Chapter 26: Half Birthdays and First Steps

Being a March 18th baby, meant Ana still had six and half more months to go before her first birthday, however Mia was planning ahead as usual.

She had spent more time planning Ana's first birthday party than her own wedding.

September 16th, the entire team and Ana were in the living room watching the new Blu-Ray player that Vince had bought.

The hi-definition player along with the surround sound really made movies a lot more enjoyable.

Dom sat on the floor with his back against the La-Z-Boy chair. Letty sat in between his legs with her back against his chest and Letty was playing with Ana.

Ana's little hands were grabbing onto Letty's fingers as she tried to stand up. Letty assisted her with standing up and then Ana took it from there.

She let go of Letty's fingers and wobbled a bit as she took on step and then another. As soon as she took a third step, her little legs shook and then she plopped down on her butt.

"Oh, my god, baby! Did you see that?! Did you see her?!" Letty asked Dom, smacking his leg.

Dom laughed and clapped his hands. "Ana? Ana?" He called her name. She looked back at him and he smiled.

"Yaayyy!" He said to her and clapped his hands. When Ana giggled and clapped her hands too, everyone either laughed or let out an "Aww!"

Ana was truly a heartbreaker when she smiled just as Letty was. Dom couldn't believe how much she looked like Letty.

Ana crawled over to the coffee table and Letty went after her. The glass coffee table was no place for a baby and knowing Ana, she'd bump her head and start wailing.

"Baby, she's okay. Let her go." Dom told her. Letty sat cross-legged behind Ana in case something happened and everyone watched her go.

Ana pulled herself up onto her feet using the coffee table for support and she held on tightly as she moved sideways along to coffee table.

Letty put her hand over her mouth and her eyes were watery. Her nose was turning red so Dom knew she was about to cry.

He watched Ana plop back down onto the floor again and then crawl towards her auntie Mia on the couch as if nothing had ever happened.

"Dooooooom!" Letty whined.

"I know baby. I saw." Dom responded. He pulled her back to him and kissed her lips. They kissed over and over and before Dom laid Letty down on the living room floor, Vince cut in.

"Could you please not?!" He yelled.

"Jesus, you two are like Morticia and Gomez from the Addams Family." Jesse added.

"Yeah! You definitely are." Mia grunted as she lifted Ana up. "Oh my goodness, Ana, you're getting heavy."

Dom and Letty stopped their love session but continued to look at each other.

"You know, you two were like that in high school too." Mia added.

"No we weren't. We were worse." Letty said.

"That's true! I find it amazing that even after all these years you and Dom still have the hots for each other." Mia smiled.

"Yeah, right. This guy?" Letty joked. "I saw him wandering around in the grocery store and I thought, psshh, why not?"

Dom laughed. "Now, don't go start lying. You know I picked you up!"

"Yeah right! I clearly said 'you wanna go back to my place'?" Letty continued.

"Nahh, if I recall correctly, you were already in my bed." Dom whispered in her ear. Letty's eyes got wide and she hid her face in Dom's neck.

"I can't believe you just said that to me." Letty giggled.

"Well, believe it."

"I don't even want to know." Vince said. He got up and walked outside to sit on the porch.

"Me either." Leon and Jesse said in unison and walked into the kitchen. Brian took Ana from Mia. Ana smiled at Brian and his heart melted. It happened every time he picked her up.

"Ay yo, Dom! You got company!" Vince called from outside. Everyone looked at each other in confusion and Dom shrugged his shoulders. He got up and pulled Letty up with him.

When Dom and Letty walked outside onto the porch, Vince was standing on the steps with his arms folded over his chest.

Letty looked out into the street and saw Tran standing beside his car. Egypt was walking up the steps and stood in front of Vince.

Dom and Letty watched as she exchanged a few words with Vince. Vince turned around and ushered for Dom and Letty to come down the steps.

Letty and Dom walked down the steps to where Vince was standing and stood on either side of Vince.

"So, Johnny and I have figured that this bullshit will never get settled. So, we've come to offer a truce." Egypt said. Dom and Letty glanced at each other.

"And what does this truce entail exactly?" Letty asked.

"We come to the races but don't race. We just watch and let you guys do your thing. As far as Race Wars goes, you don't have to worry about seeing us there."

"And how do we know you'll keep you word?"

"That's all we have."

"Fine." Dom replied. He extended his hand and Egypt shook it.

Everyone looked out into the street. Tran nodded his head and got into his car. Letty, Dom and Vince waited for Egypt to walk back to her car and leave to walk back into the house.

"So, what do you think?"

"I think with one problem solved there's bound to be another one." Vince said. Letty smacked him in his chest with the back of her hand.

"What?! I'm just saying. Trouble seems to follow us, unintentionally," replied Vince. He opened the screen door and Letty walked in before he and Dom.

"Yeah, well, maybe this time will be different."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Now, I say we forget this and celebrate Ana's first steps." Dom said.

Upon hearing that, Mia jumped up and walked to the kitchen. "I'll back a cake!" She yelled.

"Let!" Mia called.

"What's up?!" Letty yelled back into the kitchen.

"Remember that red velvet cake that your mom used to make?"

"Yeah, my mom could throw down in the kitchen." Letty said. She picked Ana up out of her playpen and walked into the kitchen.

"She definitely could."