December.

"Mama!  Mama!" Willow runs to Jessica.

"What, Lo Lo?"

"Em!"

"What did he do now?"

"Pow pow!" Willow hits her hand.

"Emerson, did you hit your sister?"

"No, mama." He nods and smiles sweetly.

"Hit me, mama!" Willow says, tears just pouring down her chubby cheeks.

"Emerson, why did you hit her?"

"She twy take my toys!"

"You have to share, guys.  Now Emmy, will you please tell sissy you're sorry?"

"No."

"Emerson." Jessica gives him a stern look.

"No mama!  I not say dat!"

"Emerson.  Five.. four.."

"Tree.. two.. ONE!  Can't catch!  Can't catch!" Emerson shouts as he runs off laughing.

Emerson was definitely the wild one of the two.  He was Always getting into trouble.

"Mama get him!" Willow shouts.

Jessica takes off running after him.
Emerson laughs hysterically as she chases him.

"Emerson, you are in big trouble!  Wait til I tell daddy!"

"Noo!" He whines.

"He's not going to be very happy, is he?"

"No tell him!"

"Why?"

"Cause he mad at me!"

"Well then listen, Emerson!"

Willow marches over and stomps her foot.  She purses her lips and points her finger. "Bad boy!"

"NO!" Emerson pushes his sister to the ground.

"Emerson Alexander!" Jessica picks him up and takes him to the time out corner, kicking and screaming.

"NO!  MAMA NO!"

"You sit here and think about what you did!  We do not hit, mister!"

"No mama!  I no want yew!" He kicks her hard in the chest.

"Little boy, you are just asking for a spanking!"

"NoooOOOOOO!"

**

The entire day consisted of the twins fighting.  When Danny returned home Jessica was beyond exhausted.

"How's it going, Babydoll?" Danny kisses her cheek and wraps his arm around her waist.

"Daniel, please don't do that right now.  Your kids have driven me crazy all day today and the last thing I want right now is to be touched.  So please don't start."

"Sorry.  I was just asking.  I guess I can just hang out with all the other woman that I've met today that we're drooling all over me."

Jessica scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Oh Please!  They can have you!"

"Jess!"

"Honey, if they want you with grey hair and a beer belly, they really love you and totally deserve you!"

"Man!  What the hell crawled up your ass and died?"

"It's your children, Daniel!  They are driving me nuts!"

"Willow, poor thing is a sweetheart, but she wants to be cuddled twenty four seven!  I have to cook, clean and beat Emerson's ass, Dan!"

"He was bad again today?"

"He's always bad!  Daniel, he tried to flush Willow's doll down the toilet!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes!" Jessica sighs.

"I love him with all my heart, but sweet Jesus he's horrible!  I mean, lord knows Gabby and Ana were terrible but, Emerson.. he takes the cake."

"Maybe it's just cause you're old now."

Jessica gives him a look that could kill.

"You know.. Fuck you, Huston."

"Babe, I'm joking!  Where are they now?"

"Napping.  And don't you dare wake them up!"

"I was just asking." Danny lifts his hands.

***

February.

The entire Huston clan has traveled to New York to see Gabriella's first show after having the baby.
After months and months of hard work, Gabriella is back in her ballerina shape.

"Grammy, why can't the twins come with us?" Charlotte asks.

"Because they won't listen, baby."

"Oh right!  Cause in the ballet you must be silent!  And the twins are faaaaaar from silent!"

"Exactly!" Jessica chuckles.

"You two be good!  Have fun with William, my handsome little man!" Jessica picks her grandson up and showers him with kisses.

"La La La La La La.." William couldn't quite say Lolli yet, but he was trying.

"Oh my baby boy! You've missed Lolli so much, haven't you?  Well your mean mean mommy took you away from me!"

"Don't tell him that!" Gabriella says.

"Well you did!  Didn't she, bubba?" Jessica kisses his chubby cheeks.

William smiles and lays his head on her shoulder.

"Oh he is so sweet! Oh Gabby, he's nothing like you!"

"Thanks!" Gabriella scoffs.

"He reminds me of my Zaya! My sweet sweet boy! He LOVES his mommy and he always has!"

"Oh gosh!" Noah rolls his eyes.

"Everyone talks to me like I'm an idiot. Isaiah has NEVER spoken to me that way. I love you, Zay Zay!" Jessica baby talks.

"I love you too, mommy!" Isaiah smiles. He loves making his siblings jealous.

"We all know Isaiah is your favorite, you don't have to keep saying it." Anastasia says.

"I don't have a favorite!  I'm just saying he's the nicest to me." Jessica smiles.

"Alright, well I've had enough.  I'm gonna go. I'll see y'all there. Please don't forget your theater etiquette." Gabriella says.

"Oh we'll be sure to pick our nose, pass gas and scratch our ass, right babe." Danny smiles and nudges Jessica.

"Right, honey!" Jessica laughs.

***

One day while in New York Isaiah wanted to take his mother out to lunch.

"Thank you for treating, Zaya! That's so sweet of you!"

"Oh it's not a problem, momma." He smiles.

"So what have you been up to?"

"School." He chuckles.

"I am so unbelievably proud of you, Isaiah. Graduating early, now med school.. you and Anastasia are so damn smart and I honestly don't know how that happened!" Jessica laughs.

"Gabriella, she's artistic. Thank God, that girl is not the brightest! But her creativity and strength is something that she was blessed with, and I wouldn't change that for the world! Noah, he's smart.. he's a great football player, and he is an amazing little daddy! Like I know you will be too one day."

"Thanks, mom." Isaiah smiles.

"That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.."

"Oh no.. Emily's pregnant? Isaiah, you are in school, Emily is about to graduate nursing school, how are you gon-"

"She's not pregnant mom."

"Oh! Well that's good! Then what's up?"

"We recently found out that.. a medication Emily took when she was a teenager.. it caused her to um.. well she can't have a baby.."

"What?" Jessica's eyes went wide.  She immediately regretted everything she just said.

"Her periods were pretty intense so I told her she should go see her doctor.. neither one of us were thinking infertility.. at all!
.. We found out about a month ago."

"Isaiah, I am so sorry."

Isaiah looks at his mother with tears in his eyes.

"I feel bad for her.. I mean, of course I want children more than anything! I was raised in a big family, so that's what I've always wanted.. but I would be fine adopting or finding a surrogate.... but Emily is taking it a lot harder.. she's always wanted to carry a baby, and now knowing she never will.. it's crushed her, Ma."

"Oh poor thing."

"The past month has been hard.. she wants me to find someone that will give me a baby. She feels bad for not being able to do that for us... she feels broken, and I don't know how to fix things, momma. I love her and if we were to never have children, I still want to be with her! I just don't know what to do to make her see that no matter what, I'm here to stay."

Jessica had tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Isaiah.. oh my baby boy, I am so so sorry you two have to go through this.
.. Keep reminding her how much you love her. I know it is extremely difficult, especially on her but, right now she needs you. I promise in the end, no matter what, everything will be okay."

Isaiah nods as a tear rolls down his cheek.

Jessica quickly jumps up and sits beside him.
She wipes his face and holds him in her arms. It was like he was this three year old little boy again. He needed his mother more than anything right now. He needed her to give him the strength that he needed to be there for Emily during this time of total shock.

"Isaiah.. No that no matter what, I am here for you.. Always!
.. Your father is too, but no one can compare to mommy and her hugs."

Isaiah chuckled a bit through his tears. "I love you, mom."

"I love you more, baby boy."

As Jessica held her son in her arms, she thought back to when he was little. Jessica would ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up, and his answer was always the same.  A doctor and a daddy.  Jessica knew her son was hurting so much more than he let her see.