Chapter Two: Breakfast Time

EPOV

"Alright, so this family clearly doesn't obsess over their appearance like I do," Kenleigh started her speech as she entered the kitchen. I could see the rest of the kids rolling their eyes at her. "Fine, whatever. But, one of my goals, besides being a fashion guru, is to show the local neighborhood that the Cullen family actually does own a bar of soap. So, to show that off, I think I should be allowed at least five extra minutes in front of the mirror."

"Two," I said to her so I wouldn't have to hear anymore. She's just like her Aunt Alice. Except she wasn't the pixie height. Kenleigh's a sophomore, about 5'10", bronze hair with brown highlights and bangs, and her mother's eyes. She actually could make it as a model.

"Done," she promised.

"Good, now help your sister butter the toast."

"Okay, scheduling for today!" Bella said as she came into the kitchen and started setting the table. "Shey, your suspension has been lifted from your guitar lessons for busting the amp and causing it to catch fire, so you're going today. Andrew, you have band practice. I cleaned your trumpet, and don't play with food in your mouth again. Bailey and Jordyn, your teacher called and asked that you do not correct her in front of the class. Mason, you have show and tell today. Remember that body parts don't count. Alex and Ian, you have a dentist appointment at three, so you're going to work with Dad."

"YEAH!" I heard my twin boys cheer. The first batch of eggs were ready and I turned off the stove before I faced the boys. We flexed our muscles and made growling noises.

"Go help your mother set the table, boys," I told them when we were done. I poured the eggs on a big plate and set it on the table. I announced to the family, "We're shooting our Christmas card tonight."

I turned to Bella. "What time is Ayla coming over?"

My eldest daughter, Ayla, had graduated from college last year and was currently living in Port Angeles with her boyfriend, Chase. He was an "actor", yet his career was going nowhere.

"Um," Bella started, "she may not make it." Knew that was going to happen.

"She hardly ever comes home since she started dating that doorknob," Shey said.

"He's not a doorknob," Bella disagreed.

Riley turned to her. "The man can crack his nose, Mom."

Bella shuddered. "Yeah, that's gross."

"Fine, I'll shoot it without her," I said. "We'll photoshop her in."

"Honey, can you take ten pounds off of me with that photoshop?" Bella asked. I didn't need to do that. Bella still had the same figure she had back in college. You wouldn't believe she actually had twelve kids.

"Can I be photoshopped in?" Shey asked.

"Wait, if Shey's being photoshopped in, then I'm definitely being photoshopped in," Riley said.

I turned to them. "No one's being photoshopped in but Ayla. Everyone be here by five."

"Why do we shoot our Christmas cars in April anyway?" Shey asked as she set the toast on the table.

"Because the earlier we get it done, the bigger discount we get it to the printer," I explained, sitting down. "Now, let's eat!"

At the breakfast table, I felt like I was back in high school during lunch hour. It was never silent, and we'd sometimes steal food off each other's plates.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move upwards and I turned to see Evan with a smile on his face and raising his net towards the ceiling. I looked to wear he was moving it up to and saw his frog, Speckles, on the chandelier.

"No, Evan!"

I was too late. The net hit the chandelier, scaring Speckles, and knocking him off. He landed right into the plate of the scrambled eggs, splattering it everywhere onto everyone. The girls started screaming and the boys were grossed out by wearing their food.

"Get him!" I yelled.

Hands went all over the place, trying to catch the frog. Speckles managed to hop off the table and onto the counter. He hopped onto the school lunches and knocked them over. Milk, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and bits of fruit went all over the floor.

"Mason, stick!" Bella demanded.

Mason went to the corner of the kitchen and tossed his hockey stick to Bella. She caught it and ran to the other side of the kitchen to the back door.

"Evan, net!" I grabbed the net from Evan.

"I got the door covered!" Bella said.

"I got the net…" I said, then just like you see in the movies, I slipped on a banana peel and fell flat on my back. I heard the kids go "Oooooo" and then silence went through the room.

I got up slowly, and glanced around me. I felt like a jungle man on the hunt. I saw Speckles, quietly ribbet-ing on the counter, staring right at me. I gave him an evil smile. I screamed, therefore scaring and causing Speckles to jump in the air. I slid on my knees, like a rockstar did with his guitar, and Speckles landed safely in the net.

Cheering came from the table and it was silenced again as I slowly got up.

"Uh-oh, busted," Mason said to Evan.

I turned to Evan and he slowly approached me. His green eyes, with the little brown specks in one of them, full of fear.

"Put Speckles…" I outstretched the net to him, "in his cage…" I smiled and said softly, "now."

Evan took the net and turned around. Although, the end part of the net collided with the teacups on the counter. Glass shattered everywhere. Once again, the kids went "ooooo".

I put my head in my hands and turned around to face Bella. Her eyes were closed.

"Is everything broken?" she asked. I didn't answer her. "Teacup with the heart on it broken?"

"Nice move, FedEx," Shey said to Evan. I turned around and gave Shey a glare. She knows I hate it when she calls him that. Evan hung his head down and left the kitchen.

BPOV

"Alright, kids. It's time for school!" I called.

The kids came flooding downstairs and headed out the door. We don't live that far from the elementary school, so we allow the kids to walk. Kenleigh and Branden's school is another three minute walk from the elementary, so they walk with the young ones.

After the little breakfast episode, I had to change out of my original clothes since I got scrambled eggs all over them. As for everybody else.

I walked out the door and caught Andrew before got too far.

"You forgot your music sheets, honey."

"Thanks, Mom."

Kenleigh walked up to me, fixing up her bangs. "For the record, Mom, I'm so over Ayla's hand-me-downs."

I gave her a look. "Well, you look gorgeous in anything, Ken." She exhaled a breathe and walked down the porch steps to catch up with everyone else.

I then saw Evan with his hat on, looking down. "Whoa, hold on," I gently pulled him back. "What's wrong with you, kiddo?" I lifted up his hat and saw through his glasses that his eyes were full with sadness.

"Everyone says the FedEx guy dropped me off 'cause I don't fit in with this family," his voice explained quietly.

It kills me to see one of my kids upset. I bent down to face his eye-level. "You fit in." I pulled him into a hug. "You fit in right here."

"I called shotgun!" a little voice yelled.

I pulled away from Evan to see what was going on.

"No I did!" another voice yelled back.

"Hey! You two!" I called to Alex and Ian. Ian pulled Alex to the ground. "Knock it off!" I went down the steps to them, and tried to get them off of each other. "Stop it. I'll give you candy!"

"Alex, Ian, chill or be chilled," Edward warned.

They immediately stopped and went to their father's car.

"Yeah, sure, listen to him," I said sarcastically. I looked back up at the porch and didn't see Evan. I looked around and saw him slowly riding his bike to the other kids. I let out a sigh.

"So, Ayla's not coming?" Edward asked meeting me at the bottom of the steps.

"Most likely not," I replied. I pulled the folded piece of paper out of my back pocket and handed it to him. It was the e-mail she sent me before breakfast and I printed it out to show him.

"'Hi, can't make dinner. Chase and I are moving into the new apartment,'" he read aloud. He rolled his eyes and handed me back the e-mail. "That is so Ayla. We tell them they can't sleep together when they visit, so she moves in with him when she graduates."

I shoved the note back in my pocket and we started walking to the car. "She's just trying to have her own life, baby."

"She's too young to have her own life."

I shook my head. "She's 21. She's the same age I was when I was pregnant with her."

He stopped and looked at me, giving me a look. "You know just five minutes ago, she was sitting on my shoulder pointing out all the pretty lightning bugs back at Dad's house."

Daddy's little girl's all grown up now. "Then you blinked?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm not gonna blink anymore. No more blinking." He gave me a quick goodbye kiss and started walking to his Volvo. I couldn't help but quickly look at his ass. He has such a cute one on him.

He then stopped and quickly turned around. Damn, he caught me. "You were checking me out, weren't you?"

I shrugged. "Got a problem with that?"

"Twelve kids later and we still got the heat!" He started shaking his hips and fanned himself with a goofy grin on his face.

"Whoo!" I turned around and quickly shook my butt then ran back into the house.

I couldn't help but feel today was going to be full of events.

The ages & grades of the kids:

Ayla, 21.

Branden, 17, senior.

Kenleigh, 15, sophomore.

Andrew, 13, eighth grade.

Shey, 12, seventh grade.

Riley, 11, sixth grade.

Evan, 10, fifth grade.

Bailey & Jordyn, 9, fourth grade.

Mason, 7, second grade.

Alex & Ian, 4, pre-school.