The Waterpark- Part 30

10 years and 5 months later...

It’s 7:00 am. I leave our room, where he’s getting ready to go to work and head to her room at the end of the hall. I open her door slowly.

“ Gracie?” I step into her room and walk towards her bed. I stroke her hair and wake her up slowly. “ Baby, it’s time for school.” She lifts her head up. Her black waves shifting. She uncovers herself and collapses into my arms. She climbs into my lap and rests her head on my chest.

“ Good morning, mama.” She says.

“ Morning babygirl. How’d you sleep?”

“ Good. How bout you?”

“ Me too.” I say, kissing her forehead. “ Alright goofy, go get ready. You wanna pick out your own outfit today?”

“ Yeah mom. I mean, I’m seven.”

“ Right of course.” I say, leaving her room. I walk back down the hall towards our room. He’s in the shower. I walk into the bathroom.

“ Hey Babe?” I shout.

“ Yeah?” He yells back.

“ Do you know where Gracie’s lunch box is?”

“ Uh yeah. I put in the lockers.”

“ Okay thanks.” I walk up to the shower and open the door. I run my finger along his bicep. When he turns I kiss him.

“ What was that for?”

“ Just cause.” I say and wink at him. I close the shower door and head out to the kitchen. I go to the lockers and grab Gracie’s lunch box. I pack her a sandwich, juice box, grapes, and I leave out three snack options for her. I go to check on her in her room.

“ Gracie girl? How’s it goin?” I shout.

“ Good mama.” She mumbles, toothpaste clearly in her mouth. I walk to the room in between ours and Gracie’s. I enter quietly. I walk up to the crib and rub his stomach softly. His blue eyes open and he smiles the cutest toothless smile.

“ Hi baby boy.” I whisper. I lift him up and bounce him up and down as I walk back to our room. I sit down on the bed and pull down the front of my shirt. He latches on fast as lightning. As he’s feeding, Carter emerges from the bathroom. I don’t notice him until I look up and see him completely in awe.

“ What?” I laugh.

“ You are a fucking superhero. You know that?” He says, walking towards me. I smile and look back down at the angel in my arms. He kisses my forehead, then his. “ I love you. You too Theo.” He says, rubbing his thumb across his forehead. I kiss his lips.

“ Well, we,” I say, slightly lifting Theo up. “ love you too.” He smiles. He kisses me and I kiss him back. We both get so lost in the moment until we’re pulled back into reality.

“ Gross.” She says. Carter laughs.

“ Hey pretty girl.” He says, scooping her up.

“ Hi daddy.” She replies.

“ How’d you sleep?” He asks.

“ Good. How bout you?”

“ Me too.” He whispers.

“ Daddy guess what?” She says, excitedly.

“ What?” He says, setting her down.

“ I picked out my outfit by myself today!” She exclaims. He gasps.

“ You did?! That explains why you’re sparkling a little more today.” He says, kissing her forehead. I fake being offended. He laughs.

“ So, how come you got to pick your outfit all by yourself today?” He says.

“ I’m old enough now daddy.” She answers, simply.

“ Yeah daddy. I mean, she’s seven.” I add. She smiles at me and he winks.

“ Right, right.” He smiles.

“ Alright buttercup, since your old enough to pick out your own clothes...I think you’re old enough to pick your own cereal. What do you think?” He asks. She jumps up and down.

“ Yes, yes I am!” She squeals. She runs out the door.

“ Hey nothing with too much sugar!” I yell out to her.

“ Okay mommy!” She calls back. Theo finishes feeding and I pull him up to my shoulder. I tap his back softly and bounce him up and down until he spits up on the rag. I get up with Theo in my arms and follow Carter out to the kitchen. Gracie’s sitting down at he table with the cereal of her choice. Lucky charms. I decide to let it slide, since it’s not only sweets. She’s just finishing up when Carter grabs his briefcase.

“ Alright pretty girl, you ready to go?” He asks. She nods.

“ Hey, don’t forget to pick your snack.” I remind her. She nods and picks the fruit snacks. She throws them into her lunch box and is ready to go.

“ Go give your mom and Theo and hug and a kiss.” Carter tells her. She runs up to me and kisses my cheek and Theo’s hand.

“ Love you mom. Love you Theo.” She rushes out the door.

“ Love you too sweet girl.” I laugh. Carter winks and walks out the door. I walk Theo and I over to the couch where I turn on the Tv. I switch the channels until I find something that doesn’t completely bore me. I rock Theo and half-watch the Tv. This cycle continues until there’s a knock on the front door. I set Theo in his crib in the living room and go to answer it. I open the door and jump into the arms of the person behind it.

“ Jamie!” I exclaim. “ What’re you doing here?” He laughs and sets me down.

“ I wanted to come see my favorite family!” He says, stepping inside. He spots Theo and immediately makes his way to the crib. He coos and picks Theo up. He bounces him up and down and Theo seems to relax a little. Jaime sits down on the couch and bounces Theo a little more. I sit down next to him.

“ You’re really good with him.” I say.

“ Thanks.” He says. “ I just figured that I should get some practice in before—”

My eyes widen.

“ Shit.” He says. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand.

“ OH MY GOD! You and Becca are pregnant?!” I scream. He looks at me and nods. I scream some more.

“ How far along is she?” I ask.

“ Uh about 7 months.” He says, like it’s no big deal.

“ What?! And you didn’t tell us?!” I shout.

“ I’m sorry. We just agreed not to tell anyone until she was born.” I gasp.

“ She?” I ask, tears filling my eyes. He nods.

“ She.” He repeats, tears filling his as well. “ She’s actually the reason I came to New York. I need some advice.”

“ Ok well, the best piece of advice I can give you is: prepare to be unprepared. Those baby books, they tell you a lot, but they don’t tell you about the day they get their heart broken, or the day she gets her period, or the day she brings a boy home. Just know that, you are gonna be an amazing dad. I can feel it. And if you need anything. Anything at all. Carter and I are here for you.” I finish. He sighs.

“ Thank you.”

Jaime and I talk for hours about first pregnancies. Cravings. Actual delivery. We must have lost track of time because in no time Carter walks in, with Gracie at his hip.

“ Uncle Jaime!” She screeches and runs into his arms.

“ Hey sweetheart! How you doin?” He asks, scooping her up.

“ Good. You?”

“ Good.” He replies. He looks up at Carter. They nod to each other. Jaime walks out. Gracie cuddles up next to me and nuzzles her face in my shoulder. I kiss the top of her head while again feeding Theo. I look up to see Carter with that same look of awe on his face. I look back down at my angels. I kiss them both.

“ Hey loner?” He calls out. I look up.

“ Yeah?” I ask.

“ I love you. You know that?” I smile and laugh.

“ I love you too.” I wink.

Wow! What a journey! I never expected the story to do this well. Thank you guys so much for all the support and kind words on every chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what kind of stories you guys would like to see next!

Thanks for reading the last chapter!💕❤️