yeah, yeah. I know I'm a crappy person for not updating for a whole month. But, I had no good ideas to do this chapter. Besides, the whole month was a crazy shenanigan spread across 31 days. However, I hope you all enjoy it and I will see y'all in the next chapter. Bye!

Chapter 23: Surprised...? Pt. 2

(y/n)

"Mommy! Daddy!" Lillian excitedly grinned, running over as soon I could see her. I smiled brightly, extremely happy to see my baby girl.

"Happy Birthday, Princess." I said happily as I picked her up, smiling softly still as I gently placed a kiss on her forehead, hugging her in our mother-daughter embrace.

She gently leaned her head on mine, giggling softly, "I love you, Mommy." She said softly, gently smiling still before I almost started crying.

This is my baby girl turning seven... She is growing up way too fast, and I don't want her to grow up as fast as she is. My trance left me into being surprised at a hand going around my back and Garroth's voice beaming, "Happy Birthday, Lilypad." He said, gently kissing her forehead.

Lillian giggled softly, "Daddy!" She hugged him, her head nuzzling on his shoulder before she looked between us.

I smiled cheerfully at her. Honestly, I was so excited to tell her. She didn't know yet. And she must know. It's such a huge step in her life, as much as it is in I and Garroth's.

"Can we go eat cake?" She asked, "Or play games?" I gently set Lillian down, her grabbing my hand, as well as her father's hand.

"Choose and we'll do what you want, princess." Garroth smiled.

Lillian giggled. She started towards the living room, her letting go of our hands when she pulled us to the couch. She ran across the room, into the small hallway, stopping next to the restroom, opening the closet. She giggled again, grabbing a game and running over.

The others at the party were scattered around main rooms. Christina, Aaron, and Laurance were sitting in the living room on the other furniture pieces, Christy holding Kathryn. Lillian looked at them softly, "Do you guys want to play?" She asked, smiling.

Laurance moved over, "Why would we skip out on the birthday girl's wish?" He smiled, looking at her.

Lillian giggled. She set the box down on the coffee table, opening the box.

"Pretty Pretty Princess?" Christina smiled, "Oh my gosh girl, I love this game!" She said, sitting down on the floor by the table.

"I think I'll skip." Aaron softly said.

Garroth looked at him, "Don't want to dress up as a pretty princess?" He chuckled.

I lightly giggled, helping Lillian set up. She grabbed the little pieces, six different colors. She handed me the red tile, Garroth the green, Laurance the blue, Christy the yellow, and Aaron, against his wishes, the pink. She smiled, setting her purple piece down.

"Okay. First one to get a pair of earrings, a bracelet, crown, ring, and necklace wins!" She giggled. Lillian continued to explain the game, us all listening to her as we waited to play.

We played, Aaron struggling to win, him just getting earrings over, and over again, so much that Christy couldn't get any more onto his ears. She sighed with a laugh, "You look so cute."

Aaron looked at her, a blank expression on his face, him almost seeming to say, are you kidding me?

I laughed softly as I looked to Garroth, who was an earring away from winning. He had a crown and necklace on, both matching his tile color. I gently nudged him, "You better win your next turn... I think she wants you to."

He looked at me softly, "Oh?" Garroth quietly chuckled.

"Yeah. Haven't you seen?" I smiled slightly.

He shrugged, "Kind of." He smiled.

Lillian tapped his jeaned knee, trying to get his attention, "Your turn, daddy."

Garroth gently looked at her with a nod before he spun. A four. He slowly counted, going ahead four spaces before he groaned playfully, "One more before another earring."

Lillian giggled, "Aww... Darnnit." She said, "Okay! Laurance, your turn!"

Her dad laughed at her sudden mood change, watching them. Laurance was almost there, missing a crown. He spun, "It's a five!" Lillian giggled.

Laurance chucked, "It is, isn't it?" He looked at the board lightly, "Let's see..." He moved his piece tile. I watched before chuckling, him landing on the crown space on his third hop.

"Laurance wins!" Lillian giggled. She looked at Garroth, "Can he wear the crown?"

Garroth fake pouted, "Aww... fine." He said, taking it off and setting it on Laurance's head.

"I am the KI-." He paused, looking at the board, "QUEEN! Of Pretty, Pretty Princess!" He grinned, his hands up.

The rest of us in the room erupted into laughter. Lillian laughed so hard she fell into her 'uncle's' lap, looking up at him, "You're funny."

Laurance chuckled, "I would hope so. What kind of an uncle would I be if I wasn't?"

She giggled, sitting up, looking at Garroth and I. I smiled softly, gently looking at Garroth, "I think we're ready for cake and presents." I softly said.

Garroth nodded in agreement, "I believe so, too." He smiled gently.

Lillian giggled before getting up.

"Here, I'll put it all away. You go get by your cake." Laurance said quietly to her, gently setting the crown on her head, "You're the princess we all came to see."

Lillian giggled, smiling brightly before taking off everything but the crown, running to the dining room. We all took off everything, Laurance collecting it all and putting it down into the box, putting the box up.

I walked into the dining room, sitting on one side of Lillian. She looked at me and giggled before crawling onto my lap. Garroth gathered everyone into the room before he sat down beside us, holding a lighter.

Zianna smiled brightly before setting the cake down on the table. The vanilla cake had a thin layer of aquamarine frosting, a small little flower on each corner. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get little Lillian smiling.

It was a few moments of silence as Garroth lit the seven candles, one extra candle by the farthest flower.

I softly breathed in, "Happy Birthday to you," I started, everyone immediately catching on.

Lillian's face turned a shade of pink, hiding it in my shoulder for a moment. I smiled, "Happy Birthday to you."

"Happy Birthday dear, Lillian," There was a moment we all paused, Garroth slightly tickling Lillian out of her hiding spot in my shoulder. She squealed loudly, scrambling into a different position in my lap, looking out at everyone.

"Happy Birthday to you."

Garroth finally lit the eighth candle, "And many more." I softly whispered. Lillian smiled before leaning forward, taking in a large breath before blowing the candles out.

I smiled gently, "What did you wish for?" I quietly asked.

She looked at me, "It's a secret. But I wanna tell you and Daddy." She giggled quietly.

I softly laughed, "Oh? What is it?"

Lillian lightly cupped her mouth, gently moving next to my ear, "I wished for a baby brother or sister." She quietly said.

My jaw lightly dropped. However, I started to slightly smile.

"You did?" Garroth softly asked after she told him as well.

Lillian nodded happily, "Mhm."

I looked at him, him looking at me after a moment, "Actually... that wish is gonna come true." I softly said.

She tilted her head, "Really?" She whispered.

Everyone seemed to be confused as to why the three of us were whispering. I smiled softly, looking mostly at Lillian.

"I'm pregnant. With twins." I said.

The whole room went silent before Lillian screamed, her eyes widening in joy and her jumping up. Garroth chuckled softly before the two Christi/y's laughed.

"I knew it!" Christy said.

I just couldn't stop smiling. Lillian looked at me, her eyes bright, "Is that why you were late?" She asked.

I nodded softly, "And... we have a picture of them." I reached into my jacket pocket, pulling out her birthday card to her, a little picture tucked inside.

She hesitantly opened it, looking at the picture first. She giggled before setting it down, reading the inside before looking at me and Garroth, "Can you read it?"

Garroth gently tilted his head, "Can you?"

She had a certain smile that made my heart melt, "I wanna hear you two say it." She said softly.

Garroth and I looked at one another before nodding lightly. I held her on my lap as Garroth and I read together:

From the day you came into this world
We were as proud as can be
Blessed with a Daughter
For everyone to see.

So every year we celebrate
This very special day
To mark another milestone
As your life moves on its way

So Happy Birthday to you
We wish you all the happiness in the world
We are thankful all year round
For our very precious girl.

"Happy Birthday, Love Mommy," I said softly. "and Daddy." Garroth gently added afterwards, looking at her softly.

She just continued to smile brightly, "I love you both too."