Theodore

"Daddy! Daddy? can I get this please?", the little voice said. I smiled down at the little girl that was a mixture of her mom and I. She had big dark hazel eyes, light caramel skin, and brown curly hair that was currently styled In two cornrows. After I finished college Jaelen and I married, even though dad and I's relationship at the time was rocky Jaelen wanted me to give him a chance so Zayla could know her grandparents.

Two years after we got married Jaelen found out she was pregnant with Zayla. It was the most nerve-wracking experience I've ever gone through, and even though she never said It I could see Jaelen was just as afraid as me. It wasn't like taking care of a puppy, we'd be someone's parents, we'd be caring for a new born baby, a little defenseless human being would be dependent on us for everything. 

During her last trimester I was beyond stressed, I would stay up to the crack of dawn In the nursery reading the baby books, my mom gave us. I was scared I'd end up lIke my dad with my child, controlling, overbearing and strict.  I understand the world is a dangerous place, and there were sick people out there. I understood why some parents were the way they are, but my dad took It to a whole nother level and tried using the Bible as a way to keep me and my brothers In line. 

But I didn't want to be that way, I wanted to be an understanding and caring parent but still discipline her when It was necessary. I loved Zayla with every fiber of my being and from the first time I held her In my arms I vowed to give my life for hers.

"Of course you can baby", I placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Theodore!", Jaelen called out, approaching us. "Did you find the confetti?".

"Look mommy, do you like my tiara? Daddy said I could get It", Zayla happily said.

Jaelen squinted her eyes at me. This little girl was gonna get me In trouble.

"Babe does she really need that she has two of them at home already. And we're supposed to be getting the rest of the stuff for Win, not shopping for ourselves".

"I know baby but you can't tell me our little princess doesn't look cute with It on. Besides I already got most of the Items off the list, we were just waiting for you".

"Look at this face, can you really deny this face", I said as me and Zayla poked our lips out.

Jaelen looks away shaking her head with a smile. "You do look, beautiful baby. You can get It but that's it, three's enough".

"Yeah!", Zayla and I shower Jaelen with affection. 

"We love you, mommy", I said, kissing her face.

"Mhm, you know y'all ain't right when you double teamed me like dat", we made our way to the checkout line.

I shrugged. "It's not my fault she's a daddy's girl".

"Boy please, all she has to do is give you the look she just gave me and it's a wrap".

"Exactly so really If you think about It, It's your fault".

I took Zayla out of the cart once we got outside. 

"And how exactly is It my fault you can't tell your daughter no?".

"She resembles her mother so much and you know It's almost impossible for me to deny you, then to make matters worse you give me a child that's a spitting image of you. You knew exactly what you were doing woman", I turned my head in the other direction .

"It's just not right, being that gorgeous should be illegal", I shook my head. And both Jaelen and I started laughing.

"You're too much sweets".

~~~~ 

"Zayla!", a cheerful Ren ran towards us and the two girls hugged as if their lives depended on it.

"Zayla come on, let's go play dolls In my room", Ren said as she and Zayla ran towards the house holding hands.

"Good to see you too my beautiful niece!", I yelled but they were already gone.

Jaelen patted my shoulders. "Don't take It personal, sweets,  you know how the girl's are when they're together. Be off In their own little world", Jaelen grabs my hand and I get the bags and make our way Into the house.

There were pink and blue decorations hanging up when we entered the kitchen. I placed the things we brought on the counter then handed Jaelen the balloon with the confetti Inside.

I leaned against the counter as I took some of the pink and blue play-doh from her and we headed towards the back yard where everyone was. Everything had come together nicely, the was multicolored pink balloons and a tea-p and the little table and blanket that sat low on the ground. Jaelen didn't make It home till after midnight, due to her and mom setting everything up, It turned out pretty good.

I spotted Josh and Kai and his girlfriend Noa, she was Latina, with shoulder length brown hair, caramel skin complexion and she was 5 '2. They've been dating for about a year now, and Kai said It was pretty serious. I was happy he'd possibly found someone. When we were in college Kai would Introduce me to a new girl every two weeks, I had begun to worry about him and thought heavily on calling Win to let her know what was going on. But Jaelen reassured me and said he was just enjoying college life and that he was going through a phase. 

I was happy he had gotten over his phase because Noa seem like she brings out the best In him, and Win and Jaelen both adore her, at the end of every month the three go together and have a girls day, while us dads hang out at Peter's places so our girls can have play dates and we watch the game or have tea parties with them.

"Theodore!, thank God y'all here", Kai pulled me Into a hug. 

"What's going on?", I raised a curious brow.

"These pregnancy hormones got Win tripping more than usual", Kai explained.

"What happened?".

"She was like were they at? I'm ready to find out what this baby is", he mocked.

"Nah, nah, don't forget the Peter we're not playing that kind of music, you know our parents are gonna be here and the kids", Josh joined In.

"But Winnie bear, Lil Jon is for everyone", they mocked Peter's voice In unison, then followed It up with a laugh.

Noa shook her head while rolling her eyes.

"Please tell me you're joking", I looked between the two.

"I wish I was. Had Win so upset she looked like she was bout ready to go upside his head with the speaker", Josh shrugs, taking a sip of whatever he was drinking.

I shake my head.

"Speak of the she devil", Kai murmured when Win and Peter made their way towards us.

He let out a groan when Noa elbowed him In the side.

"Hey bro", Peter pulled me Into a hug.

"Hey man".

Win gave a smile as I did the same with her. "How are you holding up Win?".

"Tired. It's been a long day, I'm grateful everyone came to celebrate this meaningful day with us, but Imma be glad when It's over. Imma get me some of those pinwheels mama made, waddle my lil self to that bed and call It a night".

Peter rubs her belly. "If I could baby, I would take all the stress away", he kissed her cheeks.

"Mhm, so where's that beautiful niece of mine?", Win looks around for Zayla.

"Girl, where she always is when she comes over here", Jaelen appears.

"It's so cute how close they are. My cousin's were In high school or already married when I was coming up. It's good they both have each other", Noa said.

"Shoot your uncle's and auntie's was lucky, whenever I take them somewhere they be running all around the place, they like that Tasmanian devil but ten times worse", Kai said.

"Boy stop lying, my babies, they some little angels", Win said.

"With you they probably is, shoot they know not to do that stuff with you or Jaelen. they know y'all go pull out dam switches on they behind".

"Boy you know you be meling with those kids", Jaelen waved him off.

"They be meling with me".

"These girls wouldn't hurt a fly".

Just then the girls ran out the house with frowns on their faces and what looked like juice on their dresses. "Ran and Zayla what happened to y'all dresses?", Win asked. 

"We had an accident. In my room, I-I was trying to pour the lemonade but missed the cup and It slipped and I-it got on our clothes. B-but It was an accident mama", Ran said.

Win sucked her teeth.  

"I thought I told you couldn't have any drinks up there unless you asked me or your dad. lil girl go with your daddy so he can clean you up".

Peter raised his brow. "Why me?".

"Because I'm tired, and If I do It and Imma have her go get the switch", Win confesses.

Peter quickly grabbed both the girls' hands and I followed behind him.

"See, what I'm saying?", I heard Kai say as where walking away. "They some babe babe kids".

~~~

The party would soon be ending and we were getting closer to the big reveal. Everyone had on pink and blue bottoms, based on what they thought the baby was and me, Peter, Kai, Mom were team pink and Jaelen, Josh, Dad and Noa were team blue. We play few games, and Jaelen had the girls going around making should nobody said the word baby or they wouldn't get the $200 Amazon gift cards  by the end of the night

Watched with a smile as Jaelen sat with Zayla at the table feeding her cheese cake. These two girls right there are my absolute heart, there's nothing I wouldn't do for them.

"She looks more like her mother the older she gets", dad looked on as well.

"Yeah, time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was holding her In my arms for the first time, and she'll be starting Pre-K In the fall. I just wish it would slow down just a little so I can enjoy my time with her '', I told.

Dad nodded his head. "Yeah, one by one you boys were gone before your mother and I knew what was happening", he placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's not easy raising a kid, especially during this time, with kids shooting up the school's, the awful music where they disrespect their woman, and the heinous acts from the police, It sickens me to turn on the news. Having a baby is the easy part but actually raising and sitting down to teach them wrong from right is what makes you a parent. I'm sorry Theodore If you felt like I was ever hard on you, there's no hand book that comes with parenting and I wanted to raise you boy's the way I was brought up. But looking back now I can admit I was harsh at times".

"Harsh? Try extreme dad", Josh joined In.

"That's a bit much, I wasn't that unreasonable", he rolled his eyes.

"Theodore had It easier than us, we weren't allowed to stay at the house by ourselves till we were 15 and 17", Josh said.

I let out a laugh.

"There had been a break In two town's over, beside all you boys would have been doing was laying around till your mother and I got back, when you could be at the Church doing something productive with your time".

"See", Josh said.

"What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for being so hard on you boy's and that I'm proud of the young man you've become".

"Thanks dad, that means a lot", I said.

"Daddy, mommy's said time for the review", Zayla ran to me.

I smiled then bent down to pick her up. "Thank you baby, for letting daddy know", I went to kiss her but she wiggled out of my arms.

I raise my brow.

She went to dad. "Grandpa pa", she pulled his leg pants wanting him to leave her.

He happily obliged and she let out a giggle when he tickled her tummy. 

"Grandpa pa what do you think aunt Wen is having?".

"Well sweetheart, your grandma thinks It's a baby boy, but I think It's going to be another baby girl-"

"Mommy, mommy daddy and grandpa pa said the B word", she ran In Jaelen's direction.

Dad and I shake our heads. "Should have known our little moment was too good to be true", dad pretended to be hurt.

"Alright, I'm gonna need everyone's attention. It's time for Peter and Wen's big reveal", everyone started clapping.

"Thank God!", Wen lets out.

Jaelen hands the balloon with the confetti to Wen.

"On the count of three!", Jaelen announces.

"One!".

"Two!".

"Three!", Wen and Peter popped the balloon and the pink confetti went everywhere.

"I knew it", Peter said. "I'm gonna be a proud dad of two little princesses", he excitedly said.

"Thank you to everyone that came out, but I'm really tired. Take whatever leftovers you want, I'm going Inside to take a well-needed nap", Wen Announces.

I patted Peter on the back as he approached. "Congratulations, man", we said.

"Appreciate It", He said.

"How does It feel knowing you're gonna be In a house full of girls?", Josh asked.

He shrugs. "It just takes some getting used to, till we have that boy", he joked.

I headed inside where I found Jaelen eating a cupcake. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and began rocking us back and forth. 

I kissed the side of her neck. "Can I have a bite?", she brought the cupcake up towards my lips.

I kept eye contact with her as I licked the icing before taking a bite.

"So you're officially an aunt of two girls now, how does It feel?".

"I was sure It was a boy, but whatever, Zayla and Ren got them a new addition".

"Mhm, don't think I haven't forgotten about our agreement", I placed another kiss on her neck.

She turns to face me and I quickly steal a kiss. "I haven't forgotten sweets. You just let me know what It is you want and I'll make It happen", she kisses me.

I pull her even closer. "Believe me, I'll let you know later on tonight", I whispered, In her ear and grab a handful of her bottom.

"It's already 5:30, we might as well be making our way home now", she said. I let out a chuckle.

"Alright, beautiful, but just let me hold you a little longer", I placed my face on her neck.

I had fallen In love with this girl when I was a young naive and shy teenager. I didn't know the first thing about loving someone other than my family, I could say I was fine before she came Into my life. It was calm and steady. And In the back of my mind, there was always something missing, she's what I was missing. My other half, my sweetheart. I never knew I could love someone as much as I love her. She and our daughter are the reason why I wake up In the morning with a smile on my face and with one at night. I fell In love with her when I was 17 and proceeded to love her the days moving forward.

And I'll love her till my time on this earth is up.

I adoringly stared Into her eyes. I caress her cheeks.

"I love you, Mrs. Newtown".

She rubbed the back of my neck. "I love you as well, my brilliant husband", she pulls me Into a kiss.

~~~ 

Zayla was spinning the night at mom and dads, so when me and Jaelen got home we didn't waste any time getting the other's clothes off. Jaelen was currently laying on my chest as I stared up at the ceiling while rubbing her head.

"Will you sing to me, till I fall asleep baby?", she tiredly said.

"Of course, my love", I kissed the top of her head.

"Wise men say only fool rush In, but I can't help falling In love with you", I sang.

I smiled to myself as I heard her soft breathing. I reached over, turned off the lamp, and pulled the covers over the both of us. I admired her features for a moment before I placed a kiss on top of her head.

"Good night, baby. I love you".

To all who read my story and liked It thank you ❤️ and my new stories well be coming soon. Till next time beautiful people 😚