Usual disclaimers apply.

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Chapter 19

"Sam, wake up!" Eve's voice was whispering in my ear and I groaned.

"Is the sun even up, little bit?" I asked knowing that she had inherited Mama's early morning rising habits.

"It's my birthday and you need to see this cake." Eve's whisper was frantic. "We have go to take my birthday picture before everyone wakes up and I want it with the damn cake."

"Alright, I'm coming. Hold your horses." Sliding from the bed I reached into my top drawer and grabbed my phone. I had managed to use the solar charger for it and had continued the tradition of yearly birthday pictures. Luckily I had enough memory on it and knew if I begged Auntie might even be able to help me with that.

Heading to the kitchen with Eve, I gasped at the cake. It was at least six layers and covered in chocolate icing. Mom had decorated the top with Happy Birthday Eve in pink letters. The rest of the cake's decorations were Amazon based and I giggled at a staff, chakram, and even a sword in pink icing.

"This is amazing, little bit."

"Yeah," Eve agreed. "Okay, take the picture so I can wake everyone up."

"Okay, stand where you want and let me take it," I directed. Eve stood next to her cake and gave me a huge smile while I snapped the picture. Looking at it on the phone I showed it to her before once more turning my phone off and moving to replace it in my drawer. I hadn't even closed the dresser drawer yet when I heard Eve's now excited voice.

"New six year old coming in!" The banging on my moms' bedroom door caused me to laugh as Eve banged loudly before barging into their room. She hadn't walked in on them as much as I had, but I guess she'd learned her lesson better than I did growing up.

"Put some clothes on ladies, time for cake." Eve's barking direction gave way to Nasa barking playfully as the twins came dragging out of their room.

"What's all the yelling?" Emily asked holding her arms up to me.

"It's Eve's birthday," I reminded her as Eve returned from our moms' room.

"Cake?" Zoe asked. She'd inherited Mama's love of cake and though not as bad as Eve's fascination with the desert she was close to loving it almost as much as her big sister.

"Of course," Eve grinned. "Alright, the moms are getting dressed and I'm hungry." Marching towards the table she climbed up on the chair closest to the cake.

"Do not cut that," I walked over to the table and helped Zoe into a chair before sitting down with Emily on my lap. She was so much like Mom in the morning and I knew she wouldn't wake up fully until the cake was actually cut.

"What is taking Mama and Mommy so long?" Eve looked at me and then at the knife on the counter. "Please cut it, Sam."

"No way," I shook my head and rubbed Emily's back as she leaned into me. "I am not getting my ass busted because you can't control your cake habit."

Zoe had been unusually quiet and I wondered what was going on with her. She was usually a chatterbox like Mom and there were times she tried even Emily's patience with her constant talking. "You awake, Zoe?" I asked.

Zoe nodded and yawned. "Barely. I'm not Mama you know I enjoy my pillow."

Hearing footsteps we all turned and saw Mom and Mama finally heading towards us. "I told you they wouldn't try to cut the cake before we got out here, Xena."

"Yeah, only because Sam didn't want to get her ass beat for Evie's cake habit," Zoe replied casually.

"Sam!" Mom turned to me and I held up my hands in surrender.

"Well she wanted me to, but I said no."

Mama's chuckle caused Mom to frown and I giggled as Mama came around Mom and kissed her cheek before swiping a taste of frosting. "This is good."

"Mama, that's my cake!" Eve stood on her chair and glared at Mama. "I get the first taste."

"My apologies, Eve," Mama teased swiping another bit of frosting on her finger and then offering it Eve. The look on Eve's face was priceless and she stared at the cake while Mom moved to get the knife.

"Cut the damn thing will ya?"

"Eve!" Mom turned with the knife in her hand and Emily slid off my lap and climbed onto her usual chair to watch the action.

"Yes Mommy?" Eve was doing her best to look innocent and Mama's chuckling wasn't helping matters any.

"No more swearing," Mom finally said. "And I will cut it after we sing."

Taking our cue the family sang the birthday song before Mom cut the cake. Giving Eve the first slice Mom hadn't even moved to cut the second before Eve had shoved a large bit into her mouth. "The gods, this is good. How did you do this? It's amazing. Almost as good as Aunt Hessie." Eve's incoherent mutterings finally eased as she continued to shovel cake into her mouth while the rest of us watched her in disbelief.

Shaking my head I finally took a bite of the cake and sighed in contentment. "Eve is right, Mom. This cake is amazing." Mama and Eve had yet to speak again and I shook my head at them while the rest of us chatted and enjoyed our cake.

"Did Aunt Hessie help with the cake?" Eve asked Mom.

"She may have given me the recipe," Mom finally admitted. "But the work is all my own."

"Praise, Aunt Hessie," Eve sighed as the twins giggled and my moms shook their heads.

"Leave it to your daughter to praise a goddess that can cook," Mom deadpanned as Mama shrugged.

"What?" Mama grinned. "This is a damned good cake."

"Mama said a bad word," Emily teased.

"Xena," Mom was holding a smile and Mama shrugged. "Put a dinar in the swear jar.

Sighing Mama made a huge production out of placing her dinar in the almost full jar. Apparently the swear jar didn't work as well as Mom had hoped in our family. Then again she was in a house with a warrior, an almost warrior, and Eve. What did she expect?

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"Eve," her friends' voice carried over the village and Eve took off at a fast run to meet up with them in front of the kindergarten.

"Happy birthday!" Mavis and Addy greeted together and Eve grinned widely.

Coming up to the group I let go of Emily and Zoe's hands allowing them to run off to be with their friends. "Don't forget that somebody is picking you three up after school today. I think Mama has a surprise planned so no getting into trouble today."

"Us in trouble? Never." Mavis giggled and I shook my head.

"Just remember that you'll have a lot of fun if you manage to stay out of trouble," I tried once more.

"Don't worry, Sam. We'll be good." Eve moved to me and gave me a hug as the teacher began to call the students in.

Returning the hug I kissed the top of my little sister's head, "Happy birthday, little bit." Grinning up at me Eve took off and waved until she disappeared into the school.

Grabbing her friends' hands Eve tugged them into the school. "Come on, we need to sit down and not cause any trouble today."

"Did you have plans or something?" Addy asked.

"No, but I overheard my moms talking and there's going to be something cool happening when I get picked up but not if we get into trouble. You guys have to help me out and make sure I don't think of anything to relieve the boredom."

"We'll help you, Eve." Mavis' voice was serious as they sat down on the floor in their usual morning circle waiting for the teacher to start the day.

"Thank you." Eve's bright eyes turned to the teacher as she sat down on the other side of the circle. "Deep breaths, Eve, deep breaths." She encouraged herself as the morning song praising Artemis began.

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"Mavis, Addy, help," Eve whispered as the young teacher began to tell a child friendly story about Amazon history.

"Think about your surprise," Addy hissed. "Your mommies always have cool surprises."

"I know, but she's telling it wrong and it's boring," Eve groaned as quietly as she could. "Mommy really needs to help with story time in this place."

"You've been saying that since we were four, Eve," Mavis whispered. "She's tried but it hasn't helped much."

"Oh the goddesses help me," Eve whispered.

A sudden shimmering light illuminated the classroom and Eve stood up and ran towards the plump figure in the middle, "Auntie Hessie!"

"My little scamp," the goddess easily picked Eve up and kissed her cheek. "How are you on this fine birthday?" Putting Eve down the goddess smiled at Addy and Mavis. "Girls don't you have a hug for your Aunt Hessie?"

Grinning, the girls bolted from their seat and ran to hug the goddess, "Are we glad to see you," Mavis whispered. "Eve always has trouble with story time."

Hestia nodded, "I know, I'm here to help." Looking at the teacher who now wore a look of shock Hestia shrugged and sat down on the rug in the front of the room. "Alright then little Amazons. Everyone come sit down and Aunt Hessie will tell you all a wonderful story."

Plopping herself in Hestia's lap Eve smiled as Mavis and Addy took a seat on either side of the goddess. Once all the little girls were settled Hestia motioned for the teacher to sit down as well. "Now, I believe you were telling them a story of Artemis."

The teacher nodded and finally spoke, "Yes, we were."

"Well, I can tell you a story about Artemis too, but this story isn't known by everyone. You see, one day when Arte was just a little goddess she decided that she would go hunting and tracking by herself….."

"So you see, girls, even goddesses sometimes need help when they are little," Hestia began to finish up her story. "So it's never a good idea to try and track or hunt by yourselves, especially at your ages."

A streak of silver followed by the scent of roses entered the classroom as two more goddesses appeared at the end of Hestia's story.

"Auntie! Artemis!" Eve sprang from Hestia's lap and hugged the two goddesses in front of her. "Did you hear the story, Artemis? It was a good one."

"I did," Artemis shook her head. "Not a well-known story, indeed."

"My little peace maker," Aphrodite's greeting was cut off by a commotion at the door. Looking up Aphrodite giggled. "Puh-lease, we pose no danger to the little peace maker here. We just wanted to join story time."

Mama and I looked at each other and shrugged. Mama resheathed her sword and I held my staff in a relaxed position. "At least nobody is naked," I quipped as Mama raised her eyebrow at me.

"True," Mama moved forward and shook her head. "To what do we own the pleasure?"

"The little peace maker's birthday of course," Auntie picked Eve up and swung her around. "Aunt Hestia got to tell a story so now it's our turn."

I watched as Artemis and Aphrodite sat in the circle of children on the floor while Eve ran back to Hestia to sit in her lap. "We're ready, ladies."

Choking on my laugh I saw Mama raise her eyebrow, "Eve, show some respect."

"Sorry," clearing her throat she looked around and placed her hands in her lap. "Aunties, Goddess of the Hunt, we are now ready to listen with rapt attention to your wonderful stories."

It was Mama who choked this time and I even saw that Hestia was having a hard time holding back her laugh as was Artemis. Auntie wasn't having that problem as her bell like laughter was filling the room.

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Eve waved at Sam and Nasa before running ahead of her mothers on the trail. Gabrielle and Xena were taking Eve, Mavis, and Addy for a surprise and Eve couldn't wait to find out what it was. She knew that Sam was going to help Yaya set up her birthday dinner and Eve hoped that Yaya would make her favorite meal.

Reaching the branch for the pond Eve started to turn off but was stopped, "Not that way, Trouble."

Turning Eve stared up at her Mama wide eyed, "We're not going to the pond?"

"Nope, you're surprise is that way," Xena knelt and pointed to a small footpath that was seldom used. Their destination was actually a little closer than the pond but was more out of the way. "Well, what are you three waiting for? Lead the way."

Holding hands as they followed Eve and her friends barreling down the path Xena and Gabrielle couldn't wait to see the expression on their daughter's face when she finally saw her birthday surprise.

Enjoying the chatter of the girls in front of them Xena and Gabrielle finally sped up their pace and stopped the trio. Kneeling down Gabrielle nodded to Xena and waited until the warrior moved ahead of them on trail. "Okay girls, Eve's surprise is right through those trees. Now I want you to hold hands and walk together. Are you ready?"

Jumping up and down in excitement Eve nodded. "Let's go, Mommy."

Standing back up, Gabrielle waited until the girls linked hands. She then nodded towards Xena and brought up the rear on the path. Pushing through the clearing the girls stopped and looked back and forth between Gabrielle and Xena in confusion. "Don't ever forget to look up," Xena pointed and three pairs of eyes moved towards a large hardwood tree near the center of the clearing.

Three squeals were heard moments later and Eve let go of Mavis and Addy's hands before running to Xena. Throwing her arms around her warrior mother's waist Eve gave her a huge hug and then ran to her blonde mother and repeated the action. "Thank you! How do we get up there?"

Xena squatted next to Eve and pointed, "Rope ladder. Come on, I'll help." Moving towards the tree Xena helped Eve begin her climb to the large tree house nestled perfectly in the branches of the tree.

Xena then helped Mavis and Addy up the ladder before allowing Gabrielle to climb up. Flipping herself onto a low branch Xena then flipped into the tree house much to Eve's delight. "Is this really all mine?"

Gabrielle sat down on the floor of the treehouse and nodded, "It is, Evie. All yours. Happy birthday."

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Thanks again for everyone who is following this story or has added it to their favorites list.

I hope everyone enjoyed it.

Please don't forget to check out the next book in the Mockingbird Chronicles: Running Toward Trouble. It's available where electronic books are sold.