𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐄

Logan hadn't ever imagined that he'd be looking forward to celebrating the holidays. Never thought he'd could find enjoyment in it. It wasn't like he had a reason before. It wasn't like his family is exactly all that close, but things are different now. He has Maggie, their son and another on the way. " He really does seem to be enjoying the brightness of the lights and decorations, huh? " A faint laugh escaping his lips. Though he is hoping that Maggie isn't over doing things. Even if it just involves making sure Logan Jr. doesn't hurt himself or break anything. " You're right. Christmas was always something my mother looked forward to every year when we were children. I know since he has been born that she has been looking forward to making things special for him. Which brings me to the fact that she actually invited us over for Christmas dinner... "

"That he does." Their son made it a sport to chase the decorations. The second Maggie had her back turned, he made a beeline for that tree, laughing as he did. He knew she would not get mad and he was right. It just seemed ridiculous to her to get mad for such things and she chased him instead. Not that it was getting easier, their latest addition to their family growing weekly in a way that made her less mobile. "What was your favorite thing about it? We could try to have that for our kids too, keep some of the good things going." Logan's next words had the woman silent for a few seconds. Maggie loved his mother, she truly did, but his father was harder to take in. He was responsible for so much hurt in her husband life that she never made it a priority to get along with him. But his mother invited them over was huge and Maggie could play nice for one night. "If you want us to go, we'll go. Has she invited Celia and Adrian too? I know Logan would be excited." And probably dead asleep in his plate before the end of the dinner. "If things turn sour, we can use the pregnancy as an excuse to bail," she said teasingly.

" I am sure that my father doesn't think anything of it. " It was easy for Nora to say such a thing when in reality if anyone was going to get a lecture from her old man it would be the male that stood before her. " Why are you being so over dramatic about it? I thought that you'd like the face that I found a way around having an easy way for us to share a kiss? "

Clayton was going to kill him, or at least fire him and Micah really needed this job. This was all he was good at and he couldn't loose. "Clay has one rule Nora, one, for all his men. To stay away from you. I'm not being dramatic, I'm being realistic." Micah didn't like arguing with Nora but they both had been foolish to think they could get away with it. "Nora, I think we should cool things down," he finally said without looking at her. It was the last thing he wanted but he didn't know what else to say right now.

" I would like to think that I am a pretty great secret keeper. " Just by the way that Beatriz has spoken he can tell that whatever it is must be something major. " I think it is only fair that I get to know before, Nora if it is a gift for her. I have to make sure that she is really going to enjoy it. " Clay holds not doubts that Nora would love anything that is to come from Beatriz.

"Yes, you are," she said with a laugh. They both were, after all, they had kept their relationship secret for a while. "She's going to enjoy to idea of it but when it gets here, she might change her mind for a few months." She was teasing him now, seeing if he would understand what it was. This, Clayton and Nora, a family, it was everything she ever wanted but didn't know if she would get. She loved Nora as if she was her own daughter but she always made sure not to be one, not to replace Jolene. But this baby, she knew she wouldn't love them more than Nora but differently and that she could be a mother. "But it's actually more something from the both of us than just me."

" i explained to him that it was just an innocent mistletoe kiss. || @kercsene ||

"That's not better Nora," he said with a sigh. "He's going to think that I'm just taking advantage of you or something."

" you said you had a big surprise of a gift for nora and i? do i have to wait to find out at the same time as her? " || @kercsene ||

"Maybe you should," the woman said with a grin. Nora was the only one who didn't know they wanted to add to their family but it would still be a surprise to Clay. "Think you can keep a secret until Christmas cowboy?"

" i know that he is still young, -- but i do hope that christmas is still magical for him. " || @kercsene ||

"You saw his face when he saw the tree and I'm spending most of my days stopping him from grabbing the lowest decorations," Maggie said with a soft laugh. "It's more than magical and I think we have a few years of that left, with him and the other ones."

Growing up there had been times that Logan found himself going to work with an hour or two of sleep. In his youth he definitely regretted that choice, but now as an adult it just seemed to be something that hadn't bothered him. Since becoming a father he did his best to also to help Maggie get sleep during the night when their son would wake up on the rare occasion through the evening. Now that she is pregnant, Logan felt like resting more is something that his wife needed. " Glad our feeling is mutual on lacking sleep when the other is not in bed. " A tired, playful smirk forming upon the male's lips. Making his way towards the coffee maker. Knowing that if he is going to stay up with Maggie he is going to need the caffeine. " A girl? " In a truthfulness, Logan hadn't really thought about the possibility of them having a daughter this time. Maybe it had just been because he'd been so use to being a boy dad. Though that doesn't mean that he wasn't up for the idea of becoming a girl dad. " I'd like to think that I'll have the protective thing down pat. " Logan teases, but knows it is the truth.

Going to bed next to Logan every nights was actually one of the things she loved the most about being with him. Even when they didn't go to bed at the same time, there were very few things Maggie loved more than that. Getting out of bed in the middle of the night was not ideal but she also didn't want to wake Logan up. Which, apparently, she had done anyway. "No, you're not making coffee. You're going back to bed baby, you need the rest." She could nap when their son was napping but not Logan. And with their family expanding, and them wanting more than two, Logan wouldn't be able to be has hands on, at least not when it came to her. "A girl," she echoed with a smile. "I didn't get this nauseous with Logan and it just feels so different." It was more of an instinct thing than anything else but then again, she was sure her first pregnancy was a boy and she had been right. Maggie knew gender didn't matter but she liked the idea of having a girl. Their son was a total daddy's boy and she had no doubts their daughter would be as well. "You know what? I think our son might beat you to that eventually. Have you seen him with your sister lately? He almost screamed when Adrian hugged her the other day." Maggie laughed at the memory of it. There was no denying that their son was in total adoration with his aunt. "Honestly, I'm going to have some ginger tea and come join you. And I'll pack my nightstand with ginger drops so that I won't wake you up. I hate that you're missing sleep because of me. And anyway, I'm way more comfortable in bed with you than in the kitchen." They would be back to very little sleep soon enough and Maggie wanted her husband to get as much sleep as possible.

" Oh come on, I am sure that you've got a favourite? " Celia is more than aware of the fact that Adrian is wanting to give her the wedding of her dreams. However, she is also wanting him to have his own touches in their wedding. The days is suppose to be special for the both of them. " Truthfully, I am not exactly sure myself. There is the option of playing it safely and going with vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, or we could try something we both agree on. Your input is just as important to me than mine to you. "

"I honestly don't know," Adrian said with a grin. He was honest, all these cakes tasted amazing and it was hard to decide on one. Adrian never gave much thought to getting married, not before Celia, so he never gave much thought to the things he wanted for that day. All he really knew was that he wanted to spend his life with Celia and have the privilege to call her his wife. "Their vanilla cake is good. Like, the best I've ever had. But are we vanilla?" The question was asked teasingly with undertone of something else. "I think we shouldn't play it safe."

" I agree, and I think that it suits you amazingly. As much as I don't want to think about, I am sure that my brother will have a hard time keeping his hands off of you in it. " Celia laughs awkwardly, but she already knows that her sister in law and brother are very much all over each other. The blonde is smart enough to know what Maggie had meant with her remark. " I'm getting another nephew or a niece? " A smile forming upon her lips once her question left her lips.

"He doesn't need some fancy dress for that," Maggie replied with a laugh. And it was true, Logan never needed her to wear pretty clothes or such things to want her. Even now, with one kid and another on the way, things had barely been less fiery between them, more for a lack of time than anything else. Truly, she was lucky to him, for so many reasons. "Two under two, you must think we're insane." This was far from what Maggie thought her life would be and yet, it was perfect. "The dress will need more room by them, if that's okay with you. I understand if you don't want a pregnant woman in the bridal party."

It'd be a lie to say that Finlay imagined that he'd find himself in a serious relationship after his failed marriage. In all truthfulness he hadn't been looking for anything serious when he met Caroline. He knew not everyone got lucky to get a second chance at love, so he considered himself a very lucky man to. Male scrunches his nose up slightly at the mention of costumes being required. " Last I heard they were trying to figure out what superhero each of them wanted to be. I don't think we will truly know the answer until drop off that day. I wasn't exactly planning on dressing up.. " Fin laughs awkwardly

"I have no doubts you weren't planning on dressing up," Carrie teased with a laugh. "Probably end up being Batman or Superman, they're classics at that age." She remembered her brothers going through that phase, same as some of her cousins. They were classics that never got old. Meeting Finlay and falling in love with him had not been the plan, Caroline wasn't even certain how long she would be in town at first, if she would really be able to make it on her own. But it seemed like she was and now there was him and the boys. "You should surprise them," she said, not daring to say that they should surprise them. "Pick them up in costume before going trick or treating. Only way I'm doing it with you guys, costumes." As if she would pass the chance of doing that with them.

Being included in Finlay's life, in the boys' lives, mattered a lot to Caroline but she always feared that she was stepping on someone's toes. Blush covered her cheeks as Finlay invited her to join them, bright smile lighting her up features. "If I'm joining you, costumes are required," she answered teasingly. "What are the boys wearing? What are you wearing?"