Chapter 21 – Celebration

AN: Hey guys, thank you so much for the feedback on the last chapter! What all of you said really meant a lot. I am glad that all of you are enjoying the story.

As I mentioned in my AN for "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly", it will shortly be coming to an end. The storyline seems to be dragging on and getting un-interesting. On the plus side, when that story ends, I will only be focusing on "Fate Works in Strange Ways", instead of starting a new story right away. Maybe then updates will come out sooner.

My poll doesn't seem to be working out well. So, if you want to tell me your answer to it either message me or tell me in a review!!!!

Here's the next chapter!

AN: SORRY FOR RE-POSTING THIS!!! THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME ABOUT MY TYPE-O!!! I'VE BEEN REALLY TIRED AND KINDA DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT I WROTE!!! SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!!! HOPE THERE ARE NO MORE ERRORS!!!

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The last month seemed to have flown by.

As presumed, April immediately told the entire family that Gabriella was pregnant. My mother has insisted on spending more time around the house to help Gabriella, making my house even more of a woman zone.

Secretly, I was praying that at least one of the twins was a boy. To even out the hormones in the house.

Gabriella was now eleven weeks pregnant. Isabella was now fourteen months old, becoming more and more of a little terror as the days went on. She took her first step four days after we found out Gabriella was pregnant, and was learning more and more words as the days went by. She was incredibly bright for a toddler, smarter than usually children her age.

What had surprised me was that April, my little sister, had started dating James, one of my closest friends. They started dating shortly after she broke it off with Carl, and were now a full couple. What surprised me even more was how perfect they seemed to be for one another. Another plus side, she was now spending more time at the restaurant and less time at my house.

Gabriella and I had come to the mutual agreement that we were going to get married after the twins were born. Gabriella said that she didn't want to 'look like a whale' in the wedding photos, and she also wanted the twins to become a part of the ceremony.

Fortunately, there was another celebration going on. Today was Gabriella's twenty-third birthday. Her twenty-second had passed by when she was in the hospital, so I intended to make this birthday a very special one.

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"Hey beautiful. Happy Birthday." I greeted Gabriella as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hi." She said as she came and kissed me on the cheek, sitting down beside me on the chair. "And thanks."

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked.

"I can choose anything?"

"Yup. It's your birthday, so you get anything you want." She smiled.

"Hmm…eggs?"

"Coming right up." I walked over to the fridge and grabbed the carton of eggs. "Scrambled or Over-Easy?"

"Surprise me." Gabriella said with a smirk on her face. I laughed.

"So I take it Bella's still sleeping?" Gabriella nodded. "I'll make extra for her." I cracked the eggs and began whipping them with a whisk. Isabella had started eating hard food, and her favourite thing to eat was scrambled eggs because it was soft for her.

"So…" I asked as I walked over to the fridge again and grabbed some orange juice, pouring it into two glasses. Isabella was still drinking milk. "How are you feeling this morning."

"Tired. But at least my morning sickness seems to have stopped." Unfortunately for Gabriella, she got her morning sickness right after we went to get the ultrasound, and it had been very bad. The doctor told us it usually stops by the twelfth week, but Gabriella hasn't had it for the last couple of days.

"That's good. Maybe it's finally over." I put the now cooked eggs on three plates, setting on down in front of Gabriella, one beside her in my seat, and a small plate on Isabella's high chair. Gabriella looked down at the mass of eggs on her plate.

"What, are you trying to make me fat?" she asked playfully. I laughed and came up behind her.

"Of course not. You're eating for three now." I said as I placed my hand gently on her slightly swollen stomach. Because she was pregnant with twins, she had already begun to show a bit.

"True." I sat down beside her. We ate in a peaceful silence, but I noticed that Gabriella was picking more at her food instead of eating it.

"Do you not like the eggs?" I asked. She looked up at me, and sighed.

"Of course not, they are delicious."

"Then why aren't you eating?"

"Thinking."

"About?" I prompted. Gabriella looked back down at her place, sliding the tiny pieces of eggs around on her plate with her fork.

"It's just, today is the first birthday that I have celebrated without my parents. It feels…out of place." I leaned closer to her, wrapping my arms tightly around her.

"I understand exactly how you feel. My other grandfather, on my father's side, was very close to me. After he died, I didn't feel like celebrating at all."

"Exactly." I kissed her gently on the head.

"My mom then told me something that changed my look on it. She said that my grandfather would not want me suffering on my birthday because he was gone. She said that he would always be with me in my heart, and that he was watching me right now, and if he saw that I wasn't happy then he wouldn't be happy." Gabriella smiled gently.

"Yeah, I guess that's a logical way of thinking about it."

"I think so too. So, just think, your parents are watching you right now, feeling so proud of their daughter, and wanting you to have the best birthday imaginable." Gabriella kissed me gently on the lips.

"You're right."

"Aren't I always?" Gabriella laughed.

"Watch that ego, Troy." She giggled again. Just as she was about to take another bite of her eggs, a cry sounded through the household.

"I guess somebody wants attention." I said. "I'll go get her, you continue eating." Gabriella nodded. I got up from my chair, pecked Gabriella once more on the lips, and headed off to get the little princess out of her crib.

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In three hours, the Bolton residence had changed from a quiet, peaceful household to a noisy one. Gabriella's twenty-third birthday party was in full swing.

"I still can't believe you got all my old friends to come." Gabriella said from her spot beside me on the loveseat. James and April, who were playing with Isabella in the backyard, occupying her for the time being.

"Well I got Sharpay to tell me who you used to know, and then I just called them."

"That was sweet of you."

"You deserve it." She smiled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my mom approaching.

"Hey mom." I greeted.

"Hey sweetie. Why aren't you two lovebirds mingling with the guests?" Gabriella laughed.

"After walking around for and hour, you're feet really start to kill. I decided to take a small break from walking, and your gracious son offered to accompany me."

"That's my son, always trying to be the gentleman. Sitting with you for purely selfless reasons, not a lazy bone in his body." My mom said playfully.

"Of course not." Gabriella agreed. They burst out laughing.

"Alright, making fun of Troy time is over." I said. Gabriella pecked me on the lips.

"We were just teasing."

"I know." I said. I then turned to mom. "Where's grandma." My mom rolled her eyes.

"Sharing style tips with Sharpay. I swear let those two lose in a mall together and there would be nothing left to buy in the store."

"It's probably true." Gabriella commented.

"Well at least that keeps Sharpay occupied for a couple of hours." I said.

"Yes. Well, I have to go and check on the food. You don't want over cooked potatoes." My mom said. "I'll see you two later."

"Bye mom."

"Bye Lucille." Once my mom had left us, I looked Gabriella straight in the eyes.

"Now that we're alone, I have something to give you."

"You didn't have to get me anything. Believe me, with everything you've given me, it feels like you've given me too much."

"I wanted to get this for you. Besides, it's not right to not get you something on your own birthday." I reached into my jacket pocket and took out a small white box with a red bow on top. "Here." Gabriella delicately took it.

"What is it?"

"Open it." I said. Gabriella nodded, carefully taking off the bow and opening the lid to the box. She gasped when she was what was inside.

"Oh Troy, it's beautiful." Gabriella pulled out a gold necklace and held it before her. Hanging off of the gold chain was a small circle pendant.

"It's meant to be a representation of our love." I told her. "A circle, because it is – "

"Never ending." Gabriella finished for me.

"Exactly." She smiled.

"It's perfect." she held the necklace out towards me. "Would you put it on me?" I nodded. Gabriella turned around on the couch so her back faced me. I gently placed the necklace around her neck, clipping it in place. Gabriella then turned to face me, her hand drifting up and taking the pendant in her fingers.

"It suits you." I commented.

"Thank you Troy. It's simply lovely." She threw her arms around my neck, her lips pressing firmly against mine. When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.

"Oh yes."

"That's good."

"Maybe we should get back to spending time with the guests. It's not right for me to not spend any time with them at my own birthday party."

"I guess you're right." I said, sighing.

"Don't worry, we'll spend time alone together later." I smiled.

"Is that a promise?" I asked. Gabriella laughed.

"Yes."

"Good." I stood up off the loveseat, pulling Gabriella up with me. "Let's start mingling!"

"First Troy." Gabriella said. I turned to look at her.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say thank you, for today. You made my birthday a very special one, and helped me get through the first birthday without my parents. I don't know what I did to deserve your kindness." I smiled.

"I ask myself the same question every day." Gabriella looked me deep in the eyes.

"I love you Troy."

"I love you too Gabriella. I am so happy that you were brought into my life."

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AN: Ah, a good old-fashioned fluffy chapter. Just warning you, there are a lot of those coming up in the story, so I really hope that all of you enjoy fluffy stories.

Anyway in the next chapter, Troy spends some quality time with Gabriella and Bella for the day.

Also, as a side note, I was wondering if anybody was interested in creating a banner for my stories (any of them; even the one-shots). I am creating a photobucket account for myself, so if you message me and tell me you want to make me one, then you can sent it to me by e-mail and I will post it on the photobucket for everybody to see!!! (plus links in my profile). And don't worry; you will be properly credited for the banner.

You can make banners for any of my stories. Please message me if you are interested and tell me a) what story to want to make it for and b) your username (or name you want me to go by; or both).

Review if you want the next chapter to come out!

Xoxo,

Lar