Disclaimer: I promise you that I do own... a complete set of the Twilight saga. HOWEVER, I sadly don't own Bella or Edward or anyone and anything in the Twilight world. BUT (Yeah, you can be mad at me for making my disclaimer a long one.) I do own the plot of this story... (Yipee! She's done.)
My Four Boys and I
"EDWARD!" I screeched as I exited the kitchen through the back door. "Get your three sons down that tree. Right. Now."
I looked up and saw the crooked house that my four boys built yesterday. Edward's head popped out of the small window, an apologetic smile on his face. I just glared at him.
My four boys. I sighed inwardly. As much as I love them, more than anything else in the world, they could really be the cause of a migraine.
Edward slowly emerged from the hut, the repentant smile still on his face. He took our youngest son, EJ, out. The five year old was thrashing in his father's arms.
"I wanna play, Dad. Come on," he complained, still squirming.
"Sorry, son, but look at your mother, and I'm sure you might change your mind," Edward told him as he set him back on the ground. EJ looked at my direction and his face quickly morphed into worry.
"Mom, don't be mad at us. We're just playing," he said in his childish voice. Among my three wonderful sons, EJ was the most sensitive with my feelings. I got a strong feeling he got it from my best friend's husband.
"Edward Julyone Cullen," I said, my voice almost controlled. I knelt in front of him and stared directly into his innocent green eyes. "If you really cared about me, you should stop doing reckless things like that. Even if your father is around, I'm going to have some major talking with him later." I quickly added the last sentence when he was about to argue.
"But Mom," Brendon, my eldest son, contradicted. He slid effortlessly down to the ground, landing with an audible thump. He was quite gracious and tall for a ten year old. "Aren't you doing reckless stuff before?"
I blushed lightly and looked up again, only to see Edward mouthing an apology, though he was fighting a smile. I looked at my eldest son once more.
"Brendon Jaymes Cullen, whatever nonsense you heard and you will ever hear from me, please, don't remind me." I remembered the one silly thing I did before; cliff jumping. I visibly flinched at the memory of pain. At least, something good came out of that. There, I met my gorgeous husband.
"What's with that face, Mom?" Anthony, the second eldest, countered. I must have been wearing a dreamy look, because the three young boys suddenly erupted into a laughing fit.
"Anthony Robert Cullen," I warned, standing up and looking seriously at the seven year old boy, then at three of them. They were all quiet at once. "I thought I told you to clean up while I was making lunch?" They nodded swiftly. "So, what are you doing here in the backyard?" Before the three of them could answer, the life saver, which they were probably waiting for, finally arrived.
"Don't be too harsh on them, love. It was my fault. I got excited when I finished the tree house earlier that I called them immediately," Edward explained, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. He propped his chin on my shoulder and I could feel his warm breath on my neck.
I gestured for the trio to go in, at last saved, before turning and glaring at Edward.
"You know how I feel about them doing that kind of things," I reasoned with him. "And yet, you're the master of the mischief."
He just chuckled at me and kissed my forehead. "You know I'll never do anything that can harm those three. Also knowing that they were products of our love increases the protectiveness. Say you'll forgive me, Bella," he whispered on my ear.
"I-I." Why do I have to be a stuttering mess around him, after all these years? "I-" I was totally cut off by Brendon.
"Mom, Aunt Alice called. She wanted to remind us of the June 24 barbecue party later at their house, and to think that EJ will have his birthday exactly one week from now." He was staring at the phone so intently that he didn't saw the position Edward and I were in. So when he glanced up, his face flushed in embarrassment and he stuttered an apology.
Edward and I burst with laughter. I was giggling on his chest as he laughed, his hair buried in my hair. When we were done, I walked over to my son.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, I said, "Brendon, I'm so sorry you have to see that. Come now, let's eat." I pulled him inside where Anthony and EJ were already situated in front of the table.
"Did you wash your hands?" I asked them sternly.
"Yes, Mom," the trio answered.
We all took our seats and ate lunch. The boys were planning something, given that they were giving each other knowing glances. When Edward caught my eye, I gave him a "don't you dare" look, and he just smiled unevenly, making me choke on the water I was drinking.
I scrubbed the plate as I heard the boys run upstairs. I told them to pack their things since we're planning to stay at Alice's for the night. Edward came with them, and I didn't have to check them to know they were probably playing or something.
I put the last plate on its place, and walked to the foot of the stairs. "Are you done packing?" I shouted.
"Yup!" the three answered. It was quickly followed by the sound of them coming down. Brendon came down easily, followed by Anthony. EJ wasn't so lucky; he tripped on the second to the last step, and I was luckily close enough to catch him.
"Oh my goodness! Are you all right, darling?" I asked the boy in my arms. It wasn't his fault his mother wasn't that coordinated, and that he happened to inherit it.
"I am fine, Mom, but my elbow kind of hurt." He grimaced, and I quickly checked his elbow. Horror-stricken, I found a gash on my son's skin. I instinctively stopped breathing, knowing my weakness for blood.
"We can fix that," Edward said, appearing in front of us. He produced gauze, an alcohol and a bag of cotton. He cleaned EJ's wound, while the boy lay motionless in my arms. I breathed through my mouth the whole time.
"There," Edward said after a while. EJ pulled away, and studied his arm.
"My ninth wound," he sighed, patting the bandage, and Edward and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Come on, let's go." I carried EJ in my arms, and we went outside where Edward's Volvo rested. Brendon and Anthony were already inside. I slid into the passenger seat with EJ, while Edward made sure the house was locked up.
"Wow, July one, what happened to you?" Anthony asked, using his preferred name for EJ.
"Anthony, dear, it's Ju-li-yon, not July one," I corrected my son, humming as Clair de Lune floated in the car. I could feel EJ slipping into a fitful slumber. "He just fell, and scraped his elbow. Now, be quiet, your brother is trying to sleep."
He nodded. "Okay, Mom. I think I'll take a nap, too. Knowing Aunt Alice's parties, we have to get as many hours of sleep as we can. She doesn't let anyone sleep until she, herself, was tired." He shook his head, his bronze hair going left and right.
I laughed. "You're right. Where's Brendon, by the way?" He looked behind him, and we found my eldest son fast asleep on the back seat.
"Told you, Mom, we have to sleep as many hours as we can." Anthony chuckled, and went to sit beside his sleeping brother. "G'night, Mom," he said, before closing his eyes.
I smiled, and looked down, only to find EJ asleep. The driver's door opened, and Edward easily slid in the car.
"Are we ready to go?" he asked excitedly, but when he looked at our sons, and found all of them asleep, he became quiet. "Oh," was all he said. He turned to me, his eyes sparkling with joy. "I always love seeing the four of you together. My heart swells with joy."
"Same here," I told him. He smiled crookedly. He held my hand, and kept it like that as we went Alice's. Nothing could doubt the happiness in my family. There will be no problem, as long as my four boys and I were complete.
A/N: Just review, please... I shall not explain myself for my long absence...
Anyway, I would like to say the history of the boys' names. Brendon Jaymes: Jaymes is Kristen's middle name, while Brendon is something I just chose for the story. Anthony Robert: Anthony is Edward's middle name, and Robert, well, you know where it came from... ;D And Edward Julyone (I swear a lot got weirded out with Julyone.): Edward... enough said, and then Julyone, because EJ's birthday (if you look back and observe) is on JULY ONE... Like it? :D