For disclaimer, please see chapter one.
A/N: Hi hi…that you guys so much for reviewing! Those of you who write know how encouraging it is to get those reviews in your mail box. Thanks also to a few of you who I have received ideas from. Also, I checked, and to the best of my knowledge in CA, you can get your driving permit at 15 (mentioned in this chapter). I understand that it may be different in your state (it is in mine lol).
For The Moment
Chapter 3: Celebration
In honor of Haylie's upcoming 15th birthday, and Matt's birthday as well, Annie had invited the entire family over that Sunday for brunch after church. Each family or couple that came brought some food, and soon, their entire meal was there. Annie bustled around happily as she put out all the food that had been brought. Everyone had arrived and her yard seemed to be getting louder by the second. Eric lead everyone in prayer, then everyone over the age of10 got their food and took a seat at the adult table, while the younger children sat at a smaller kids table. As the guests of honor, Haylie and Eric sat across from one another at the ends of the table. Everyone dug into the food hungrily. As Lina Camden, Sam's wife, was about to take a bite, she felt something tugging at the bottom of her dress. She looked down to see their 4-year-old son, Aiden, whose lower lip was sticking out incredibly.
"Molly says I can't have a cup cake yet." He complained about his 9-year-old sister. "But I want one now, and she can't tell me what to do, right mom?" Lina raised an eyebrow.
"Well, kiddo, she normally can't but this time she's right." She told him with a shrug. "Those are for later. Stick to the other food for now, ok?" He frowned and nodded his head.
"Then Abby can't have one either right?" He asked of his 6-year old sister. Lina nodded.
"That's right." She said. "None of you can have them right now." She saw what he was thinking and answered before he could ask. "Not Michael either." She said, speaking of her 7-year-old son. Aiden nodded and walked back over to the kids table where he was sitting in the middle of his brother and oldest sister. Lina laughed and looked at Sam. "He sure asks a lot of questions."
"I know." Sam said. "It's constant! It seems like our girls haven't been that way as much, but Michael sure was, and now Aiden is." He observed. Annie spoke up.
"And would you like to know where your sons got that from, Samuel?" She asked, sounding matter-of-fact. "You! My gosh, when you and David were little, I never got anything but questions out of the two of you! And Ruthie too, man oh man, you guys could ask questions till you were blue in the face and still have more." Lina laughed and kissed her husband on the cheek.
"So it's your fault, is it?" She looked a few people down to David. "And you!" She looked at Natalie, David's wife. "Be glad you two aren't having kids for awhile, Nat." She told her. "I bet that you'll be 'blessed' with little question machines like we are!" Natalie laughed and nodded.
"I think Davey asks a few too many questions still!" She said. David frowned.
"Nat, again with 'Davey'? What have I said about saying that in public?" he scolded jokingly.
"Aww, is Davey-Wavey embarrassed?" She cooed at him.
"No, Natalie-Watalie," he said, and she cringed, "He just doesn't want to get his mother started calling him that again!" Everyone laughed loudly. Simon turned to Haylie with a smile.
"So, you're getting your permit soon, huh?" He asked. She nodded.
"Yeah, I'm getting it on my birthday." Simon laughed.
"So everyone, get off the roads by Tuesday!" He said. Everyone laughed.
"Hey! Who says I won't be a wonderful driver from the first time I sit down in the driver's seat?" She asked with a smile.
"History, that's who." He answered, and again everyone laughed. 5-year-old Grace Camden, Simon and Cecilia's youngest, stood up with her hands on her hips.
"What's so funny over there?" She asked quizzically. Simon smiled at her.
"We're talking about your cousin Haylie driving and how absolutely terrifying it's going to be." He answered, and Grace giggled. "Gracie my dear, you're not getting your permit till you're 40, and don't even get me started on dating." She crunched up her nose and sat down. Simon and Cecilia smiled at her before going back to their food. After they finished eating their brunch and birthday cake, the kids played while the adults helped clean up, then scattered over the yard to chat. Lina and Lucy took a seat at the edge of the grass. Each being parents of four year olds, they wanted their youngest children to be in full visibility. Soon, Cecilia joined them too, worried about her five year old, Grace, being out there with all the bigger kids. As the only girl with 2 older brothers, she was quite a tom boy and loved to run around with the boys rather than play with the girls. Cecilia bit her lip nervously as she ran with Lucy's twins, Ty and Collin, and her older brothers Ben and Noah playing soccer with a pine cone. Lucy laughed and squeezed her sister-in-law's arm.
"She'll be fine." She said with a laugh. "Trust me. Elizabeth likes to run around with the twins sometimes, and she's always fine. I have 6 kids. I've dealt with every single kind of injury that there is, and they're all still alive!" The women laughed. Lina leaned over and put her hand on Lucy's stomach.
"So Luce…Madison's 4 now…when's number seven coming?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye. Lucy brushed Lina's hand off and shook her head.
"No way is number seven coming! I don't know how my mom did it! I mean, come on! I'm exhausted with 6. I love them, and they're so much fun, but also so much work. And Kev and I were only going to have 5 remember? Then the twins came with took us from 2 to 4, and then we had Libby and were done…then Maddy came. Honestly, we're so done." She sighed. "How about you and Sam? I mean your kids are 9, 7, 6, 4…isn't it about time for a new little one? You're already a few years behind!" Lina smiled.
"I know. We're really enjoying how it is now though. Girl, boy, girl, boy is perfect. If we had another it would be uneven. Plus, like you said Aiden's four already. That would be a big gap as opposed to 2 years at the most that are in between Molly, Michael, Abby and Aiden. If it happens, it happens, but we're not specifically trying, you know?" They nodded. "How about Ruthie and Peter though. Man those two have been trying for three years!"
"I know, I really hope they get to have a baby soon. If only they had as easy of a time as I did when I got pregnant with Ben!" Cecilia said with a laugh. "We weren't even planning a child and suddenly I was out to here!" She held her hand out mocking a pregnant stomach. The ladies smiled. Suddenly, Maddy came running over, her dark blonde wavy hair bouncing.
"Hey baby, what's up?" Lucy asked as her youngest daughter hopped into her lap and through her arms around her mother with a giggle.
"Nothing I just wanted to come see you." She answered. Lucy laughed.
"Well thanks for the honor!" She told her 4-year-old proudly. Soon, Aiden came running to Lina as well, but he did not look happy.
"Mom!" He shouted, beginning to cry. "Abby was bossing me around and I said that she's not mom and so she punched me right here!" He turned to show his mother his back where there was a round red spot. Lina gasped.
"It's ok sweetie." She told him, calming him down until he stopped crying. "Tell her that mommy wants her over here now." She said. Aiden nodded and ran to get his sister. A moment later, Abby walked over with her hands on her hips.
"What?" The six-year-old asked with attitude.
"I think you know what." Lina told her, raising an eyebrow.
"Mom, I'm older than Aiden, and he has to do what I say! And then he was rude to me, I had to punch that little brat! He deserved it!" Lina shook her head.
"Abby, Aiden was right, you're not mom. What you said doesn't go. I'm mom, and I'm the one in charge. Get it?" She asked. "And you know that hitting is against the rules!"
"But he deserved it mom he's just a stupid little four year old that needs to learn some manners! And I'm older so I have to teach him them!" She screamed, receiving some glances from around the yard.
"Abigail Lynn Camden," Lina scolded, but was cut off.
"What?" She shouted. Lina stood and grabbed her daughter's wrist.
"I'll be right back, would you guys keep an eye on Molly Michael and Aiden?" she asked her sisters in law. They nodded and Lina continued into the house with her daughter. After they were inside, Lucy looked at Cecilia surprised.
"Whoa! Man, for a six year old that girl has got a major attitude problem!" She said with wide eyes. Cecilia nodded.
"Tell me about it! I haven't gotten that from Gracie at all yet, but Ben has sure had a few bouts, and Simon and I definitely don't tolerate it. Just then, they heard shill screaming from inside the home, obviously being Abby's. Lina walked back to the door looking frazzled. "Sam," She called her husband. "Get the kids we're going home." She said.
"Why, is something wrong?" He asked.
"Abby's having a full blown temper tantrum in here because I put her on time out." She said. Sam shook his head and walked inside. The screaming abruptly stopped and Lina came back out.
"Sam can definitely get their attention." She said. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Aiden, Molly, Mike, let's go!" She yelled. The kids came over to their mom. She looked at Cecilia and Lucy. "I'm sorry you guys, but we need to go home. I'm not going to deal with Abby acting like this here. We'll see you soon, ok?" They nodded and told her goodbye, and with that, the Camden family left. Soon after they were gone, the party started to wind down. Since Sarah was the doctor on call today, she, Matt and the kids were the next to leave, then Natalie and David, and Cecilia, Simon and the kids. Soon it was only Annie, Eric, and the Kinkirks left. After helping her mother finish cleaning up, Lucy looked around.
"Well, mom, I think we'll take off." She said. "Thanks so much for having us all here this morning. I know that Haylie really appreciated it." Annie smiled and waved her hand.
"No problem! I love seeing everyone. My gosh, the kids grow up so fast. If I don't have them over every once in awhile, they'll be 18 all of the sudden and we won't know where the time went!" Lucy laughed and nodded, then hugged her mother goodbye. After calling each of the kids to also say goodbye to their grandmother and grandfather, the family left and enjoyed a much quieter ride home than Cecilia and Simon no doubtably had.
A/N: Review Please! Look for chapter 4 soon!