"Help! Help! My mouth is fallin' out! HELP!"
Ben woke up and rubbed his eyes, looking over at Colton who was holding his hands over his mouth and looking close to tears.
"Cole? What'sa matter?"
"My mouth is fallin' out, Ben! See it's bleedin'."
He moved his hands and showed Ben the bleeding top gum.
"It's the tooth that was loose I think! Is it bleedin' everywhere?"
"Uh-huh. Mama!"
Lindsay and Adam had both heard the first shouts and came into the room, half panicked.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm bleedin'! Don't you dudes see that?"
Adam chuckled and sat down on the bed, inspecting Colton's mouth.
"You must have bit down or whacked it in your sleep. Can I wiggle it?"
"No daddy! It will hurt a lot!"
"No it won't. I won't move it any more than it already moves on its own."
Colton whimpered as Adam gently wiggled the top tooth back and forth.
"You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think that tooth is going to come out today."
"Today? Will it hurt?"
"Nah, it's pretty much hanging on by a thread. Should we pull it out right now?"
"No! I don't want to do that! I like my tooth where it's at!"
"I know, but it can't stay there forever. You have to make room for your grown up teeth."
"But I don't want it to hurt!"
"It won't buddy."
"I am keeping it in until it just falls out by it's ownself, okay? My tooth can do whatever it wants."
"Okay, just don't swallow it."
Colton's eyes grew wide in horror and he clamped his hand over his mouth.
"I will not be eating today," he said. "No way."
"Well that's too bad because we were going to have waffles for breakfast before I take you to school."
"That's okay. I will pass."
"Okay then. Why don't you boys get dressed and mama and I will make breakfast."
They left the room and Ben got out of bed, rubbing his eyes and finding some clothes to wear.
"Know what I get to do at school today Ben?"
"What?"
"I get to have a Valentine's party. I am gonna get cards and candy and teacher said we're going to have cupcakes too!"
"I want cupcakes," Ben sighed, sliding his glasses on.
"I don't know if there's gonna be enough, but when I get home maybe you could have one of my candies."
"Yeah?"
"Yup. I think I am going to wear my red shirt today, for Valentines day. What are you going to wear today Ben?"
"Din-saur clothes," he replied, pulling out his dinosaur costume. "I be scary today. Roar at mama."
"Why would you roar at mama?"
"She act like she scared. It funny. We play while you gone."
"Really?"
"Yup. Sissy sleep and me and mama play. She chase me around. Today I be a din-saur. I chase mama."
"That sounds like fun Ben. Not as fun as school, but still pretty good. Do I look like a Valentines boy now Ben?"
"Yup. I look like din-saur?"
"Sort of. You needa be zipped up. Turn 'round, I will do it."
Ben obeyed and Colton zipped the costume up, then patted his shoulder.
"All done. Let's go see 'bout breakfast."
"You said not eatin' Cole," Ben reminded him, his forehead creasing in confusion as they made their way downstairs.
"Well I am very hungry. Maybe I will not use my loose tooth."
"Oh. We gonna have waffles real?"
"I think so. It's daddy's favorite that mama makes. Maybe she will put strawberries on it."
"Yeah!" Ben hollered, jumping down the last two steps, his dinosaur tail slapping against the floor. They rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped, both sighing and crossing their arms.
"They're kissin'," Colton whined. "Again. Look there's smoke on the eggs!"
Adam snorted a pointed laugh which Lindsay smacked his arm for, then turned around to removed the botched breakfast from the heat.
"I think mama and daddy need to be babysitted," Colton sighed. "They are always doin' this."
"Hey, not always," Adam defended. "And don't you think it's good that I love mama so much that I can't keep my hands off her?"
"No. Ben and Avery don't think so either. You should keep your hands apart from mama. Teacher says that boys are blue and girls are pink and we should not make purple."
"I don't even know how to respond to that."
Colton just nodded and helped Ben climb up onto a stool.
"You know what I am going to do today guys?"
"I don't know, what are you going to do?"
"Today I will ask Isa if she will be my girlfriend."
Adam chuckled and shook his head, while Lindsay stopped mid-stir and put her hand on her hip.
"Now just wait a minute here, dude. You think kissin' is gross, you don't even want me and daddy huggin' each other and you just said boys and girls can't make purple, and you think that you're going to ask Isa to be your girlfriend?"
"Yup."
"How in the world does that make sense?"
"I dunno what you mean."
"You're a hypocrite."
"Mama, I am not fat."
"What?"
"You called me a hippo!"
"No, I called you a hypocrite… oy, never mind."
"Bud, I think she means, what the heck are you going to do with a girlfriend?"
"We will always play together and swap lunches."
"Don't you do that now?"
"Yes, but if she is my girlfriend no other boys can take her from me."
"That actually kind of makes sense," Lindsay sighed. "But you're on your own when you go and ask Danny's permission."
"Oh that will be fine, mama. I am Danny's buddy you know. He will say okay."
"You think that now, but you don't know what it's like to have a daughter," Adam chuckled, taking a sip of coffee.
"Someday I will. I will have a lot of kids. I think five."
"Really?"
"Yep. Or maybe fourteen-eleventy."
"Good luck with that."
"Hey!" Colton shouted, running down the street to catch up to Isa and Austin. "Hi Sweet Thing."
"Hi Colt. Did you 'member to bring your Valentimes?"
"Yup, I gots them," he confirmed, holding up a bag. "I really gotta ask you somethin' later, okay?"
"Okay. Ma, can I go to school now?"
"Yeah go ahead. Colton, aren't you going to say bye to your daddy?"
"Oh yeah, bye daddy. See you later."
Without giving their parents a second glance they ran into the classroom and jumped into their seats. Most of the other kids were already there, chattering to each other, excited for the party.
"Know what my mama maked me for breakfast Isa?"
"What?"
"I gotted heart waffles and red strawberry milk!"
"Really?"
"Yup! What did you eat?"
"Daddy boughted us Valentimes cereal. But my ma maked me a peanut and jelly sandwich and she cut it into a heart for snack time. What did you bring for snack time?"
"I don't know, mama just put it in my backpack. I asked for pretzels and peanut butter last night."
"Oh, that will be good. Hey how come we didn't have no family dinner in forever?"
"Daddy say that it because they is all workin' a lot and we don't have time. He say that we will have one pretty soon and then we could play. I will show you what granna and papa sended me and Ben. It is very cool."
"Okay."
"I could ask you somethin' now, Isa?"
"Yep."
He was just about to speak when they were joined by Oliver and Samantha, their best friends besides each other.
"Hey guys!" Isa greeted. "What's goin' on?"
"Nothin'," Oliver answered, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Teacher says we're gonna make Valentines mailboxes for our cards. Did you guys put candy on yours?"
"Yep!" they chorused.
"Me and Colt, we maked them together with our mamas," Isa confirmed. "And the little kids tried to steal the candy and Ben got one and then he wouldn't give it back so he had to go to his room."
"Yep, he was bein' naughty. Today he is dressed like a dinosaur because he wants to chase mama."
"Oh brother," Isa said, rolling her eyes. "That Ben is crazy, crazy. He could never catch your mama, she run almost fast as my mama. And that is fast because they have to catch bad guys."
"Yep, I know."
"Um, my mommy said that you could all come over to my house on Friday after school to play," Samantha squeaked. "She is calling your mommies today to ask them."
"That will be so sweet!" Isa said with a nod. "You don't got no little kids in your house do you?"
"Nope! Just me. We can play wherever we want to because I got a playroom with lots of toys in it and no one else ever plays with me so we will all share."
"That will be good. Mine and Isa's mamas with say yes I bet. Oliver will you go?"
"Yup. My mommy lets me do whatever I wanna do."
Their teacher got the attention of the class and told them about the shoeboxes that they were going to make into mailboxes for their Valentines. Colton was already planning in his head what he wanted his to look like and he couldn't wait to get his hands on it. All the other kids rushed the front table, grabbing boxes and taking them back to their seats. Colton waited until the madness had died down before he grabbed his. There were just a few left to choose from, and he stood there, absentmindedly wiggling his tooth until he picked the small square one. It was already covered in red paper and a hole was cut out of the top, but it would be perfect for what he wanted to do. He returned to the table where Isa, Oliver and Samantha were already hard at work, using crayons and markers and scraps of construction paper to make their boxes.
"Colt, what is yours gonna look like?"
"It's gonna look like a real mailbox for real mail," he answered. "Then I will hang it by my door so people can bring me mail. Ben could get mail in it too since he also lives in my room. I will make another one for baby Aves later."
"That's a good idea. I will write you letters to go in there, okay?"
"Okay."
They all worked in silence for a while, concentrating on making their mailboxes exactly how they wanted them.
"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie," Colton started absentmindedly.
"That's amore!" Isa added with a giggle.
"When the stars seem to shine like you've had too much wine."
"That's amore!"
"Bells will ring, ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling."
"Then you'll sing vita bella."
"Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay."
"Like a gay tarantella. When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool."
"That's amore!"
"When you walk down the street with a cloud at your feet."
"You're in love."
"When you walk in a dream but you know you're not dreaming."
"Signore!"
"Scuzza me but you see back in old Napoli."
"That's Amore!"
They didn't care that the other kids were looking at them weird, after all they were both raised in homes where bursting out in song was pretty common and they both felt it would be strange to not sing whatever song popped into your head. At least it hadn't been Lady Gaga this time.
They all continued with their mailboxes until they were completed, and then it was time for morning math lessons. They were learning to count by twos and Colton enjoyed the pattern of it and how he could always predict what came next. It was just adding, and he'd figured out that if you started with an even number and added two, you would always get an even number. He liked math a lot because it made sense. Isa on the other hand could not understand why they had to go over the same things time and time again if she already knew it. Sure it hadn't come completely easy to her, but it also wasn't the most difficult thing in the world, and she found herself bored by the whole thing. She was more interested in reading because at least then she could go at her own pace.
"Hey Isa, come on it's recess time," Colton said, tugging on her arm. "Let's go get a tire swing."
She followed him outside and they ran to the tire swings, finding them occupied.
"Maybe let's go on the slide instead."
"We'll have to wait in line," she sighed.
"That's okay. Remember I was gonna ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"Isa, do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"I don't know. What's a girlfriend do?"
"You just be my best friend and no other boys can be your best friend. Also when I have money I will take you on a date to get ice-cream and hotdogs."
"Hmm. Does that mean you're my boyfriend?"
"Yep. Daddy telled me lots of stories about when he was mama's boyfriend so I know what to do. I will take you dancin' in the kitchen and we can watch movies together and I will tell you how much I love you."
"Okay, I could be your girlfriend and you could be my boyfriend but you will have to ask my daddy 'fore you take me anyplace."
"Okay, deal."
"I want that!" Ben said, pointing at the small chocolate heart.
"No, I am keeping that one. You can have the Tootsie rolls and also this fruit snacks."
"But that one!" Ben insisted, grabbing for the candy.
"Benjamin, Colton is being nice and sharing his candy with you and you will be happy with what you get."
Ben grumbled but took the offered candy anyway.
"Today we played BINGO with candy hearts and some other kid winned that game and then we learned about the first Valentines man."
"Wow Cole."
"Yup, it was fun. Someday you will be in kindergarten so you will get to do it too."
"That be fun."
"Yup it will. Mama, is it time for lunch?"
"Yeah, go sit at the table."
"You need help? I could bring the plates. You only got one hand cuz you're holding the baby."
"Thank you sweetie, that would help me a lot."
"I will take my plate and Ben's plate. Could I not eat the carrots because of my tooth?"
"Can't you eat them on the other side of your mouth?"
"Nope because I have a loose one over there too. It's the one right next to this wiggly one."
"Are all your teeth going to fall out of your head?"
"No, then I would look like Avery!"
He set the plates down on the table and climbed into his seat.
"Hey Cole. I see your fang?"
"Yeah."
Colton opened his mouth and in a split second, Ben had grabbed the tooth and yanked it out.
"Ow! Hey Ben what did you do that for?"
"I dunno. I put it back."
"Nah. How do I look?"
"Bleedin' 'gain."
"Oh cool. Now what do I do with the tooth?"
"Well you've got a few options. You can sell it to papa for two bucks or you can leave it for the toothfairy and see what she brings you."
"The toothfairy ain't real so she will probably just bring me Monopoly money. I will sell it to papa. What will he do with it?"
"He keeps all the grandbabies teeth in a jar and then he is going to make a necklace out of it one day."
"That is gross, mama."
"That's what he always said, but I think he's teasin'. You can do whatever you want with your tooth, okay?"
"I will ask daddy what he thinks when he comes home."
"Okay. Now don't stick your tongue in that hole."
"Why?"
"Because if you don't you'll grow a gold tooth."
"Okay."
"Come here and let me look at you."
He walked over and smiled at her and she smiled at the new space in his mouth. She wanted to cry as she blinked once and saw a tiny baby but at the same time she stared at her growing boy in wonder.
"After lunch I'll teach you how to blow water through there, okay?"
"Okay!" he said reaching up and hugging her neck. "That will be so sweet."
She chuckled and held him close for a minute, noticing the freckles across his nose and how it was her eyes staring right back at her.
"I'm gonna eat my tuna now okay?"
"Okay baby."
He went back to his chair and sat down and continued to tell Ben all about what he'd done that day. Avery laid in her lap, half asleep but seemingly paying attention because she giggled each time the boys did. She was getting so much more interactive and on days that reflux didn't flare up, she was making noise from morning until night. There wasn't even babbling yet, just coos and gurgles, but she wanted them to know she was still there.
"Hey monsters," Adam greeted, coming through the back door. What's goin' on in here?"
"Daddy! What you doin' home?"
"I thought I would come home and grab lunch. How's the tooth?"
"Ben pulled it out, see?"
"Whoa, that's a gnarly one."
"Yeah. What should I do with it? How much does the tooth fairy pay?"
"I don't know. I hear the going rate for a first tooth is five bucks."
"Five bucks?" Colton asked in delight while Lindsay asked the same thing, but more skeptically.
"Yeah, first teeth are pretty important."
"This one is wiggly too! What about second teeth daddy?"
"Second teeth aren't worth so much, but I'm sure it's more than when I was a kid."
Colton nodded and went back to his lunch while Adam stood up and headed for the kitchen, making a quick stop to kiss Lindsay.
"Really, five bucks?"
He just shrugged.
"Whatever you say, Adam. Here, I'll make your lunch, you hold your daughter."
"I can do that. Hey Butterball. You look happy today."
She smiled at him and cooed loudly, spitting her pacifier out in the process. He caught it before it hit the floor, then quickly clamped his teeth around the bow on her headband and pulled it back into place.
"My coolest ninja moment and you're the only one who saw and you can't say anything."
She just kept smiling as if it was their secret and he leaned down to kiss her cheek.
"I love you sweetie girl. Always stay little enough to fit in my arms, okay?"
She held onto his finger and curled herself into him contentedly, sighing and letting sleep come to take her. He brushed his fingers over her hair, which was getting thicker and redder by the day.
"Here you go," Lindsay said, setting the plate down in front of him. "Want me to take her back?"
"No."
She smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of his head before reaching over to stop a food fight between the boys. No sooner had she sat down than Ben crawled into her lap, yawning and settling himself in for his afternoon nap. He was still wearing the dinosaur costume from this morning, even though he's spilled breakfast on it. It was sticky and smelly but she had chosen her battle and let him keep wearing it because it wasn't really a big deal. Of course she had asked him if he wanted to take it off before they went to pick up Colton, but he had insisted the he was a dinosaur and he would be one all day long. She moved the hood off of his head, chuckling at his cowlick.
"I be din-saur, mama," he said sleepily.
"I know baby. You can be a dinosaur after I get this washed, okay?"
"Daddy?"
"Listen to what mama says buddy."
"Mm'kay."
"I'm going to go put you in your bed okay?"
He nodded and held onto her while she stood from the table and went up the stairs. She settled him onto his messy bed, pulling off his shoes and wriggling him out of his costume. He sighed and she pulled the blankets up over him before taking his glasses off and putting them on the side table. He sucked his bottom lip in and closed his eyes tighter when she leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"I love you Benjamin. Sleep good."
She started back down the stairs and met Adam halfway, bringing Avery up to put her to bed too.
"Are your afternoons normally like this?" he asked, gently putting the baby into the crib.
"You mean quiet? Lately, yeah."
"I'm never going back to work."
She chuckled and hugged him as they stood in the doorway, resting against him and sighing in the silence.
"You should play hooky."
"Oh really?"
"No, but I wanted you to know how desperately I want you to just be home all the time."
"Point taken. I do have to leave though. I'll be home for dinner."
"Okay. Be safe."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you too."
"Hey mama?" Colton whispered from the stairs. "Can we have a movie date while the kids is asleep? John Wayne?"
"Yeah, we can do that."
He smiled and held his arms out until she picked him up.
"I would invite you too daddy, but John Wayne movies is me and mama's thing, just for our ownselves okay?"
"Alright, I can deal with that. You be good and I'll be home later."
"Love you daddy."
"I love you too bud."
He kissed them both then went back downstairs, the back door closing behind him as he left the house.
"Mama?"
"Yes?"
"I am just really happy and glad that I am your son."
"I am too, Colton. I am too."