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Chapter 6: Meet The Six
15th December 2021: 3.30am
Gabi groaned and threw the alarm clock to the floor. No person should have to wake up at 3.30 to go to New York for an interview with their children.
Troy chuckled as Gabi rolled back over and buried her face into his chest. Clutching tightly onto his pyjama top, her legs tangling with his. "How about," she mumbled into his chest as he combed his fingers through her curls. "You go wake the six and I'll stay in bed." She looked up and smiled hopefully at him. She frowned when Troy shook his head, then lowered it to drop a simple kiss to her lips, before he nuzzled his nose into her neck.
"Come on pretty girl," he whispered into her ear. "I'll go wake the boys, you take the girls."
Gabi groaned and rolled away from him, before she sat up. Her legs dangling off the side of the bed. She shivered violently. "God it freezing!" She said. "Troy honey," she looked over her shoulder to see Troy who had cocooned himself up in the duvet as soon as Gabi sat up. Troy rolled over to face her.
"Hm,"
"Did you turn the heating up last night?" He shook his head and Gabi sighed.
"Brilliant." she mumbled. "I'm going downstairs to turn the heating on, then I'm going to wake the girls up." she stood up and slipped on her slippers and dressing gown. "When I come back up, you'd better be in the boys room."
"Yeah, yeah" Troy said with a wave of his hand. "I will be."
Gabriella chuckled and left the room, flicking on the hall light as she made her way down the stairs to turn the heating up. After clicking it in place she padded back up. She ran into Troy who was making his way into the boys room. He smiled at her as he went in and flicked on the boys light.
Gabi made her way into the girls room. Pushing open the door quietly. She smirked as she saw the three girls all curled up in McKenna's bed together. Gabi rubbed her hands together it was really cold in their room. She flicked on the bedside lamp by McKenna's bed and gently sat on the edge of the bed.
Breelan was closet to Gabi, laying face away from her and her shirt slightly rising in the back.
Gabi reached out her hand and gently scratched at her tanned lower back where the skin was showing. "Breelan," She said softly, and the child stirred. "Come on sweetie, time to get up." The girl rolled over and slowly opened her eyes. She squinted because of the light whilst she gave her mother a small smile.
Gabriella bent down and kissed her forehead, "Hey sweet girl." she whispered. "Did you sleep well?"
The girl rubbed her eyes and sat up. "It was cold Mommy, so we got into McKenna's bed."
Gabi chuckled, "I can see," She then leant over Breelan to Annabelle who was laying on her stomach. She placed her hand on Anna's shoulder and gently began to rub it.
Annabelle took in a sharp intake of breath. "Stop Breelan," she mumbled. Sleep heavy in her voice.
Breelan had jumped of the bed and went over to put her slippers on.
Anna rolled over to face Gabi in hope that her 'sister' would stop. She briefly opened her eyes and she smiled when she saw Gabi sat there. "Mommy," Anna said softly. Gabi ran her hand over Anna's cheek. "Good morning princess," she said softly. "Come on, you need to get up and put your slippers on, then go downstairs and Daddy will give you a little bit of breakfast."
Anna kicked the cover's off and in the process kicked McKenna in the stomach. She grunted and grasped onto her stomach whilst opening her eyes, looking for the culprit. Gabi looked at Anna as she slid of the bed. Gabi went over and pulled McKenna into her arms, she sat her on her knee. "You alright baby?" she asked whilst she gently rubbed her back and dropping a kiss to the top of her head. McKenna buried her face into Gabi.
"Sleepy," she murmured before she began to shiver. "Cold." Breelan handed Gabi McKenna's dressing gown, then both her and Annabelle left the room.
Gabi could hear the chatter in the hall and she smiled as Troy had successfully gotten the boys up. She put the dressing gown on McKenna, then she stood and tried to make the girl stand on her feet.
McKenna whined and gripped onto Gabi.
Gabriella rolled her eyes, and picked McKenna up. "Come on baby, you can sleep in the car, you just need to go down and get some food whilst Mommy picks out your clothes, then you can come and get changed."
McKenna just sighed and nuzzled into her mother's neck.
Rolling her eyes, Gabi made her way out into the hall where she again met Troy. "The boys clothes are all laid out on their beds." he said, then he gestured at McKenna. "Look's like someone doesn't want to wake up."
"Mm," Gabi replied. "Look can you take her down, get some food into all of them whilst I pick out the girls clothes and shower?"
Troy nodded and took McKenna from his wife's arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple as she snuggled up close to him. "Come on baby girl, lets get some food." he said to her as he headed for the stairs.
"Oh and Troy," Gabi spoke. "Make sure they don't wake the rest of the house hold."
Troy nodded and disappeared down the stairs.
*With Troy*
McKenna seemed to wake up after Troy put her down at the table. She was joining in the chatter amongst her siblings as Troy went into the kitchen to get himself a drink.
Lucille Bolton was stood at the fridge, a bottle of water held firmly in her hand.
"Mom?" Troy said, dazed by his mother's appearance. "What are you doing up? Did the kids wake you, I'm so sorry if they did."
Lucille shook her head and opened the bottle before she took a sip. "No, they didn't wake me, I couldn't sleep so I came down for a drink and I ran into 5 of the six when they came charging in here for food."
Troy and Lucille laughed.
"I honestly don't know how our kids can have energy in the morning, I am not a morning person, and I defiantly know Gabi isn't either!"
"I'm not what?" Gabi said as she appeared in the kitchen.
"Morning Gabs," Lucille greeted. "You ready for today?"
Gabriella yawned and picked up a banana from the fruit bowl. "I guess, it should be alright when we get there, it's just the getting there process." She took a bite out of the banana. "Anyway, Troy can you make sure that they all get dressed, and I'm going to take a shower." She took another bite out of the banana and left the kitchen.
Just then a loud clatter was heard from the dining room where the sextuplets were eating. "Mom?" Troy asked.
"I'll take the girls, you take the boys." She told him as she moved to the sink to pick up a cloth, before she followed Troy through.
The six immediately went quiet when Troy entered the dining room. He glanced to the glass of orange that had been knocked over. He looked up at them expectantly. "Guys its 3 in the morning, can you please not make a mess."
Joshua went to open his mouth, but Troy pointed to the stairs. "Everyone up those stairs now and I want your teeth cleaned, I want you dressed with the clothes laid out on your beds and pyjama's in the clothing hamper please, then I want beds made before girls you go to your mother for your hair. Got it?"
The children all nodded and slipped of their chairs.
Lucille moved round the six leaving the room and wiped up the spilled juice. Troy began to pick up the plates. "Troy honey, you go up, get ready and help your kids, I'll clean up down here." She told him. Troy went over and kissed her cheek.
"Thanks Mom," he said, as he followed his children up the stairs.
5.00am
"Right, lets go." Gabi said as she closed the car door and Troy started the engine.
He drove of the drive and Gabi turned round to look at the six in the car. She held up a selection of movies. "Right, we are going to do a vote. If you vote for a movie and it doesn't get picked I do not want any whining. Do you understand?"
There was a chorus of 'yes Mom's' and Gabriella nodded and held up the first movie, Home Alone. All of the six raised their hands. Gabi turned back to the front and put the DVD in. "Well," she said. "That was easy."
Troy chuckled and turned onto the motor way as the back of the car fell silent, the children all absorbed in the movie.
*A Few Hours Later*
"Good Morning, it's Wednesday December 15th and welcome to Morning News with me, Susie Drew. Today on Family Miracle we revisit a family we first met 6 years ago and see how their tiny miracles have shaped their lives now! Here's Louise Howle." Said the presenter as the Bolton family made preparations to get settled on set while the short video was being shown.
"6 years we first met the Bolton family when the newest set of sextuplets arrived in the world." The video then stopped the early baby pictures of the six and showed the interview done only 3 weeks ago. "It only seems months ago when we first met, where we had 6 screaming new-borns interrupting the interview!" Laughed Louise.
"Yes. To us it seems a little longer but not 6 years - they're unbelievable kids." Responded a proud Gabi. The video then was slowly drowned out while the studio came into the TV view.
"So Troy, I remember in the many interviews we have done over the years that you always have a remark about the chaos in your house. Has that changed in the last 2 years?"
"Absolutely not Susie." Laughed Troy. "The noise has gotten slowly louder over the years and to be completely honest, when I'm away for work, I miss the noise and chaos." Susie gave Troy an outstanded look. "I really do. I think its the whole thing that there is always something to do or someone to play with!"
"But surely you need the alone time?" Asked a still shocked presenter.
"Of course, like the first night or two nights its great but like everyone - I miss my kids even though a mass of chaos comes with them I still miss them dearly."
"That's great to hear. Now Gabriella I think this is the question that so many people want answers to...How do you keep up with the house work and cooking?"
"Haha." replied an expectant Gabi, she knew this would come up now they are older. "Well. It takes a lot but I have a lot of helpers."
"What do you mean by helpers?"
"The kids, they all - well most - make their beds every morning and put dirty laundry in the laundry baskets in the their rooms. My two eldest, Freddie and Logan have little jobs to help the younger kids like helping them put the their dishes in the dishwasher after breakfast and helping them brush their teeth if they need help. Mostly though I deal with all the cleaning and laundry. Sometimes I get little helpers for the dinner, setting the table that sort of thing." Louise nodded.
"We are seeing a lot of families now who give their children a lot of chores to do, do you or will you do that with yours?"
"No. I don't think so. Me and Gabriella both come from an only child background so we never were forced to but if they want to help, I have no problem!" Troy laughed while throwing his arms in the air.
"A quick question on the house work side of things, how many loads of laundry do you do a day? There must be so much!"
"I normally do around 5 loads a day, some days more some less. It depends if things have happened in the week or if someone's ill so on average 5 loads." Said a honest Gabi.
"5 loads wow. We are going to take a quick break but after we will meet the now 6 year old Bolton sextuplets. Don't go anywhere." As the break light showed above the studio two young women lead the sextuplets over to the sofa. As the 6 sat down, Troy was in deep conversation with Susie while Gabi was asking all of them if they needed anything before they started. Everyone shook the head, they were so excited to be in the TV show - this was all they needed.
"Welcome back and it is now time to meet the Bolton sextuplets who turned 6 two months ago!" Said an ecstatic Susie. "Here today we have Annabelle, Breelan, Cameron, Chad, Joshua and McKenna. Welcome guys how are you doing today?" A chorus of hi and good came the nervous group. "Before we ask questions, we have a little video." The video of was Troy and Gabi doing an interview weeks after the 6 were born, talking about how they got their little miracles.
"We already had two children, Freddie and Logan. We really wanted another child to give them someone to play with and to look after and to be big siblings to. So when Logan was 3 years old we started trying for another one - it just wasn't working, I believe we tried for 8 months and the other two had happened almost immediately so we thought something was wrong." Said an emotional Troy.
The video then continued "Troy and Gabriella went to see a fertility doctor in the February of 2014, where they were met with the devastating news that it was unlikely they would have anymore children."
"I still remember that day very clearly, the look on the doctors face when we were told is something I will never forget. He then went on to tell us of our different options like adoption." A tearful Gabi continued.
The video then continued on "With not much hope in sight, the doctors final option lit a light bulb in the couples head."
"The doctor had suggested possibly trying one round of fertility treatment. He then said he would only do one because it is extremely unlikely that it would work." Troy took over from the video and his wife.
The video continued on again "A week later, the Bolton's first and only IVF treatment began and within 3 weeks it was clear what the world had chosen for them."
"We went back 3 weeks later for the tests to see if I was pregnant and the doctor couldn't believe his eyes when every single test came back positive and from that day on we just are so great full for the 6 than we ever thought we could be." Said a now crying Gabi. The TV screen the flipped back to the studio.
"An emotional yet amazing story there. Going from no way of having another child to the possibility of fertility treatment then to the six miracles sitting before us." Said Susie also trying not to tear up along with Gabi.