Anonymous: "Could you write a prompt about japril and their kids having a family movie night?"

I already did a Julian movie night so I figured I'd do a TGO one. As I write this I'm trying to do some catch-up on prompts, and I just felt like I needed the girls tonight….hopefully this will end in a movie night, but it's TGO…who knows?

100 Encore, Day 70: "Hakuna Matata"

"Hi mama," Tenley said, coming onto the deck at the beach house and crawling onto April's lap with a book. "Want to read story?"

"I do! But it's definitely bath time before movie night. Why aren't you in the bathtub, princess?" They'd had a late lunch out and were going to have tons of finger foods and snacks at movie night after baths. Jackson had insisted April sit out of bath time. They were on vacation, but she was there to relax and make a decision.

Tenley shrugged. "Not Tene turn."

"Not Tenley's turn? What do you mean? Didn't you tell daddy or Nicki you guys like to take baths together more?"

"Nicki helpin' Brae bath. Daddy helpin' Bellie. Bathie not fun. Fer us job."

April sighed. "That's what he said to you? Bathie is a job?"

Tenley nodded. "One, two, three fast. Mama what dat?" She pointed to the cup in her mother's hand.

"Oh, mama got an extra smoothie. Want some?"

"Yes pease!"the 27-month old smiled, sipping the orange-pineapple smoothie. "So yummy!"

"So yummy!" April kissed the top of her daughter's head."And look, isn't the beach so pretty? We are lucky girls…daddy loves to buy us houses. Sometimes we wish he'd tell us the real prices right away. But at least he didn't buy this one the day after Brae was born, right?"

The baby had no idea what her mom was talking about, so she just giggled. "Yes!"

"Alright, princess…you want to go take a bath? We'll go into the one in my room and I'll get toys and we can read."

"Take Bellie fer playin'."

"She's probably done, sweetie. Anyway,you want her to run butt naked all the way upstairs to play with you?" Tenley smiled underneath her passi, which was in her mouth as much as she could get away with, these days.

But that's exactly what Bellie did as soon as she saw April come in to the bathroom and get the toys. She bolted past her dad's open armed towel and upstairs to meet her sister. "Daddy didn't wash my hair….need 'nother bath! I need it! I need it!" she screamed through the house on her way up.

Jackson just blinked at April as Bellie zoomed past. "Sorry? What just…"

"It's fine just," she sighed. "I shouldn't have come in here to get….next time just listen to them…it's not like they can make a mess in the tub you know? And if Bellie is in the tub at all you've won so…"

She hated mess everywhere else, but water and too many bubbles was really no big deal. Jackson just wasn't used to more chaotic baths. Since Braelyn had been born he'd been working more, and always seemed to get out of at least bath time lately.

"So bath take two? Family style?" Jackson grinned, hopeful a sweet spin on his failure would make up for it.

"Nah I got it. I told Nicki to go out tonight…just go get Brae dressed and then start the food?"

"Nicki's off? It's just a week…"

"Yeah, it's a movie night. We can do it." April tried not to roll her eyes. She'd cooked a real dinner and done movie night alone with the girls so many times. "And I thought maybe we could stay an extra week?"

"Oh you can honey, and talk to Nick….but you know I can't just take another week…"

"Yeah OK," April mumbled. "Lemme just get the baths done."

"And I got Brae and the veggies and popcorn…"

"Kay," she leaned in and accepted a kiss. "Tickle her, she loves it. And you haave to keep her entertained or she roars. If you can get her to sleep before the movie that'd be awesome…."

"Go before they start a flood or something…" Jackson was joking. But April pictured Bellie upstairs butt naked and knew she wasn't waiting patiently. Running upstairs, arm full of bath toys, she could only hope that her oldest only went so far as to help her sister undress.

"Freeze! Mommy's coming!" She screamed up the stairs and held her breath.

Luckily, the girls were in the middle of trying to decide whether to get in the tub before or after they put the water in when April got there. Ironically, or maybe predictably, they forgot about the bath toys, in favor of pretending they were baristas at the smoothie bar, mixing together shampoos, conditioners and soaps for April to pretend to drink.

She was amazed at how easy they were to entertain. She really did hit the jackpot with her first two girls. And so what if Brae cried a lot and was already crawling all over the place? So, April had a new challenge, that was all. That baby was still full of love, she loved to laugh. She just liked to explore and would be less inclined to follow the rules than even Arabella. The oldest Avery girl was bossy and spoke her mind, but she usually did as she was told while she told you she wasn't happy about it.

When bath time was over, the girls got dressed and were super excited to see daddy and Brae and all of the snacks for for movie night. Jackson easily convinced them to go with the Lion King (or more like pretended April hadn't left out choices for them before she went out on the deck.) He was just….never in the mood for anything princess-themed.

"Sorry I screwed up baths," he whispered, in the middle of the movie, snuggled up to April on the couch and holding the baby monitor.

The girls loved that they were allowed to eat on the floor. If April were alone this never would've happened. But it was Jackson's idea and he was so upset about bath time he promised to clean everything up. She was trying to breathe and go with it. At least Tenley was keeping her area neat.

"You really didn't though, it's fine. I wasn't going to make a decision in an hour while I drank a smoothie and watched the sun start to set, Jackson! It's a big decision. I wish you would tell me what you want."

"I want what you want April!" He knew he couldn't weigh in at all. It hurt him that she was having such a hard time, but it really was a choice only she could make. He wasn't trying to be difficult, but resentment would be toxic to their marriage. "Didn't you bring a journal? I told you to write about it!"

"I want to talk to my husband about it. This is a family decision! You need to start thinking about us a little more."

Jackson raised his eyebrows at her. "We're here, babe. It's night one…I'm here all week. With you. Work phone off."

"But you can't just pretend this choice isn't hard for me, Jackson! Like I'm just here for fun, not to choose between the two sides of my heart…"

They were trying to whisper quietly, but Bellie whipped her head around angrily, and her braid came with it. "Shhhh!" Timon comin' up you loudies!"

"Timon's your favorite? Not Pumbaa?" Jackson wrinkled his nose at his daughter.

"No he a stupid face you crazy daddy!" Arabella laughed.

"Hey, we don't use those words when we're talking about a cartoon or our daddy, what do you say?"

"Sorry! I just wanna hear dis!"

"Who's your favorite Tee?"

"Nala," she said seriously. Then she turned around, and scooted over to make room between she and Bellie. "Daddy sit here." That was big for Tee. She was usually stuck to her mom's side.

"Come sit," Jackson whispered to April before he got up.

"No, they want you Jackson! You're who they miss. Shhh! I'm gonna miss my favorite song."

He grinned and brushed the hair out of her face."Tomorrow evening's ours though, OK? We'll eat out, stay at the bed and breakfast in town, sleep in…get back to help Nicki for lunch Tuesday, sound good?"

April just shrugged. "Daddy pease?" Tenley asked again.

"Not if you're not gonna talk about it."

"I will listen, but I can't make the choice. OK? Promise. Hakuna Matata, bird! Everything will work out." He kissed his wife and then went on the floor, pulling both of the girls into the space between his legs,

April smiled as they both instantly rested their head on his chest. Brae started crying over the monitor, and she got up to go check on her instantly. She didn't want to ruin the moment for her big girls or their dad. They were too rare lately.

So I didn't end up catching up and this is a bath/movie prompt. Movie ones are haaard bc honestly? You are supposed to be quiet so it's hard to convey the movie and a story…