"Oakley and Lily, come sit with us please babies. It's family time little bear, come here baby bug," Emily called out from her spot on the extra-large sectional they had in the living room.
Tomorrow was the first day of school and the mothers were excited to fill out the kids' first day charts so they would be ready for pictures in the morning. This was the first year Hudson and Emerson would be attending school, which was a big deal for them but out of all their children, the twins seemed to be the most excited to start their new adventure. They were at that age where clinging to Emily and playing with her necklace while crying didn't occur to them, nor was the feeling of nervous butterflies like their older siblings—it was as if they didn't know what else to be besides excited thanks to the fact everyone, including their siblings, told Hudson and Emerson how fun school was.
"Me pwayin' mommy!" Lily screamed back from the playroom.
"We have first day charts to fill out…but if you want to keep playing, I guess mommy will have to fill yours out for you bug," Emily tempted, knowing her little baby wouldn't be able to resist.
Just then two little brunettes came flying into the living room, Oakley jumping onto the couch next to JJ and Oliver while Lily flung herself at the couch but couldn't actually make it up. She had a fantastic running start however, she was still so small her little legs didn't allow her to jump the way she wanted to therefore, she needed Clarke's help with a boost. "There you go, Lil," Clarke said, gently patting her leg once she was sitting on her bottom.
"Fank you, Cwalk. Me weady, mommy! Wets do it!" Lily said, looking at Emily who was biting her lip to keep herself from laughing at the cuteness factor.
"Before we start, can anyone remember what momma and I ask each year before you start school?"
"Member mammers!" Lily said, smiling proudly.
"That's so good, bug. Momma and I do want you and your siblings to always remember your manners," Emily responded, leaning forward from her spot on the ottoman to gently squeeze the hand Lily was offering to her before sitting back. "Does anyone else have a super great guess like Lily?" she asked, winking at the big kids who understood that Lily's answer wasn't the one their mom was looking for.
"To try our bestest cause' even if we don't get all the answers right it's still okay," Oakley answered.
Just then Brooks decided to throw a fit undercutting the significance of Oakley's response, and because he started to lose it, so did Brynley. River and JJ took the twins into the other room to settle them down while Emily continued the conversation with the kids as this was a very important Prentiss value—yes, grades mattered in the sense that, if their children were seriously struggling the mothers would get them the help they needed but Emily and JJ never wanted their children to be fearful of a negative reaction: not ever.
"Hey, focus on mommy babies," Emily said, gaining their attention again once the twins were out of the room. "Oakley was absolutely right, good job baby. Momma and I just want you to try your best, the grades you come home with don't change anything in our eyes. Our love for you will never waiver, you'll have it forever. Try your best, ask us for help if you don't understand—even if you do understand and need help anyways, ask us. That's what we are here for, okay? Let's say it again, what do we do in school my babies?"
"Try our best!" the kids repeated.
"Twy bestest!" Lily said at the same time as her siblings.
"Good job! Now let's fill out some first day charts. Lily bug, do you think you can show Hudson and Emerson how it's done?" Emily said, winking at JJ who had just sat back down on the couch.
"Mhm, me do it. Me Wily, me dis many," she said, holding up five fingers to start, then used her other hand to smoosh down her thumb, holding it against her palm to signify she was four. "Me umm, umm, what me in mommy?" Lily asked with a little shrug and furrowed brows.
"Oh my goodness," Emily whispered to herself, she couldn't help it—Lily was just too freaking cute. "Come here baby girl," she said, leaning forward and scooping Lily from her spot on the couch and into her lap. Emily peppered kisses to her head and then started things over so she could properly explain things to Hudson and Emerson.
"At the beginning and end of each school year we fill out one of these first and last day of charts," Emily said, spinning the board around and smiling at the little gasps from Hudson and Emerson.
They had seven boards as the twins weren't in school, customized per child with their unique color and name and ready to be filled with a marker only mommy or momma could use. That was the rule so tiny humans wouldn't color on them and make the boards illegible. Emily gave JJ the board and then read it while her wife pointed to the words so the twins could follow along and get an idea as to how theirs would look—granted, they would see theirs any minute however, Lily was first as not only the example but as the youngest.
"Lily's first day of Pre-K, that's where you're going bug. Can you say pre-k?"
"Pee-kay, dats me! An me dis many," Lily continued, once again showing that she was four as she knew that was the next question on the board. "But me not dis many wast time mommy, only dis many," Lily giggled, putting down another finger to show three instead.
"You're so smart peanut! Last year you were three and now you're four. Why do you keep growing up, I thought you were supposed to stay my little baby forever!"
"No mommy, me has to det big be'tause me eated all vega-bulls," Lily answered with a smile.
Emily just held Lily close, she didn't know what to say as this time of the year always made her very emotional. The kids going back to school meant they were getting older, and truth be told, she wasn't fond of it. Even though they were such incredible children and Emily loved seeing her babies spread their wings and form interests of their own, it broke her knowing certain chapters were closing. Not yet of course as even her big kids still enjoy her reading to them, but they don't like to play pretend or dress up anymore, their imaginary worlds aren't as prominent as the littles—parenting is a rollercoaster of letting go while protecting them from falling at the same time.
"Tell me your three favorite things to do, Lily bug," JJ asked, pulling the focus back onto the first day chart.
"Umm, pway wif all dem," Lily said, pointing to her brothers and sisters with a smile on her face as she snuggled Emily. "Jump on da twampowine, umm, doe on da airpwaine and swimmin', an seein' Mimmie Mouse."
This happened every time they asked Lily her favorite things, it didn't matter what limit they set she always overshot her answers, and they let it slide because she can't read. The big kids let it slide as they knew their little sister cannot read yet, but this year would be different because the twins would be learning how to read in school. Now it wouldn't be so easy to let it slide. And because there was only so much space on the board, this year they truly had to limit Lily's answers. "Lily, that's five things silly. What three should momma write, baby?"
"Umm, all dem mommy!"
"What if we combined your answers bug? When you play with your siblings you all go swimming together, right? And to go see Minnie we have to take the airplane, so I think we can put them all on the list, does that sound fair?"
"Yeah, all dem!"
While deciding how to perfectly condense Lily's list to fit on her board, Emily pointed out to Hudson and Emerson that theirs would have the same questions, giving them some time to get prepared with answers they would like to use. Today was a Prentiss relax day—they didn't have anywhere to be or anything to do. This was a fun family activity and afterwards, the two sets of grandparents would be coming over for lunch along with the Hotchner's to enjoy one last family gathering before the start of the school year.
"Okay, now that we have your love section completed, what's your favorite food and favorite color?" JJ asked.
"Stawbees and pimk!" Lily squealed.
"Oh, I should have guessed," JJ teased. "And now the final question: Lily Rose, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"Umm, me wanna be pwimcess momma," Lily answered with a giggle, snuggling closer against Emily as she played with her mother's necklace.
"A princess, oh my goodness!" Emily said, cradling Lily sideways in her arms and kissing her exposed belly as the shirt she was wearing had ridden up. Last year Lily started the year wanting to be doe-doe and ended it wanting to be Minnie Mouse, she truly was something else. Once her giggle fit was over, Emily placed Lily's feet on the ground and patted her bottom sending their interrupting monkey on her way. "Good job baby. You can go play with your brother and sister in the playroom now. River is in there, let her know if you need anything."
Once Lily was off, the mothers turned their attention back to the kids and JJ asked, "Do you two want to see one more example or are you ready?"
Hudson and Emerson exchanged a look then pointed to Oakley—they knew from being a Prentiss all summer that when it came to things like this, they went youngest to oldest which meant Oakley would be next if they skipped. "Okay munchkins, you ready Oakie-bear?" JJ said to the twins, then looked at Oakley.
She nodded and watched her mom fill in her name and then she said, "I'm goin' into second grade momma! And I am seven now because I had a birthday in the summer… on June 9th," she pointed out even though everyone in the room attended her party.
"My little bear is seven, oh my goodness," Emily said, doing the same thing she did with Lily and scooping Oakley off the couch and into her arms. "I cannot believe you're going into second grade already! Where has the time gone?"
"Mommy, you're not u'pposed to get mushy yet," Oakley said, turning around to face Emily to make sure she wasn't going to actually cry.
Emily would expect that type of remark from Clarke, even Oliver because he was starting to understand sarcasm a bit thanks to his big sister, but Oakley, Emily did not see that one coming. "Hey now little miss! I'll have you know I can get mushy anytime I want because try as you might to keep getting bigger, you'll always be my little baby," Emily said, peppering kisses all over Oakley's face until the little girl squealed and squirmed around in her mother's arms.
"Okay, okay! Mommy, mommy, mommmmmmmy! You can be mushy," Oakley relented with breathless giggles.
"Thank you very much," Emily smiled, winking at JJ who discreetly wiped her own single tear. She couldn't help but feel emotional as well; these babies were growing far too quickly. JJ remembers Oakley standing on their front doorstep sucking her thumb with tear-stricken cheeks when she was just an itty-bitty little peanut like it was yesterday, and now she was off to second grade and truly thriving. "What about the rest of the board, bear? Do you have your answers?" Emily questioned.
"Mhm! I love my siblings, arts and crafts, and jumping on the trampoline. My favorite food is umm, umm… oh! My favorite food is coconut banana cream pancakes, and my favorite color is purple."
"And the final question Oakley Rayne, what do you want to be when you grow up?" JJ asked.
"Hmm, I wanna be a artist and a mommy."
Emily nearly choked on the sip of coffee she had just taken, not because she doesn't want her children to have children of their own but because that wasn't something she was prepared to hear yet. Oakley is seven years old and while she and JJ think it's absolutely adorable seeing her mimic caring for her dolls the way they care for the littlest set of twins, something she started doing when they were first brought home, Emily wasn't ready to think about becoming a grandparent herself.
"You good, mom?" Clarke asked, being the only one who seemed to notice Emily almost choking on her coffee.
"I'm fine baby. An artist is a great choice, Oakie-bear. I love seeing all your artwork," Emily said, quickly changing the subject. Deep down Emily knew there was nothing to worry about, Oakley always had an attachment to her dolls and loved to mimic her mother's actions. Actually, when it was just Oakley and Lily it wasn't uncommon for Oakley to bring her own baby doll and stroller to push around when they went out so while Emily or JJ pushed Lily in her stroller, Oakley pushed her baby doll in her own: stinkin' adorable. If anything, Emily was just caught off guard more than anything.
"I wanna stay to hear Hudson and Emerson's, I'll play after," Oakley said when JJ put her board off to the side with Lily's.
"You can stay honey; we aren't going to force you out of the room. Mommy let Lily go play because we all know she would get too antsy," JJ assured.
"Oh. Yeah, she doesn't like to sit still lots. But it's okay, she's still little," Oakley responded with a giggle.
"Yes she is, right mommy?" JJ said, hoping to focus Emily back on the conversation. She knew where her wife went, it was okay though as Emily had many reasons to go there.
"Absolutely. Now our next little ones have super special twin powers, should we do those boards together?" Emily said, looking at the twins.
The mothers had discovered that when the twins get a bit overwhelmed and/or nervous by something new to them, distracting the little ones with 'twin powers' is enough to calm them down—the biggest takeaway from twin powers that the mothers were trying to teach Hudson and Emerson was the feeling of safety wherever they were. Emily and JJ don't say it as often when they are at home because the twins thankfully feel safe there, however, because home is their safe space the mothers need the overlap. Therefore, times like this when the words twin powers are said, it's not because they are someplace new where the twins may feel some type of anxiety, it's to give them that sense of security of knowing they are safe together.
"Emmy's gotta go next be'tause she after Lily, mommy," Hudson responded. He was the older twin after all however, part of the twin powers meant doing things together because they were going into the same grade unlike any of their other siblings—they truly were super special in their own unique twin way.
"I fink we do it togeder Huddy, we take turns wif it wike we do all the time. It can be wike sharin' be'tause that nice and we nice," Emerson said, looking just at her brother and melting her mother's hearts.
"Yeah we do it!" Hudson agreed, then turned back to face Emily and said, "Be'tause even if Oakwee goed first it still otay be'tause she just showin' me and Emmy how to doin' it!"
"You're so right, buddy," Emily responded with a smile, then did the same thing she did with the other two littles and scooped Emerson and Hudson up and sat them on her lap. "Okay little miss, who might you be?" she teased.
"Emah-sin!" she said with a giggle. "And you?" Emily asked the little boy.
"Hud-sin!" he said with the same giggle as his twin.
"You got that, momma?" Emily asked, looking at JJ who then wrote the names on the top of their boards.
"Yes I do. Okay Miss Emerson Kate and Mr. Hudson Gray how old are you?" JJ questioned.
"FIVE!" they answered, holding up a hand when they did with happy smiles on their faces.
"And I hear you two are starting kindergarten, is that right?" JJ asked.
That seemed to cause some confusion for the twins because both looked between JJ and Emily for quite some time even though the mothers were nodding at them in agreement. For the past few weeks, the topic of school has come up many times to get the twins mentally prepared for the positive changes. Emily and JJ sat them down and told them about it, then Clarke had her own conversation with them—Amelia and Oliver went next, Oakley briefly touched upon it, and then school was mentioned with Lily present because she was the queen of chiming in and adding her two cents.
Believe it or not, Lily and Clarke seemed to be the ones who got through to the twins the most about school; the mothers thought it was most likely due to the fact Lily gushed about playing and being with her best friend Lyla, and Clarke took her role as a big sister so seriously and always made her little siblings feel super comfortable when having a conversation with them. It had been the longest since Clarke had been in kindergarten, but she did surprisingly well describing it which made the twins very excited to go. Of course Emily and JJ had already set up an alternative schedule if things didn't go smoothly but they would play things by ear. Once the twins were certain kindergarten was where they were going, they nodded and gave a solid, "Yes!"
"Good job!" JJ praised, winking at Emily because they thought it was too cute how long it took the little ones to make sure they were really going to kindergarten. They even asked their siblings to verify causing Emily to bite her lip so she wouldn't laugh, especially when Clarke said to Hudson, 'maybe you should start ninth grade with me instead' to which, he readily agreed. "Alright Miss Emerson, tell me cutie, what is your favorite color and food? And what are your three favorite things to do?"
"Pink, just wike Lily! But not the same pink, I wike the pink wike my woom. You know it? I pickeded the paint, it's wike a pink that weally pwetty all in my woom!" Emerson said, using hand gestures as she spoke to signify how the paint was all over her room seeing as it was on all four walls and in the décor as well. "I wike fempch toast wif bwooberries and wip cweam. And I wike to pway wif my bwovers and sisters, and I wike to jump on the twampowine, and wike arts and cwafts too! Oh, and I weally wove to wead wif mommy and momma," Emerson added as an afterthought.
Emily snuggled Emerson extra close after the reading comment and kissed her temple as JJ wrote down her answers. Gosh they had some cute freakin' kids. "We love to read with you too, baby girl!" Emily whispered, then kissed her little cheek three times.
"Hudson, what about you buddy? What's your favorite color, food, and your three favorite things to do?" JJ asked. She knew if they didn't keep going she would turn into mush and they'd never get this done. All she wanted to do was snuggle with these cute kiddos and hold them close, but they had a routine to follow, and this was part of it. Once the boards were finished, they could cuddle until JJ's heart was content.
"Bwoo! I wove it so much, just wike you! We have the same fav-wit, it the bestest. I just wike momma," Hudson answered. "I wike umm, I wike all the foods. Pwobabwee spah'getti bestest, the gween noodles kind. My fav-wit fings pwayin' wif my sisters and bwovers be'tause I have wots of them, but only one is my twin…it just her," he continued, pointing to Emerson. "Emmy my twin but I have anover twin brover and sister too. And I wike widin' my bike be'tause it go weally fast, and pwayin' wif my twucks and swimmin'."
Emily and JJ thought it was so adorable how many details the twins loved to share about their lives with the family—granted, they already knew because Emerson and Hudson were the last to join the Prentiss family however, it was too darn cute to stop. Starting school meant they'd meet new people and could share with friends; this would be great for them. Hopefully making friends with shared interests would spark lifelong friendships like the rest of the Prentiss children have.
"Come here my little blue loving boy," JJ said, opening her arms for Hudson. He scooted off Emily's lap and jumped onto the couch, crashing into JJ's arms with an oomph as Emerson leaned against her mother more comfortably now being the only one in her arms. After a few kisses, Hudson sat next to JJ on the couch while JJ asked the twins their last question: what do you want to be when you grow up.
"Umm, I fink I wanna be a teach-ah!" Emerson said, then continued. "And a mewmaid!"
"Oh, of course!" Emily said, cradling Emerson so she was now in her mother's arms the way a little baby would be. "You'll be the cutest mermaid in the whole world," she continued, taking advantage of the fact Emerson's t-shirt had ridden up and blowing raspberries on her stomach. Her giggles started immediately and due to the way Emily was holding her, Emerson's legs moved the way a mermaids would when she started to squirm from being tickled which was the point.
"Looks like she's already turning into a mermaid, mom!" Clarke said, getting off the couch to wrap a blanket around her sisters' legs to help the story come to life. "Oh my goodness, it's happening, it's happening! Emerson is becoming a mermaid!" Clarke pretended. She truly was the ultimate big sister in every single way—even Amelia was giggling along although she was old enough to know that it wasn't possible for her sister to become a mermaid.
"Her weally gonna be one?" Hudson asked, standing up on the couch to get a better view of his twin who was still breathlessly giggling. He was so convinced, and it was too cute.
"3, 2… are you ready little dude?" Clarke asked, and when Hudson nodded, she said, "1!" Emily stopped blowing raspberries on Emerson's belly just in time for Clarke to finish securing the blanket around her legs perfectly, so when the mother sat Emerson up, the little one looked like…
"Her a mewmaid!" Hudson gasped as JJ wrapped an arm around his waist so he wouldn't fall forward and off the couch.
Emerson started to giggle again when she realized her legs were stuck in the blanket then looked up at her mother and sister and said, "How you do it mommy?"
"Magic," Emily said, booping her on the nose. Emily kept her little mermaid snuggled close then asked Hudson what he wanted to be making sure her wife still had a good grip around his waist as the little boy was standing on the couch. She knew from experience he was a jumping bean just like Lily and tended to get overly animated—they all lived for his excitement as it was the most adorable thing to see, Emily just didn't want him to hurt himself or have an accident before his first day of school.
Clarke's arms flew into action when Hudson's hands flung up in the air with his answer, the big sister was ready to catch her brother if her mom didn't have an arm wrapped around his waist. Emily in return, wrapped one of her own arms around Clarke who was standing beside her and gently pulled her daughter down so she was now sitting on the ottoman with her. "Mommas got him, babe," Emily whispered to her. "One more time bubs, what do you want to be?" Emily asked Hudson.
"A supah-hewo! I gonna fwy all ovah and pwotect the whole wide world wike pe'nut butter do!" Hudson said, pretending to fly while JJ held onto his waist to make sure he didn't fall off the couch. That's why Clarke reacted in the first place, she didn't see her mom's arm and thought Hudson was going to take a nosedive off the couch, so she threw her arms out to catch him like the best big sister she is. Thankfully though, her mom was way ahead of her. Hudson then continued and said, "I gonna be a fie-ah-fightah too!"
"Wow, a superhero and a firefighter. You're going to be one busy little boy, huh?" Emily asked.
"Mhm, be'tause I gotta pwotect eveybuddy and dwive in a weally big twuck to do it! I gonna dwive weally fast and fwy too! Be'tause supa-hewos can fwy but nobuddy know it."
"Oh! Well, we won't tell then, will we," Emily said, playing along with her son. She held her finger to her lips and looked at the big kids when asking, smiling when she saw them all nodding along. Clarke, Amelia, Oliver and Oakley all agreed they wouldn't tell anyone that Hudson could fly which put the biggest smile on his face.
"It Owwie's turn now! Be'tause Oakwee goed alweady mommy and him next be'tause Wia and Cwalke owder…I fink him wanna sit here im'sted so we can just be wight here, otay?" Hudson said, looking at Emily when he spoke.
"You think Ollie should sit next to you instead of on my lap?" Emily asked.
"Mhm. Be'tause you haf Emmy and Cwalke wif you right now and Owwie sittin' wif umm…me!" Hudson answered.
How could Emily argue with Hudson's logic—sure, she loved to sit the kids in her lap while JJ filled out the boards each year however, she knew it wasn't always realistic. Plus, Hudson was so darn sweet about it. All he wanted was for his brother to sit next to him; Hudson even took Oliver's hand when the big brother scooted closer to his little brother on the couch.
"Alright Ollie, let's hear what you've got for us," JJ said to him.
"This year I'm starting fifth grade and I'm ten years old! My favorite color is green, and I really love mommy's salmon and rice, but I really love green noodles too…" Oliver said almost pleading with Emily to help him choose. He couldn't decide and didn't know what to do—everyone thought it was pretty funny that Hudson hadn't met a food he didn't like, that could be said about Oliver and Brooks as well. The Prentiss boys were total foodies just like their momma.
"Sometimes mommy makes salmon and instead of rice, we have noodles," Amelia pointed out. "What if you write salmon and we'll know it's one of the times we're having noodles instead of rice?" she suggested.
"Yeah, that's a good idea Lia! I wanna do that, okay momma?" Oliver asked, although it was more of a statement. "My favorite food is salmon. I love spending time with my siblings, putting together new airplanes so I can learn more about them, and playing soccer."
"That's my boy!" JJ beamed, reaching over Hudson who was next to her to run her fingers through Oliver's shaggy hair. "And the final question: Oliver Sky, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a pilot!" Oliver said with a huge smile on his face. His love for planes went far beyond a child's passion; the mothers would truly be shocked if his career didn't involve them in some way. Oliver then got off the couch and poked his sister before running around the ottoman and jumping onto the other side of JJ while screaming, "Tag you're it! It's your turn Lia!"
Amelia giggled as well and traded places with Emerson who was now sharing her blanket with Hudson leaving the two big girls with Emily on the ottoman. "Okay my little cutie, do you have your answers ready for us?" Emily asked.
"Mhm!" Amelia nodded, snuggling against Emily when she did. "I'm starting seventh grade this year and I'm twelve years old. My favorite color is coral, and my favorite food is mommy's salmon, but I don't care if it's with rice or with noodles, I like it both ways. It's okay that Ollie likes it best with noodles though cause' we're allowed to like it different ways, it makes us indi-vi-duals," she said, sounding out the word as she went. "But it's also okay if we like the same thing too because it's not being a copycat, it's umm…when somebody likes the same things you do, it means they have the same interests and may want to give you a compliment without words," Amelia said with a smile.
"That's so right, baby," Emily said, wrapping her arm around Amelia's waist and kissing her temple. "I'm very proud of you for recognizing the importance of your individuality, while remembering what momma and I have told you and your siblings about imitation or copying."
The littles have struggled with copycatting a bit in the past as Lily is very outspoken and is never too keen on her siblings imitating what she is doing and/or wearing. Whether that be while she's playing and having a great day or having an off day to begin with, the mothers always find some type of workaround. Amelia also had some instances where she became a bit frustrated by her little sisters way back when it was just she, Oakley and Lily—Emily and JJ sat her down and explained how imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In other words, her little sisters were copying her because they were complimenting their big sister to signify that they admire her enough to emulate her. Something changed for Amelia in that moment and since then, she didn't mind when her little sisters copied her anymore. Lily on the other hand was a work in progress, but then again, she was only four.
"Yeah! Umm, where was I?" Amelia agreed, then pondered. "Oh, I remember. My favorite things are spending time with my siblings, dancing, and traveling to new places because I like learning the history, meeting people who speak different languages, and seeing places grandma and grandpa talk about in the stories they tell us."
"She is definitely your child," JJ said under her breath towards her wife. Only Emily's child would say traveling is one of her favorite things to do, to be honest, JJ was surprised that one of them didn't say shopping. "And now the big one: Amelia Mae, tell me little miss, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a child's advocate lawyer," Amelia answered.
JJ's eyes welled with tears when she heard her daughters answer while Emily held Amelia close; she had a feeling that would be her response as the girls had spoken with her about this many times. Emily, Amelia and Clarke had many conversations about the trauma the girls endured. Amelia always felt more comfortable with her mom than with the therapist Emily hired when they first adopted her and when Clarke came to live with them, Emily gave her the same option. Clarke chose to talk with Emily as well, but she also spoke with Amelia and Emily.
Part of this conversation was regarding the positive people that could come into someone's life to help because believe it or not, they didn't just speak about their own lives. Clarke and Amelia had questions about other children and what would happen to them; these questions came about due to Sophia, the Prentiss family social worker although, she was much more to them. Sophia was truly family at this point because Emily and JJ welcomed the woman with open arms as she essentially helped them complete their family. She brought Oakley to their home, showed up at the FBI building in the middle of the night with paperwork for Amelia, brought Oliver to the hospital for a check-up then signed him over, called when Clarke needed the right family, and processed paperwork for Hudson and Emerson without letting them end up in the system for even a day.
The girls knew the gist of Sophia's job as, they were still young and they didn't need to grasp everything just yet, but Amelia knew she too wanted to advocate for children who needed a voice because she knew what it was like to not have one. She didn't want anyone else to feel the way she did and would do everything in her power to make sure she could help as many kids find their forever homes with happy, loving family just like her own.
Before either mother could respond, Lily's voice echoed through the living room as she came bounding in, "Why tapin' so wong? Me wanna pway!"
"Oh gosh," Emily said with a slight laugh, catching Lily as she dove headfirst into the couch with a squeal. "Come here you crazy jumping bean. It's Clarkes turn now, bug. Do you want to sit with us and hear your sisters answers like she did for you, or do you want to go play?" Emily asked, knowing Clarke wouldn't take offense if Lily didn't want to stay.
"Umm, me pwayin' mommy. But dey all not in dere wif me, it just Bwooks an Bwmwee in dere. Why it tapin' dis wong anyways?" Lily asked, shrugging her shoulders.
Clarke was the one to laugh and answer, gently turning Lily's chin so her little sister was facing her instead of their mom, "It's taking so long because you have soooo many siblings you crazy monkey! I'll be so fast, tell mom to get her marker ready, okay?"
Lily nodded with a giggle then faced JJ and said, "Momma, det marp-ah weady, otay? Cwalke weady an me wanna pway!"
"Okay," JJ said, making a big deal of taking the cap off her marker. "Alright Miss Clarke, let's hear those answers."
"This year I'm going into ninth grade and I'm fourteen years old. My favorite color is lavender, and my favorite food is mom's salmon. I love spending time with my little siblings, taking and developing photos and…I agree with Amelia, I love traveling too. I like seeing other parts of the world through my own eyes, my photo lens and capturing it through everybody else's eyes too. It's really cool."
"You're right, sweets. It is really cool," JJ agreed. Clarke was wise beyond her years, and it truly showed—she also had that child's side which made the mothers happy because she was never able to have that while living with her father. She had the best of both worlds as a Prentiss, able to be a child while also learning about herself in the process and grow up in a safe and loving environment. "Miss Clarke Collins, last but certainly not least, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a travel photographer," Clarke responded.
"Yay, now we pway!" Lily cheered, throwing her arms around Clarke with a happy smile. "Tome on, me wanna doe ou-side, wets doe!"
Before any little bottoms made their way off the couch Emily halted them with a single sentence. "Before you go anywhere, momma and I have a surprise for you!"
"A su-pwise?" Hudson asked with a gasp.
"Wat pise?" Lily asked at the same time.
Emily made sure she had everybody's attention and then said, "Does anyone here want to go to Sweet Treats?"
…and just like that, the Prentiss family was off for ice cream!