Page 74 of Resolution
The next December…
Our life has beena bit of a whirlwind since the twins arrived, but we have done what we do best. Adjust and enjoy each new milestone. I’ll never forget the day Maddie, Frankie, and Declan arrived at the hospital. Both Maddie and Frankie squealed and couldn’t get enough of their new brother and sister, while Declan held back and waited for the commotion to be over.
When they were through, he went over to each of the twins and introduced himself as their big brother. He swore to protect them and always be there for them. I still get tears in my eyes when I think about it.
Now that the twins are five months old, they can roll over, so I can’t leave them unattended for long. “Hey, Frankie, can you watch Loren while I hop in the shower?” Raine is sleeping and this might be my only opportunity to get a shower before Enzo comes back from picking up Maddie at a friend’s house. All of us are looking forward to her getting her license in February.
“Sure, Mom.”
I make a mad dash upstairs, check on Raine, and get in the shower. Enzo doesn’t know it yet, but we’re planning a surprise birthday party for him this evening. To make things even better, his parents have invited all the kids for a sleepover. And when I say all the kids, this includes the twins. It’s our first night without them. Each take the bottle just as well as breast milk. I’m stoked to have this time with Enzo. He has no clue as to what I have planned for this evening.
When I get out of the shower, I dress in my sexiest panties and matching bra. Unfortunately, it’s still a maternity one, but things have come a long way in fashion since Maddie was a baby. I also put out a change of clothes I will wear for this evening. He knows we’re going to dinner, but has no idea everyone else will be there. I also take the time to blow-dry and straighten my hair.
When I get downstairs, I find Maddie and Enzo home. The sight of him still sends shivers down my spine. You’d think that after a year or so, I’d be used to him entering the room. But no such luck, my heart still flutters and my mouth dries at the sight of him. Add that delicious dimple that pops when he smiles as he sees me and I’m still swooning.
“Hey, beautiful,” he whispers in my ear as he pulls me in for a kiss in greeting. The tingles that race up my spine have me shivering.
“Hey yourself, handsome.” I pull him closer and increase the intensity of our kiss.
In all too short of time, he pulls back. “We’d better stop, Sam.”
“Must you always be so responsible,” I plead.
He lets out a huff. “Someone around here has to be. Besides, we need to decorate the tree today.”
“Why yes, we do. Someone’s gotta hide the pickle we got in Germany,” I tease. “Let’s do it as soon as Raine wakes up.”
Decorating the tree with two five month olds proves to be a challenge. As Maddie, Declan, and Frankie try to put up decorations, the twins have found they want to be in on the action, too, and keep rolling themselves under the tree to look at the lights. We laugh and enjoy our family the best way we know how.
“Hey, Mads, do you remember this?” Declan holds out a picture she’d drawn in a tiny frame as one of her Christmas gifts to me from school. It had just the two of them in it as stick-drawn figures.
“Oh, yeah. I drew that before Frankie was born. I think I might have been in kindergarten or preschool. What about this one, Dec?” She points out a picture of them as kids in a Christmas ornament.
As a tradition, I’ve taken pictures of each of the kids each year and put it into a photo frame ornament. I pull out my phone and decide if I want to keep up the tradition, I’d better take their picture.
Frankie rolls her eyes and sighs. “Why do we have to take pictures now, Mom?”
“Because I told you to,” I tease. “Besides, we don’t have any with the twins yet.”
“Come on, Franks,” Enzo encourages. “I know you’ve got a smile in you.” He reaches over and grabs her by the waist to tickle her. She full-on belly laughs.
“Enough!” she gasps. “Enough! Okay…” Giggle. “I’ll take the picture.”
Each of the kids takes turns to get their picture taken as we finish decorating the tree. When it’s all decorated, I ask all the kids to pose in front of it. Maddie holds Raine and Declan holds Loren. I take about twenty pictures because God knows, with five kids, if they will ever look in the direction of the camera at once.
Enzo has his phone out and takes shots at the same time. Hopefully between the two of us, we’ll have a decent photo. By the time we’re done decorating, it’s time to go out to dinner.
I send everyone upstairs to change into nice clothes and tell them to meet us downstairs within the next half hour. Enzo and I take the twins to their room to get them ready. I’m sure to load the diaper bag with everything they will need for their trip to their grandparents. Maddie, Frankie, and Dec have already packed and have their things in the back of our SUV. They are in on the surprise tonight and miraculously haven’t spilled the beans to Enzo yet.
When we get to the restaurant I’d rented out, we’re immediately ushered to the back room. Maddie carries Loren and I have Raine in my arms as we enter the building. I let the kids go first and then I say, “Oh, Enzo. I forgot the bag of wipes. Can you go back to the car to get it?”
He looks at me suspiciously, but being the amazing husband he is, he simply says, “I’ll be right back.”
I walk into the room I’ve rented for this evening and see his entire family and some of our closest friends waiting. Everyone remains silent as we wait for Enzo to return. As soon as he enters the doorway, everyone shouts, “Surprise!”
Pure shock fills his face, letting me know our surprise is genuine. His eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open.
As people wish him well for his birthday with hugs and birthday wishes, Enzo eyes me. “You did this, didn’t you?”
