The basketball season ended in August with us in third place, not too bad. Avery and I had a blast, our team worked well together and we had even mastered dancing together, my work wife was happy and my work life was harmonious, and so was my wifey wife at home. I count myself extremely lucky that both Avery and Harper could be around each other and most importantly, get on. Avery and Amelia were at-least six months into their little love bubble now, Amelia flew out during the season to see Ave, and they were very sweet together. Harper and I had double dated with them, and it had been a breath of fresh air to date with another young gay couple.

Now that my season was complete, I was back to full time Mommy and wife duties. Wren had had a big growth spurt over the last few months, she was taller and her hair was now long enough that Allie had been braiding it, which was the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Wrens words were coming thick and fast, a mix of Greek and English, her walk was not at all doddery anymore, in fact she was so quick on her feet she terrified me as she ran across rooms. I always awaited the sound of her falling and tears to follow, but Wren had good balance. I had tried her out with a little basketball but Wren didn't like to hold a ball, insert my horror, she much preferred to kick it. I thought, being this young, that it would change, but actually our eldest daughter grew up to be quite the soccer player. I had a good shooting arm, and Wren had an extremely talented right foot. I would get my comeuppance as a mom, for all the games I made everyone attend with me as a kid, because each of our children would inherit the desire to play sport, and they played it well. Harper and I would even have to split between kids so that she covered one whilst I covered the other on game days, and when eventually our kids outnumbered us, it got a little tricky, but Willa and Allie had that covered.

As we entered the first week of August we were a month away from the Nomikos babies arriving. Both Apollo and Clio made Calliope and Demitra appear as if they were snuggling watermelons. My heavily pregnant sisters stood in front of me in the dressing room, as we all got dressed for the Callie's wedding, and I couldn't help but just smile at them.

"Is there something on my face" Demi asked as she noted my silly smile.

I shake my head but continue to smile at them both "I just think you both never looked more beautiful" I confess reaching for them and pulling them into my arms.

Thea walks in "um... where was my invite to this" she asks.

I reach back for her as she runs over and gets in to the hug "there's really not much room in here with these two" Thea says stroking the belly's in the middle of the huddle.

"Agreed" we all say breaking away from each other.

"These babies are all but cooked now" Calliope says stroking her belly affectionately "I never thought I would be this pregnant at my wedding, but I'm glad I am. I'm glad Apollo walks down to that church with me, in place of Baba, my little Apollo Christos is taking his place"

"Don't forget momma" I suggest.

She smiles in thought "How could I, she's been telling anyone who will listen at the restaurant, that her, Elderly daughter, is pregnant and getting wed this month"

"Elderly" Demi guffaws.

Callie swipes her with her hand "don't laugh you are a year younger than me Demitra... that makes you elderly in four months yourself..." Callie says with raised eyebrows.

Demi squeaks as Callie's hand brushes her, she looks into the mirror at her reflection, as if she expected herself to age with the insinuation.

Callie smiles and sits down as the hair and make up routine begins. She's sat in front of a floor length mirror, talking to Ada, who is a cousin of ours, and also a talented hairdresser. It's all Greek of course being spoken, and as Harper walks in she hears it and realises this entire room will be filled with only greek in mere moments, as the female Nomikos extended family turn up and filter into this room.

An ominous thought.

"Hi" she greets wrapping her arms around my waist.

I'm still stood here in only my bra and sweat pants. Thea is steaming the life out of our dresses, to make sure there are no wrinkles in existence.

"this is a nice two piece" she observes, pulling the material under my navel that she had spied and letting its lacy band snap back against my flesh.

"It's wedding lingerie" I say wiggling my eyebrows.
She laughs "well I love it..." she whispers and she squeezes my waist and kisses my cheek.

We both look down to Wren who is holding her arms up for us both "mama mommy" she says repeatedly until I bend down and lift her into my arms.

Allie has done all the littles hair this morning, and Wren, and the smaller cousins, now had waterfall braids. Wren had strawberry blonde waves down her back and the braid above is beautiful, her dress is hanging up so she doesn't get it destroyed before we walk out. I would wrestle her into the dress as the music played, and hope she didn't find anything dirty to drop and roll in, as we made our way up the aisle, ahead of Calliope, me one of her bridesmaids, and Wren, a flower girl.

"You excited Wren to be a flower girl" I ask her.

She looks around before looking back at us shaking her head "no" she says defiantly, which makes Harper and I laugh.

"I know that if she could, that she would be saying something else right about now, something I would have to apologise for. You can see it in those determined little eyes" I observe.

Harper leans in and kisses Wrens cheek, she sticks up her hand in protest to prevent her from kissing her further "savage" I observe, shaking my head.

Wren cuddles against my chest as Harper shakes her head at us "she's attached at the hip... quite literally" she says looking at us both lovingly.

I rest my head sideways on Wrens and close my eyes "and I love it" I say enjoying her scent and her little head pressed against me so contentedly.

"I hope our next baby is more into their mama" Harper mused.

I open my eyes and laugh "Harper, a tad dramatic. She loves us both, just as much... who does she love to tuck her in at night?" I ask.

Harper smiles "me"

I nod "and who does she love to play her toys with" I ask.

Harper nods and agrees "okay yes me" she says begrudgingly "I get it I'm being dramatic"

"You are" I state "she literally looks for us both equally. She's only holding on for dear life in here because we are in the company of Nomikos, and she is already aware it's safer to be in the arms of someone who has a lifetime of surviving them under her belt"

"She's not wrong, I would love to be up in your arms too. I might just go and get ready with mama, shes doing some flower arranging. I can hear more Greeks coming up the hall" Harper observes sheepishly, turning toward the door. 

There is a loud chorus coming up behind the closed door, and as it opens, a crowd of cousins and aunties enter "anipsiá" Aunt Sophie says arms spread as she reaches for Demitra and she leans down and kisses her stomach "oh moró" she says. "These babies are popping" she adds looking to Callie who turns in her seat, her hair half done. "Calliope you look Divine" she muses.

They all descend upon her with kisses and hugs, before doing the same to me, and Harper with Wren. Harper gives me a look and slinks out of the room before she can't understand a word anyone is saying.

"Theodora" Aunty Cress says stroking my cheek and then Wrens "your daughter is an angel" she says admiring her "look at that beautiful hair" she whispers curling the ends around her fingers.

Wren arches away from her, a stranger right in her face "she's a little shy of people she doesn't know" I inform.

Cress nods with understanding and moves on to little Alexi, as Demitra pulls his suit on. "omorfo agori... yes yes...very handsome" she adds squeezing his little cheek.

"I'm here" Momma declares, bursting in to be met by her sisters and Nieces. A tidal wave of love is set upon her, with a lot of loud and enthusiastic talking at each other "I had to get Callies something old and I couldn't find it anywhere" Momma groans.

"Demitra is old...she would have sufficed" Thea interjects as a make up brush flies past her face and she looks to Demi wide eyed "that could have hit me Demitra" she curses.

Demi does up the buttons on Alexis shirt "too bad it didn't" she says maddened. Demi was a little demonic in pregnancy, and I think we had all forgotten that little fact.

"Teddy" cousins Sophie and Maria greet, coming over enthusiastically "where is your girlfriend" they ask.

I point toward the door "taking shelter" I tease.

They laugh "I don't blame her" Maria says noting the chaos that was happening in front of us.

Thea held Matthias up, his suit was covered in orange Cheeto dust. She looked at him in horror "who gave my baby a Cheeto in this suit" she screamed, and the room fell into silence.

Demitra began to laugh.

"It's not funny" Thea bellows "his cream suit is ruined... he looks like he self tanned and forgot to wear a glove" she says, mouth falling open in shock.

"Does anyone have a spare suit for a small person ... yay high " I suggest mockingly bending and holding my hand not a foot from the floor.

She grunts "Demi did you do this" she asks.

Momma intervenes "It was me, earlier, but it was before he was wearing the suit. I had no idea he had it on his hands" she says holding up hers innocently.

"Momma" Thea curses.

Demi shrugs and smirks "So what if he looks like an Oompa Loompa. Thea, he's a baby... it will be funny one day when we look back at the pictures" she suggests.

Thea internally screams "okay Demitra let me just go get Alexi a bag if it's all fun and games, and they can chow down on them together... yeah" she asks threateningly.

Demis eyes widen as Thea reaches for the door "if I see so much as one little cheese puff, pass that doorway" she says gesturing to the exit "I'm going for your hair Thea"

"Girls" momma shouts "enough" she says defiantly followed by some cursing "ay ay ay not on Calliopes day" she says pointing at Callie who is oblivious to the chaos, being that it is quite normal for her to hear commotion twenty four hours a day in the restaurant.

Callie looks deliriously happy, obliviously so,  and as the chaos reigns around us I can't help but smile at her.

I walk over and bend down as Ada smiles at my appearance, and I place my hand on Calliopes. She looks away from the mirror and strokes my cheek, and then Wrens.

I sigh and shake my head softly "Callie... I love you so much" I confess.

Her smile widens, as she cups my chin "and I you my little menace" she says lovingly.

Wren reaches down and copies me, stroking Callie's bump "moró" I say to her "baby" I add in English too.

She looks at me with her light blue eyes and repeats it slow "mo...ró"

I nod enthusiastically "yes"

"momo" she then repeats continuously.

Callie and I laugh "I think Wren is saying she wants one" Callie replies "a sibling" she adds teasingly.

I look back to Callie "not quite yet... but soon" I reveal.

Callie looks excited as her eyes widen and her teeth appear in a broad smile "yeah" she asks.

"God willing"

She leans forward and kisses my cheek "that, I can't wait to see, little lion" she muses.

"me too" I reply, standing. I let Ada continue and move aside.

For the rest of the morning we sing traditional Greek songs and up the atmosphere for the bride.

Willa returns, she is Callies Koumbara (the maid of honour) she comes by to help Calliope in dressing, she hands Callie her shoes and a pen. Callie writes the names of her single friends on the bottom. It is said that as the bride goes about her day walking through the ceremony and the celebration, some of the names will rub away and disappear, and those that do are said to be getting married soon. It is a fun little tradition and my name has been placed many times on my friends shoes, indeed on Thea's, my name vanished. I guess that was a good sign, because here I was, a few years later, a married woman. Willa stuffs Callie's shoes with money until they are snug as she placed them on her feet, another thing our family would do, a tradition centuries old.

***

Callie's wedding day, it was a glorious wash of white and blues, lots of various shades of blue, white, violet and yellow flowers. There were so many members of the wedding party, I had lost count.

The bridesmaids, all wore turquoise, and the boys had white suits, with turquoise squares in the blazer pockets.

We walked Calliope down toward the church, the bridesmaids leading her with Momma on her arm ,to Luke, who stood handsomely at the church entrance, a tear running down his cheek as he spotted her. I wasn't surprised, because Calliope looked like an angel, albeit with a beautiful bump, which if anything to me made her more so beautiful.

As Calliope approaches, Luke shakes his head, his breath taken away "you look..." he says pausing and sighing "incredible" he adds, and he holds out Callie's bouquet. This was another tradition, for the groom to place it into the brides hands as momma releases Callie's right hand into his. "I love you both" she whispers.

We all precede them into the church, the guests are all sat.

Wren has my hand, her little dress is white with a little turquoise ribbon around her waist.
I remind her that she can throw the petals, and she grabs a fistful and throws them, as I assist her a little. We spot Harper near the front, Wren is beaming at her as Allie takes a sneaky photo.

The church is extremely large and beautiful, the ceiling seems a million miles away, like we have most definitely entered the sacred house, stain glass windows allowing a beautiful twinkling of colour to appear throughout the space, like a heavenly light.

Alexi and Demitra are behind us. Alexi is the ring bearer, the cutest ring bearer I had ever seen, his blonde hair swept one way, his green eyes nervously taking in the crowd around us. He was doing great, considering he had freaked out en route, about the responsibility of the rings, much preferring to carry his dinosaurs around.

We pass Harper, who looks to us lovingly, and we make our way to the front, bridesmaids moving aside and making way for the bride and groom who walk up to the front and face the priest.

Our priest blesses the rings, three times, he announces that Luke is betrothed to Calliope in the name of the holy trinity. He places the rings on their right hands.

Wren starts to get bored and I look down as she looks up to me "mama mom mom" she says.

I pick her up, so she doesn't take off, she leans her head against my chest and I look back to the front.

Willa and Luke's best friend, mark, exchange the ring between bride and groom three times which signifies that their two lives are intertwined, as one, by the holy trinity. Now they are officially betrothed, to marry before god.

The wedding service begins and I can't help but look to Harper. She looks so beautiful, she watches with such joy, and I know what she's thinking "I wouldn't mind doing this" and I smile and look back to the front.

This part, is the lighting of the candles, and the joining of hands, both Callie and Luke are handed their taper candle, lambathes. The candles are lit which symbolises the willingness of the couple to both receive Christ who will bless them through the sacrament.

The priest joins their right hands. Luke looks nervous and Calliope is trying to take this as seriously as possible, but I can see that she cannot stop her smile from spreading, each time her and Luke connect. The priest calls upon god to unify the bride and groom into one mind and body. Prayers are offered, to grant them a long and peaceful life with health and happiness.

This next part of the sacrament has always been my favourite as the two crowns, the stefana, are placed. Calliope and Luke's crowns are made of flowers, precious metals and foliage, they are beautiful and as they are placed on their heads, they are attached by a single ribbon between them. The crowns symbolise them being crowned by god, as the king and queen of their home, and founders of their new generation. Both Willa, and Luke's best friend Mark, take the crowns and exchange them on their heads three times.

Calliope and Luke walk three times around the alter also. The priest then blesses them both.

The next part is the scripture reading, and Alexi and Wren are both getting a little bored. I reach for Alexis hand, and he comes over and stands with Wren and I. Demitra takes a minute to breath, and enjoy the moment without having to hold him at bay.

Once scriptures are read, the common cup is lifted by the priest, both Callie and Luke sip the blessed wine. I imagine Callie is not sipping much, not now she was heavily pregnant. The drink from the common cup, it signifies that by sharing all of their life, together, their happiness will double and their sorrows will be halved.

The priest holding the holy gospel, leads them in the ceremonial walk, Mark holding the ribbon behind them that connected their crowns. This moment signifies them celebrating their first walk as husband and wife, before the priest removes the crowns, blessing them both and asking god for a long and happy life for them.

The holy gospel comes down between their hands as a reminder that only god can separate them from one another, and although a kiss is not a traditional part of the ceremony, Luke and Calliope do both kiss and seal their marriage.

The entire church smiles widely as Calliope and Luke turn, and our sister is wed.

Calliope's happiness is contagious, her joy infectious, and we all spill out of the church, beyond loud and euphoric, as we head to the celebration where the party truly starts.

***
The band is playing, the music is loud, the crowd of family and friends are louder, wine is flowing, and the dances are beginning.

Mary holds Wren, so that I can drag Harper up to dance.

All guests are in a circle, holding each other's hands at a distance, as we dance the sirtaki, better known as Zorba's dance.

Harper is laughing as we begin, a rather infectious laugh as the dancers all get into the movement. The music starts slow, we move slow, the rhythm building, the steps are simple as we dance counter clockwise, beginning with your left foot and stepping forward, tap the ball of your right foot beside your left heal, swing your right leg forward, and kick it slightly forward, and repeat. We kick out again, as the music gets a little quicker, stepping behind your left foot with your right foot and kicking your foot forward again. The dance is one that always brings so much laughter, it was loud and fun as we move around in a circle, our legs in and out of the centre with the music. Harper looks to me, down the length of her arm, her eyes sparkling under the lights above, her red hair flying around her shoulders as we move. I can't help the way my dimples pop, to know she is mine, and this joy we were feeling, was forever.

The entire party celebrating Calliope and Luke was just beyond perfect, we danced all night, and we ate a mountain of food. We played with the kids and danced with Wren. I think I had her on my shoulders for an entire hour as she had loved the dancing so much. Alexi took his turn, straight after. Thank goodness for strong biceps, I was thankful for them, as I held little hands up there above me, all night long.

Harper and I were staying at the hotel that we had the celebration in, most people were and so around midnight, we disappeared.

Wren was with Allie and Willa as they had put her down earlier in the night for us.

We had the night to ourselves. I took Harpers hand and led her to our bed, cupping her cheeks as I pulled her onto my lap "I love you so much" I confess, kissing her lips a little over-enthusiastically "my beautiful wife" I whisper as we part, our foreheads pressing together.

"Teddy I want a wedding... I've changed my mind" Harper admits.

I smile against her lips "me too, although it won't be a church wedding, perhaps something outdoors" I suggest.

She nods against me "yes somewhere beautiful"

"Don't worry ... it's coming" I promise.

She kisses me softly, a sensual and languid kiss that takes on life as we remove each other's dresses, the underwear being slipped off each other with eager hands as we moved against each other. As all obstacles were removed, Harpers flesh pressed to mine and we lay back in the sheets, her fingers tracing my sides tenderly as we began a little dance of our own. It was a gentle and sweet love making, that left us both sighing against each others lips, satisfied and feeling utterly adored, every single inch.

***

About four weeks after the wedding, Apollo came hurtling into the world, thick dark hair, large brown eyes, and my fathers dimples.

Apollo Christos Walker
8lbs 5oz

Apollo would be a mamas boy, sweet and steady, and a complete breeze from day dot. Calliope had earned an easy child, and she got one, a gift from god was our Apollo, and his mamas pride and joy.

Apollo was the first of our pinky promises to take life, but he didn't get the limelight long, because one week later, it was Clios turn to arrive, quite dramatically like her mother, in the back of the restaurant, an active labour that lasted about twenty minutes.

Clio Maria Martinez
7lbs 6oz

She was white blonde on arriving, with eyes we just knew would be green. Clio was a wriggling bundle from the jump, not satisfied to ever keep still and quite clearly as she grew, a Nomikos girl through and through.

I've never heard a louder and more raspy sounding little girl than Clio, until her cousin Olympia arrived, a little later. Clio was the cutest thing, she looked like an angel, which allowed her to get away with way too much, especially from her daddy, Tony. Inside though, Clio was a wild little mustang, bucking any gate she was forced to wait behind.

Demitra met her match the day she gave birth to her daughter, and how we all loved to witness it.