Chapter 48
Night had fallen, blanketing the mountains in a cloak of inky darkness punctuated by a million twinkling stars. The air grew crisp, a stark contrast to the warmth of the hot tub. Nelson, ever the practical one, knew it was time to set up camp before the temperature dropped any further.
He wrestled with tent poles and sleeping bags, the soft glow of his headlamp illuminating the rocky clearing. Meanwhile, sounds of splashing and contented sighs emanated from the hot tub. Nelson peeked over, a smile tugging at his lips.
Mia, her hair plastered to her face like a mermaid's, was practically living in the hot tub. Her eyes were closed, a blissful expression gracing her features.
"Mia," Nelson called out gently, "it's getting late. We should get some sleep."
Mia's eyelids fluttered open. For a moment, she looked at Nelson with a glazed expression, then recognition dawned.
"Sleep?" she echoed, her voice thick with contentment. "But the hot tub..."
"Isn't going anywhere," Nelson assured her. "We can come back in the morning, but for now, we need some shelter."
Mia sighed dramatically, a playful glint in her eyes. "Fine, fine," she conceded, stretching languidly in the water. "But you're going to have to practically haul me out of here."
Nelson chuckled. He knew she was exaggerating, but the thought of wrestling his girlfriend out of the hot tub was a funny image nonetheless.
With a playful groan, Mia finally emerged from the water, leaving behind a trail of glistening droplets. Nelson wrapped her in a warm towel, marveling at how quickly she was losing the rosy glow from the hot tub.
Together, they pitched the tent, their movements a well-rehearsed dance from countless camping trips together. By the time the last stake was pounded into the ground, Mia was shivering slightly.
Nelson helped her into the tent, tucking her into the sleeping bag with a warmth that wasn't just from the campfire crackling outside. Mia snuggled in, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
"Thanks, Nelson," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. "For everything."
Nelson smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Anytime, Mia. Now get some sleep. We have a peak to conquer tomorrow."
Mia mumbled something unintelligible about hot tubs and waterfalls, then drifted off to sleep, a peaceful smile playing on her lips. Outside, the fire crackled merrily, casting flickering shadows on the tent as the mountain slumbered peacefully beneath a canopy of stars. Nelson smiled, lying down next to her, and drifted off to sleep.
YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS ALL?! NO WAY! TIME FOR DREAM WORLD!
" So, what adventure are we on today? We have the day off." Nelson said, stretching.
Mia chuckled, but before she could answer, they were interrupted by a sudden, inexplicable twist of fate. In an instant, they found themselves holding two babies—a boy and a girl.
Mia blinked, looking at the quiet baby girl in her arms. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles that reminded her of Jay. "Nelson, don't ask, but... we have kids now."
Nelson, holding the squirming baby boy, who had Kai's spiky brown hair, brown eyes, and a perpetual scowl, laughed nervously. "Easy, Kai Junior. You're fine."
As they walked to the nearby clinic for a check-up, Mia signed in both their kids, glancing down at her calm daughter. "Look at my angel!" she cooed, softly tickling the baby's chin. "Meanwhile, my other angel is... well, he acts like Kai."
Just then, Mia's phone rang. She answered it on speaker, revealing Jay and Kai on the other end. "Hey, Mia," Jay said cheerfully. "What's up?"
Mia sighed dramatically, glancing at Nelson who was trying to soothe the grumpy baby boy. "Well, Jay, we had quite the adventure today. Somehow, we ended up with two kids. One looks like you and the other looks like Kai."
Kai's voice came through, filled with indignation. "Wait, what do you mean one looks like me?"
Nelson chuckled, bouncing the fussy baby in his arms. "Yeah, Kai. This little guy even has your scowl down pat. I call him Kai Junior."
Kai groaned. "Well, that's just rude."
Jay laughed. "I bet he's just as fiery, huh?"
Mia nodded, smiling at her quiet daughter. "Actually, our girl here is very well-behaved. It's her brother who's the handful."
Nelson smirked, still trying to calm down the boy. "Come on, Kai Junior, don't give your dad—uh, me—such a hard time."
The nurse at the clinic called Mia's name, signaling it was their turn. As they made their way inside, Mia couldn't help but laugh. "You know, Jay, Kai, I think we've got our hands full. But at least they're cute."
Jay's voice was warm. "Hey, they're family. You'll manage."
Kai's tone was grudgingly affectionate. "Just make sure my mini-me doesn't cause too much trouble."
Mia laughed. " Oh, I don't know. He's kinda cute when he's fussy."
" Mia!" Kai groaned. Mia laughed once more.
They finally reached their examination room. Inside, two tiny examination gowns were neatly placed on the examination table. Mia looked around, still in disbelief. "How are we dreaming this?"
Nelson shrugged, adjusting Kai Junior in his arms. "Dunno. Just roll with it."
Mia sighed, laying her quiet daughter on the table and carefully slipping her into one of the gowns. "Alright, sweetheart, let's get you ready."
Nelson followed suit, struggling a bit more with the fidgety boy. "Easy, Kai Junior. You'll be in and out before you know it."
Just then, a soft knock came at the door, and a kindly pediatrician walked in, smiling warmly. "Hello, I'm Dr. Lee. I hear we have some new additions to the family?"
Mia nodded, smiling back. "Yes, this is our daughter, and my husband here is holding our son, Kai Junior."
Dr. Lee raised an eyebrow, amused. "Kai Junior, huh? Quite the namesake."
Nelson chuckled, finally managing to get the boy into the gown. "Yeah, he's already living up to it."
The doctor began the check-up with the quiet girl, who looked up with wide, curious eyes. "She seems very calm," Dr. Lee noted, checking her vitals. "A picture of perfect health."
Mia beamed. "She's an angel. Always so well-behaved."
Meanwhile, Nelson was trying to keep Kai Junior still for his turn. The baby squirmed and pouted, and Nelson did his best to soothe him. "Come on, buddy, work with me here."
Dr. Lee moved to examine Kai Junior, who glared up with a scowl that was unmistakably Kai-like. "Well, he's got quite the spirit," she said with a laugh. " But, we won't know for sure if he's healthy or not unless we do a check up."
Nelson groaned. This was gonna be a long day.
Or was it night? Because technically he was sleeping. But he was awake. So would it be awake or asleep?
I mean, if you think about it. His moral body is asleep, but his brain is up. Then again, the brain is always up. So....?
His thoughts were interrupted when Dr. Lee turned to Kai Jr. and said, " Let's have a look at you first."
When Dr. Lee prepared to examine Kai Junior's eyes and ears, Nelson felt a knot of nervousness form in his stomach. Mia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, sensing his apprehension. "It'll be okay," she whispered softly.
But as Dr. Lee approached with the examination tools, Kai Junior began to protest loudly, pushing the instruments away with chubby little hands. Nelson sighed, putting on his best stern expression. "Come on, buddy, be cooperative."
Mia, seeing Nelson's struggle, instinctively shielded him from Kai Junior's flailing limbs. "Daddy is just having a rough day," she said, trying to calm both her son and her husband.
With gentle persistence, Dr. Lee managed to hold Kai Junior still long enough to examine his eyes. She shone a light into each eye, checking for any signs of abnormalities. Kai Junior squirmed and whimpered, making the process nerve-wracking for Nelson and Mia.
After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Lee moved on to examine Kai Junior's ears. She carefully inspected each ear canal, looking for any signs of infection or blockage. Kai Junior continued to protest, his cries growing louder with each passing moment.
Nelson felt a pang of guilt as he watched his son's distress. He wished there was something he could do to make the examination easier for him. Mia, sensing his turmoil, squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Lee finished the examination. "Everything looks normal," she said with a smile, patting Kai Junior on the head. "Just a bit of a fighter, isn't he?"
Nelson let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders. "Thank goodness," he muttered, offering a grateful smile to Dr. Lee.
Mia smiled as well, relieved that the ordeal was over. "He definitely takes after his dad," she said with a chuckle, giving Nelson a playful nudge.
After Kai Junior's examination finally concluded, it was Samantha's turn, and Mia and Nelson felt a sense of relief wash over them. Samantha, their quiet daughter, lay calmly on the examination table, her brown eyes wide with curiosity.
As Dr. Lee prepared to examine Samantha's eyes and ears, Nelson couldn't help but feel grateful for the brief respite from Kai Junior's protests. "At least Samantha isn't putting up a fuss," he whispered to Mia, who nodded in agreement.
Dr. Lee began the examination, gently checking Samantha's eyes with a small flashlight. Samantha blinked curiously, seemingly unfazed by the bright light. Nelson watched anxiously, hoping for a smooth examination this time.
Meanwhile, Kai Junior, still upset from his own examination, glared at his parents with a scowl that could rival Kai's. He babbled angrily, clearly unhappy with the attention his sister was receiving.
Mia chuckled softly, reaching over to pat Kai Junior's head. "Don't worry, buddy, it's your turn next time," she said soothingly, trying to calm him down.
As Dr. Lee moved on to examine Samantha's ears, Samantha remained calm and cooperative, making the process much easier for everyone involved. Nelson let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the contrast to Kai Junior's earlier antics.
After what felt like a much shorter examination, Dr. Lee finished with Samantha. "Everything looks perfect," she said with a smile, giving Samantha a gentle pat on the back.
Nelson smiled, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him. "Thank you, Dr. Lee," he said sincerely, relieved that both of his children were healthy and well.
Just as they were about to leave, the pediatrician mentioned the need for shots. Kai Junior, having somehow heard the word, took off running. Mia's eyes widened in disbelief. "How can a baby walk?!" she exclaimed, watching in shock as Kai Junior dashed out of the clinic.
Nelson sighed, trying to keep calm despite the chaos. "It's a dream. Anything can happen," he muttered, hurrying after their runaway son.
In a matter of seconds, Kai Junior was gone, sprinting across town with surprising speed. Mia and Nelson chased after him, weaving through the crowded streets and dodging obstacles along the way.
Then, Mia's phone rang. Sighing, she picked it up.
" Hello, this is tired mother speaking."
The person on the other end paused. Then, he said, " Mia?!"
Mia recognized the voice. " Teo!"
" Mia, I saw some boy running around town. He looked like-"
" Kai. I know." She sighed. " Listen, where's he headed?"
" Dunno. Just took off running."
Mia's head was throbbing hard at this point.
" It's fine." Nelson sighed, taking the phone. " We'll find him."
" Somehow." Mia added.
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