This is a short story about a day in the James-Parker household. Set 6 years after the end of the movie.
It was bright Saturday morning when Annie James-Parker woke her sister by throwing pillow in her face. Hallie rolled over and groaned.
"Why do you feel the need to do that?" Hallie asked.
"If I don't you won't get up until mid-day." Annie replied from across the room. She got out of her bed and walked in their bathroom. She started to brush her hair, which she had let grow out again, after cutting it the summer she had met her sister. It now hung just past her waist. She had planned on it keeping the same length as her sister's, but that was so they would be able to 'trade places' if they ever needed too. This plan was rendered mute a few months after their parent's second wedding.
It was a bit surprising that despite the switch Hallie and Annie had pulled it only took Liz four weeks of living with them both to be able to tell them apart by listening to their footsteps. Nick wasn't as good as Liz and it had taken him longer but he could still tell his daughters apart if he had to. The girls still won't sure if that was good or bad thing.
"But it's Saturday for crying out loud. Couldn't you let me sleep in?" Hallie said. She sat up rubbing sleep out for her eyes. Her short hair was sticking straight up causing Annie to laugh before she could reply.
"And have you miss mom coming home. She probably landed already."
"So it's not like we're going for mom. Martin is getting her."
"So when did you expect to get up?"
"When mom came up to tell me she was back."
Annie snorted as she looked at her sister. "Well I'm sorry for thinking that it would be nice to welcome our mother at the door when she returned from London."
After Annie and Hallie had managed to rekindle the spark between their parents six years ago the family had the problem of where they were going to live. Nick and Liz had tried living in London, then in California the first time around. We all know how well that ended. This time around however they were in a place mentally and finically where they would be able to run their respective businesses from anywhere.
It still led to bit of a debacle at first. Hallie and Nick wanted to stay in Cali, while Annie and Liz wanted to stay in London. In the end everyone had decided that it was easier to move a dress store than it was to move a vineyard. So Liz had opened a branch in Napa Valley and it was here the family had lived ever since.
However she still kept her one in London and her father looked after it. Every few months and when there was a major client she would fly back. And ironically, last year Nick had purchased a vineyard in the Champaign region of France. One of Annie's biggest points on why they should stay in London was because there were several places in Europe where wine was produced. While initially her plan hadn't worked, Nick still liked the idea of expanding his line.
Anyway Elizabeth had been in London for the past three weeks and was due back today. Hallie reluctantly got out of bed and followed her sister downstairs. They came down yawning to find the kitchen covered in pancake batter.
"Chessy? What happened in here?" Annie asked looking around.
"Yeah, it looks like a batter bomb went off." Hallie said
"The boys wanted to help to cook this morning." Chessy indicated to the two four year old boys sitting at her feet and throwing handfuls of batter at each other giggling. "Do you mind cleaning them off while I straighten up in here?"
"Of course not. Come on Harry." Annie said.
"Let's go get cleaned you guys cleaned up. What do you say Arthur?"
"No. No bath!" One of the little boys said throwing a handful of batter at Hallie. She ducked out of the way and scooped the little boy of the ground. Annie did the same with the other.
Harry and Arthur were Chessy's and Martin's twin boys. Everyone wasn't so surprised when Chessy announced 5 years ago she was pregnant. The surprise came a few months later when they found they were having twins. If you are wondering the boys are named Harry and Arthur- 'H' and 'A' after Hallie and Annie. Chessy said it was the least they could to name the boys after the twin girls since if not for Annie and Hallie she and Martin probably would have never met.
No one was more excited about the twin boys than Annie and Hallie. From the time they had been born it seemed like the boys adored the girls. There had been many nights when a frustrated Martin had knocked on the girls' door asking for help with the babies. Annie and Hallie only had to walk in the room and the boys would stop crying.
It was still the same. The boys would wait every day at the front door for the girls when they came home from school and the girls spoilt the boys rotten.
"No Bath! No bath!" the little boys where now chanting in union.
"Yes bath! Yes bath!" the girls chanted back. The boys only chanted louder still.
"If you don't get clean then you won't get your gifts when Aunty Liz comes home today." Hallie said. That made both boys stop instantly.
"One bath." Arthur said.
"Then gifts." Harry said waving his hands and managing the get batter all over Annie's face.
"One bath." Annie agreed. "Now stop messing me up." When they walked into the bathroom Annie handed Harry over to Hallie so she could start filling the tub. Her twin in the mean time got the boys out of their batter covered clothes.
"Alright let's get you cleaned off." Annie said.
Half an hour later, the boys where cleaned and sporting fresh outfits. The girls had to change as well since Arthur had decided they had needed a bath as well and proceed to splash until everyone in the room was soaking wet. The two pairs of twins walked back in the now clean kitchen.
Chessy already had a stack of chocolate-chip pancakes on the counter with piles of eggs, bacon and toast on the side.
Annie and Hallie helped the boys in their seats and placed a pancake on a plate of each boy before taking their own breakfast.
"Where our gifts?" Arthur asked.
"You get your gifts when mom comes home." Annie replied.
"Speaking of your mother, Martin just called. He collected your mom and they're homeward bound,"
"Great." Both girls replied. "Where's dad?" Hallie asked.
"In the office as usual," Chessy replied.
"We'll have to go drag him out before mom get's here." Annie remarked.
"Want slurp Hallie?" Arthur wailed out.
"Syrup Arthur. Not slurp." Annie corrected. Hallie poured some maple syrup over the boy's pancake.
"I want slurp too." Harry said. Annie sighed.
"I swear, all my etiquette classes are going on deft ears with these two." She said.
"Their four year old boys Ann, not Lords of London." Hallie said.
"It can't hurt if they have some manners."
"One, they are Cali boys, not British dukes. Two, they have manners. Watch," Hallie poured some syrup for Harry.
"Thank you Hallie." The boy chanted before ripping into his pancake. Most of said pancake ended up on his shirt.
"Okay, so they aren't the most graceful eaters. But they did say thank you." Hallie said. Chessy laughed and wiped away the pancake sticking to her sons faces.
"You girls fuss about my sons more than I do." She said.
"They're like our little brothers." Hallie said.
"I can't wait to see what you'll be like with your own kids." Chessy said. Both girls started to choke. Annie gulped down half her glass of orange juice. Hallie coughed while Harry pounded her back for her.
"Thanks kiddo," Hallie said to the boy before turning to Chessy.
"Yeah, that's not going to be soon," Annie said.
"Not anytime soon at all." Hallie seconded. Cheesy only chuckled.
Just then they heard a vehicle outside.
"Mom's home!" The girls exclaimed both leaping to their feet and racing out the door. The black Cadillac Escalade pulled to a stop as the girls got out the front door. The person on the passenger's side had barely opened the door and touched the ground when she was almost knocked over by the combined weight of Haille and Annie.
"I take it you missed your ole mum," Liz said laughing.
"Missed is an understatement," Annie said.
"Yeah mom, three weeks is too long, next time we're coming with you," Hallie said. Liz laughed again and placed a hand around each of her daughters.
"You know I'd love for you to come darlings, but who'd look after your father if the three of us go off to London,"
"Oh dad's a big boy." Hallie said waving her hand dismissively. "He can take of himself,"
"He can?" Annie and Liz asked at the same time.
"Well he has Chessy," Hallie added.
"How's grandfather?" Annie asked.
"Wonderful dear. He sends his love, as well as some gifts,"
"Oh! What'd he get us?" Annie asked excitedly.
"Why don't you go see, the gifts are in my hand luggage."
Hallie and Annie both ran towards Martian.
"We'll take that," Hallie said lifting a suitcase from his arms.
"Why thank you girls, Annie you can that other one, it isn't too heavy."
But Annie didn't response instead following Hallie who was heading inside. Martin sighed and looked at Liz. "That one has their gifts in it, doesn't it?" He asked.
"I'm afraid so," She said laughing. Martin sighed again. "Well, why don't you give you give me that one," Liz suggested.
"Thank you madam, maybe your daughters will pick up on your manners on day,"
"We heard that!" Hallie yelled over her shoulders.
"You were meant too!" Martin yelled back, making Liz laugh harder. Her laughter was joined by Chessy's who was standing at the door. She moved aside as Hallie and Annie rushed past.
"Arthur! Harry! Come on, we got the gifts," Annie said, making the two boys run after them. The four of them sat down in the living room opening the small suitcase.
"A new poker set," Hallie exclaimed taking it out of the bag. "Cool, we are christening this tonight,"
"Are you sure you want to lose your allowance Parker?"
"Don't make me laugh James, the only person going to the bank will be you,"
"My daughters, the gamblers," Liz said with a sigh.
"Blame dad, he taught me,"
"And grandfather taught me,"
Harry and Arthur were already occupied with their toy cars.
"Boys, what do we say?" Martian said. The twins stopped driving and looked up, "Thank you aunty Liz," They said in union before returning to their race.
"Girls, where's your father?" Liz asked.
"Dad's in the office," Annie said.
"Per usual,"
"Well what do you say we go inform him of my return," Annie and Hallie managed to tear their eyes away from the new poker chips and follow their mother down the offices of the winery. A few of the staff greeted them joyfully as the trio made their way to Nick's office. Liz knocked once before opening the door.
"Hey stranger," She said smiling. Nick looking up from a paper and mirrored her expression.
"Hey, when'd you get back?"
"A few minutes ago,"
"Sorry I didn't come up to meet you," He stood, "The girls were supposed to come get me,"
"Yeah, because that's our job," Hallie said sarcastically.
"What other point is there for having kids?"
"Unconditional love," Annie suggested.
"I believe that's what I have your mother for," He said, as he wrapped a hand around Liz's waist pulling her in for a kiss. Annie and Hallie covered their eyes.
"Didn't we talk about giving us a PDA warning?" Hallie said.
Liz and Nick broke apart chuckling. "You know, I remember when they used to gush with happiness when we kissed," Liz said.
"That was back when we won't all kissed out," Annie said.
"But after six years the novelty has worn off,"
"Just image how much they would complain if we'd never separated in the first place," Nick said. "Well, girls you'd better look away," He said as he leaned down again.
"Okay, we're gone," Hallie said.
"Get back here," Nick and Liz each grabbed one of their daughter pulling them in for a family hug.
Hallie and Annie both complained about being smothered, but everyone in the room knew they didn't really mean. They'd could never complain about moments like this, when their family was whole.
Nardragon~ until the next page.