I am back. I wasn't going to do a sequel but Hotxbun asked me to make one so I did. This takes place about 10 years after the first chapter takes place and a lot of things have changed since then :). Once again I don't own anybody but the characters and plot so don't sue. If the story is lame or isn't a total sequel to the first chapter, I tried.
"Austin, did you use the last of the eggs? This is why we have a grocery list on the side of the fridge so I don't go to bake or cook and find out we are out of stuff. Austin? Kids? Where are you guys?" Ally Moon, even after 6 years of marriage she still got a little burst of happiness in the pit of her stomach along with a secret smile whenever she wrote, said or heard her married name, called out from the kitchen where she was preparing to make meatloaf for dinner.
She found her husband and son Adam going on an adventure with Jake and the other Neverland pirates which taught young minds how to count to 20 and their alphabets in the living room. Based on the amount of playful jostling, teasing and cheering for their own successes,Ally guessed her little man was having too much fun to even grasp the educational value of the game but oh well, there was always kindergarten in the fall to handle the important learning he needed.
For now she was going to try not to worry about her babies not being ready for kindergarten, not by too much cause apparently to her loving husband she was his little worrywort who worried about the tiniest detail or overthought stuff but that being around her low key, easy going hubby had helped to calm her down a smidge. This was met with a loving roll of the eyes and playful swat on the arm along with a kiss but then again both Austin and Ally bring out the best qualities in the other one.
"Can't talk now, kind of busy beating the pants off the little man. Can't let him win, nope that is not happening, Dez would never let me live it down if my son beat me. He can beat me, possibly when he is 18, not before then. Oh you asked about eggs, nope haven't seen them. Not since the kiddies and I got in trouble from the boss about our science experiment that turned our kitchen into a war zone that you made us clean by hand and a lecture on the proper equipment for science experiments.
Which I still don't understand cause I thought you would be proud of me that I came up with a game so our kids can learn through exploring and yet still have fun. Yes it made a mess that took us, ok me, about 2 hours to clean up. But it was still learning, that is gotta count for something, right?." Austin said, eyes practically glued to the screen and fingers flying over the controls as his character fought with pirates though he did feel the playful swat on his arm and kiss on the top of his head as Ally left the room.
When Ally went upstairs to check up on her daughter, she got a surprise. Aaliyah was dressed to the nines in all her costume jewelry and play clothes having a tea party of pretend tea and cookies with all her stuffed animals and the two missing eggs. The eggs were sitting all pretty on a pillow with glued on googly eyes, cutted doll's hair, a painted on red crayon smile and pieces of felt as clothing. Before Ally could say anything, Adam and Austin came up behind her, Adam sat down at the table and began pretend eating while Austin stayed behind Ally, gazing lovingly at his children interacting.
"Sweetheart, why do you have mommy's eggs all dressed up? They look really pretty and handsome, did you dress them yourself?" Ally asked as she and Austin sat down crossed legged, there was no way that they could ever fit on those little plastic chairs and not break them. They accepted the feathery boas, sparkly gloves plastic tiara and top hat being given to them to dress "appropriately" for the party, who knew a tea party could have a dress code?.
"I am sorry mommy.I know you need Nikki McScrambleface and her brother Zachary to make dinner but mommy you can't cook them. They are my new friends and daddy and you taught Adee and me that we don't hurt our friends but to love, care and protect them. Not that I would know what it feels like to have a friend, Adam is the only one at pre-school who will play with me or even talk to me.
Question: can brothers be friends? Please say it is ok for brothers be friends, I don't wanna have no friends." Aaliyah looked a little sad, pensive and pleading with her little hands clutched in front of her and puppy eyes and pout on full blast as she looked from one parent to the other, asking her parents not to take away her friends even if they were only food.
Ally and Austin's hearts broke at the pain their little girl was experiencing, Ally more then her husband. When she was Aaliyah's age she was just as shy, quiet, a bookworm and introverted with only Trish and the books she practically buried herself in daily as her friends. It was like looking at her daughter she could see her own childhood staring back at her and all the emotions she had to deal with during that kind of lonely time in her life.
Though her heart was lightened by the fact that even though her children teased, bugged and disagreed with each other daily, they had each other's backs no matter what happened, loved and cared for each other and liked spending time together. That was one of her prayers, besides health, happiness and unconditional support, for her babies when they were born; that they would be close,loving, supportive and cherished siblings\friends. Something she dreamed if she had a sibling growing up, she had always wanted a sister of her own.
"Yeah mommy and daddy, please don't take Lia's friends away from her. They are important to her so they're important to me. Plus look how well Nikki and Zachary are being taken care of, they have their own beds in a nice comfy shoebox, plenty of tea parties for food and I am helping sissy make clothing. That is what a responsible person would do for someone or something they love, like say a dog." Adam defended his sister's actions with hints of how much he and Lia's really wanted a dog of their own and the ways they were showing their parents how responsible they were.
Both kids had been bugging their parents for a dog for what seemed like months with the same response: "Show us how responsible you two are and that you can handle taking care of a dog full time." Adam had to give Lia credit as she was holding up her end of the bargain then again she always was little Ms responsiblity, liker of things neat, tidy and organized and liker of the rules, like mommy like daughter. Taking care of the delicate eggs was also her caring, loving and nurturing nature showing, she wasn't doing it for any reason but the need for friends and to shower her love on someone other then her family.
Not to say that Adam was lazy but when it came down to doing chores or playing with his friends or fiddle around with his beginners guitar, the fun always trumped the boring chores. But the $2.50 each week was too nice not to pass up plus he didn't like seeing that "I'm so disappointed with you" look his mommy gave him and his sister when they didn't do what they were supposed to do. That look hurt his tummy and heart until he just had to do his chores to make his tummy, mommy and heart happy again.
"Hey babe, that sounds like our experience with "Ross" and "Laura". Remember them Alls? Man I haven't thought about them since the twins were born, and then it was to reassure myself from my fears that I would be a wonderful daddy to our babies because I was a good practice "daddy" to "Ross" and "Laura". When your mommy and I were in school, we got to be "mommy" and "daddy" to two dolls.
It made sure we would be the bestest mommy and daddy to you two when you came along and plus it was a lot of fun especially since I got to do it with your mommy." Austin commented as he pretended to feed Dougie after re-arranging his old friend's hat and his position on the chair, the memory of that week coming back to him at the image of the decorated eggs sitting at the table like two kids.
" Aww that was a good week for all; you were so sweet and adorable with those dolls, like they were our actual children. Then again there was no doubt ever in my mind, then and now, that you would be an amazing daddy, it was like you were born to be a caretaker to kids. So sweet that my little man is standing up for his sister. I love sibling love. Secondly your daddy and I are quite aware how much you two want a doggy and taking such good care of Nikki and Zachary and each other is a good start but I don't think you two are ready for a dog.
Let me see; Auntie Trish and Uncle Jace are going on a trip for a week and they were going to leave Benji in a dog kennel. But since daddy and I have a responsible little man and lady, I guess I could ask them if we could dogsit." Ally tried to be nonchalant about what she was saying but the secret smile and dancing eyes told her family that she knew the impact of her words and that they would make her kids extra excited and would jump on the boat to dogsit.
She wasn't surprised when both kids screeched with happiness and glomped onto their mommy knocking her backwards onto the carpet and rained kisses all over her cheeks with cries of: "Oh thank you mommy!. You're the bestest mommy in the entire world! We will take the bestest care of Benji, you and daddy won't be disappointed!" While the kids rushed around the house gathering all the stuff they thought Benji would need while chattering about all the fun they would have with their favorite doggy, Ally called Trish to set everything up.
2 days later their houseguest was there, all 65 lbs of him, rushing around the house with a windmill\window wiper like tail threatening to knock everything within reach down and happily panting as he explored his new surroundings. While the girls tried to restrain the dog, Lia struggling to hold onto the leash but was being dragged along with her mom trying to hold both her daughter and stop the dog as well.
The boys were lugging all Benji's stuff in, poor Adam kept bumping into door frames and pieces of furniture, knocking down random stuff as his sight was blocked off from the bigger then him bag of kibble, he was trying to be a big boy and show his dad that he was as strong as him but failing miserably. He practically collapsed on the bag as he set it down on the floor, exhaused at the effort it took to lug the bag.
My oh my,it isn't fair; after all the years that I have known Austin, how come he became even more handsome? Even though he is all sweaty, muddy, dirty and looks really tired, seeing him like that still makes my heart beat fast or skip a beat with a huge rush of love sweeping over me. Then all I want to do is squeeze him tight and rain kisses on him, even if he is desperately in need of a bath. I guess the cuddles and kisses with have to wait until he is squeaky clean again.
"Benny doesn't listen very well mommy. Daddy and you say Adam and me don't listen very well but neither does doggie. He walk us, not we walk him. He dragged us through the mud, dirt and other yucky stuff he could find and sniffed and peed on every tree. Please do not be mad at us. Benny got us dirty, I knew I should have worn my raincoat and boots but daddy said I did not need to. Benny needs a time out so he can learn to be a good boy." Aaliyah chattered on as Ally got her undressed for her bath as a way to explain how her daddy, brother and her got dirty from head to toe.
"Come on sissy, that walk was really fun with all the mud and dirt, I love getting dirty. It is so much fun. Benny is the coolest dog, he is even stronger then daddy and daddy is the strongest guy I know, he is like super daddy. Ohh that would be the bestest superhero ever." Adam commented as he rummaged through the linen closet for towels, shampoo and soap and then getting his bathing suit from his drawers. He was followed down the stairs by his mom and sister to the backyard where Austin was holding onto Benny's leash with one hand and the other was getting the hose untangled.
"Hey hon, look at what your brillant husband came up with to bathe the munchkins and doggy all at once. Oh yeah, pucker up woman, I want my reward for being so brillant. Come on kids, get into your bathing suits, it is bathtime." Austin announced to his family. He was proud of his ingenius plan of bathing Benny as well as his kids in a fun filled way guaranteed to make his children laugh with glee and bring out their child-like playfulness as well as give him a kiss and an "I approve" look from his wife. Both were some of his most favorite things in the world and if Ally decided to put on her bikini then double yeah for him.
Aaliyah and Adam bathed Benny, one at his trying to lick whatever part of body was closest head and the other at his wiggling butt, Austin handled the leash and took up bathing the spots his eager kids missed. Things turned even more playful when instead of spraying the dog with the hose, Ally sprayed her family who retaliated by running after her with their soapy sponges even as she continued to spray them in retaliation.
Soon a full out water fight, everyone against the other, broke out so that the neighbours heard shrieks of joy, laughter, playful taunts, water splashing and of course a dog barking. The water fight ended with Austin and Ally turning the tables on their kids by chasing after them, capturing them and proceeding to wash them, even with the kids wiggling and protesting. Soon everyone was clean and dry, well besides Austin and Ally but that was easily rectify.
"Ok on three. One... Two...Three! Man this bag is heavy. Why is it so heavy? It is just food, yucky smelling food that look like little rocks. Why would a dog ever want to eat this or think it is yummy?" It took both kids to heave with all their limited strength to tip the bag of dog food and still managed to dump half the bag onto the floor and overfill the dog dish. Not that Benny minded, he gobbled it right up, off the floor and in his bowl. Then decided that the human food smelled even better then his own so the begging started even after the number of times he was shooed away.
"Benny, dude, I have thrown this ball at least twenty times. I am trying to eat here, my wife is giving me a look and plus this ball is becoming increasingly disgusting with your drool, your hair and lint from the floor. So this game is on paused until after dinner." So Benny went to the twins who could only throw the ball a few inches away before Ally gave me the "cut it out" look. It took about what seemed like 40 games of the ball being thrown by everyone in the family to tire Benny out and plunk himself on Adam's bed.
"Man taking care of doggies is hard work. And don't even give me that "I told you so" look cause that wouldn't be cool dad. You are suppose to be on our side to convince mommy to let us have a doggy. It is like what mommy always says: if we stick together, us Moons can do anything so let's work together to take care of Benny and then Lia and I can get the dog of our dreams. Deal?" Adam said as Austin tucked him into bed. If he could get his dad on his side, he knew his mom wouldn't be too far behind. Plus things had to get better and less hard from now on right? "We'll see mister" was the response.