Our Time Will Come - An After Story

41

Tessa

"Oh my gosh, dear you look stunning!" Karen greets me as I open the door to her. If I look anything, it certainly isn't stunning. This is the face of a tired mom who's bags under her eyes need a luggage cart! "It's so good to see you!" I tell her while wrapping my arms around her. If anyone's looks stunning, it's her, she's wearing a beautiful floaty dress, a pair of trendy sunglasses are resting on top of her freshly styled hair.

"Oh my god, I literally cannot wait to meet the little guys" Abby chimes in as she arrives at our doorstep. "They can't wait to meet you, Aunt Abby" I pull her in for a hug.

Ken is struggling to pull Karen's many suitcases up the path and I can't help but laugh at how out of breath he looks. "Seriously Karen? How many bags do we need for two days?" He scoffs. "Do not make me Kenneth you, Ken. You know that we have all of our grandchildren's gifts In them bags" she glares at him and I chuckle as Ken shakes his head at her. "Hi love! You look great for a new mom! Oh how I can't wait to meet the little ones" he rambles as he eventually makes it to our front door.

"Come in, come in!" I tell the three of them who are pooling at our door step. Ken catches his breath and then picks up the bags once again. "Put them down, that's what we have Hardin for" I tease as I gesture for them to come inside. "Hardin, the families here, come get the bags" I yell at my husband who comes flouncing down the stairs. He looks mighty fine, I must say. He's wearing a pair of black ripped jeans, with a cream coloured turtleneck jumper, his muscles are accentuated and he hasn't shaved, but I kind of like it, the beard is neat and as long as he keeps it that way, we don't have a problem. "Coming!" He rolls his eyes, hiding how happy he really is to see his father, Karen and Abby. They make a fuss of him as they enter our hallway. "Yeah yeah yeah, hi, nice to see you bla bla" he rudely remarks. "Hardin" I grunt, giving him my warning eyes.

Hardin collects the families bags and places them into the spare bedrooms that they will be staying in. "So, where is Vance and the others at? didn't you guys board the same flight?" Hardin grows confused. "Vance, Kim and the kids have gone to get settled into their home first, they should arrive within the hour or so. Vance was kind of in a foul mood, I told him to cheer up as you only get to meet your twin grandchildren for the first time, once. Carol and David should be here any minute now, their cab was a little late" Ken explains. Makes sense I guess. I'm excited to see Kim.. but all I care about right now is giving my mother the biggest cuddle I've ever given her. "Landon, Nora and Addy are on the way!" I announce as my phone pings.

Hardin nods his head before deciding to wind up his sibling. "Yes Abster, how's it going?" He smirks, he loves calling her anything but Abby, her name. "Call me that again and there'll be serious repercussions" she threatens in sarcasm, though I'm not sure she's joking, she takes after Hardin with her feistiness. "Woah, calm down! don't get crabby, Abby" Hardin bursts out into a fit of giggles at his own childish antics, but is interrupted when Saffron lets out an almighty wail from her bassinet and her brother joins in seconds later. "Well, the babies are up" Hardin and I say in sync. "Oh my gosh, that is just too precious" Karen fans her eyes to prevent the tears that are so desperate to escape, at the sound of our babies cry.

Hardin and I head over to the twin's bassinets to retrieve them, and return back to the sitting area seconds later with a baby each. "Nana, grandpa, and Aunt Abby, meet baby Saffron and Miller Scott" I proudly introduce them. I can't disguise the beam that is creeping upon my face. They look so scrumptious. Miller is dressed in a beautiful little outfit. A pale blue shirt with a bow tie, underneath a pair of navy shorts, with little suspenders attached to them. We had to have this outfit specially made as we had no idea he was going to be so tiny.

"Aren't our baby siblings beautiful?" Emery's voice echos through the hall as her and Auden join us. "Emery, Auden. Come here and give Nana and grandpa a cuddle" Karen orders and the pair oblige, also acknowledging Abby. The pair join us in the sitting room and watch, as their grandparents witness the same joy that they did the first time they met the babies.

Saffron is wearing a gorgeous, lilac frilly dress, with frilly white socks to match, I paired it with a lilac headband with a little flower attached to it. I forgot how good it feels to dress a newborn baby girl in all girly clothes.

I hand Miller over to Ken right away and he is unaware of how to old him with him being such a tiny dot. "Don't worry, he's fine" I reassure him as he supports his head. "Wow, he looks so much like Auden! It's uncanny" he beams down at his new Grandson. Hardin places Saffron in Karen's arms and she's instantly in floods of tears. "Hello missy! I'm your Nana. And you're just bloody gorgeous aren't you? Yes you are! Yes you are" she whispers to her while tickling her cheek. Ken and Karen eventually swap babies and meet each twin for
The first time. "They're just so tiny, you guys deserve a medal after everything you've been through!" Karen's eyes begin to water, yet again.

"Okay, now me!" Abby demands, desperate to meet her new niece and nephew. Hardin smirks to himself while placing Miller in her arms. Abby can't seem to take her eyes off of him. She glares into his bright blue eyes, admiring him, before meeting his sister and doing the same. That girl will make the best mommy one day, I just know it.

After a little while, the twins start to become cranky so Hardin and I see to them and we're distracted by the doorbell ringing. "I'll get it" Hardin chimes, while placing Miller into his bassinet. I do the same with baby Saffron and join him at the door.

"Look who I found roaming the streets of Brooklyn" Landon's eyes are full of humour and my mother is stood behind him with a face like thunder, David is by her side and looks just as amused as Landon. I look around to spot Nora and Addy and I wave at them as they make their way over from the car.

"Oh ha ha" my mother scoffs. "Im just kidding. I just saved her from the airport after her cab didn't turn up" Landon explains. "Forty five minutes we were stood waiting at that damn airport, I feel like giving that driver a piece of my mind" my mother snaps. I try to hide the smirk that is seeping upon my face.

"But you're here now and that's all that counts" i wrap my arms around my mother, unable to control the quiet sob that is escaping my lips. "Oh baby, whatever is the matter?" She grows concerned. "Nothing, I'm just so happy to see you. I've never wanted my mother more than I have in these last couple of weeks and you're here" I add, while pulling away from our embrace. Landon and David are talking amongst themselves, when Nora and Addy follow. I am so happy to see everyone it's unreal. We all head inside, Landon helps David take their bags upstairs and Hardin sits everybody at the tables that we earlier prepared.

My mother gets to meet her twin grandchildren for the first time, sobs at how tiny and beautiful they are and David is over the moon because of how happy she is. It makes my heart sing. Landon and Nora get to meet their new niece and nephew for the first time. Addy meets her new baby cousin's and everybody is buzzing with joy and getting to reunite with each other.

After a while, the twins are sound asleep and the champagne is flowing, Hardin and I aren't drinking but the others are enjoying the celebration. Emery, Addelyn and Abby are sat at a table together. I catch some of their conversation and I hear Emery warning the girls to 'be cool' when Charlie gets here as it will be the first time either of them have met her sweet boyfriend, how cute.

Hardin, Ken, Landon, David and Auden are sat around another table, chatting away and rather loudly laughing. I'm seated with my mother and Karen who are asking about all the gory details from the birth. I recap them on how Miller came out in the car and how great Hardin was, but yet saffron was born in the hospital and he fainted. The two break into a fit of giggles at the thought. We are interrupted by a knock at the door, It has to be Vance, Kim and the kids. Hardin gets up to answer it and I join him at the door to welcome our guests.

"Hiii" I chime as I answer the door and see Christian and Kimberly. Smith and Raya are stood in the far distance and I wonder why they look so concerned. My eyes clock Kimberly, who also looks just as worried, her mascara has run down her face and she appears to be shaking. Then I realise why. Vance literally looks like a raging bull who is about to do something he'll seriously regret. His fists are clenched and his eyes are violent.

"Vance, what the fuck. Are you okay?" My husband reasons with his biological father. "Am I okay?" He scoffs, his breath reeks of some Kind of liquor. He is clearly intoxicated and I fear what he might do if we allow him to charge in here. Hardin blocks the
Door way and bats his chest, gesturing him to back off, calm down and explain what the hells happened.