Chapter 74
Kade and Kaia’s yelling woke me up from a dead sleep. I squinted my eyes open, letting them get used to the dim light peeking through the curtains before the sun was even up. Next to me, Xander moved slightly, his eyes meeting mine with a mix of tiredness and deep love. We exchanged a tired but happy smile, feeling the warmth of our new life as parents envelop us.
“I got them,” Xander whispered, giving me a light kiss on the forehead and getting out of bed.
“Good morning, little one,” he whispered, holding our son up against his chest. “Were you missing me?” I walked to Kaia and picked her up carefully from her crib. Her baby scent was amazing. I whispered, “Hi, sweetie,” and swayed her gently. Soon, she stopped crying and just whimpered quietly.
Looking at her, I thought, “Wow, she’s really ours.” It was hard to believe.
Xander nodded, his eyes filled with emotion. “It’s amazing. They’re so perfect.”
After the twins were fed and changed, Xander insisted on making breakfast while I rested. I protested at first, but he was adamant.
“You need your strength,” he said, kissing me softly. “I’ve got this.”
I relented, settling onto the couch with Kaia while Xander headed to the kitchen, Kade nestled securely in one arm. From my vantage point, I could see him moving about the kitchen with surprising grace, managing to flip pancakes one-handed while keeping Kade entertained.
“Look at you, Super Dad,” I teased as he expertly slid a stack of golden pancakes onto a plate.
Xander grinned, a touch of pride in his eyes. “I contain multitudes,” he quipped, making his way to the living room with our breakfast.
“I think we should take them for their first walk around Moonstone Hollow,” I suggested. “Everyone’s been dying to meet them.”
Xander nodded enthusiastically. “That’s a fantastic idea. It’ll be nice for all of us to have some fresh air.”
An hour later, we were walking down the main street of Moonstone Hollow, with the twins safely in their double stroller. It felt like everyone in town had come out to welcome us, smiling at Kade and Kaia and saying congratulations.
Lily rushed out of her shop as we passed, her arms laden with various charms and talismans. “For protection and good fortune,” she explained, draping them carefully over the stroller.
Aiden, Cyrus, and some pack members met us in the town square, each of them taking turns to gently scent the twins, welcoming them into the pack. I watched, amused, as Kade’s tiny nose wrinkled, taking in the unfamiliar smells.
“They’re strong,” Cyrus observed, peering down at the twins with an unreadable expression. “Their auras are… unique. They’re perfect,” he said firmly, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Aiden nodded, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Indeed they are. You should be very proud.”
When I got home, I found some chores that needed doing. They had been waiting for a few days. The twins were sleeping quietly in their playpen. This was my chance to clean up the living room. I figured I could use a simple magic spell to help me tidy it up.
As I started saying the spell, I felt a rush of magical power. Before I could do anything, soap bubbles started appearing in the air, growing quickly until the room was full of shiny, colorful bubbles.
“Aurora?” Xander called from the kitchen, sounding both puzzled and amused. “What’s happening in there?”
“I think Kaia might have… assisted with my spell,” I managed between giggles, gesturing to where our daughter lay in her playpen, her tiny hands reaching out towards the bubbles floating above her.
Xander crossed the room, carefully navigating through the sea of bubbles to wrap his arms around me. “Well, at least the place smells clean,” he teased, pressing a kiss to my temple.
As evening approached, Xander announced that it was time for the twins’ first bath. We gathered the necessary supplies and filled the sink with warm water, both of us a little nervous about the task ahead.
“Alright, little buddy,” Xander said, carefully putting Kade into the water. “Let’s get you nice and clean.”
As soon as Kade’s skin touched the water, something amazing happened. His whole body started to sparkle, making bright patterns of light all over the kitchen. Xander and I were amazed as the lights moved and changed, turning our regular kitchen into a colorful, swirling wonder.
“It’s so pretty,” I whispered, gently placing Kaia in the water next to her brother.
To our amazement, Kaia’s presence seemed to amplify the effect. The lights became brighter and more intricate, forming beautiful patterns that captivated us.
“They’re amazing,” Xander whispered, his voice filled with feeling. “Our tiny wonders.”
We carefully bathed the twins, both of us wishing this moment would never end. When we finally wrapped them in warm towels, their skin still softly glowing, I felt a strong sense of awe for the magical creatures we had brought into the world.
As night fell, Xander suggested we take the twins out to the porch swing. We settled in, each of us holding a sleeping baby, and watched as the moon rose over Moonstone Hollow. The air felt cool and nice, with soft sounds of crickets and leaves moving.
“I love you,” Xander said quietly, looking at me with eyes that sparkled in the moonlight. “All three of you, more than I ever imagined.”
I moved closer and gave him a gentle kiss. “We love you too,” I whispered, still close to his lips. “So much.”
I woke up in the night and Xander was not beside me. I went to the nursery and found him, softly singing a lullaby I’d never heard before to Kaia. Normally, his voice is strong, but this song to our daughter was gentle and calm.
I stood by the doorway, not wanting to break the lovely moment. As he finished the lullaby, Xander glanced up and gave a tiny, shy grin.
“Did I wake you,” he whispered.
I just shook my head and went to stand by him at the baby’s crib. “It was beautiful. Where did you learn it?”
“My mom used to sing it to me. I thought… well, I thought it might help Kaia feel closer to her roots.” he said.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. “We’ll have to teach it to Kade too.”
The next evening, Xander and I attempted to have a romantic dinner at home. We had put the twins down for a nap, set the table with candles and our best dishes, and Xander even managed to cook this beautiful meal.
We had just sat down, holding glasses of wine, when a cry came from the nursery. I exchanged a knowing look with Xander before he stood up to check on the twins.
The instant he was gone, two candles on the table whirled into a wild dance. I watched, amusement dancing in my chest, as they swayed, clearly affected by at least one magical talent that was increasing inside Kaia.
Xander returned a few minutes later, Kade in his arms. “Someone needed a diaper change,” he explained, settling back into his chair.
We had barely taken a bite of our food when Kaia began to fuss. This time, I went to tend to her, leaving Xander to entertain Kade.
“Not quite the romantic evening we planned,” Xander chuckled as we finally collapsed onto the couch, the twins sleeping soundly in their swings nearby.
I leaned on him, feeling completely happy. “I think it’s really wonderful.” I whispered.
Xander’s eyes became gentle as he looked at me. “You’re right,” he whispered, moving closer to give me a soft kiss. “It is perfect.”
The next day, we decided it was time to properly baby-proof the house. While Xander focused on installing physical barriers cabinet locks, outlet covers, and the like I worked on setting up magical wards to protect our little ones from any supernatural threats.
As I moved from room to room, weaving protective spells into the very fabric of our home, Xander and I discussed our hopes and fears for Kade and Kaia’s future.
“I worry about how they’ll fit in,” I admitted, pausing in my spell casting to watch Xander secure a bookshelf to the wall. “They’re so unique.”
Xander straightened, his expression thoughtful. “That’s true. They’ll be able to bridge the gaps between all the supernatural communities. They could bring about a new era of unity.” He said.
I smiled, “They’re going to make a huge difference, aren’t they?” I asked.
“Totally,” Xander nodded, giving me a tight hug. “We’ll support them all the way.”
After lunch, I saw Xander in his office, really focused on something at his desk. Curious, I approached him from behind so that I may see what held all of his attention.
I saw amazing drawings on his desk. They showed Kade sleeping and Kaia looking curiously at something outside the page.
I whispered to Xander, hugging him from behind, “These are incredible.”
He leaned back into my embrace, a soft smile playing at his lips. “I want to capture every moment,” he explained.
My heart filled with affection for him. He just keeps surprising and amazing me. “We should put these in frames,” I said. “They’re too beautiful to stay hidden in your sketchbook.”
The next day, we needed to get some magical supplies, so we decided to take the twins and visit Lily’s shop. As soon as we walked in, the usually neat shop turned into a mess.
Kaia, excited by all the magical energy, started giggling. With each laugh, ingredients flew off the shelves, spinning around in the air in a crazy dance.
“Oh my!” Lily exclaimed, ducking as a jar of pixie dust whizzed past her head. “She’s certainly got some power, doesn’t she?”
Xander and I scrambled to catch the floating items, apologizing profusely as we tried to restore order to the shop. But Lily just laughed, clearly delighted by the display of magic.
“No need to worry, sweethearts,” she said, brushing aside our worries. “It’s been ages since this old store has had so much excitement. Now, let’s find what you need.”
When we finally left the store, carrying bags full of supplies and a few extra charms “just in case,” as Lily mentioned, we were all tired but very happy. The twins, worn out from their magical adventure, fell asleep as soon as we got them home.
As the weeks went by, Xander and I got used to our routine with the twins. We learned to appreciate the peaceful moments in the middle of the busy life of being new parents like the day we decided to have a picnic in our backyard.
We laid out a blanket under the big oak tree, making a comfy spot with pillows for the twins. As we enjoyed our lunch, soaking in the warm sun and each other’s company, Kade let out a really happy giggle.
We were amazed when the flowers around us started to bloom, with their petals opening up in a burst of colors that covered the whole yard. Xander and I were amazed as our simple backyard turned into a beautiful paradise, all because of our son’s happy laughter.
“Well,” Xander said, his voice filled with awe, “I guess we know who’s going to be in charge of the gardening when they’re older.”
I laughed, leaning into his side as we watched Kade and Kaia coo at the flowers surrounding them. “Yeah, definitely going to keep us busy, anyway.”
It was on one very long evening, when the twins were in bed and soft music filled the room, that Xander surprised me; he held out his hand with a warm smile on his face and said, “Can I have this dance?”.
I took his hand and let him draw me near as we began swaying softly to the music.
As we danced together, I laid my head on Xander’s chest. His heart rhythm was calm and comforting. He gently hugged me and kissed my forehead.
“I truly love you,” he murmured. “More and more each day.”
I looked up at him with my heart about to burst. “I truly love you too,” I murmured, standing on my tippy-toes to give him a smooch.
But then, little kid hands started clapping, breaking us. We turned to see Kade and Kaia watching us from their playpen, their little faces alight with joy as they applauded our dance.
Xander laughed as he picked up Kade, and I lifted Kaia. We danced on, spinning and swaying softly until the twins fell asleep in our arms.
The very next day, Xander disappeared into his workshop for hours and refused to tell me what he was doing. When he emerged, he had a beautiful handmade mobile for the nursery.
“Oh, Xander,” I said in surprise, looking at the tiny moons, stars, and magical creatures hanging from the carefully balanced arms. “It’s beautiful.”
We hung it above the twins’ crib together, watching as it began to move slowly.