Ten days later…
Alyssa let out a sigh of relief as she pulled into Megan's driveway. No one knew yet that she had left Matt and was trying to come home. She was going to spend some time with Megan and try to sort herself out, she wasn't sure how her mom would react. Alyssa had been so sure she could make it work with Matt that they could have the family she had dreamed of growing up, two parents, siblings not moving every few months no deployments or being captured. She felt like she had failed. She had promised her girls and herself that they could make their family work but cheating was unforgivable, it was the one of on;y two things she knew she would not work through. Their family a loving home and two parents, what Leo and Allison had had been Alyssa's dream growing up. She had been the group project child and while she had been very loved it wasn't what the storybooks, novels and movies showed, it was weird and different and she had always stuck out. No matter how much Owen and Teddy had been there and loved her it hadn't been her mom and she still didn't know her biological dad. She hadn't wanted her girls to go through what she had. But it looked like she had no choice she wouldn't be cheated on and used. She had wanted that life, she thought she could have it all and maybe she had held onto Matt or a bit too long because he was promising her those things. She didn't want to struggle like her mom had or been alone like her grandma. She would figure this out on her own, her mom had so had grandma and uncle Owen.
"Okay girlies," Alyssa said to her daughters, "grandma's house. We made it, three days of driving but we did it. Time to surprise grandma."
Alyssa got the stroller from the back of the truck and set the girls in it, she pushed it up to the front door and rang the doorbell.
"Alyssa," Faroke said.
"Hi bud," Alyssa smiled, "so can we really pull this off."
"Did you hide your truck," Faroke asked.
"No I'm in the driveway," Alyssa replied, "help me unload then I'll feed the girls and we'll start dinner."
"Can I help feed them," Faroke asked.
"It's Alex's turn for formula so you can feed her," Alyssa agreed, "get all your cuddles now because you know mom will take over."
"She was grumpy this morning," Faroke said.
"We'll turn her day around," Alyssa agreed.
"Can you look at my 3D printer," Faroke asked, "my prints are wobbly."
"I'll get it going well again," Alyssa said, "we might need to order parts. Help me unload. Where does mom usually have people stay? I haven't been down here since before the pandemic."
"Is Matt coming," Faroke asked.
"He has to work," Alyssa said, "I get a year off to be with the girls."
"How," Faroke asked.
"In Canada the federal government guarantees a year and they pay half your salary and my company tops me up to 80%," Alyssa said, "I've been off 5 months now so have 7 more with my girls."
"And you can just stay home," Faroke asked.
"Yes," Alyssa said, "bond with my girlies get them off to a good start. Can you take Celeste she's my easy going one."
"Which one," Faroke asked.
"Purple onesie," Alyssa smiled, "Alex is in yellow today. I don't make them match."
"Why," Faroke asked, "you did in pictures."
"I have for pictures but they're their own people," Alyssa said.
Alyssa took the girls inside in their car seats and set them on the floor in the kitchen.
"Can you unload the back of the truck," Alyssa asked Faroke, "or watch the girls. I have dinner stuff in a cooler."
"What are you making," Faroke asked.
"Mom's favourite greek," Alyssa smiled, "for the three of us."
"Alex and Celeste," Faroke asked.
"Still milk for them," Alyssa replied.
"I'm not supposed to lift really heavy things yet," Faroke replied.
"Okay so you babysit and I'll unload," Alyssa replied.
Alyssa made multiple trips between the truck and the house putting what her and her babies needed in the guest room.
"Enough stuff," Faroke laughed.
"80% is for Alex and Celeste," Alyssa replied, "pack and plays to sleep in. Clothes, play mats, toys, bouncy seats. I have two of most things."
Megan pulled into the driveway after work exhausted and not looking forward to a non birthday. She wasn't sure if Faroke would do anything and Alyssa hadn't called or texted yet. She paused getting out of her Jeep. There was a red truck with BC plates parked in front of the house next door. She took a couple steps closer and saw the Search and Reacue stickers and Kicking Ass in Haikai Pass stickers in the back window. Alyssa's truck! Her daughter was in LA.
"Hello," Megan called opening the front door.
"Happy birthday mom," Alyssa and Faroke shouted together rushing to hug Megan.
"Lyss," Megan gasped, "what? How? When?"
"It's your birthday," Alyssa smiled, "I'm off. I got here about four hours ago. And we drove down. Uncle Owen and Auntie Teddy sent your gift with me. We spent Sunday with them. Then we got to the Oregon California boarder yesterday and I started driving once the girls were up this morning."
"Matt," Megan asked.
"Working," Alyssa shrugged, "but there's two little girls that have birthday hugs for you."
"You drove with five month old babies from BC by yourself," Megan asked.
"I wasn't alone," Alyssa said, "I had Alex and Celeste."
"Doesn't count," Megan said.
"How many times did you fly with me or take me places on your own," Alyssa asked.
"A lot," Megan agreed.
In the pack and play in the living room a baby began to cry.
"Celeste," Alyssa replied, "her diaper. Mom can you watch Alex so I can change her."
"Do I get cuddles for my birthday," Megan asked.
"You get more than baby cuddles," Alyssa assured.
"We made Greek food from scratch and Alyssa baked a cake and I decorated it," Faroke said.
"And the living area," Alyssa smiled as she picked up Celeste.
"What smells," Faroke asked.
"Her diaper," Alyssa said, "I've got it. I must do 50 a day sometimes."
"It felt endless with one then two," Megan said, "on your own I can't imagine."
"I have help when Matt is home," Alyssa said, not exactly lying just not ruining her moms birthday with the news that her and Matt had broken up that Alyssa was following in Megan's footsteps by dumping a drunken cheater. Alyssa knew Matt like alcohol, they both had liked having a drink or two. But since Alyssa had gotten pregnant Matt's drinking had escalated.
"Hi pretty girl," Megan smiled taking Celeste out of the pack and play.
"That's Celeste," Alyssa said, "her colours are pink, yellow and green. Alex gets purple, blue and white."
"You colour code," Megan asked.
"Onesies and clothes." Alyssa replied, "easier this way for me."
As soon as the diapers were changed Alyssa asked, "mom do you want to give Celeste a bottle?"
"Yes," Megan squealed.
"I took over part of your fridge with bottles," Alyssa admitted.
"Pumped milk," Megan asked.
"Yes," Alyssa replied, "or I can just feed both and you can help with the bed time one. I know you just got home."
"Are you okay if I help later and shower now," Megan asked, "I smell like antiseptic."
"I'm going to go up then," Alyssa said, "tandem is easier in private. Can you carry Celeste up? We took over the guest room. Alex is clingy today."
"Not my little Alex," Megan gasped.
"She's shyer," Alyssa said, "they have their own personalities now."
"You've told me I can't wait to see them. I haven't seen them in a few months," Megan smiled.
After she fed her girls Alyssa finished making dinner with Faroke's help. It was taking everything she had not to tell Megan what had happened with Matt, she would eventually but not now, not today, not on her mom's birthday.
They took their dinner out to the sun deck overlooking the ocean and sat at the glass topped table.
"You brought everything, didn't you," Megan laughed at alyssa.
"I've been planning for weeks," Alyssa smiled, "but yes, swings, high chairs, pack and plays, bassinets. Bouncy chairs the truck was full. They need their high chairs. Ten days and we can start solids."
"Your doctor is okay with it," Megan asked.
"Really runny but yes," Alyssa replied.
"Can I help," Megan begged.
"I want to mom, they're my girls," Alyssa said.
"They are," Megan said, "at home what would you have done."
"Dinner time and Matt and I but he's their dad," Alyssa said.
"You've been quiet is everything okay," Megan asked.
"Just tired it's a lot to come down on my own with twins who still eat every 3 and a half hours around the clock. We're not really in a solid pattern they have some delays."
"Solids though," Megan asked.
"The pediatrician said at six months which is in 10 days they can," Alyssa said, "just really small amounts and really runny. Tastes first."
"Alyssa," Megan asked, "where's Matt?"
"Working," Alyssa said, he should be working, she assumed he was. She would have to call her lawyer tomorrow but she could do that while her mom was at work.
"He couldn't help you," Megan pressed.
"He's out of time off," Alyssa said, "he used it all when the girls were born. I'm okay, I'm getting used to my quiet with them."
"I got used to it with you," Megan said, "but I am going to help you with the next feeding and baths. I want to bath them."
"It's a two person job," alyssa agreed, "I usually do one at a time."
"I want to," Megan said.
"I haven't tried two in the tub yet," Alyssa said, "I didn't bring the baby bath. Can I use your sink?"
"Yes," Megan replied, "what did you do at Owens?"
"They still had one from Allison and Leo," Alyssa replied.
"So I can snuggle and give bottles while you bath," Megan asked.
"Or you can bath and I can feed," Alyssa agreed.
"This is the best birthday surprise," Megan said, "all of us together. Our family."
"Not Matt," Faroke said.
"He has to work," Alyssa repeated.
"How did you two," Megan asked.
"I can't call my brother," Alyssa asked, "we wanted to surprise you."
"You two did," Megan said, "best birthday in a long time."
"Good," Alyssa smiled.
"I'm sorry we couldn't come up for yours," Megan said.
"I get it," Alyssa said, "we went for dinner the two of us, Kira babysat."
"The Jarretts have seen them," Megan asked.
"Derek isn't thrilled to be a grandpa but I've never been his favourite person so," Alyssa shrugged.
"He wasn't ready," Megan said.
"He's still not," Alyssa said, "but his face was funny when I introduced him to the girls as grandpa."
"You didn't," Alyssa said.
"He's my dad even if he'll never answer," Alyssa said, "but he had no idea."
"How did he not know,' Megan asked.
"I hadn't seen him since last July," Alyssa said, "he's oblivious and didn't notice my bump and I never told him. It was just after I told you."
"We have cake," Faroke said, changing the subject.
"You did a good job on it," Alyssa replied, "lets clean the kitchen, mom can play with Alex and Celeste."
"I'm too full for cake now," Megan said, "maybe in a bit."
"Clean up, put babies to bed then cake,' Alyssa asked, 'it's already almost bath time."
"Faroke clean up in the kitchen Alyssa and I will put the girls to bed," Megan said
"Really," Faroke asked.
"I'll load the dishwasher," Alyssa said, "and Faroke I did 80% of the clean up as I cooked."
"You had your sister drive down so she could do all the cooking,' Megan asked.
"I'm a control freak in the kitchen," Alyssa said, "I have to do it my way. His job is to find things for me."
"You're as bad as Owen," Megan laughed.
"I learned well," Alyssa teased.
"You did," Megan smiled, "I think I made the right choice."
"I think so," Alyssa said, "it was him or grandma and who ever you picked the other would be around alot."
"What about me," Faroke said.
"Nate," Megan replied, "I know he's been away for months but legally he's your dad. I would prefer Owen and Teddy then Alyssa."
"Seriously," Faroke asked.
"Yes," Megan replied, "but nothing is going to happen. I'm heathy, you're getting a lot better. Alyssa seems to have more energy."
"Slowly," Alyssa replied, "I still need abs again."
"Slow and gentle," Megan said, "don't rush Lyss."
"Can we play volleyball," Faroke asked.
"After bedtime," Alyssa agreed, "take the monitor and go down on the sand to play? Mom?"
"That sounds good," Megan agreed.
They cleaned up the table and Megan helped Alyssa get her girls ready for bed softly whispering and singing to the tiny girls as she did so. When the kids were tucked in Alyssa and Faroke brought out the birthday cake.