BONUS CHAPTER! SURPRISE!

30 Years Old

I've never liked rude awakenings. Especially at six o'clock in the morning. Little kids never seem to stay asleep past seven o'clock, and to them, that's sleeping in. But, when they're mine and wishing me a happy birthday, it's not hard to forgive them.

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"Daddy, we're going to make a special breakfast just for you," my oldest daughter, Sara, was jumping up and down on the bed. "Mommy, I need your help and David won't help me because he's only three. You said that if we do make a special breakfast for Daddy I would have to come and get you because a five-year-old is too little to make breakfast by herself. I'm five, which means I need help making Daddy's special birthday breakfast."

I heard Zia groan as she rolled out of bed, remembering her promise and also remembering that if you ever promise Sara something, you keep that promise. "Next time," she said, looking at me, "you're making breakfast for me." She then picked Sara up off of our bed and I heard her say, "What do you want to make Daddy for his special birthday breakfast?"before she gently closed the door behind her.

I decided that since I was already awake, I might as well get ready for the day. Ever since we had Sara, Zia and I had no chance of sleeping in past seven. The perks of being a parent of a five-year-old and a three-year-old.

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I showered and dressed quickly. I knew Sara wouldn't like to wait long to show me her culinary masterpiece. I still had time to spare, though, so I went and got David up. I guess it was a good thing I did because he was awake whenever I went into his bedroom. Ever since he turned two, he's had to have been watched constantly. I can already tell that he's going to be a fire elementalist, just like his mother. Just ask the burnt couch. Or the burnt table. Or chairs. Or anything else in this house. It's all caught on fire at least once.

Anyway, I got David ready and walked out to find the semi-burnt dining room table to be completely covered in pancakes. I stood there, kind of confused on why we needed so many pancakes when Zia said, "Sara thought you would be really hungry so she made you a lot of pancakes. She was very worried that you wouldn't get enough to eat, hence all of the pancakes on the table."

"Can I tell him why we made pancakes? Please?" Sara came running out of the kitchen, covered with pancake mix. "Mommy said that for your first birthday, you had pancakes because Grandma knocked your real cake on the floor! Happy birthday Daddy! We love you!" I snuck a look at Zia and she pretended to ignore me, smiling.

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That whole day was a hectic mess filled with a very hyper five-year-old and a very flammable three-year-old. It wasn't until later that night when Sara and David were finally in bed that Zia and I could enjoy some time alone. All day she had looked like she wanted to tell me something and I was curious.

We sat down on the unburned side of the couch and quietly enjoyed each others company until Zia broke the silence. "You're birthday isn't over until you get the last present."

"Is that so? I didn't know I was getting a present."

She laid her head on my shoulder and I pulled her closer to me. "I wouldn't call it yours, so much as ours."

"Really? Well don't keep me waiting, I want to know what this present of ours is."

"How would you like another baby? Even if you wouldn't like another baby, we're getting one anyway." Just by the way she said it, I could tell she was smiling.

I kissed her lightly on top of her head and whispered, "The best birthday present ever."

You're welcome. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Meh? Hopefully not the last two, but I would like to know either way. I officially declare this fanfic over and I thank all of my readers for your continued support. I hope you enjoyed Happy Birthday Carter.

I-Live-Outside-The-Box