Iris Rhodes.

Five years ago today, on the fourth of February, Addison Fields was born into this world. I've only known her for six months out of those years, but it's been such a joy to watch her grow in that time.

"Does it get harder?" I whisper over to Nathan.

He grunts, opening his eyes, "Does what get harder?"

"Birthdays; watching your babies grow up."

"They break my heart, but it also fills me with so much pride," he answers honestly, waking up further.

"I can't believe she's five today," I gently swipe my finger over the baby picture of Addie that is now kept framed on his bedside table, alongside pictures of Nova and Elise when they were born.

"It feels like it was only yesterday I was holding her for the first time," he admits, smiling over at the picture, "I miss it, she was so precious."

"Are you saying she is no longer?" I giggle, cuddling into his side.

"Of course not, but you have to admit she looks much quieter in this picture," he mumbles, which has me laughing more, "The newborn phase is by far the easiest, we're going to have our hands full when the twins grow up."

"Can we not?" I don't want to think about the twins ageing before they're even born.

"Sore subject?" he nuzzles into my neck and I sigh, holding him close, but not with much strength.

Now that his sling doesn't need to be worn constantly, I'm more weary of his shoulder than I was before, as difficult as that is to imagine, but I do find myself forgetting he's injured when we're lying in bed together. Nathan won't be fully healed for another almost four weeks, so until then, I need to be careful where I touch and hold him.

"They'll be awake soon, can I tempt you into having some us time?" he kisses my neck, and I gently hum, loving the feeling of his lips on me for the first time in a while, "Is that a yes, sweetheart?"

Before I can even contemplate it, twin B kicks me directly in the ribs, making me wince, choosing my answer for me; loud and clear. Deep down I so badly want to be with Nathan again, but I simply can't, so instead of listing every part of me that aches and is causing me pain, I admit an easier answer, "I'm so tired, baby, can we another time?"

"Of course, can I do anything to help?" he offers, and my heart warms at his reaction. No man I've ever been with has taken denial of sex well, they've either convinced me into doing so or left me in bed alone, so for him to keep me close after isn't something I've experienced before.

"This is just perfect," I mumble, stroking his face, "I love you; I don't tell you that enough."

He chuckles, "I love you too, always."

"I'll never get tired of this," I admit.

"Me neither; being with you is my favourite pastime."

We share a smile and just when I begin to reconsider his earlier suggestion of having some alone time, the door down the hall creaks opens, letting us know either Nova or Addie is awake.

"Let's go see the birthday girl," I grin, pushing myself up in bed to sit.

Unexpectedly, when I open the bedroom door, Nova is waddling down the hall in our direction, and when she spots us, she grins wildly, "Hi, daddy, Bailey and mommy."

"Hey, baby, did you sleep well?" I can only chuckle at how much she's grown up recently.

With neither of us able to pick her up because I'm thirty-one weeks pregnant and Nathan's injured, Nova has become so independent. At first, it was difficult and there was a fair share of tantrums, but she's now gotten used to the fact, and knows she can always be held on the sofa.

"I did," she nods, holding out her hand for me to take.

"Is your sister awake yet?" Nathan asks her.

"No," she shakes her head, pulling me in the direction of the kitchen.

"Is this your way of asking for breakfast?" I laugh, watching her determination as she beelines for the pantry.

"Speaking of breakfast, darling, do you mind starting on the pancakes while I wake Elise?" he asks, gesturing his thumb towards Elise's door.

"We both know my pancakes are better anyway," I grin, allowing Nova to open the pantry door.

"I'll never deny that," he chuckles before disappearing around the corner.

"Cookie?" Nova looks up at me with the most adorable and pleading eyes.

"We're going to have pancakes, baby, but I'm sure I can crumble a cookie on yours; just don't tell daddy," I say the latter in a hushed whisper.

Thankfully, with an extra set of hands from Elise, we finish making the pancakes before Addie awakens, and the balloons that Nathan blew up last night are now taped to the island where she usually sits, so when she walks in here after Nathan wakes her, she will be well and truly surprised.

"Yummy," Nova mumbles, taking another bite of her Lotus Biscoff pancakes.

"You're not waiting for anyone, huh?" I ruffle her hair and she only grins up at me in response.

"I'm gonna wait for Ad," Elise says, looking over to the hallway, "She is taking her time though, gosh."

As soon as the words leave Elise's mouth, Addie rounds the corner holding her father's hand, and when she sees what's waiting for her, she instantly smiles and runs over.

"Happy birthday!" Elise and I cheer in unison.

"Thank you! Oh my," Addie gasps, pulling herself up onto the bar stool, "Pancakes with syrup and extra sprinkles!"

"Iris made them," Nathan sits beside me.

"Thank you, Iris, this is the best birthday ever," she says with full seriousness in her tone.

She beams with happiness, cutting into her pancakes with a large smile that is contagious between us all, setting the day off perfectly.

Once breakfast is out of the way, we start to get ready to leave for Addie's party, but after I've changed Nova into a pretty pink dress, I find myself crawling back into bed, craving comfort and ease of my backache.

"You don't have to come, you know, baby?" Nathan chuckles, sitting down next to me to talk, "You won't be missing anything, just kids screaming and playing."

"I want to so badly," I sigh, putting my hand on my large belly, "Addie will want me there."

"Addie will understand, darling," he assures me.

"She shouldn't have to, though," I feel so guilty for doing this, "I hate that I feel this horrible constantly; it's not fair on you and the girls."

"You are too selfless, Iris," he holds my face, and I sigh, closing my eyes, "You are tired and in pain, you need to rest, and if that means staying in bed all day with Bailey, then so be it. You are heavily pregnant, baby, you should be putting yourself first."

"I know," I still feel horrible.

"Stay home," he insists with a sympathetic smile on his face, "Bailey will keep you company."

At the mention of his name, Bailey's tail begins to thump against the bed and I can't fight my grin when I look over, "Yeah, that's true; I'll have my boy."

"As long as I'm still your man."

"Don't be too confident, handsome," I say before pressing a sweet, short kiss on his lips.

✯✯✯

After a lengthy and desperately needed two-hour nap, I find myself in the kitchen, whipping together a cake. The guilt of staying home is lying heavy in my gut, so my way of making it up to Addie is surprising her when she gets home, and my plan includes a perfect birthday cake for her.

There's not much I'm able to do now that I'm thirty-one weeks pregnant because I simply get too exhausted in such a short space of time that I don't finish the task, but baking will never be added to that list. There is nothing in this world that could stop me from baking for the people I love and care for not even the third-trimester fatigue.

Addie's favourite cake is Victoria Sponge, but instead of strawberry jam as the filling, I use raspberry because she doesn't like strawberries this week. Two days ago, she decided that they were yucky, and I didn't argue with her on the fact because knowing her, she'll be loving them again soon.

The twins kick in unison at the memory of their big sister and I find myself chuckling in response, "You two agree she's a tad bit crazy too, huh?"

Another kick gets sent my way, meaning at least one baby thinks so.

There are no words to describe how ready I am for the babies to come now that my due date is nearing; I'm counting down the days even though there's no telling when exactly I'll go into labour. Other than experiencing some mild Braxton hicks recently, I've had no other signs of labour happening soon, which I'm glad about. I want to carry the twins as far as I possibly can, so they're healthy when they're born and the longer they're in my belly, the safer they are.

I'm not sure how I'll survive another two months of pregnancy if I reach full term because every day is a challenge and I can't imagine being pregnant for sixty-one more.

With a playlist of my favourite songs blasting, I complete Addie's cake within the next hour, finishing it off with her name and the number five written in a fancy font.

The second half of her surprise takes me upstairs and after a rummage through a box in my room, I find exactly what I need to perfect it.

After thirty minutes and three breaks to catch my breath, I grin at my surroundings and what I've accomplished for the girls. We have not once used the cinema room for its intended purpose since I moved in here six months ago and I feel like it is finally time we do so.

From the box in my room, I've hung the fairy lights that I used to have hung in the living room of my apartment, around this room to create a cosier and less manly vibe. As well as the lights, I brought several pillows and blankets in, setting the girls up on the first row, that way they have their own space. Nathan and I, with Bailey most likely, will be behind them on the second, higher and last row, with our own blankets and pillows.

There's not much Addie loves more than movies and pepperoni pizza, so with one in the oven and her cake ready on the side, I think she will be more than happy when she gets home, which will be any time soon. I received a message from Nathan five minutes ago, saying they were almost here.

My guilt from not going has eased, but my regret hasn't settled. I should have gone today with them because from what Nathan's told me, they've all had a great time. I wish I could have been there with them to celebrate, but I know I wouldn't have survived an hour, never mind four, without the nap I had earlier.

Just as the timer goes off for the pizza, the door from the garage opens and sweet laughter fills the house.

"Honey, we're home!" Nathan yells down the hall and immediately Bailey runs to greet them.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I reply, opening the oven door to get the two pizzas out.

Small footsteps run in my direction and when I turn around to put the second pizza down on the chopping board, my family walks in, the girls all wearing princess tiaras.

"Oh, you all look so pretty!" I gush, walking around the island to see them.

"We're princesses," Addie grins, pointing to her tiara.

"Yes, you are; I love it."

"You made dinner?" Nathan looks over to the pizzas.

"I put them in the oven, yes," I laugh, not taking credit, "I do have a surprise, though."

"Oh, you do?" he asks, helping Nova up into her seat around the island, one-handedly.

"Mhm," I nod my head, cutting the pizzas into slices while the girls get into their seats, "Addie, when you sit down, can you close your eyes for me?"

"Yeah, of course," she screws her eyes shut as soon as she's comfortable.

Nathan looks at me in utter confusion, but he happily takes over cutting the pizza with no questions while I retrieve her cake from the walk-in pantry.

"Are your eyes still closed, sweetheart?" I call over.

"Yeah!" she yells back.

With the cake in hand, I light the number five candle and walk out, singing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Nathan joins in after the initial shock of what I've done, Elise and Nova too, and with Addie's eyes wide open, she smiles wildly when I put the cake down in front of her.

"Remember to make a wish," Nathan reminds her, and after a few short seconds, she blows the candle out.

"Happy birthday, baby," I kiss the top of her head and she instantly wraps her arms around me in a hug.

"Thank you so much, Iris," she whispers.

"You're more than welcome," I tell her, "After pizza, you can have a slice; it's raspberry by the way."

"Oh, perfect," she gasps.

Once the cake is safely on the other counter and the girls have their pizza, Nathan pulls me into him and kisses me, "You don't know how much I love you, Iris. You made her a cake?"

"I did," I nod, feeling suddenly shy, "I also may have kind of done something to the cinema room too."

"She's going to love it," he says with no doubt, "Does this mean I have to watch Tangled again?"

"Whatever the birthday girl decides, so most likely," I shrug my shoulders.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Once the pizza is devoured, we head upstairs with the cake and five plates. I go in first with Bailey, putting the cake on the table, and then shout, "Okay, you can come in."

Each of their reactions makes the effort worthwhile and they run up to the first row of chairs, that have their things waiting for them.

"Iris, this is so pretty!" Elise looks around, "Much nicer than it used to look like."

"Hey!" Nathan feigns offence.

"Sorry, dad, but it was boring before," she sassily tells her dad and I can't help but giggle. She then turns to her sister, "What do you want to watch Ad?"

"Can we watch Tangled?" Addie looks between me and her father, "Please?"

We may watch the movie almost every week, but it will never get old, so I, of course, say, "Yes, that'll be great."

Nathan chuckles to himself, walking over to the cake in the corner, "Shall I cut this?"

"Yeah, I'll set the movie up."

Once the movie begins to play, we all get comfortable with our pieces of cake, and Nathan holds me close as I nibble on the crumbs left on my plate.

"Thank you for doing all this, you didn't have to," he whispers, squeezing my arm softly.

"I wanted to," I smile up at him.

He lifts his hand from my arm to my cheek, stroking it gently, "We're so lucky to have you."

"I love you," I muse and from those words, he kisses me sweetly.

~~~~~

A/N

This was the most difficult chapter for some reason, I just wasn't loving it, however, I do think it turned out okay in the end! I hope you enjoyed it x