AUTHOR'S POV   

Larry and Laurent have slept peacefully throughout the night but they're jolted out of it by the blaring of the alarm clock with Laurent reaching over to shut it off. They wipe their sleepy eyes and stretch a little then raise up together. Laurent is the first to place his feet on the carpet and once he's on his feet he stretches again then turns around to smile and say his customary good morning to his love who groggily but very beautifully replies the same with his raspy morning voice. Larry is swiftly out of bed because as with every morning they have their little girls to get ready for school and their son to get ready and off to mama's house so they head for the bathroom. To save time, their morning showers are always together and it's a playful time between them though they never stay in too long. When they're out and dressed they leave Ayden to sleep for now and each go to wake up the girls to get them freshened up and dressed. Each morning it's somewhat of a task waking them up and they can't help but smile as they see them sitting up in bed with their eyes still closed. It typically takes several minutes before they get them awake enough to get them ready. Larry is with Emma and one thing that gets her excited is choosing what she wants to wear for the day. He opens the closet door then turns around and with a smile, "come over and pick out your clothes my love". Emma happily walks over and her sweet little eyes scans all of her clothes hanging neatly and she excitedly picks out a light grey cotton dress paired with white leggings... 

Emma is always such a happy little girl so it isn't surprising that something as simple as picking out her clothes exudes that happiness. Larry gets her dressed then sweetly instructs her to sit at the vanity table in the corner of her room. He pulls up a chair and with a comb in hand...

Larry: *smile* "How do you want your hair today baby"?

Emma: *smile* "In pigtails papa! With ribbons"! 

Larry: *smile and wink* "Coming right up". 

Larry gets right to work by using the comb to make the perfect part down the middle and after a spray here, a spray there of a hair product that's perfect for her long, gorgeous curls he pulls each section together with a smooth brushing then secures each pigtail with a hair bow. Per Emma's request he ties two white ribbons around each one then looks at her through the mirror...

Larry: *smile* "Did papa do a good job"?

Emma: *smile* "Yes"!  

Larry chuckles then goes to take out a pair of socks from the dresser and grab a pair of her white sneaker-like shoes from the closet. When he walks back over she turns her body around so he can put both on her feet. Now that she's finally ready he takes her hand prompting her to get out of the chair then he takes her to the dining table where her big sister is already sitting. Laurent is at the stove whipping up some pancakes and now that the girls are ready he heads to the nursery to get little Ayden dressed, his bag packed and ready for another day with grandmere...

When Larry returns to the dining area he has Ayden in his arms and smiles when he sees his family sitting and enjoying breakfast. Laurent saw him coming so he stood up to retrieve his plate that he kept warm in the oven and places it at his loves spot at the table. He also has Ayden's oatmeal already prepared and his high chair pulled up to the table that Larry puts him in. Laurent is without question the best partner and Larry loves how he takes such great care of all of them. He balances between eating his breakfast and feeding Ayden then he hears Laurent talking to the girls about the start of their weekend plans...

Laurent: "Today is ice skating my loves. Are you both excited"?

Kaylee and Emma: *smile* "Yes"!

Although Ayden isn't exactly sure what the excitement is for he sees it in them and he cackles as he's also excited which makes everyone laugh. The girls have been excited about this day since they were told and have anxiously been awaiting it. Just as he and Larry discussed, they told them the morning after they spent a glorious time themselves at the ice skating rink. Emma is especially excited because tomorrow is her birthday and there will be no better feeling for them than witnessing the joy on her face. The time eventually comes where they have to leave to make sure the girls get to school on time... 

*****

Larry: *smile* "Hey mama". 

Mama: *smile* "Hey son". *playful gasp* "Hey you"!

Larry looks at Ayden to see his response to grandmere which is his usual smile and leg kicking in excitement. Right away he pushes forward and extends his arms and once she's holding him she playfully bounces him up and down as he cackles...

Larry: "Here's his bag. He's had breakfast and there's more food inside. He also has plenty of milk too".  

Mama: "Oki son". 

Larry: "Remember we're taking the girls ice skating after school so I will pick him up a little late". 

Mama: "That's oki my love. Have fun and I can't wait to hear about how much fun they had because I know they will". 

Larry: *smile* "Yes ma'am. See you later". 

Mama: *smile* Oki". 

Larry leans forward to give her a kiss on the cheek and a kiss to Ayden then turns around and heads for his car. He's happy that he isn't working a full day because his work week felt busier than normal...but the thought of family time later is enough to keep a smile on his face and work will more than likely be a breeze...

~meanwhile~

Laurent took the girls to school and after putting the car in park he gets out to make sure they're out safely due to all the cars in the drop off area. He helps them put their backpacks on and since Kaylee always walks her little sister to her classroom she takes her hand. As they walk off Laurent looks on with a fluttering heart. Before they disappear into the building they look back to smile and wave at him as he does the same. Once they're inside he gets back in his car to take off for work which isn't too far away from their school and just as Larry envisioned what the latter part of the day will bring he, too, smiles as he's drives along...

~afternoon~ 

Laurent: "In the first section of the Limits chapter we saw that the computation of the slope of a tangent line, the rate of change of a function, and the velocity of an object at x=a required us to compute a few examples of limits. The limits are so important that they're given a name, derivatives, which we discussed in the last class. Using the definition of a derivative, find the derivative of the following function". 

Professor Bourgeois uses a dry erase marker to write the function of f (x) =2x (squared) - 16x = 35. The class full of students begin to solve the problem going through their textbooks as well as their notes. He's been hard at teaching since arriving this morning and he only has more class before he can finally leave and start the weekend with the birthday girl and the rest of his beautiful family. For now, there's intense concentration on the students' faces as they work diligently to solve the problem given by their professor who no question is a brilliant mathematician. Moments later several hands fly into the air seemingly confident in their answer. Laurent's eyes scan everyone as he decides on who to call then selects one who proceeds to answer... 

Student: "I believe the derivative is f' (x) = 4x - 16"? 

Laurent: *smile* "That is correct". 

The student smiles back as she blows out a silent sigh of relief because although she was sure she had the correct answer it's always a relief when it's confirmed by the teacher. To make sure everyone else understands how the solution came about he walks them through the equation step by step then asks if there are any questions of which there are a few so he answers each one thoroughly to make sure they understand as there will be an assignment given for practice. He then turns his wrist to check the time and as he suspected the end of this class has come...

Laurent: "Oki. For next class I want the problems at the end of Chapter Ten computed and you will turn them in for a grade. As you leave please stop by my desk to get your graded tests from the last few chapters".

Laurent walks around to stand behind his desk then picks up the stack of papers. Moments later he's surrounded by eager students ready to see their scores. As most professors do for privacy, he turns each paper over before dispersing them. Some students see their grades and walk away happy with how well they did. Others walk away in disappointment wishing they did better but also see it as an opportunity to make sure they do. One student, Erin, sees her grade which is a low C and waits until everyone else has left...

Erin: "Professor, I really want to do better on my exams". 

Laurent: "I want to see you do better on your exams, Ms. Lebeau". 

Erin: *smile* "You don't have to be so formal with me professor. Call me Erin". 

Laurent: *chuckles* "Well you're my student so it's Ms. Lebeau". 

Erin: *smile* "Ok. I won't argue with you. But, I really want to do better so I think I should get some help. Maybe I can get that help for you during your office hours". 

Laurent loves being a professor and anytime a student comes to him with a struggle that they're having in his class he would help them without a second thought...but he can't pretend he didn't hear the way her voice changed. It's damn near erotic so he slowly looks up and when his eyes connect with hers he notices that they're heavily seductive. It's clear what she's doing even in an environment where anyone can walk in at any moment so if they're alone in his office then her unwanted flirtation now would very possibly turn into trying more. He's definitely uncomfortable but he keeps his composure and professionalism when he replies...

Laurent: "There's tutoring available by the math department every Tuesday and Thursday. All day on both days and you don't need to schedule a time. You just go in and tell them what you need help with". 

Though he isn't showing any interest in her flirtation nor is he reciprocating it her sultry look towards him remains...but to his relief the students in his next class begin coming in...

Laurent: "I need to prepare for my next class but please consider the tutoring. It will provide the help you need to do better". 

Erin doesn't reply verbally. She just gives him a sexy smirk then begins walking towards the door only she doesn't leave until she looks back and gives him another look. Laurent doesn't see it because he's taken complete focus off of her and begins greeting the other students who have taken their seats. Out of his peripheral he sees her finally leaving and he pushes what just happened to the back of his mind. With all students in their seats now he focuses on teaching...

*****

Finally, it's the end of the day for Larry and Laurent bringing relief and the return of their excitement as the weekend has officially begun. Laurent smiled during the entire drive to the girls school and after parking he gets out, walks around the car then leans against it as he waits to see those two sweet faces appear. The loud school bell sounds off and moments later the door is pushed open as children bolt out also aware that it's the weekend. He sees Kaylee and Emma whose hands are connected while Emma holds a large piece of paper in her other hand. When they see their papa they immediately begin running towards him. Laurent squats and waits with open arms to embrace them. Those little arms wrap around him and he kisses one cheek then switches to the other before pulling away to look at them...

Laurent: *smile* "Hey my loves. How was school today"?

Kaylee: *smile* "It was fun. We had gym class". 

Laurent: *smile* "That's great bebe". 

Emma: *smile* "I had art class today papa. Look what I made". 

Laurent gets an up close look at the paper he saw in her hand from a distance and his heart drops at the sight he sees. She drew a picture of the entire family with the most beautiful colors and was sure to include a big smile on all of their faces...

Laurent: *smile* "This is so beautiful my love". 

Emma: *smile* "Thank you papa", she replies sweetly. 

Laurent: *smile* "Welcome", he replies softly. 

Laurent then stands up and in between them to take their hands then walk them to the car. Once they're buckled in he gets in the driver's seat and begins heading in the direction of the skating rink...

*****

Larry has already arrived and he also had a change of clothes in the trunk as his career requires professional attire so he went to the bathroom to change. He also brought the girls coats, hats and mittens as well as a pair of sweatpants and an extra sweater for both to protect them from the frigid temperature inside. He drops his bag of clothes in the trunk and pulls out the bag that contains those items then sees Laurent's car pulling into the parking lot with the girls in the backseat. Thankfully, the parking space next to Larry's car is free so he pulls into it. The girls see him and wave excitedly. Laurent uses the automatic locks to unlock the door so Larry opens it and right away he hears a happy greeting...

Kaylee and Emma: *smile* "Hi papa"!  

Larry: *smile* "Hi my loves. Are you ready"?

Kaylee and Emma: *smile* "Yeah"!

Now out of the car they stand in between their loving parents and with all four connected by hand they begin walking towards the entrance. On the way Larry tells Laurent about the extra clothes he brought for them to keep them warm so once inside he leads the way to a shut off area where they help them into the pair of sweatpants that go over their regular pants as well as their sweaters with everything being topped off with their coats, hats and mittens. Larry and Laurent are bundled up as well including gloves then it's off to rent the skates. As Larry and Laurent put the skates on Kaylee and Emma their eyes are already on the rink as they watch in amazement at the activity. They help them down then make their way to the rink and with the girls in the middle holding each other's hand Larry and Laurent are on the outside holding the other. Their speed is very slow to make sure their girls don't fall...but even in the slow skating their reaction is instant. Larry and Laurent are sure they have never seen them smile so hard. They didn't show any nervousness or fear, rather, joyful words of "wow" and "this is so cool" resound from them. They stumble slightly but even in that their smiles never fade. After several minutes of them all being connected Laurent guides Kaylee while Larry stays with Emma. They each move in front of them so that they can hold both hands. Minute by minute they're handling the ice with ease and at one point the birthday girl looks up at her papa...

Emma: *smile* "I'm ice skating papa"! 

Larry: *smile* "Yes you are my love and you're doing a great job". 

Emma thanks him then giggles as she continues to grace the ice. They get quick peeks over at Laurent and Kaylee who's just as happy as Emma. They're having such a great time that Larry and Laurent are sure there will be some resistance when it's time to leave but for now they just enjoy this time with them. As people leave the rink to either end their time or take a break to eat Larry and Laurent use the extra space to allow the girls to skate towards them after asking if they can. They're reluctant to use a lot of space so they each use a corner where there isn't too much distance between them so they will be in quick reach of them just in case. They handle it well and Emma's weekly ballet lessons are definitely an aid in how well she's doing. She has near perfect balance, elegance and grace like the beautiful ballerina she is. Larry and Laurent are able to pause in between and get pictures of their angels on their phones. It's a time of laughter and love but eventually makes them hungry so they meet up with one another and decide to take the girls over to the food stand...but before they do Larry takes a picture with the three of them and Laurent does the same. There's no way they can have a moment like this that will serve as lasting memories without pictures. The great time they've had is beautifully evident in each frame then finally they head over to get some food in their bellies. Larry and Laurent enjoyed the chili dogs and french fries so much that they order those again while the girls feast on slices of cheese pizza that completely fills them up. Eventually, their time here comes to an end. Kaylee and Emma were slightly down about leaving but their loving parents assured them that they will come back. That instantly brings smiles back to their faces so after turning in their skates they leave...

Since they drove separately and Laurent has the girls Larry picked up Ayden from mama's house who was happy to see him but fell asleep in his car seat on the way home so once they were inside Larry made a beeline for the nursery to put him in his crib. It was still fairly early in the evening so they spent the last few hours before bedtime playing a game of Monopoly Junior and when Ayden woke up he was close by in his activity saucer. He would laugh and bounce whenever he heard laughter from them. As much fun as they're having they want Emma to be well rested for her party so they start winding them down about an hour before their usual bedtime and after Ayden is back to sleep Larry and Laurent give the girls warm bubble baths which was relaxing and also perfect after being in the cold rink. They also get a bedtime story read to each of them then it's under the covers and lights out. Larry and Laurent didn't realize how tired they were because the moment their heads hit the pillows they didn't spend too much talking as they do every night about random things or just loving up on each other. They do reflect on the day's event and they're not only in agreement with what a great time they had sharing the girls first time on the ice, they're also in agreement that the next day is for sure to bring Emma lasting joy that they're happy and eager to share in...

~next day~

They had been watching the news all week for any chance of rain so they could have a backup plan since Emma's party is set to be outside. They were extremely happy that they woke up to a bright and sunny day with no dark clouds in sight. To be sure, Laurent checked the weather on his phone and the forecast is to remain this splendid all day. He then called the party planning company they hired and gave them the ok to come and start setting up. It took them about an hour and a half to get everything in place and when they were finished Larry and Laurent were speechless. Emma really wanted a candy land theme so there are two long tables where all the kids will sit and eat. There are large lollipop props centered along each table and a sweets table complete with several candy jars with various candy filled to the rim and a backdrop of three large ice cream cone props. The cake is also decorated beautifully with colors that match the overall theme and adorned with edible flower designs and beads lined perfectly between the two layers...

There are also inflatable bounce houses and other children's games set up all around. It's absolutely perfect. They go back inside and while Larry goes to check on Kaylee and Ayden Laurent goes to check on Emma. He's really quiet when he peeks into her room as he's expecting her to still be asleep only she's wide awake and Laurent chuckles because he knows it's because she's very excited about her party. He then calls out, "good morning birthday girl". Emma spins around and with that beautiful smile she runs over to be picked up then gives him a big hug. As her cheek rests on his shoulder...

Emma: "Is it time for my party papa"?

Laurent: "Not yet my love. Just a few more hours".

Emma: "Oki", she replies softly.

Laurent places her back on her feet then sweetly instructs her to go and brush her teeth while he heads to the kitchen to get breakfast started which he keeps light since the party is at noon and the food will be plentiful. The family of five have breakfast together and when they anticipate the guests arriving Emma gets changed into her specially ordered outfit that matches the colors of the theme and also has her name as well as the number 6 etched in the shirt. Staying true to the activity that she loves the most, ballet, the skirt is a tutu of rainbow colors...

Once her beautifully curly hair is sprayed then brushed the matching bow is secured on the side. With all of the kids now dressed they head out to the backyard where Emma's friends from school have gathered and she gets a first look at everything. Her eyes go wide and her mouth falls open at the candy land theme she had her heart set on. Her grandmere has also arrived and when Emma spots her she runs over to give her a big hug. From that moment on it was a sight to see watching her smile and have fun with her friends. Kaylee stays close to her sister and when they're in one of the inflatables they hold hands as they bounce up and down together. Mama, Larry and Laurent are capturing as many precious moments as they can but a photographer was also hired to ensure that they would get as many photos as possible. He's doing a stellar job so they aren't all worried about a lack. After all the running around, bouncing up and down tummies are hungry for food so they sit down to fill their bellies with a variety of foods such as cheeseburger sliders and chicken fingers. Then the time comes for the singing of Happy Birthday. Her family is by her side while electronic devices are raised all around and as everyone sings to her Emma smiles widely and beautifully. When the last melody is sung the candle is lit and Laurent bends down ear level to whisper, "make a wish bebe". Emma closes her eyes and does exactly that then opens them to blow out the candle. As the crowd claps she looks at her sister and they lean towards each other to hug. A resounding "aww" belts from the crowd and after Emma also hugs her parents then kisses her baby brother Laurent begins slicing the cake for all to enjoy...

*****

The party was a huge success. Everything about it was perfect...but the highlight was Emma's smile that never left her face though all the activity did take a lot out of her. Her sister too and they fell asleep next to each other on the couch while watching the cartoon channel. The Bourgeois family enjoyed time together as day turned into evening and after baths for all it was bedtime. Kaylee went to sleep the instant she was tucked in so they went to Emma's room who was in bed but waiting for them...

Larry: *smile* "You had fun today". 

Emma: *smile* "Yeah! Thank you for my party". 

Larry: *smile* "Welcome my love". 

Larry leans down to give her a soft kiss, whispers "I love you" which Emma sweetly says back then he stands up and to the side so Laurent can talk to her who looks down at gazes sweetly at her for a moment then in the softest voice...

 Laurent: "We're so happy you loved your party princess". *pause* "You know your papas will do anything for you. You know that right"?

Emma: "Yes papa". 

Laurent: "Oki. We love you so much". 

Emma: "I love you too". 

Laurent smiles at her then leans down to give her a soft kiss. He then looks in her eyes again and whispers...

Laurent: *smile* "Sweet dreams birthday girl". 

Emma: "Goodnight papa". 

Laurent: "Goodnight bebe". 

They leave her to sleep then it's off to their room to get ready for bed themselves. They take a relaxing shower together and after some light TV it's turned off so they can spend a few moments with only each other before they drift off to sleep...

Larry: *smile* "She was so happy today baby. Yesterday too. She really loved ice skating". 

Laurent: *smile* "I knew she would. I loved seeing her and Kaylee playing together today. Everywhere they went it was together". 

Larry: *chuckles* "Yeah". *pause* "But this weekend is going by so fast we'll be back at work before we can blink". 

Suddenly it gets quiet when normally Laurent would laugh and agree with him...but the silence is deafening and though Laurent can't see it Larry's face reads confusion as if he feels that there's something bothering him...

Larry: "What is it baby"?

Laurent: "I was just thinking for something". 

Larry: "You want to talk for that"?

Laurent: "It's nothing really because I handled it but when you said work I think for one of my students. She said she wants to do better on her tests but she was flirting with me. It made me uncomfortable so I told her that she can get tutoring".  

Larry: "If she tries again maybe you can go through the university to put her in a different class". 

*brief pause*

Laurent: "I can do that but I don't think it will happen again. It just came to my mind when you said work but we have one more day to enjoy Emma's birthday weekend so I won't worry for that". 

Larry: *smile* "Yeah so let's get some sleep. I love you". 

Laurent: *smile* "I love you too". 

After a sweet goodnight kiss Larry's head goes down on Laurent's chest and moments later he's sound asleep. Laurent isn't too far behind him...but he does wonder if Erin will attempt to go further in some way. He would hate to have to go through the such measures but he'll just remain hopeful that Erin understood that he's in no way interested in her obvious advances so he just closes his eyes to get some sleep with no thought to her previous or possible future transgression...

------------------------------  

A/N: I'm sure many of you have already raised an eyebrow at Erin and what her intentions may be. You will have to keep reading to find out my loves but I would love to know what you all think might happen so sound off in the comments! Love you guys. :)