~~
Shawn
~~
Our time in Germany was interesting to say the least. I admit that I was a little unstable and hormonal during it. I realize that. But I couldn't help it. And then there was the fact that Dietrich was the best mate in the world even though he was going through the same things I was.
Dietrich took such good care of me while we were pregnant, so much so that I couldn't complain about a single thing. And then, the day finally came. We had had a romantic dinner together on Valentine's day, and Dietrich wanted some dessert. I was surprised by that but almost immediately after he tried to start I felt sharp pains. When Deitrich went to stand he had equal pains.
We were in labor, together. We had Griffin and Lana come to us then. We were carried down to the delivery room that Griffin had set up when he got here the week before. Things went fast and we ended up with two sets of fraternal twins that also happened to be two sets of identical twins.
Our children Alyssa, Alexandria, Levi, and Luka. Our babies looked like us, the girls like my husband and the boys like me. We spent some time getting to know our babies and getting to know how to be parents. But soon, it was time for us to head home.
I was glad we were flying on private planes. It would make taking care of the babies that much easier.
The babies had been born on the fourteenth and we were back home on the twenty third. We went straight to our house, which was in the woods not far from Trinity and Reece's estate near the housing development that Reece had made.
When we got home, with the helping hands of Griffin and Lana accompanying us, we found that there was a welcome home party for us.
Mom, Dad, Shane, Falena, Trinity and Reece with their children, David, Rawlynne, Jackson, Vincent and his family, and Gabriel. Everyone I was close with was there. The moment I walked in through the door my mom ran to my side, happy and angry at the same time.
"SHAWN!" She called out to me. She had clearly wanted a hug but I was holding Luka in my arms at the time. "Shawn?" She said my name again, curiosity in her eyes and voice.
"What's this?" Dad asked as he joined Mom at my side.
"Well, we have a surprise for you guys."
"Are these children your?" Mom asked, she was looking at Luka in my arms and Levi in Lana's arms.
"Yes, yes they are."
"And these two look like Dietrich." Dad smiled at Alexandria and Alyssa.
"They're our children."
"Did you get surrogates?" Mom asked me as she cooed over the babies. "You got surrogates and made us grandparents."
"No surrogates mom." I smiled at her. Since the babies were born I was no longer embarrassed, I was ready to tell my family the truth. I was ready to tell them what really happened.
"I don't understand." Dad frowned at me.
"We carried them. Dietrich and I."
"Wait? Are you telling me you left because you were pregnant?" Shane yelled from across the room. "Are you fucking serious?"
"We both were." I didn't feel upset or angry at all when he said this. "It was magic and it allowed us to have our own children."
"So you had twin boys and Dietrich had twin girls?" Mom asked me, taking this all in stride with a happy smile.
"No."
"So you had the girls?" Dad asked then.
"No." Dietrich answered that time.
"I'm confused." Shane scratched his head.
"We each had one of each." I told them.
"But they're two sets of identical twins." Dad pointed out.
"And they were conceived with magic." I also pointed out. "So we had them split between us.
"Oh my goodness. This is amazing news." Mom was jumping for joy then. "I am a grandmother to four babies at once. We have quadruplets Franklin. We have such a big family now."
"I know what you mean, sweetheart. I am happy as well. We have seen what our son is capable of." They were beaming at us then, smiling with joy at their grandchildren.
"Don't forget that I am an uncle. And Falena is an Aunty. Oh, and Shawn will be an uncle before too much longer as well." Shane was adding happily.
"Really?" I was surprised to hear what he had to say.
"Yes, she's due next month." Shane looked like a proud father, I knew that feeling well. I had felt that feeling while I was pregnant and every moment since when I looked at my children.
"Our kids can be close, almost like siblings." Dietrich smiled at Shane. "I am happy for you Shane, you will know the joy of parenthood so soon."
The party commenced then. Everyone present was giving advice and taking turns to meet our children. Mom and Dad were making plans to stay with us for a while, to help take care of the babies until we hired a full time nanny, if mom even allowed a nanny other than herself.
We were all ready to settle into our new lives with our family. Mom and Dad were happy to have the babies there. Shane was a proud uncle and father to be. Falena looked like a radiant expectant mother. Trinity was already a wonderful mother. Reece was a protective and doting father. And Dietrich was being the best husband and father to our children that I could have asked for. What more was there to want out of life?
We settled into our bed for the night, the nursery that Reece helped to set up for us was right next to our room so we would be close if the babies needed us. Mom and Dad were settled into the room on the other side of the nursery, fully intending to pull their weight when it came to helping with their newborn grandchildren.
Life was perfect.
~~~~~
Five Years And A Half Later
~~~~~
Shawn
~~~~~
It was a bright morning in late August, the sounds of kids fighting and laughing could be heard no matter where I went in the house. I had just finished packing four lunches. I was preparing four backpacks. And even with all that I had to do, I never once felt like I wanted anything else. This was my life, our life, just me, Dietrich, and our beautiful children.
"Alex, stop picking on your brother." Dietrich was yelling from down the hall as he helped to tie Ally's shoes.
"But Papa, he was being silly again." Alex whined in her adorable little voice.
"Was not." Luka pouted.
"Was too!" Levi added. "You were walking in the dark again. You know we can't do that when we get to the school."
"I know." Luka hung his head. "It's just so much fun."
I walked to Luka's side and knelt next to him. He looked so much like me and his Uncle Shane that it made me remember back to when Shane and I were this age. Only, there were just the two of us and I have four this age. It was usually a chaotic time.
"Luka, I know that you're a good boy, and a smart boy too. I know you won't do anything that you're not supposed to."
"I won't Daddy. I promise."
"We know, Luka." Dietrich smiled at him as he stood, Ally now ready for us to leave.
Today was their first day of school. The first day of Kindergarten. What was I going to do? I think my heart was just about to break.
We got the kids into the car, strapped them in securely and set off. We had other ways of getting them to school, but we chose a normal family way. Even though they were much, much more sturdy than other kids their age.
When we arrived at the small school that Reece and Trinity had built just for the use of our community we all got out of the car. The kids alternated naturally, boy, girl, boy, girl. It was like they didn't even have to talk about it, they all went to where they were used to going.
Dietrich and I went to follow our brood into the school but they stopped us immediately.
"No Daddy, you two stay here." Ally said firmly.
"That's right, we're big kids now." Levi added in his soft voice.
"We want to go in alone." Alex, a born leader, spoke next.
"We don't want the other kids picking on us." Luka rounded our their refusal to have their dads walk them in.
"Why would they pick on you?" Dietrich asked with his head tilted to the side.
"Because if you walk us in we will look like babies." They all four spoke with perfect timing. They really were a perfect set of quads.
"Alright, we get it." Dietrich laughed. "Do we get hugs and kisses at least?"
They thought about that for a second before coming to an instantaneous and unanimous decision.
"YUP!" They all ran to us, jumping into our arms. We hugged them, holding them tight and kissing them all over their faces.
After that, they held hands and walked away in one long line. I felt the tears begin then as my heart shattered.
"It will be just fine, Liebling. They will be home later today." Dietrich pulled me to his side, hugging me gently.
"I know, Geliebte. But I miss them already."
"Makes you wish we could have more, huh?" He chuckled into my ear.
"Shut your fucking mouth." I snapped at him as I pulled away to get back into the car.
But he wasn't wrong.
