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Chapter Sixty Seven - March 15

The guys and I had initially booked ourselves a little family vacation time after the concert in Oslo. Unfortunately, my family was all the way across the ocean. So, with my free time, I figured that the best thing to do if they couldn't come to me was for me to come to them.

After all, a certain little girl of mine was turning two.

I took a late night flight out on March 13th. I left a note posted to AJ's door. The water incident had left him sicker than a dog. Even though I had gotten the brunt force of the water, I was feeling great.

Eleven hours later, I landed in Miami. It was two o'clock in the afternoon. I stopped at the mall and bought a small easel, a baby doll, and a little tiny stroller. After getting them gift wrapped (don't trust me with paper and tape), I headed home.

In my mind I was picturing this vintage 50's scene in my head where the dad comes home and the family cheers.

I think for a second I forgot who my family was.

The moment I opened the door it was mayhem. Angel was in front of the TV with Liv's birthing ball running through a DVD. Brooke was running around and around chasing two of the dogs who looked scared out of their minds. Noah was attempting to climb up to the kitchen counter and I heard the unmistkable sound of splashing coming from the bathroom.

On Brooke's umpteenth circle around the couch I swooped down and scooped her up. She screamed until she realized who I was.

"DADDY!"

Noah was half-way up the chair when he stopped and broke into a smile. He slid back down to the floor.

"DADA! DADA!"

Angel was mid-hump on the ball. She turned and looked at me in surprise.

"What are you doing home?"

Brooke was lightly smacking the side of my face, trying to get my attention.

"Where's Liv?"

Angel smiled. "Two of the dogs got sprayed by a skunk this morning. She's up to her elbows in tomato juice."

"Oh boy."

With Brooke still in my arms, I headed towards the bathroom. Along the way, Noah wrapped his arms around me. I looked like a baby-fied mummy as I shuffled towards the door. I pushed it open and looked around in horror.

If I hadn't known it was tomato juice, I would have sworn that the bathroom had become a crime scene. Two wriggling black and white dogs kept trying to jump out of the tub and Liv was completely covered.

And then there was the horrible smell.

"Need some help?"

Liv whirled around. I heard the sound of a plastic cup hitting the tub.

"Oh my God."

"YUCK!" Brooke said. She covered her nose with her hands.

"UG!" Noah said. He let go of my leg.

I grinned.

What a welcome home.

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"MY BEEBEE!"

It was almost midnight and we were just getting around to presents. Which in a way worked out, since it was officially March 15, otherwise known as little bug-a-boo's birthday.

"That's a pretty baby," Liv said with a smile. "What's baby's name?"

"NoNo!"

Noah lifted his head from Liv's chest and smiled. I studied the little baby doll with the cute bows in her hair.

"I think it's a girl, sweetie."

"NoNo!"

I laughed. "Whatever you want."

As she was unwrapping the stroller, I looked over at Liv.

"I need to have a talk with you missy."

She looked surprised. "What?"

"You helped Howie try to kill me."

She started to laugh. "Did he lock you out of the building in your undies?"

"Not only did he do that but he turned the hose on me. I almost died."

Liv smirked. "You look fine to me."

I smiled. "How fine?"

She rolled her eyes. Brooke peeled back the paper.

"BEEBEE GO!"

I laughed. The poor little baby was smashed headfirst into the seat.

"What a good mommy," I said. Liv laughed.

Noah eyed the stroller with interest. Brooke's little arms reached up and she began to push the thing. She couldn't even see over it. About ten seconds into the walk, she smacked into the wall.

"Beebee BOOM!"

"That is so cute!"

I looked up. Angel was in her PJ's and she looked like she was tearing up. I smiled.

"How's those hormones?"

She rolled her eyes. "I am not hormonal."

Yeah right.

"So you having a taco or a hot dog?" I asked. She looked at me.

"What?"

"Are you having a girl or a boy?"

She stared at me a moment. She made a face.

"You're gross."

Liv made a face. Obviously the girls weren't appreciating my humor.

"So?"

Angel pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

"I'm not finding out. I want to be surprised."

"So is that why you bought out about eighteen different baby clothing stores?"

Angel laughed. "I'm just nesting. Maybe what I don't use I'll give to Liv."

Liv smiled. They had obviously had some type of prego bonding experience while I was gone.

"We will accept any donations," I said. "I have lots of mouths to feed."

At that moment the stroller ran over my foot. Brooke giggled.

"Daddy, go."

The only place daddy really wanted to go was bed. I kissed the top of her head.

"Open your last present, sweetie."

She tugged the poor baby doll out of the stroller and dragged her (er, him...er, whatever) to the last present. She tore off the paper and studied the easel.

I was hoping for some little squeal like she had done with the baby and the stroller. Nothing to it. She smiled. Held the baby up so he/she/it could see it and headed back to the stroller.

Noah, on the other hand, studied the bright happy sunshine on the side of the box and got uber excited.

"Well, I guess we'll keep it for when Noah's old enough," I said with a shrug.

Liv stood up. "One of our kids will appreciate it, I'm sure."

"If Noah doesn't and number three doesn't then you know what that means..."

Liv just gave me a look. She kissed Noah's cheek and headed towards the stairs. I looked down at Brooke. She looked like she was ready to give baby a ride again. Instead I scooped her up and then, before the meltdown started, gave her the baby doll.

"Time for night night," I said. Brooke gave the plastic baby head a big kiss.

"Beebee NoNo night night," she said.

I laughed and carried her to the nursery. I headed out of Brooke's room just as Liv came out of Noah's. We switched to give our goodnight kisses and then met back out in the hallway. Liv wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned into me.

"I hope you're not too mad at me," she said. I smiled. Her eyelashes tickled my face.

"I guess I can forgive you for helping the enemy," I said. I kissed her softly. She pressed forward, making the kiss so much more than just a simple loving peck. I felt her tongue on my lips and slowly opened my mouth to let her inside.

Sometimes pregnancy hormones were an amazing thing.

We tripped over ourselves on the way to the bedroom, a mixture of husky breathing and laughter. As Liv and I fell into the mattress, she was already lifting my shirt over my head.

"I'm not going to be home long," I whispered. She tossed the shirt across the room and her hands splayed across my groin.

"Then we better make every second count, right?" she asked. As my mind began to fill with sluggish naked images, all I could do was nod.

I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be getting to sleep for awhile.

Yet, suddenly that seemed all right with me.