Edd could only smile as he walked through his door, exhausted. His work sometimes demanded long hours. It was really worth it. He heard the Bee Movie playing for what must have been the millionth time in their house. At least least it was educational. And, of course, bearable. It could be much worse. Not that he didn't just love the Spanish language and all but Dora was a totally different story. He could smell chicken and dumplings, still warm in the kitchen and saw a cool lemon iced tea waiting for him at his normal place at the table.
He walked past the threshold of his home and couldn't help but smile like a sap at the sight of their abnormally large couch. Marie slouched in the middle as their quadruplets crowded her, all asleep.
Mona Lee, the eldest, was propped on Marie's shoulder on the right, her glasses gently askew. Her mouth was partially open, enabling anyone to see the hereditary gap in her front teeth. Her long, blue hair danced all the way to her waist, various pins and accessories expressing the girl's creativity. The four year-old hugged a Blue's Clues planet book to her chest. Her light freckles danced from her outer cheeks to the bridge of her nose. She wore a long purple nightgown.
Issac Albert, the second eldest, was on the left in a similar position to Mona's. His blue hair danced down to his shoulders, still a bit shorter than his father's, whom he most favored. He wore an over-sized Batman shirt and small boxers to bed. He held the remote, something that, Edd was sure, took a major argument from the other and he himself was surprised that Marie didn't just take the remote herself. His mouth hung ungracefully open and showed off his own gap.
Maria May, the second youngest shared her mother's lap with her sister, November Rose.
Maria was slightly taller than the others. Her silky raven hair covered her eyes as she curled into her Mama's belly, slightly bulging due to her next bundle of joy. Maria wore a small tank top and princess skirt to sleep. Her lips separated enough to show no gap in her teeth, the only one of the four. Her freckles were the most pronounced of anyone's in the group.
November Rose wore something similar to Mona, only in in a white. Her black hair was without bangs, falling to her waist in a waterfall. She was by far the smallest among them, curling into a ball against her mother's belly. Edd sighed. Someone had upset his delicate little girl. She carried both freckles and a gap in her teeth. Her arms encircled the large pitbull's head in Marie's lap.
The dog, Gaea, was a good protector and friend. The girl was still a pup. Her dominantly red fur was littered with black, white, brown, and blue splotches. She was one of the most beautiful dogs Edd had ever seen.
Suddenly, his stomach growled in hunger and her turned his attention to the meal in the kitchen.
Once he had finished the meal, he turned to the clock.
1:39 am.
He walked into the living room and lovingly picked up Maria and November. He tucked them in without waking them and walked down for the other two. Then he went back downstairs and looked at his wife with loving eyes. the woman herself was decked in a My Chemical Romance tank and Batman sweats. Edd picked her up bridal style, walking her up to their bedroom. After laying her in bed, he looked at himself in the mirror in their bedroom.
He was truly exhausted.
His long raven hair, normally neatly brushed and tied back was trying to escape the elastic that held it in place. His eyes carried bags beneath them in a shade of purple. His five o'clock shadow had become much more pronounced in the last several hours. His shoulders, normally straight back, after having been first trombone and drum major in the Peach Creek Marching Band, were slouched. His neck felt ready to break.
After changing into a plain white t-shirt and sweatpants, he crawled into bed next to his wife.
He finally made it to where he wanted to be. He was a Greek History professor at Penn State University, he played in a state orchestra of five hundred as third trombone. Most importantly, he had the girl of his dreams and all his friends from his childhood. Both Edd's and Marie's parents lived across the street, in the same cul-de-sac that the always had. He had four wonderful children, soon to be five, or with Marie, maybe more!
It was all the man could ask for. And he wasn't the only one living well.
Eddy married Lee, and even though they had twins as teenagers, buckled down. He and Lee were now the owners of many properties in Peach Creek and still managed their twins, Jack and Vanessa, along with a five year-old, Teddy.
Ed and May also had a child, Heather, at about the same time Eddy and Lee did. Ed soon became the author of a bestselling Si-Fy instant classic. They had a four year-old, Jim, and a newborn, April Ann.
Kevin and Nazz tied the knot and now ran the candy store. They had two children, Kane (four) and Natasha (three).
Johnny met a girl named Kara and settled down as the potheads of the cul-de-sac, not that everyone didn't have a few tokes every now and again. They had four and a half year-old twins, Jordan and Willow.
Rolf had moved back to his country for a short time before coming back with a wife, Mellina and twin boys of five, Victor and Wilfred. They owned a successful produce stand and Ukrainian bakery.
Sarah and Jimmy were the only ones who left. They were absolutely pissed when everyone, including Ed, had gone after Marie after she was molested by her stepfather. She and Jimmy were angered by the whole group's luck and after turning eighteen, left for Lemon Brook. They had a son of two, Timothy.
Everyone besides them were happy with their lives.
Edd smiled at the thought, curling his wife into his arms, recalling the night they had graduated high school.
Eddy had asked him the probability of it all going as it had, as perfect as it did.
They had all been on the creek side, celebrating their achievement and everyone demanded the genius's answer.
"313,592,979.7234983 to 1."
Edd looked back. The odds were looking pretty good as Marie turned and nuzzled in to his chest.
She began to stir in half-consciousness as gave out a slight groan of discomfort.
"Ngghh...Edd?"
"Yes, Marie?"
"Oh, God, I didn't even know you came home! What time is it?"
"Oh, about two, maybe?"
"You're kidding."
"No, I'm not."
"Well, when'd you get in?"
"1:40 or so."
"God. You should've woken me. I'd have helped with the kids. They must have so cranky, especially November. Maria decided it would be funny to-"
"They were all asleep with you, love."
"...Huh...?"
"They were out like a light, snuggled up to you."
"What?"
"...I don't know a simpler way to put it, Turtle-dove."
"Wow...that's even possible?"
"I would figure so."
Marie smiled and snuggled next to man she had pursued all of her preteen life to get. Edd followed suit, resting his head on the memory foam pillow.
Just the two lovebirds began to drift, a soft knocking rapped on the door. A small, timid voice rang through the crack.
"Mama? Daddy?"
November was one of those children prone to nightmares. She just couldn't help it.
Despite Marie's exhausted sigh, Edd called:
"Come in, November."
She ran like lightning, as if something were chasing the girl, and jumped like an Olympian unto the bed. Edd caught her in his arms and pulled her under the covers. Marie drew closer, patting her child's head.
"Goodnight, November,"Edd told his daughter,"Sweet dreams."
He kissed November's forehead and Marie's cheek and pulled them close.
Edd had just closed his eyes as he heard three small hand beating on his bedroom door, followed by a pathetic whine.
He groaned as the two others in the bed chuckled.
"Who needs sleep?"muttered Edd as he rubbed his temple.
Marie snorted. "We're the parents of four, we should know by now sleep is a once a week thing."
Edd simply could not argue with that as he heard the squeaky voices at his door.
"S'not fair..."
"Why does she get to be in there?"
*Whine*
"Let us in!"
Marie called out, scratchy in the throat,"Come in!"
After finding a way to comfortably fit two grown-ups, four preschoolers, and a pitbull, Edd and Marie finally allowed themselves drift to sleep, wanting their lives no other way.
The odds certainly gave a few people luck, at least.