PART 10
"Hi Joey!" Timmy smiled as the birthday child opened the door for them, with a large smile on her face. She wore a nice short/t-shirt outfit that looked pretty fashion on her. Her lightly tanned skin and dark brown hair almost made her look like an indian girl. "Happy Birthday"
"Thanks!" she took the package out of his hands and stepped aside to let the family inside the big house. From the main entrance you could literally see through the large living room, which lead to the open space terrace and a nice view to the blue swimming pool at the back of the house.
The tables were dressed very nicely, balloons were hanging everywhere just as much as children run around the house. Christina walked out of the kitchen on the left hand side asking the children to slow down while drying her fingers on a towel that was wrapped around her waist.
"Oh you are already here!" she squealed as she saw Sydney and Vaughn. "How are you? Oh, and how is the little one in here?" she smiled and laid her hand over Sydney's belly.
"Actually I thought we were running late and second we are doing fine" Sydney replied to her questions.
"Oh god! I didn't see the time fly by. I have the last cake in the oven and I don't even know if everybody is here yet"
"Well Francie is there!" she waved at her oldest best friend who stood on the terrace.
"Just go ahead, I'll be right there."
"Oh! We still have all the stuff in the car! Michael? We still have to unload the car"
"I'm coming. Excuse me" Vaughn told Eric.
"I'm not going anywhere buddy!"
Vaughn, Sydney and Christina quickly unpacked everything and soon the cleaned kitchen was a complete mess again with food bowls, drinking jars and cakes covering the different areas of it.
"Oh my! Thanks for all of this! I wonder who is going to eat all of that food?"
"I thought you knew my wife better than that, she's eating like crazy when she's pregnant"
"Hey watch out!"
"Ok, ok I'm outta here" he gave Sydney a quick peck on her lips and squinted off, leaving the women alone in the back.
"He still thinks he can get away with a kiss, right?"
"Yeah but only in his dreams. I'm going to pay him back big time when this baby is getting out of me. You know it takes two to get into this state"
"My you can be mean Sydney"
"Oh yes I can... you know they teach you lot of stuff at the CIA. Even if I left it over ten years ago I still know quite a few tricks. It's like riding the bike, you learn it once, you never forget"
"How's Sydney?"
"She's actually doing ok. We are just glad that there aren't any complications. She's just much more tired than before and has some backaches, so she rests a lot. I even want her too. I don't want her to stress too much about it. I know how worried she can be about pregnancy."
"You know man, I still can not believe. 5 children. You rock man!"
"Tell me about it! But you know what? I don't regret any of it. I wouldn't trade them for nothing in the world."
"Yeah I know what you mean" Eric's eyes drifted to his oldest "9 years already! I can hardly believe it myself. It's like it's been yesterday since I held her in my arms and you want to know something?"
"What?" Vaughn's gaze drifted absently along the poolside keeping an eye on the crowd of children splashing around while sipping on a beer. It was good to know that Francie and Will had joined them inside.
"Well actually Tina and I think that there is a boy at school that likes her. Last weekend, we were out here in the pool as the doorbell rang and you know what Joey's like once she's in the water" Vaughn nodded, knowing that it would take Eric lots of arguing, just like he did with Alex for getting him out of bed.
"I almost choked on my beer, when she started screaming all over the place that she would get the door! She got out of the water, sipping wet as she was and wrapped at towel around herself but before stepping into the house she looks at Tina and asks "Mum, what do I look like?" And of course she answers "Sweetie, you just got out of the pool, what do you think you look like?" And then she added, "Be careful not to slip over the tiles". I tell you, there's something going on there and I don't even wanna know about it.
"What? She's only nine today?"
"Exactly, so why should I worry about it? I actually think it is cute! How would you react if it were your daughter?"
"I don't have a daughter, so I don't need to worry on that part"
"You never know..."
Vaughn got Eric's hint straight away "No way! Not my daughter! She wouldn't be allowed to go out until she's 18 or let's make it even 21! Yes 21! You can be sure that I will take care of this myself!"
"Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Joey
Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuu"
Sang the whole crowd of people that were gathered around the large garden table, they clapped their hands and then proceeded to congratulate her individually. Joey's happiness could easily be seen all over her face. She was here with her friends and family that loved her. The day couldn't be anymore perfect she thought.
Her dad had bought her the greatest gift ever: the big Barbie doll house with both the horses and the camping van. She adored it, it was her dream come true. She'd been talking about it for the last half year and now she finally got it. All her friends would be so jealous of her. She loved her daddy and he loved her.
"Hey man!" Vaughn called him in the kitchen while all the others were outside enjoying the sunny weather. "You got some more beer?"
"Uh-huh" Weiss opened the two-door refrigerator and grabbed a six pack out and tossed it at Vaughn.
"Thanks, that weather is going to kill me"
"Daddy?" Amanda stood in the middle of the hallway, two hair braids tangling on each side of her head still dripping wet from the pool and barefoot.
"Yes Amy"
"Mum says you have to bring some more juice!"
"Here" he handed her a bottle full of orange juice "I'll bring some more right away"
"Ok!" and off she was again.
The two men stood for awhile in the kitchen, listening to the charade outside. They heard bare footsteps in the hallway again and Weiss thinking it was his daughter who wondered why it took him so long, said "Sweetie, I told you I'll be..."
"Oh! Now I'm your sweetie?" Sydney winked at Weiss "Aren't we a little bit to optimistic. Don't you think my husband would have something to say in that matter?"
"Oh, hey Syd, I thought you were..."
"I know, can you leave me alone with my husband for awhile?"
"Sure! But remember there are kids in this house, so don't get kinky!" he mocked before leaving the room.
Vaughn choked on his beer and had spilled some over his shirt. "My look now! You're a bad boy"
"What? That was Eric's fault not mine! Do the two of you always have to play these tricks? Can't you have a normal conversation?"
Sydney got closer to Vaughn, which made him gasp as he could feel her hand on his chest and her lips on his. "Hmm Syd?" he mumbled in their kiss.
"What?"
"I don't think that's a good idea. Remember what Eric said?"
"Who cares what Eric said Michael, I just want to tease you a little bit. Am I not allowed to have a little fun?"
"Syd! You're really a mean person you know that?"
"What me?" she tried to play the innocent little girl from next door.
"Yes you my dear! And before this gets any worser and out of control, I'm out of here." He started walking out of the kitchen, leaving her alone. He decided to change his mind and returned, holding out his arms on her "Come here angel" Sydney obeyed. They just stood there awkwardly in the living room, embracing each other.
"I'm sorry... I just think that my hormones start kicking in"
"Uh-huh, yeah, I figured that! But I still love you, I promise we'll do something about this tonight. Ok?" he questioned her and she nodded before they went hand in hand back outside to the others.
All the adults' eyes were on the pair and give an explanation Vaughn declared "It's not what you think, so" his eyes directed to Weiss "You keep your thoughts to yourself"
"Mummy?" Timmy and Collin ran over to Sydney who took a seat in the long chair for a rest.
"Yes"
"I want to lay next to you"
"No I want to be with you! That's not fair. I was first!" Collin objected.
"No, I was!"
"That's not true. You asked first but I told you and then you want to squint in as usual!"
"Mum, tell Collin I was first!"
"Boys, boys! What do you say we leave mummy alone for awhile so she can rest and I join you in the pool!"
Immediately their anger was forgotten as the twins squealed "Yay!"
Alex, Oliver, Thomas, Kelsey, Joey, Amy, Megan, Lisa and Josh were already headed first into the pool together with Weiss and Will leaving the women on their own for some gossip.
"Wait guys, I still have to put on some sun block!" Sydney called the twins back as she started to rub the lotion on their body. As soon as Collin was ready he took a long run and jumped into the water, splashing Will who took revenge on him.
"Timmy, your turn"
Christina and Francie were chatting, while Christina was breading 3 year old Jessica's hair. They sat under the sunshade, sipping on some kind of fruit cocktail that Weiss had mixed for them.
Tim sat on the edge of the long chair. He could feel his mother's soft motion over his back, shoulders and arms.
"Do you have some more Syd! This one's empty" Vaughn said and dumped it on the table. He was all clad in some nice long swimmer shorts with Hawaiian pattern, dark sunglasses hid his eyes and his head was covered with a baseball cap.
"Yeah, right there in my bag!" Vaughn sat down next to Tim and rummaged in the huge bag in the hope to find the other tube.
"Turn around Timmy!" the boy stood up straight to face his parents. He knew the ritual all by heart and moved one leg on the chair and then the other one before his mother creamed his face, ears, neck and his chest.
"Mom, can I go now?" Vaughn looked up as he didn't hear his wife reply to their son. He had started to step from one foot onto the other one while observing the other children in the pool, waiting impatiently for his mother to finish her task.
Sydney's finger was tracing along the long scar that rested on Tim's chest forever. It was still there and it would always be there. It was what would always remind her, him, them of what had once happened in his life.
Tim's pleading eyes on his father were enough for Vaughn to understand. "Yes you can go Timmy."
Sydney's absented mind told him, she was back into the past.
"Sydney, please don't do this" he captured her hand that had seconds before traced their sons chest and played with her fingers before capturing her cheek with his other, turning her gaze towards the pool. "Look Syd, he's there, he's doing fine. Let him have some fun and I promise I'll stay with him all the time. Nothing will happen to him"
"Ok... Sorry.... Thanks" Vaughn dried the single tear that had escaped from her eyes with his thumb, kissed her "I won't let anything happen to him, I promise" and then he made his way into the pool.