Eli is awoken by the phone ringing.
Actually, no. That was a lie. He was awoken by his wife's spring (or winter) cleaning fit ("It has to be ready for when the baby comes!").
He drearily reaches to the hook on his bedside table, and pulls the phone to his ear, without looking at the caller I.D.. "What do you want."
"Well then." The sarcastic voice seeps through the speaker.
"Hi, Adam." He deadpans, lifting himself up, his back laying against his pillow.
"Hi, Eli. How's Clare?"
"Ah, you know." Eli runs his hand through his dark hair. "Pregnant."
"And that's half the reason Bianca and I adopted Caiden and Garrett."
Eli almost laughs out loud. "Dude, no it isn't."
"Shut up."
Eli climbs out of bed, searching for a (slightly, at least) clean shirt. "So how are the little dudes?"
"Ah, you know. Little."
"Do they like the cold weather?"
"You're not good at starting conversations, are you?"
"Just answer the question."
"They love the snow."
"Don't they have snow in wherever you got 'em from?"
"California? Uh, no. Are you really that hung over?"
Eli smirks. "I wish."
Adam laughs. "Do you know what you're naming the baby yet?"
Eli pulls a gray shirt over his head. "Nah, not yet. Clare wants Tabitha. And we would call her Tabby for short."
"Like tabby cat? No. What about Adam?"
"It's a girl, dumbass."
"Fine. Gracie."
"I cannot believe you just said that."
"I'm desperate. What about... Ariana?"
"Nah. Ariana's Clare's cousin's name."
"Reese?"
Eli stops in his tracks and thinks about the suggestion. "Like Witherspoon?"
"Sure."
Eli grins. "Maybe."
"Who are you talking to?" Clare asks when she passes by, holding a big cardboard box.
"Adam."
Clare's eyes light up, and she takes the phone from her husband. "Adam! Hi! You and Bianca are gonna come over with the twins today, right? Uh-huh, okay. See you then. Bye." She hangs up and puts the phone down.
Eli looks are her with one arched eyebrow.
"What?" She continues to their bedroom.
Meanwhile...
Adam puts the phone down on the counter.
"Snow!" Caiden gurgles, patting the ground.
"Snow!" Garrett repeats, throwing his hands up in the air.
'Snow' was the only word the boys knew- they were just a few months over one, and they would repeat it... And repeat it... And repeat it...
"No snow today." Adam says, picking up his sons and placing them in the play pen. "We're gonna go see Eli and Clare."
"We are?" Bianca asks, looking up from her magazine.
Adam nods. "Clare invited us in her, 'Do it or I'll kill you and you can't kill me because I'm pregnant' voice. Besides, this may be the last time we can go over to their house without having to worry about a newborn baby."
Garrett yanks a plastic truck out of Caiden's hands.
"Snow!" He cries.
Adam and Bianca burst out laughing.
"Fuck off!"
Adam chokes on his coffee.
"Caiden!" Bianca exclaims, covering her sons mouth. "I told you not to repeat that!"
"How does he know that?" Adam presses.
"Uh..." she grins sheepishly. "I was mad at Fitz earlier?"
"Fuck off!" Garrett repeats. "Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off!"
Adam glares at Bianca as he covers Garrett's mouth.
Today is my birthday. I expect reviews as a present.