Another oneshot. That's all I ever seem to have time for since I usually start them at work on a friday... UC will be updated at some point...it's a slow process. The basketball convo is based on what happened between my mentee and I today at the elementary school.

Warning: Story features a lesbian family. Don't like, don't read. You were warned.

Edit: Fixed an error. I'd accidentally typed in "Nathan" where it should have been Layton. The names sound alike and I use both often. Sorry!

I smiled over at my son, who held the orange basketball in his hands. "Clean," he called as he passed it to me. We stood at the end of the driveway, ready to begin a game of basketball before dinner. I bounced it back to him, not saying a word.

"Mooom!" he called. "You're supposed to say clean!" He bounced it back to me and I said it this time. Why I had to, I don't know. It was one of the rules, he had told me. I guess that was how he and his friends played.

He began to dribble, and watched for an opening. He dribbled off to my right side and I guarded him, but he pushed through and went to throw a shot from the side. The ball clanged off the hoop and I caught it, taking it back to the outside and then looking to go back and make my own shot. He came close to me, his eyes watching my every move. I spun and broke away, making my way toward the basketball hoop and throwing up a shot. I didn't think it'd make it, but the satisfying swoosh told me other wise.

"Awww man…" he whined.

"Your turn," I called as I bounced the ball to him. We returned to the edge of the driveway and he bounced the ball to me.

"Clean," he called out.

"Clean," I returned to him. Once again he started to watch me, watching for his opening. I decided to be silly, and maybe catch him off-guard. "Fluffernutter peanut butter, cherry pie," I called in a sing-song voice. His face contorted and a smile escaped his lips. "marshmallow, cheesecake, sand in my eye!" He cracked up and I stole the ball from him at that moment. He recovered and we began a chase down the court. I shot again, and heard that satisfying swish.

"No fair! You cheated!"

"Not cheating," I said with a grin. I ruffled his hair. "Just mom's way of making you laugh."

He grinned up at me. "I can still beat you," he challenged, grabbing the ball off the concrete.

We heard the beeping of a horn and looked up to see who was visiting. It was the familiar white Taurus, my wife at the wheel. We moved out of the way as she opened the garage and parked her vehicle inside. As the door opened, our son ran for his mama. "Mama guess what?" he called out.

"What?" she asked, smiling down at him. I watched the two. After fifteen years together, she's still not lost that beauty. Still just as tall and blonde as the day I met her. Her accent's lessened over the years, but God do I ever love her.

"Well I aced my math test and Jimmy asked me if I could come to his birthday tomorrow. Can I go?" he asked hopefully.

She stepped out of the vehicle and kissed his cheek. "That's great about your math test, Layton. I told you studying would help out. As for the party, tell me the details at dinner and we'll see if you can go. I'm pretty sure you can. Did you already tell your mom?"

He nodded. "Yeah I did. She said that if you agreed, then I could go."

"All right then. Why don't you go upstairs and change? You know what tonight is…"

"Family Night!" Layton responded happily.

"That's right," I added, finally joining the conversation. "And it's your night to pick where we eat, and our night to pick what we do afterwards."

Without another word, Layton headed for the door that led into the kitchen, quickly removing his shoes and taking off upstairs. Normally, Katherine would have reprimanded him for running, but she seemed preoccupied, gazing beyond me. I worried that something might be wrong.

"Everything all right?" I asked softly as I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her waist, looking up at her.

This brought her out of her reverie. "Yeah," she replied smiling down at me. She leaned closer, and placed her lips against my ear. "I've something to tell you. I wanted to wait until I was sure first."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"We're going to have another baby," she whispered excitedly.

My heart seemed to stop beating and time slowed down. "Ohmigosh," I blurted, as though I were a schoolgirl again.

She pulled away, looking directly at me. "It worked this time; we're going to have another little one padding around the house, and Layton will get that baby brother or sister he's been wanting."

I pulled her close to me and leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around me, returning my kiss. It was short and sweet, as it should have been. "When will we tell Layton?" I asked in a whisper.

"Tonight after dinner, but before we go to the arcade. Do you think that's too soon?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"No… no my love I don't think so," I replied, gently caressing her cheek. There was so much running through my mind—reminders of Layton's birth, everything we went through, the labor… So many emotions, so much that happened. I had been the one to give birth then. She had wanted to this time around. We were much better prepared this time and had spoken with Layton before about another baby. He had been excited.

"Good," she replied with a sigh of relief. "I had hoped it wasn't."

"Mom! Mama! Come on! No kissing in the garage again!"

We both cracked up laughing. Oh the joys of parenthood and a son who loved to tease. "We're going to change right now," I called to him before taking my wife's hand and leading her inside.

Just a nice little bit. Hope you enjoyed. Leave some feedback, eh?