A/N: I hope everyone is doing okay, it's so much going on in the world right now its been a rough few days especially for me as a person of color. Thank you for all the love on this story and for those who understood how important it was for me to showcase people of color in a meaningful way through this story.
Everyone sleeps in on New Year's Day after the wedding festivities and sets out to enjoy the last day in Jamaica with everyone except Tris, Tobias, Christina, and Uriah leaving on January 2nd. Marcus is on his way to meet Stephanie for a walk on the beach when he sees Hana sitting at a table looking at the ocean enjoying a cup of coffee. He decides it time to do what he should have done a long time ago.
"Good Afternoon Hana," He says as she approaches and she turns toward him. "Do you mind if I sit down?"
Hana nods and waves her hand at the seat open next to her.
"I should have done this a long time ago but I wanted to say thank you for raising my son. He's a wonderful accomplished young man and I know that has everything to do with you and nothing to do with me" Marcus admits lowering his head in shame.
Hana sighs and takes a moment before she speaks "There have been so many times over the past 25 years when I didn't understand why you or Evelyn never took interest in him but I did the best I could. You didn't listen to me when I told you he needed his parents before. He's my son and he always will be. I'm glad you two have started to work on your relationship but I will be damned if I let you hurt him this time. He's been through too much this time. My first husband died before Uriah and Zeke could truly remember him. They had to navigate life with me and Tobias knowing they could never have that and Tobias not understanding why you couldn't give it to him."
"I know, I deserve that and much more, I don't have any excuses for my behavior but I can promise you that I'm not going to let him go, I want to make things as right as I can, I know I can't take back the past but I'm hoping I can move forward with him, And you are right, you are his mother, I would never take that title from you. I thank God every day now that he had you"
With that Marcus gets up as he sees Stephanie walking down a nearby path and offers Hana a smile before he leaves. After 25 years, Hana finally believes Marcus is being sincere about Tobias and she was thankful her son would have an opportunity to get to know his father, unlike her other two sons, who weren't able to.
That afternoon, most of the ladies go horseback riding in the surf on the beach and everyone gathers for a large dinner on the beach for the hotel's white party.
Around 11 everyone was gathering in the lobby to head off to the airport, The largest chartered jet was going back to Charleston and the smaller jet was taking Marcus, Natalie, Andrew, and Lynn back to Chicago after a stop in Atlanta to drop off Caleb, Cara, and Marlene.
"Bye Mommy, I miss you already, I'll see you for Mother's Day," Tris says giving Natalie a hug. "Maybe I'll even have some more news to share by then" she grins.
"Really that soon Tris! I know I said I want some Grandbabies but be sure you are ready," Natalie lights up with a smile understanding what Tris is saying.
"We've talked about it and we are sure that we are ready when the time comes. We started trying before the wedding but nothing to report yet," Tris says with a shrug but secretly hoping it would be soon. She had gotten excited about the thought of her and Tobias having a baby.
"It can take time, Your father and I were married for an entire year before you can Caleb were conceived. I wouldn't be shocked if you are blessed twice, it runs in the family"
"Really, there are more twins than Caleb and I?" Tris asks curiously. Andrew and Natalie hadn't spent much time with their parents' families, other than Natalie's mother who lived with them until she died when Caleb and Tris were 7.
"Oh yes dear, three other sets, you never met your grandmother's brothers who were identical twins, they died before you were born and you have a set of twin cousins in California."
Tris hadn't thought about the fact that she might conceive twins since she was one, she just wanted a healthy baby.
Tris and Tobias stay pretty much holed up in their beach house the next two days enjoying their private beach and working on making a baby. While Chris and Uriah aren't trying to make a baby they do the same thing, lay on the beach, making love, and ordering room service when they get hungry. Tris hadn't realized how tired she had been from all of the wedding festivities.
They decide to meet up for an excursion the third day to go hiking to a waterfall and
"How's the baby-making going?" Christina teases as they walk behind Tobias and Uriah.
"It's definitely fun" Tris laughs " but I think if we stayed in that beach house another day I might now have been able to walk. What about you two?"
"I mean we are having fun but aren't trying to make a baby" Christina giggles "I really want to get the restaurant open and with only three months before the grand opening, it's just not the right time, maybe next year. If I haven't said it enough, thank you for everything Tris really, investing in the restaurant, the gift of this honeymoon, Uriah really needed this time to relax after everything"
"Stop it, Chris, we always talked about helping each other and what we would do if we hit the lottery and you know helping you open Lilly Rose was always on my list. And Zeke and Shauna kicked in on the honeymoon. We all wanted you and Uriah to have this time after everything that happened. And don't worry I'll be asking you to babysit for free all the time"
Christina smiles as they move to catch up to Tobias and Uriah. The waterfall is one of the most beautiful sights they have seen in Jamaica. Tris and Christina scream as they hold hands and jump off the small cliff into the lagoon at the base of the waterfall into the clear blue water as Uriah and Tobias take action shots.
Over dinner that night at the resort Tobias decides to bring up the situation between Marcus and Stephanie.
"So Chris, are you as freaked out as I am that your mom and my dad are into each other?"
"Umm Hell yes" Christina laughs causing Uriah and Tris to laugh too. "Seriously though my mom hasn't dated much since my Dad took off so it's just weird. No shade to your dad. I now fully understand how you felt when ya'll found about Ms. Hana dating Max."
The next two days are some of the best that Tris, Tobias, Christina, and Uriah have ever experienced hanging out at the resort, playing on the beach, and taking a trip to the rum distillery. They wished Zeke and Shauna could have stayed a few more days but the Bears made the playoff and Zeke needed to get back since he had been asked to over live commentary on NBC Sports Chicago. The two couples agree that the six of them should do this every year.
The spring is busy for everyone. Uriah starts going to a support group for combat veterans and starts seeing a therapist to deal with his experience in the attack from the Fall. There are nights when he still has nightmares but he learns to use his tools from therapy and talks out his feelings in group. Stephanie and Marcus come to Charleston for the Grand Opening of Lilly Rose in March. The response from the community is fantastic with Shauna garnering a feature for Christina in several prominent Charleston publications and a new interview.
A week after the grand opening, Edward comes to visit on his spring break as well and Shiloh Rose and Therese travel back with him for their spring break but also announce they are spending their summer break in London. Tris and Tobias travel to South Africa for their Spring Break trip. They have a 10-day trip planned with 5 days in Capetown and then moving to Johannesburg for the remainder of their trip. Tris sleeps most of the flight to Capetown and the entire afternoon they arrive. Tobias assumes that she's tired from all the Safe Spring Break week activities put on by the Student Activities offices on top of helping Christina with the grand opening of the restaurant. The next day they take a ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. It's a sobering experience but something that Tris and Tobias feel they should do on this trip. Tris loves the vibrant colors in the city market. She gets a bit nauseous at dinner a few nights but thinks it's due to the different spices she's not used to. On Tuesday they head to just outside Johannesburg for a three-day safari. Tris and Tobias are both blown away by the resort and their step into the wilderness of Africa. The view is amazing, the luxury building is structured to provide non obstructed views of the reserve. The large king bed looks directly out at the Savannah with silk nets tied to the four-poster bed. Their suite has a private plunge pool and deck, double-sided stone fireplace, and sumptuous bathrooms with both indoor and outdoor showers. The staff are so welcoming and ask Tris and Tobias lots of questions about living in the U.S. and how they experience the things they see on television.
The next morning Tris and Tobias get up early to go on a game drive to see the animals early in the morning. The guide takes them out on a Land Rover and Tris takes pictures up close of the giraffe, wildebeest, and antelope.
The lodge sets up a romantic dinner for them in the bush. When they make it back to the lodge, Tobias plans on making good on his promises during their dinner but he chuckles when he sees his wife fast asleep when he gets out of the shower.
The next morning Tris wakes up to the sunrise over the safari,
"Awe man, Did I fall asleep last night? I thought I was just going to close my eyes for a few minutes while you were in the shower" she says, rubbing her eyes and adjusting her sleep bonnet.
"Yes you did, You were knocked out so I let you be. It's okay though, we did have a long day yesterday" Tobias chuckles in response as he leans in to kiss her cheek.
"How about I make it up you know?" Tris teases pushing Tobias back down on the bed.
"I will never object to that" he grins as she straddles his lap.
The next night they choose the sundown game drive because predators such as Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Black-Backed Jackal, and Owls start to hunt when the sun gowns down and it's cooler. Tris is feeling a little nauseous after the ride in the jeep thinking that all the jostling in the jeep has unsettled her stomach and goes back to their cabin to lay down. When she wakes up from her nap she sees Tobias reading quietly in a chair. He smiles at her when she gets up to go to the bathroom.
"Feeling better?" he asks, putting down his book.
"Yeah I think so, I'm going to go take a shower. Did you order room service? "
"Yeah I got you some soup since your stomach was uneasy"
"I have the best husband" Tris smiles as she goes into the bathroom.
Tris showers and goes into her toiletry bag for her lotion when it falls off the counter spilling the contents all over the floor. She bends down and starts to pick up all the contents and she gasps when she sees her unused tampons scattered all over the floor. She wraps her towel around her tightly and rushes out into the bedroom.
"Tobias, what day is it?"
"Umm Wednesday, the 24th," he says, looking at his watch and looking back at her. They were leaving the wildlife reserve the next day to spend the final two days of their vacation in Johannesburg before heading back to Charleston.
"Oh My God" Tris whispers with a shock and her eyes wide as she counts on her fingers to herself. She had been so caught up in all of the things they were seeing in South Africa she completely missed the fact that her period was set to come on four days into their trip.
"What's wrong?" Tobias asks with his eyebrows furrowed as he sets his book down, not understanding what Tris is counting.
"I was supposed to get my period on Monday, I'm four days late!"
"Holy Shit" Tobias exclaims as crosses the room and picks Tris up in his arms finally realizing what she does. She grabs his face and kisses him fiercely. He carries them to the bed and lays her down and unwraps the towel running his hands softly down her naked body. He follows the same path as his hands with soft kisses and stops when he gets to her lower belly.
"Hello in there, I'm your daddy, I can't wait to meet you" Tobias softly whispers to her flat stomach.
Tris giggles and runs her fingers into his curly hair. She can hear the pure joy and excitement in his voice. "I love you so much Professor Eaton", she says when he looks up to her with a grin.
He takes her hand and kisses her palm.
"I love you too, so very much Dean Prior"
Tris takes an at-home pregnancy test as soon as they get back to Charleston which says she is pregnant as does the test by her doctor's appointment three days later. By the time she has her doctor's appointment, she is measuring and at 7 1/2 weeks.
"Well Tris, I shouldn't be surprised but there they are" Dr. Foster her OBGYN comments when she moves the ultrasound wand on Tris's belly. Dr. Foster had been very supportive with answering all of the questions Tris had at her last appointment in August when and Tobias decided to stop her birth control and started trying to get pregnant.
"I'm sorry did you just say they?" Tobias asks looking at the screen and back to Dr. Foster.
"Yes, I did, Baby A and Baby B, sometimes you can't tell this early but here they are clear as day," Dr. Foster confirms with a smile as she captures a quick picture to show Tobias the two images.
Tobias feels a little lightheaded. He never thought about two babies at once but it made perfect sense since Tris was a twin herself.
"Baby do you need to sit down?" Tris asks looking at her husband who is still in a daze and Dr. Foster chuckles and agrees to help Tobias find a stool.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm just shocked" he replies with a full-on smile.
"Fraternal twins are often genetic" Dr. Foster confirms
"Yeah my mom told me Caleb and I are one of three sets of twins she knows of on her side"
"Congratulations, I'm going to have the nurse set up your next appointment Tris and I have somethings you can read as we get started on this journey"
Tobias and Tris thank Dr. Foster and head home for the day. Tobias had some papers to grade but he could do that at home.
"Are you okay now?" Tris asks as they get settled on the couch.
"Yes just very surprised is all," he says shaking his heading and leaning over to give Tris a quick kiss.
They decide to wait a few more weeks before telling anyone else.
Shauna and Zeke see a fertility specialist and start a series of treatments. Shauna tries not to get her hopes up every month but when her period comes she's disappointed. When April rolls around Zeke tries to keep her from getting discouraged. He was sure the fertility treatments were going to work and the doctor assured them that there were non-surgical options to help them conceive and deliver a healthy baby due to the fibroids. The first week of April, Shauna checks the calendar looking nervous every day. When Wednesday arrives tires to remain calm. The month before her period had been two days late. On Thursday she tells Zeke and he has them watch movies half the night to keep her mind occupied. On Friday morning he brings her a box of pregnancy tests and they sit together with their fingers laced while they wait for the timer to go off on his phone.
"Zeke, I don't know if I can do this anymore, this is too much," Shauna says nervously. It felt like the time was going by so slow as they waited. She knows they have only been at this since the beginning of the year with the treatments but the entire 18 months before of trying only to get pregnant and have the miscarriage was taking its toll on her.
"Hey, we aren't giving up that easily, I know this had been hard, but we got this, You just have to have a little faith," He says nudging her shoulder playfully. "And if you really don't want to put yourself through this there is nothing wrong with adopting. There are so many kids out there who need a loving home. I ended up with a pretty good adopted brother even though there was no paperwork involved."
"Just when I think I can't love you any more than I already do, you shock the shit out of me" Shauna chuckles leaning her head on his shoulder and squeezing his hand.
"I'm lovable, what can I say," Zeke says kissing her forehead as the timer goes off.
"You look" Shauna urges pushing him to the bathroom. After a few minutes when he doesn't return and he doesn't say anything Shauna feels her heart deflate. He was probably trying to figure out how to let her down easy. "You can put me out of my misery now, I'll go find us something for dinner" Shauna pushes herself off the bed but stops when she hears Zeke snicker in the bathroom and she turns on her heels to see him come smiling out of the bathroom with the test in his hand.
"Don't play with me Zeke, for real! Are you sure?" Shauna says putting her hands over her mouth.
"The lady at the drug store told me this was the easiest to read, and it says pregnant." He says with a grin flashing the stick at her.
"Let me see, Let me see" she squeals. "Oh My God" Shauna screams joyfully as she jumps into Zeke's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as he holds her close.
"See I told you that you just needed to have a little faith," He says pressing a kiss to her curly hair.
Tris and Shauna are out shopping one afternoon about two weeks later looking for outfits for the UNCF Benefit at the end of the month. Shauna was indeed pregnant and was now 8 weeks along. The doctors felt good about the pregnancy but she and Zeke wanted to wait a few more weeks to tell everyone. Zeke had almost passed out when the doctor suggested they might be having twins but they wanted to check again at her next appointment the following week. They had known that thier chances of twins increased dramatically due to the fertility treatments but neither one of them thought it would actually happen.
"Tris what about this, it would be so cute on you," Shauna says holding up a yellow midi dress that Tris knows will show her growing belly. Even though she was about 10 weeks now, the fact that she was carrying twins it was like her belly just popped out this week. She could still hide it very well but she knew she wouldn't be able to in that dress. She and Tobias were trying to come up with a cute way to tell everyone soon.
"Ummm Nah, a little too much for a work event," Tris says nonchalantly. She was dying to tell Christina and Shauna she was pregnant. Thankfully Chris had been busy with the restaurant and some catering jobs the past few weeks because she knew her eagle-eyed best friends would notice something. Tobias has tipped the waiter at her birthday dinner a few days before to bring her virgin cocktails so no one would see she wasn't drinking.
"Oh come on just try it on, it will be cute for the Omega party in May too if you don't want to wear it to the benefit"
Tris sighs and grabs the dress and heads into the dressing room. Just like she suspected, you could definitely tell her stomach was not flat. She shakes her head and chuckles.
"It doesn't fit" Tris yells out to Shauna trying not to laugh and hoping Shauna would move on from this dress.
"What? Let me see" Shauna calls getting up and opening the door to the dressing room. Shauna takes one look at Tris trying not to laugh as squeals.
"I'm so mad at you, when were you going to tell me," she says playfully slaps her on the shoulder before she pulls Tris into a hug.
"We wanted to wait and then I wanted to do something cute to tell everyone and I haven't figured out anything yet, I should have just told everyone at my birthday dinner".
"Wait a minute" Shauna narrows her eyes "What were you drinking at dinner?"
Tris starts laughing "Tobias paid the waiter to bring me Shirley Temples in martini glasses all night". Shauna starts laughing hysterically to the point she had tears coming from her eyes and Tris wonders why this is particularly funny.
"The waiters must think we are all insane! Zeke did the same thing" Shauna gets out between laughs and Tris's eyes go wide understanding now why Shauna was laughing so hard.
"Are you Serious Shauna! And you are talking about me!" She playfully shoves her shoulder.
"We were waiting to tell everyone too, but the doctor thinks I might be having twins, you know due to the fertility treatments. It wasn't clear at my ultrasound"
"What is happening right now?!" Tris laughs and looks up at the ceiling.
"No way, Tris, you too" Shauna squeals.
"Yes, this is so crazy," Tris replies as she and Shauna hug again. "Look I have an idea now, let go grab something to eat and I'll explain it"
Shauna steps out of the dressing room for Tris to change. It was so funny how fate had worked out for this next part of thier lives.
Tris, Tobias, Zeke, and Shauna host a large mother's day gathering at their home the second weekend in May for their double pregnancy announcement. They were pretty sure no one knew yet but it had been especially hard keeping it from Uriah and Christina. Everyone had a full house again with Shauna's parents, Sharon and Greg, Stephanie, Marcus, Lynn, Natalie, Andrew, Lauren, Malik, Caleb, and Cara all coming in for the weekend. Lauren, Rose, and Therese both help Christina with the lunch set up. After lunch, Tris gets everyone's attention to announce a game they were all going to play.
"Okay everyone listen up. This afternoon's entertainment is a game. Tobias here has a board where all the clues will be hung. They are hidden all over the downstairs so look carefully. Once you figure out the messages, you get a gift bag with your name on it that has a special gift"
Tris and Tobias had come over to hide all the clues in easter eggs the day before everyone had arrived.
"Are there any clues outside?" Hana asks with a smile.
"Nope, they are all inside" Tris clarifies. "Any more questions? Okay, good luck!" Tris claps her hands and everyone takes off over the house.
"Look what I found" Lauren yells as she finds an easter egg in a plant by the back door. "I got one too" Cara yells coming out of the downstairs bathroom. Everyone works together and Tobias and Zeke hang up all the clues on the corkboard Tris brought from her office.
Cara stares at the pictures, The movie poster from "The Parent Trap", A picture of a pack of Doublemint gum, a photo of Tia and Tamera Mowery, A picture of Jennifer Lopez, A picture of Angela Basset, A poster of the "The Patty Duke" Show'.
"Ahhhh Oh my God!" Cara squeals! She whispers in Shauna's ear and Shauna smiles handing her a gift bag with her name on it.
Therese opens a picture of Fred and George Weasly from the Harry Potter movies and walks to the board and screams in excitement as she runs over to Tris and whispers in her ear.
Tris nods and smiles and Therese gets her gift bag from Shauna and goes to sit next to Cara and the two start whispering to each other. Sharon, Natalie, and Hana both look at the Patty Duke picture and look at Shauna and Tris run to them and start hugging and tears start flowing. Slowly everyone else comes in when they see the commotion start to put it together. Christina bounds over to her two best friends hugging them.
"I can't believe you two kept this from me!"
"It's been killing us, I almost broke down the other day" Shauna giggles.
"I'm lost, so who's pregnant Tris or Shauna, or is Tris having twins?" Uriah says scratching his head at the board as Zeke and Tobias snicker.
"Both of them," Christina says pointing at the pictures. Uriah looks confused for a few more seconds before all the pieces click in his mind.
"Holy shit! I'm getting 4 nieces or nephews. You two have been busy! " Uriah exclaims bounding over to his brothers and they start to wrestle.
"Uriah" Hana scolds causing everyone to laugh.
Tobias hands out the rest of the gift bags and everyone starts to pull out thier custom made t-shirts and coffee mugs. Rose and Lauren's shirts say Honorary Auntie, Established 2021. Stephanie's shirt says Honorary Grandma. Lynn, Therese, and Christina's shirts say Auntie Established 2021. Caleb and Uriah get Uncle shirts. Malik gets an Honorary Uncle Shirt. Cara and Caleb blush when Cara opens her's and it says Auntie in Training. Hana's shirt says Grammy, Natalie's Nana, and Sharon's Gigi. Marcus grins when he pulls out his shirt and mug that says Papa established 2021, Max's shirt says Pop-Pop, Greg's Granddaddy, and Andrew's Grampy. They made Honorary Auntie and Uncle shirts for Tori knowing she and Harrison were visiting her parents.
"I can't believe we are getting 4 grandbabies at the same time" Hana sighs leaning on Max.
"Son, Thank you," Marcus says quietly to Tobias as everyone is abuzz discussing everything from nurseries to baby names. "I'm glad my kids will get to know thier grandfather" Tobias replies sincerely as he pats his father on the shoulder before he heads over to talk to Zeke and Uriah.
"Still thinking about retiring to Charleston?" Marcus asks Stephanie as she walks over and plants a kiss on his cheek.
"Yeah I think so, and I can't miss all this excitement. I know Christina and Uriah won't be far behind with babies of their own now. What are you thinking?" She asks curiously. They had been spending so much time together since Jamaica. They had practically been together every other weekend whether it was in New York or Chicago.
"I'm thinking I don't want to miss out on another minute." He replies as she pulls her into a hug and plants a kiss on her forehead.
That night Tris and Tobias lay cuddled in bed and he pulled her close. Caleb and Cara had left not long after the pregnancy reveals to drive back to Atlanta. Natalie and Andrew left on an 8:30 flight back to Chicago and Therese was out with Rose at the movies so they had the house to themselves again.
"I think everyone was pleasantly surprised today," Tobias says. "My dad said that he is thinking of relocating to Charleston since Ms. Stephanie wants to as well"
"Really, are they that serious?" Tris asks turning to look at her husband. "Yes and the fact that he says he missed out on so much of my childhood he doesn't want to miss out on anything else now that he's about to be a grandfather. I'm kind of proud of him. It's only been a year since we started working on our relationship but he's really serious."
"I'm proud of him too, funny how fate works" Tris replies.
"Yeah, I mean I always wanted our kids to have everything that I didn't have family-wise and it really is happening."
"So I've been thinking about baby names, even though we don't know the sexes yet"
"Okay, what do you have so far"
"Only one really, if one of them is a girl, I'd like to name her Zendaya if that's okay with you" Tris turns again to look at Tobias. He smiled softly in return.
"I think that's a beautiful idea" Even though his mother lost herself, he couldn't think of a more fitting tribute to his grandmother he never knew, the love of his grandfather's life who left him his inheritance.
Tobias had been through some ups and downs but here with his wife, carrying thier children he was the happiest he had ever been. He had renewed his relationship with his father, found Therese and Edward. Hana, Zeke, and Uriah were happy too. Things could have turned out differently but as fate would have it, this was meant to be.
