“Make a wish then blow out the candle!” Five-year old Alex Chasez urged her little brother. Young Nicholas was one year old today. He sat in his high chair under the watchful eyes of his parents as the candle flickering in a cupcake sat before him. “Like this!” Alex puffed out her cheeks. Nicholas chortled and clapped his hands at her antics.
“You may as well do it for him, sweetie,” Tori suggested. “I think the concept is lost on him.”
Alex blew out the candle and her brother reached for the cupcake. JC quickly snatched the candle before his son decided to eat that first.
“He’ll make a mess,” Alex warned wisely.
JC grabbed her up to settle her on his hip. He was amazed; she looked more like her beautiful mother everyday. “Probably as much as you did,” he told her.
“Yes, but I got wise. I learned vanilla makes a mess less noticeable,” Tori said as she watched her son squeeze the cake between his chubby hands. His dark hair was showing signs of curl and his bright blue eyes marked him as his father’s child.
JC flicked a finger at his daughter’s nose. “As I recall you had chocolate frosting between your toes.” Alex’s birth marked the nine-month anniversary of her parents’ first time together in seven years. Unbeknownst to them, Tori was already pregnant when they had chosen to forgo the annulment. “I never quite understood how that happened. You were wearing shoes…”
“I’m talented!” Alex announced. She was a confident, happy child. Her parents were long on love, lavish with praise, and strict on discipline. She was secure in her world.
“That you are, princess.” JC set her to her feet and reached an arm around Tori. He nuzzled her. “Ready to try for number three, Momma Chasez?”
“What am I? A baby machine?” she taunted. This was a running joke between them. She loved motherhood and her children had become her chosen career.
“You make such beautiful babies,” he murmured in her ear.
“Flatterer.” She laid her head against his shoulder and sighed happily as she watched Alex explain the finer points of birthdays to Nicholas. She had to agree. She and JC did make beautiful children. “Besides, number three is already made,” she tossed out casually.
“What!” JC demanded. He grabbed her shoulders and stared at her in disbelief. “How long have you known? How soon? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Which question would you like me to answer first?” she laughed.