A/N: This isn't very eventful. I'm sorry. The next one will be a bit better, I promise.
"What is it?" Cooper questioned, sitting up straight, eyeballing his wife. He noticed the look on her face and he was pretty sure he knew what the result was.
"You're pregnant, aren't you?" He tried to look worried, upset, but the truth was, even with four kids already, he wouldn't mind another one.
Charlotte shook her head. "No. It's negative." She told him, walking over and handing him the test, which had one pink line across it. "Thank God." She mumbled and Cooper handed the text back, nodding slightly as Georgia came running into the room. Charlotte turned quickly, placing the text on the dresser. She didn't want to have to answer questions if Georgia saw it and asked what it was.
"Mamaaaa! Rachel hit meeee!" She complained, her loud voice filling the room.
Immediately after she said that, her sister ran in. "I did not!" Rachel yelled, stomping on the bedroom floor. Typical day. How could the two of them think that there would not be at least one triplet fight today.
"Hey, hey, you two. Calm down with the yelling and the fighting. Mama doesn't feel good." Cooper told the girls. "Now, no more hitting, okay?" He told them and they both nodded, looking at their father.
"Sorry, daddy."
"Sorry, mamaaa."
The girls apologized and Charlotte just smiled. "It's okay, guys. Just no fighting, okay? It's not nice." She told them, using her hand to motion for them to come over to her.
The two girls walked over to her, climbing into bed with their mother, practically lying on top of her. "I love you two. So much."
Rachel grinned from ear to ear. "I love you too, mama!"' She told her, planting a big, wet kiss on her mom's cheek.
"I wuv you, mamaaaaa!" Georgia told her, and they both wrapped their tiny arms around her, in the best way that they could. Charlotte looked down at them, a smile on her face. Yeah, they were two of the most adorable four things that she'd ever seen in her life. But, she wasn't ready to handle another adorable little thing. Not now, not ever.
Cooper looked at her. "I'm gonna go talk to Mase...He's a bit shooken up. It's been 5 years since...you know."
Her eyes widened and she looked him straight in the eye. "5 years? Really? Already?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow. "That's insane...Feels like just yesterday, we got 'im." God, had it really been 5 years? That was crazy.
"I know it does...I feel the same way. I just, I feel so bad for him. He shouldn't have to put up with this...To be reminded of it every single year."
"Cooper, that kid is reminded of it every time that he comes home to me and you, and not to his mama: the same person that he'd come home to every day for the first nine years of his life. He is reminded of it every day. It just hits harder this time of year." Charlotte let out a sigh. "Maybe we should take him to dinner. Do something to get his mind off of it."
Cooper nodded, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I know this is hard. I know that this is reminding you that you're not his real mom...But, you are his mama. And you're doing a fantastic job at being his mama. You are being the greatest parent to him that you can be. You don't treat him any different because he's not your biological child, you treat him the exact same as the triplets. And that is the best thing that you can do, Charlotte. And I am so damn proud of you for doing that. I am so damn proud of you for so many things." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Charlotte King. So much."
"I love you too, Coop. And, thank you. That means so much." She smiled at him, standing up and getting out of bed. "I think I'll try and go do somethin' productive. Maybe clean the livin' room...Try to help Mase with some homework." She tried to walk away, but Cooper reached over, grabbing her waist and pulling her back down onto the bed.
"You're not going anywhere, unless we go out to dinner. You can go to dinner, then. But, you're sick, so, you're staying in bed." He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "I'll go check on the kids. You take your medicine, and I'll come back in here and watch some TV with you in a little bit."
He got up, and walked into the hallway, going to check on the kids. The triplets were all laughing from their bedroom and Cooper walked in, smiling at the girls. "Hey, guys. Watcha playing?"
"Dollies!" Rachel yelled, laughing as she held the doll up next to Georgia's doll. "You wanna play, daddy?"
Cooper nodded, getting down on his knees and picking up a doll, playing with them for a while until Mason walked in. "Hey, dad. Can you come help me practice for my soccer game?" He asked.
Georgia started pouting, not wanting her father to leave, but, he stood up anyway. "'course. Hey, you three...Be good. Mommy's not feeling well, and I don't want you guys acting up, okay?"
The triplets nodded, smiling at their father. "Yes, daddyyyyy." Georgia said, blowing him a kiss. "I love youuuuuu!"
"I love you too, baby doll." He told her before going outside with Mason, grabbing the soccer ball out of the laundry room and carrying it outside, dropping it on the ground. Mason ran out to the other side of the yard and Cooper kicked the ball to him. They kicked it back and forth for about a half an hour before Charlotte came out and smiled, watching the two of them.
"You two hungry? 'cause I'm up for goin' out to dinner if you two want to."
Mason smiled, capturing the ball under his foot. "Yeah! That sounds awesome!"
Charlotte just smiled. "Then go upstairs and get ready, bud. You get to pick where we go, okay?" She told him and Mason ran past her, running inside and up the stairs.
"He sounds excited." Cooper told his wife, smiling as he walked over to her, kissing her cheek. "Thanks. That'll make him happy."
"I'll go get the girls, okay?" Charlotte told him, smiling as she turned around, walking up the stairs, going to get the girls changed and ready. She picked out their outfits and got them into them, and then brushed their hair, pulling it all back into ponytails. "Alright, girls. Come on. Let's go, okay?"
The girls followed after Charlotte, who walked downstairs, waiting for Cooper and Mason. When they both came down, Charlotte grabbed the keys to the minivan off of the table and tossed them to Cooper. "You two ready?"
"Yes!" Cooper said, excitedly, and Charlotte laughed, shaking her head. Cooper picked up Rachel, Mason picked up Caroline, and Charlotte got Rachel, all of them walking outside and putting the girls in their carseats. Charlotte got into the front seat, Mason in the back, and Cooper got into the driver's seat. He drove them to Texas Roadhouse, where Mason had decided he wanted to go for dinner.
Dinner had lasted about two hours, but, Mason knew exactly why they were taking him out to dinner. He knew that they were just trying to make him feel better and do something to keep his mind off of it, but, his mind was on his mother the entire time. The only time that he spoke at all was to order, which consisted of about three total words.
The ride home was silent, considering that the girls were sleeping and Mason refused to talk. Charlotte and Cooper didn't have anything to say, considering that everything that they wanted to say was about Mason. They got home and they each took one of the girls in, putting them in bed. Mason went off to his room without a word and Charlotte looked at Cooper, who just shrugged.
"Poor kid." She mumbled, going off to lay down. Cooper followed her and they laid in bed for a few minutes, in each others arms, kissing each other lightly as the sound of the TV played in the background. There was a knock on the door and Charlotte looked at it. "Come on."
The door opened and Mason walked in, a blanket and a pillow in his hand. It was obvious that he wasn't going to say anything, so, Cooper scooted over toward the edge of the bed, and nodded. "Alright, bud. You can come sleep with us." He told him and the teenager walked over, climbing into bed between Charlotte and Cooper. Charlotte reached over, running her fingers through her son's hair.
"Goodnight, Mason. I love you." She told him.
"Night, Mase. Love you." Cooper said.
There was no response, just the movement beside them when Mason rolled over, trying to get comfortable. Charlotte sighed, not saying a word. She just hoped that this was nowhere near as bad as the last time that Mason had refused to talk to them.
