Married Life

Author's Note: Hope you guys appreciate this chapter! I know it's way late but my internet wasn't working on my computer. So I apologize repeatedly. Also, my muse was rather lacking down there at the end.

Bailey: age 4 (turning 5). Max: age 2 ½

Chapter 21: Happy Birthday!

Cameron's POV

I licked my finger as I stuck the cake in the oven. The batter was delicious. I checked the time and then set the timer on the oven accordingly. It was 11 at night, and I had to make the cake in time. I was still dressed in my day clothes so I had to change into something else.

Robert and the boys were asleep. We had been watching a movie, and they all nodded off. I sent them on, and had started prepping for the big party. Oh my God, I couldn't believe that tomorrow was my son's fifth birthday party. Seemed like just yesterday I was having my baby shower. Or just yesterday when I found out I was pregnant with him.

I remembered every moment of our lives together, back when we were connected by a cord of life and now when we were connected by bonds of blood and love. My child, my loving child. Bailey had been a gentle boy since birth. I remembered fondly once when Bailey was just a year old, and was playing outside. I was sitting on the patio, reading a medical journal when I heard him cry. I looked up frantically looking for my small child, and saw him running towards me. I went to meet him halfway, and scooped him up into my arms.

I patted his back, and tried to get him to calm down. Finally, he told me what had happened. He got down from my arms and led me to where he'd broken down. There was a dead animal laying there, a little dog. He felt guilty, because he hadn't saved it from the unfortunate ending to its life.

I pictured Robert having this same problem when he was really little. Robert was just as sensitive. When we lost patients at work, he felt guilty for days afterwords. He would be so depressed.

I flipped through a photo album, and saw a snapshot taken of Bailey and I the day he was born. He was so tiny, I realized now looking back. The dimples were still there, I also noted. I noticed the little card at the bottom, with my handwriting. BAILEY XAVIER CHASE. I grinned, and flipped the page. There was a picture of my baby with cake all over his face. The cake had a number 1 candle on it, I laughed when I spotted my husband sitting beside him, more frosting on his face than on Bailey's.

Then I remembered that I had thrown it on him just before the picture was taken. I looked at the next page, and saw a picture of a very pregnant me and Bailey. Bailey had a hand on my belly, and a big grin. He had heard the baby's heartbeat and felt it.

The first time I'd let him hold Max. Max was just 2 days old, and we'd just had our check-up. I was sitting on the couch, resting after a feeding. And up came Bailey, arms wide for his baby brother. "Mama. Hold Brudda." I grinned, and made him sit carefully on the couch. I told him just how to hold a newborn baby, and he did it beautifully.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

Chase's POV

"Happy Birthday to you!" Whoa…5 years? You've got to be kidding me. 5 years have flown right by me.

5 years ago, I was a fresh-faced newlywed with a beautiful wife and the freedom of no kids. Now, I have 2 small children, and no plans on gaining anymore into the Chase brood. Allison had a miscarriage when Max was a year old, and since then, we haven't approached the subject about a third child ever. Once we did, and we had said that we weren't ready for a third baby. Because we were still bonding with our first two kids.

Now, when Bailey was born, we had decided to have 4 kids. But now, with work, the kids, and trying to find some time for each other, another baby is just not what we need at this point.

Maybe one day, we'll be foster parents or something. But, until then, we're done. Except for this…I bought, with the permission of Allison, a puppy for Bailey. We'd help him take care of it but it would be Bay's dog.

Bailey raised his arms to me, and I carefully scooped him up. I already had Max on one hip, so I was over-extending myself. Allison frowned at me, knowing that I was going to ache for days following this. But, I didn't care. I wanted both of my sons to know that I loved them equally. That meant carrying them at the same time. Of course. Life was never easy. Especially for parents.

Bailey blew out the candles, and quickly ate the piece that Allie cut for him. I put Max down and sat down on one of the lawn chairs; my hip throbbing. I wasn't as young as I once was, but I was a tad young for hip pain. Even carrying two light kids wasn't enough to make my hip hurt like this.

I almost wanted to skip the rest of the party, take some pain meds and pass out right where I stood. But, to no avail. I had to put on a happy face, and smile for all of the people at the party. And my wife and kids. I had been doing that a lot lately, but today wasn't about me. It was about Bay, and that was all it would be about. My son. My firstborn. The eldest.

The trendsetter. Whenever Bailey did something, Max wanted to as well. I suppose that was just being a brother. Whenever Lucas did something, I wanted to copy him. But he would normally punch me and not let me. Which was lame, I must add.

Lucas and I were very close, but not as close as Bailey and Max.

Dad, Lucas and I were nowhere near as close as Bailey, Max and I are.

Bailey is my rock.

Max is my stability.

I love them both.