So this chapter is pretty long compared to the others. I think it's one of the longest chapters I've written. Yay you! Enjoy!

MAY 1

I pulled the little pink and brown dress over Kenzie's head. Or, I tried to. She wouldn't stop wiggling. "Kenzie! Seriously, just sit still for five minutes." Neither of her sisters ever gave me this much trouble. Ever!

Merlin laughed. She was holding Maddie, who was already dressed in a purple and yellow dress, with her black hair in neat pigtails. We had decided that we didn't want to dress the twins the same. Merlin said that she hated how some parents did that, dressing twins – and siblings in general – in identical outfits. Besides, it was easier to tell them apart if they were wearing different clothes.

Although, to be perfectly honest, Kenzie's orneriness would set her apart from her twin any day.

"She won't sit still, Arthur. You know that."

I scowled, finally getting the stupid dress over Kenzie's head. Now, for the arms.

"A whole year old," Merlin went on to say. "I can't believe they're a year old already. The time has gone by so fast."

"I know," I said. I got Kenzie's right arm through the hole. "Aha! One arm down, one to go!"

"You know what's even more crazy and amazing, though?" my wife asked, with a teasing smile. "Your dad is actually here. Willingly. And he's enjoying himself. And, even better, he's playing with Harper and keeping her entertained right now."

"Hey, he's come a long way. He cares about our little family. He loves the girls. He cares about you, too. I think he even likes you."

"He is a changed man. I like it."

"So do I. Merlin, I think he might even be ready to know about the magic." He truly had become so accepting. I was teasing Merlin about my dad liking her. I knew he liked her. He loved her. He saw her as a daughter. It wasn't the first time I'd brought it up to my wife, and I had a feeling I knew the answer I'd get.

Merlin blanched. "No."

"Merlin –"

"I'm not telling him about my magic until I absolutely have to. And we can't tell him about the twins' magic without telling him about mine. It's not happening. Not yet."

I sighed, but didn't push it. I couldn't entirely blame her. She was used to hiding her magic, and she was used to my dad being a little…unreasonable. Okay, way unreasonable. He hadn't wanted me to marry her in the first place because she's a little bit of a nerd.

Okay, a huge nerd.

Still. I understood why she was hesitant.

I got Kenzie's left arm through the hole. "All right. She's dressed. Let's trade. I'm hopeless at doing girl hair."

Merlin rolled her eyes, but handed Maddie to me. She grabbed a comb and Kenzie before our daughter could run off. Then she began working on Kenzie's hair. "You can do Harper's hair just fine. And Maddie's."

"Harper sits still for me. And Maddie usually does. Kenzie does not."

"True. Kenzie's a bit wild. She'll probably drive your parents insane. I just hope that the twins don't try experimenting with their magic today."

My mom and dad hadn't really had a chance to see the twins because of their magic. Of course, they thought it was because the twins had been born a couple weeks early and had nearly ended up in the N.I.C.U. They thought we were paranoid.

Well, we were paranoid, but not for that reason. Sure, the twins were born early. Sure, they were a little small. But they were strong and healthy. They were also a little…unpredictable when it came to their magic. Mostly Kenzie. Merlin and I weren't quite ready to reveal their magic to my parents. Well, Merlin wasn't quite ready. Because, as she'd said, if we revealed the twins' magic, we'd have to reveal hers, too.

And after the reaction I had when I learned of her magic, she probably expected even worse from my dad.

Let's just say that being the father of magic twins? Yeah, whole new ball game.

First, there was the magic itself. And I thought Merlin's magic was bad when she got sick or something. The twins had absolutely no control over it, not yet. So very strange things happened in our house. And then Harper was a little jealous. She wanted cool magic powers like her sisters. So that was fun to deal with. Luckily, because of Merlin's magic, Harper already knew that it needed to be kept a secret.

"We'll figure it out if it happens, I guess," I said.

Merlin finished putting Kenzie's hair into a short ponytail. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yep."

We took the twins into the living room, where Mom and Dad were sitting on the couch. Dad was actually playing "Got your Nose" with Harper.

Mom shook her head when she saw us. "I don't know why you bothered getting them dressed – and in such cute outfits, too. They're just going to get cake all over themselves."

Merlin just shrugged. "That's what washing machines are for." Or magic. Seriously. Her magic was better than a washing machine at getting stains out. It was amazing.

"Where's everybody else?" Mom asked.

"Merlin's parents are picking up the cakes. And Morgana said she had a dentist appointment, so she'll be a little late," I answered. "Personally, I think she's on a date with that mystery guy that she still won't tell us anything about. They've been dating for three months now, and she's known him for about a year and a half, and I still don't know the guy's name."

"She hasn't even posted anything on Facebook or Twitter," Merlin added. "Which is very strange for her. I'm starting to wonder if she's making the guy up."

I nodded. "That's kind of my thought, too."

"That's doubtful," Mom said. "Morgana wouldn't make up a secret boyfriend. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Let me see one of those beautiful birthday girls. I haven't had very many chance to hold my newest grandbabies."

Merlin smirked slightly. "Which one do you want? Maddison is usually pretty easy-going. Kenzie can be a little…difficult," Merlin said, which was a super polite way of saying "demon child" or "little gremlin," which was proven by the fact that Mackenzie was currently attempting to yank Merlin's hair out of her head.

"The twins may look identical, Mom, but they sure don't act it."

Mom laughed. "Give me Mackenzie, then. I can handle a difficult child. I raised Arthur, after all."

"Oh, har, har, Mom. Real clever."