A/N: Hello! Here's the little sequel for Life Here After, I just plan on it being a few chapters, not a full fledge story. Most of it will be told through flashbacks. I really appreciate the feedback if you guys would leave me a review and let me know what you think! I have this story pretty much all written; I just have to find time to type it up. Expect a chapter or two every week! Also, for those of you that read Absent Love by the ever so lovely Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell, you can check out her sequel to that- A Love that Melts the Heart that I beta. It's a fantastic story! Enjoy, everything goes to its rightful owners.
"When are the boys getting here, mommy?" A little girl with dark brown hair pulled up into a ponytail asked her mom. They were both sitting at a restaurant table for four, but currently there were two people absent.
"Any minute now," the mother replied patiently. She smiled at her daughter who was coloring in the pictures on the kids menu. She had always loved to draw, ever since they had met. "What're you drawing?"
The girl looked at her mom, her chocolate brown eyes sparkling. "You asked me that when we met too, remember?"
"How could I forget?"
The girl giggled, "I'm drawing our family!"
"Really? Can I see?" The mother craned her neck to look at the drawing.
"No!" The little girl gasped, covering up the picture with her torso. "It's not done yet!"
"Oh," the mother said, trying to hide a smile that was creeping onto her face. "I'm sorry. May I see it when it's finished?"
The daughter nodded feverishly before returning to her masterpiece. The mother smiled fondly at the girl before looking up as two figures caught her eye. She waved the figures over, immediately recognizing them. The mother elbowed the little girl gently, "There they are."
The little girl looked up instantly, a wide grin spreading across her face before vaulting out of her chair. "Daddy, you're here!"
A wide smile spread across the older man's face as he wrapped his arms around his daughter after she had nearly tackled him. The little girl released her father and looked behind him at the other person. "Hi, Cal," she greeted the tall lanky, dark haired teenager that was standing beside her father.
"Hey, Sammy, you miss us?" He winked at her teasingly.
"Well, duh."
"I have to say, I missed my favorite little sister too," the boy said.
"Calvin, I'm your only sister."
"Huh, I guess you are, Samantha." Her brother, Calvin, looked past his sister, Samantha, to where their father was talking to their mom. His eyes lit up.
"Come on, silly," Samantha grabbed his hand and pulled him the few feet to the table.
"Calvin's here, mommy." Samantha announced.
The mother laughed, "Thank you, Sam." She and Calvin watched each other for a second before the mother opened her arms for a hug. Calvin grinned and instantly stepped into it, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and tucking her head under his chin.
"When am I going to get used to you being taller than I am?" The mother asked with a laugh.
"Never," Calvin joked, squeezing her tighter. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. How about you don't travel to another state for baseball again?"
Calvin released her, a smile on his lips, "Not likely."
"Shall we sit?" The father requested, his vibrant green eyes sparkling.
"I call sitting by daddy!" Samantha said excitedly, rushing over to sit by where her father had just sat.
"What if I wanted to sit by daddy?" The mother asked, putting a hand on her hip, as she raised a teasing eyebrow at her daughter.
"You can sit on his other side," Samantha pointed out.
"I suppose that could work," the mother answered. Flashing her husband a smile as she sat next to him, with Calvin sitting on her other side.
"Calm down, Olivia. There's plenty of me to go around," the father said calmly, taking a sip of a glass of water that was already placed on the table. Only the mother, Olivia, caught his playful smirk as he set down his glass.
"Right, Marcus," Olivia mimicked.
Calvin watched them banter, his head resting on his hand, an amused smile on his face.
"Okay, mommy!" Samantha announced. "I finished it!" She held out her kids menu across the table proudly.
Olivia took the menu from her and studied the picture. A smile grew across her face. The picture showed four people, two boys and two girls. The family of four was on what Olivia could make out, grass. Behind the family, a yellow mass was colored, its pink tongue hanging out. "Oh, you even drew in Abby," Olivia commented.
"I had to draw her in. She's part of the family too! Even if she's a dog."
"I'm sure Abby appreciates that very much, honey. It's a beautiful picture," Olivia told her seriously.
Samantha's grin grew wider as she took her picture back. "Thank you."
After the waiter left from taking their order, Calvin turned to his parents. "You know what I wonder?"
"What?" Marcus asked.
"If people ever notice…that we aren't really related. I mean, I don't care if they do, but I mean we all look so much like each other, I get curious."
Olivia studied both of her kids, then her husband. They all had the same dark brown hair; Marcus' almost black. Olivia, Calvin, and Samantha all had dark brown eyes; only Marcus had the green eyes.
"Hey, Calvin's right," Samantha agreed before snorting, "for once."
"Hey!" Calvin objected while Samantha giggled.
"I'm glad you two don't fight over everything now," Marcus teased.
"Those were always her fault," Calvin said.
"Were not," Samantha protested.
"Were too!"
"Hey, let's not go back to the old ways!" Olivia said.
They both quit arguing.
"Mommy," Samantha started."Tell me about the time you and daddy decided to get me."
"Again?" Calvin asked. "They've told you like dozens of times!"
"And I like to hear it."
"Would you like me to, or do you want the honors?" Olivia questioned her husband.
"I told it last time," Marcus pointed out.
"Okay," Olivia took a deep breath. "Well…"
Olivia and Marcus were sitting on the couch one night, about eight months ago. They had been married about two years, and were simply enjoying each other's company, while they waited for Calvin to be dropped off by a friend. Olivia was curled up against her husband's side, her head resting on his shoulder, eyes closed in content. Marcus had his arm draped over her shoulders and he was aimlessly drawing patterns on her arm.
"You remember what Calvin kept asking us about after we got married?" Marcus asked, breaking the silence.
Without opening her eyes, Olivia said, "About another sibling?"
"Mhm."
More silence followed before curiosity got the better of Olivia. "What about it?"
"I was thinking," he answered simply.
Olivia peeked up at him, "About?"
"Getting another child."
Olivia sat up to face him. "Come again? Did you just say you were thinking about getting another child?"
"That's exactly what I said," he responded, taking her hand. "Calvin would be a great brother, plus I just got the raise at work-"
"Marcus," Olivia reasoned, cutting him off. "I understand what you're saying, I really do. I would love another child, I really would. But you and I both work; we don't have an extra room. I don't want to make Calvin move again."
"But we do," he insisted. "I can clear out my study. I don't ever use it. That's just what it became when we moved here after getting married…"
"Okay, I'll play along. How do you plan on getting this said child?"
"Adoption, as much as I would love a child of our own, there's so many out there that don't already have homes. We can provide. Plus, a newborn wouldn't go so well with our work," he joked slightly.
"No, it wouldn't," Olivia agreed. "I'd might as well retire." Olivia opened her mouth to say more when the doorbell rang. "We'll talk about this more later," she told him, standing up and walking over to answer the door.
"Hey, mom," Fifteen year old Calvin greeted as he walked through the door. He stopped short as he caught the silent messages Marcus and Olivia were sending to each other. He cleared his throat loudly, "Is everything okay? I can go to the other room…"
"No," Olivia said. "Everything is fine."
"You always say something is fine when it's not," Calvin pointed out, disappearing down the hall and into the kitchen for a moment. He walked back in, carrying a soda can. "Fine doesn't fool me anymore," he said, sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Marcus. He patted the middle seat for Olivia, "Now what's up?"
Marcus opened his mouth to speak and Olivia shot him a warning glance as she sat next to him. "I think Calvin should be involved in this from the beginning," he said.
"So do I," she agreed. "But I also think you and I should be able to talk about it alone first."
Calvin looked back and forth between the two as they argued, an amused expression on his face.
"It's not like we're rushing into anything," Marcus said, "just discussing."
Olivia looked over at Calvin who was watching her closely. She sighed, "Fine."
Calvin gave Olivia a look and a smile crossed Olivia's face. "Okay," she responding, changing her choice of word. "Better?" She asked Calvin pointedly.
"Much. Now what is it?"
"We were talking about adopting," Marcus told him.
"Adopting?" Calvin asked slowly. He looked between the two, "Seriously?"
"We haven't made a decision," Olivia assured. "The subject just came up. What's your opinion?"
"Hel-" he started, before catching Olivia's disapproving look. "Heck to the yes!" he finished.
"Really?" She looked into his eyes for any sign of wariness.
"Yes! I totally approve. I've only been hinting at it for what, two years now? It's about time you took my advice…"
Olivia rolled her eyes slightly at her son before turning to her husband, who was grinning. "What?" she questioned.
"Can we?" he pleaded. He glanced over at Calvin for support. Calvin grinned at him before putting on his best begging face as he leaned onto Olivia's shoulder. "Please, mommy?"
Olivia laughed as she looked between the two. "You guys are pathetic. Let's send in an application and see where it goes from there."
Marcus and Calvin shared a triumphant grin as they high fived.
"Mommy," Samantha said interrupting. "That's not the part where I come in!"
"I thought you wanted me to tell the story of how we got you?" Olivia asked.
"I did! But just the part where I come in!"
"You either get the whole story, or none of it," Calvin pointed out.
"Hmph." Samantha slumped in her seat. Her face brightened back up as the waiter brought their food. "Can I hear the rest of the story now?"
"Of course…"