did you put them?" Zoe started looking around the living room.
"O der" Mia pointed to the couch
Zoe knelt down and looked under the couch. "I see" she pulled the shoes out. "Come here please." Mia walked over and sat next to Zoe. She put her shoes on her and then they both got up just as Wyatt and Wade were coming down the stairs. "My handsome boys." She smiled at them. "Are we ready?"
"Yep, you got the cake?" Wade asked
"It's in the kitchen can you grab it?" she asked while picking up Mia.
"No problem. Wyatt grab your sisters bag and help Mama out to the car.
"Ok. Do I have to wear this vest?" he asked pulling at the sweater vest
"Yes." Zoe told him. "You look so handsome."
"Mom" he moaned
"Just let's go." She walked out of the house.
"Daddy." Mia yelled as the left
"I'm coming Princess." Wade laughed as he followed them out
"Okay" she laughed
"Wyatt get out of the dirt and into the car." Wade yelled
"Why aren't we just walking?" he asked
"Because you can't stay away from dirt."
"I'm five and a boy, it's what I do."
Zoe glared at Wade from across the car. "Why is he so smart?"
"He didn't get it from me." Wade laughed "That is all you Babe."
She smiled at him. "Oh no, he is you, every last bit of him." she laughed "Please get him in the car." She climbed into the driver's seat.
They drove the two minute drive to Lavon's and got out of the car. Wyatt ran ahead and hopped over Burt's tail.
"Hi Burt." He said running passed him
"Ah" Zoe yelled when she saw the gator.
"Beat it Burt." Wade waved the gator along and he slithered away
"Bye Burt" Mia waved when she saw him
"Merry Christmas." Zoe smiled walking into the kitchen
"Merry Christmas." AB smiled back and gave her a hug. "Hi Mia."
"Hi. Colt?" Mia asked
"He's in there." Annabeth pointed towards the old office that is now the playroom. "Colton, Mia's here."
"Yay, Mia" he clapped and ran out of the playroom and took Mia's hand, bringing her back in the playroom.
"They're so cute." Zoe smiled watching them play. "How are you feeling?" she looked down at ABs very noticeable baby bump.
"I feel great. We found out the sex today." She beamed
"What is it?" she asked excitedly
"Girl." AB squealed
"Ahhh" Zoe yelled with her and hugged her. "I'm so happy for you. Ella?" she asked
"Yes, I love, love, love, that name."
"It's precious. When are the Tucker's showing up?"
"When they can get here. I feel so bad for them." she laughed
"Oh the babies can't be that bad. I was over there the other day and they were quiet as anything."
"Well according to Lemon they never ever sleep. When I was there, that's all they did."
Zoe laughed "Welcome to parenthood."
"I know. Colton didn't sleep through the night until he was eleven months. They're not even 3." She said
"Mia still wakes up at night."
"Oh do not tell them that." she laughed
"I wouldn't dare."
"Big Z" Lavon came in and wrapped Zoe in a hug. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Lavon. Congrats on the little girl."
"Thank you, we have one of each now.
"Unc Avon." Mia was tugging on Lavon's pant leg
"There's my Mia Munchkin." He picked her up and gave her a kiss.
"Hi" she waved to him
"Oh she's so cute. We get to have one just like you."
She held out an animal cracker. "Eat it" she demanded
"Zoe, she is so you." Lavon laughed
"I'm not sure if that was a compliment ." she laughed with him
"Yo." Wade walked in from the dining room. "The happy family is here." He chuckled
"Leave them alone." Zoe smiled at him and opened the door when they were close enough. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas" George greeted walking in carrying two car seats and setting them on the floor. Lemon followed after carrying a tray of food.
"Hi everyone." She greeted with a giant smile
"Hi" they all said back eyeing her suspiciously
"You ok Lemon?" AB asked
"Oh I am just fabulous."
"She napped." George whispered
"Babies" Colton said peaking in the pink car seat
Mia wiggled down from Lavon's grasp and went over to the blue car seat. "Baby"
Lemon looked at the toddlers looking at her babies. "Are they clean?" she asked
Zoe and AB glared at her. "They're toddlers, they're never clean." Zoe told her "And I am not bathing in sanitizer to hold your babies so you can put that away." She pointed to bottle of sanitizer sticking out of the diaper bag.
Lemon rolled her eyes "If they get sick."
"Oh stop" AB told her. "We didn't do that with either of them and they're both fine."
"Wyatt eats dirt." Wade said and everyone laughed
"Hey, not anymore." Wyatt interjected
"Wyatt you look so handsome." Lemon gushed wrapping him in a hug.
"Thanks Aunt Lemon." He rolled his eyes and pushed away from her.
"What's wrong Little Man?" Lavon asked him
"Mom wouldn't let me wear my ninja turtle costume." He said
"Not for Christmas." She told him for the tenth time that day
"What a horrible, horrible mother." George laughed
"George." Lemon smacked him
"See Uncle George would have thought I looked awesome. And Mia could have worn her Super Girl outfit. It would have been great."
"Wyatt Dylan, enough." Wade told him
"Wyatt Dyan." Mia yelled at him
He glared at his little sister. "Quiet Mia."
"No" she yelled glaring back at him
"I love them." Lavon smiled "She's so fiesty."
"Enough, the two of you. Mia go play with Colt." Zoe told her.
Mia looked up at her mom and sighed "Okay." She wandered into the playroom.
"Good luck with her in thirteen years." Lavon whispered to Wade.
"Oh I know."
"Ok, gimmie a baby." Zoe looked at the Tucker twins.
"Which one?' George asked
"I don't care."
"Max is up, want him?" he said and Zoe nodded.
"Maxwell." Lemon corrected
"Max." George said to her as he placed the baby in Zoe's arms.
"Oh, he's so cute." She gushed
"Take him back." Wade said to George
"Oh stop it, we are so done." She giggled.
"Good."
"Oh boy." Lavon laughed. "Why don't we go see if the game is on."
"Sounds good to me." He said and the three men started towards the living room
"I'm coming too." Wyatt ran after them
"Lemon they are so cute. Maxwell looks just like you." Zoe smiled at the tiny infant in her arms.
"Everyone says that but I don't see it and Rosalie is all George. That I can see."
"Yes she is." Annabeth peered in at the sleeping baby still in her car seat. "So adorable though."
"Thank you, they'd be cuter if they slept."
"They don't sleep at all?" Zoe asked "they were excellent when I was over the other day."
"Yes, they are fine when we have company. They know when we are alone, they're evil I tell you."
"They have to sleep though. Rosie is sleeping now." AB said
"But they don't sleep at the same time. As soon as one falls asleep, the other one wakes up."
"Oh, yeah that has to be rough. But you'll get them on a schedule soon."
"Magnolia was no help when she was here. Clora is just horrible when around. Everything I do is wrong. That woman drives me insane."
"You are doing just fine, don't listen to her." AB told her
"Ow Mia." They heard Colton say from the playroom.
Zoe sighed and walked in there. "Mia Jacqueline, what did you do?"
"She hit me." Colton told her
"Are you ok?" she asked
"Yes." He said "I good."
"Did you hit him?" she asked
"Yes" she nodded
"Was that nice?"
"No" she shook her head
"Ok, what do you say to Colton?"
"Sowwy Colt." She said and gave him a hug
Zoe got up and went back into the kitchen.
"She's so cute, how do you ever yell at her?" Lemon asked
"It's easy when they're your own." She laughed "You'll see."
"Can you believe the three of us are standing here with 5 almost 6 kids between all of us?" AB asked
"Not at all." Lemon laughed "But I also wasn't expecting to have two kids not even two years into marriage."
"I did. But our situation was a bit different." Zoe laughed
"Yes, not many people have a child 9 months after the get married." AB teased
"Oh shut up." Zoe smiled
"I told you that would happen too." Lemon mocked
"Yeah, uh I don't remember that."
"So Tucker, fatherhood getting any better?" Wade asked
"I love it, I really do but they just have to sleep. Lemon is mean."
"That surprises you? She's sleep deprived, covered in spit up and Lemon." Wade laughed and took a swig of his beer.
"Gee thanks Wade." George couldn't help but laugh. "But seriously, when do they sleep through the night or when can I send them away for the night?"
"Send them away? They're not even three months old." Lavon said
"Yes three months plus about 6 equals 9. 9 months guys." He gave them a very serious look.
"No?" Lavon asked "No!"
"Are you kidding me?" Wade asked in shock
"I really wish I was, but no. it stopped the second she started showing."
"Oh that's not pretty." Lavon said
"Was AB like that? Or Zoe?"
"Not really, I think the longest we waited was 2 months." Lavon said and they both looked at Wade.
"5 weeks." He shrugged
"I don't know why I even asked you." George shook his head "You two suck."
"You're just jealous." Wade smirked
"What are you waiting for Daddy?" Wyatt looked up at Wade
"How long as he been here?" George asked
"I think the whole time." Lavon whispered back
"Um, the mail. It takes a long time."
"I get the mail every day except Sunday."
"It's uh, special mail." Wade said
"Hmm, ok." He shrugged and ran into the kitchen
"Did you know he was here?" George asked
"Kind of forgot, he was quiet." Wade replied. "Oh well, he has no idea what we were talking about." He shrugged
"How long has it been Lemon? You can't keep that man waiting forever." AB asked her
"9 months" Wyatt said taking a cookie off the tray
"Excuse you?" Lemon asked
"Uncle George said 9 months he's been waiting."
Zoe's eyes bugged out of her head "Waiting for what?" she asked afraid of the answer to follow.
"The special mail. Mommy how come you only had to wait 5 weeks?"
"Wade Kinsella" Zoe yelled immediately
"That kid and his big mouth." He grunted and ran into the kitchen
"5 weeks?" AB asked in shock
"Don't judge us." She said as Wade walked in "Are you kidding me?"
"We forgot he was there, he was really quiet."
"Wyatt go play with your sister and cousin."
"Uh oh Daddy, you're in trouble."
"Yeah thanks Son."
"Are you kidding?"
"He has no idea what we're talking about. Relax your sexy self. You are super-hot when you're mad, you know that?" He put his hand on her hip and pulled her towards him.
"No wonder it was only 5 weeks." Lemon whispered to AB who just laughed
She smiled and then pulled back "Stop it. You really need to watch what you guys say around him."
"I see that now. Don't worry we will."
"Thank you."
"Can I go back?" he asked
"Yes." She shook her head
Wade walked passed her and slapped her butt, she turned around and he winked at her. She just smiled and shook her head.
"You two are disgusting." Lemon laughed
"I don't care." She smiled back at her
"Ok dinner is ready." AB chuckled talking the roast out of the oven.
"I'll go get the kids." Zoe walked towards the play room
Everyone was gathered around the dining room table, babies and all. Zoe smiled looking at everyone and stood up holding her wine glass.
"If I could say something." She said and everyone looked up at her. "This Christmas seems like one of the best ones I've ever had. My closest friends, my amazing husband and all of our wonderful kids with another one on the way all here." She smiled at AB. "When I came to this town six years ago I never would have imagined all of our lives being this connected and happy now. I came here with no job, no friends and no family. Now, in my eyes, I have it all. I could never have asked for a better family and am so thankful for all of you." She smiled at them all and sat back down.
"To family." Lavon held up his glass
"To family." Everyone else repeated and raised their glasses as well.
Thanks again everyone :)