You Stayed With Us

Our Little Universe

Jennie's POV

The backyard was quiet, except for the soft chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves in the warm summer breeze. Lisa had dragged out a massive blanket and a pile of pillows, and somehow, between the two of us, we managed to corral all the kids without losing anyone in the chaos. Even Cooper had wandered out and plopped down on the edge of the blanket, letting out a satisfied huff as though this had been his idea all along.

"Everyone got their spot?" I asked, kneeling beside Scarlett, who was already half-buried in a mound of pillows, her little legs kicking like she was a tiny rocket ready to launch.

"I'm ready for space, Mommy!" she chirped, pointing at the sky with a dramatic flourish. "I'm gonna see aliens!"

Lisa chuckled from the other side of the blanket, adjusting her own pillow. "You just want to run around like last time."

Scarlett gasped, pretending to clutch her chest. "I am very serious, Dada! Very. Serious."

Ella rolled her eyes, but there was a soft smile tugging at her lips. "You're going to be the first four-year-old to get abducted, I swear."

"Nooooo! I'm gonna be famous!" Scarlett yelled, waving her arms like she was conducting an orchestra of imaginary UFOs.

I laughed quietly and gently tugged her down so she was lying next to me, her head resting against my arm. "Aliens might be busy, baby. But the stars are real. That's our own little galaxy up there."

The twins had already thrown themselves onto the blanket, squabbling over who got the pillow closer to me. "I want the star pillow!" Noah whined.

"No fair! I touched it first!" Nathan shot back, flopping onto his own pillow like a tiny sea lion.

I nudged both of them with my shoulder. "You're both touching stars now. That counts, right?"

"Doesn't count!" they shouted in perfect unison, but even in their outrage, I could see them glancing at the sky, their eyes reflecting tiny specks of starlight.

Lisa settled next to me, her hand finding mine instinctively. "Look at them," she whispered.

I squeezed her hand, watching Scarlett wiggle her way toward the center of the blanket. "Yeah. They're... amazing. Every single one of them."

Ella, lying on her back with her hands folded behind her head, let out a small sigh. "Remember the water fight we had by the pool last week? That was insane."

Nathan groaned dramatically. "I got soaked! But it was fun. I almost knocked Noah into the pool."

"No you didn't!" Noah protested, puffing out his chest like he'd been a hero in some epic battle.

"I tried," Nathan corrected, pointing a finger at him, and the twins started laughing uncontrollably, rolling around on the blanket, staring up at the stars.

Scarlett clapped her hands in delight. "And the ice cream day! I ate three scoops and almost got a brain freeze! But it was yummy!"

"You did get a brain freeze," I reminded her softly, rubbing her back.

"Not serious brain freeze!" she argued, wagging her little finger. "Fun freeze!"

I laughed so hard that I almost snorted. Lisa shook her head, smiling, leaning her head against my shoulder. "They've really grown so much this summer."

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "Yeah. And I... I'm just so proud. Every single day."

Ella propped herself up slightly to look at me, her voice gentle. "Mom?"

I turned to her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, baby?"

"I'm glad we're... you know, a family. The way we are. Even with all of the mess."

I blinked back a tear, smiling softly. "Me too, Ella. Me too."

Noah, clearly sensing the mood, plopped onto my chest and whispered, "I love you, Mommy."

Nathan echoed, "Me too!"

Scarlett jumped up, grabbing my other hand. "And me! And Dada too! I love you forever!"

Lisa squeezed my hand tighter, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Forever. That's a long time."

I hugged them all, feeling the weight of their little bodies against mine, warm and soft and impossibly alive. "I'm lucky," I whispered, my voice thick. "Lucky to be your Mommy. Lucky to have you all."

Scarlett snuggled into my shoulder. "And I'm lucky to be a star kid!"

I laughed, rocking slightly back and forth. "The best star kid ever."

Lisa rested her chin on my shoulder, and I could feel her quiet breathing. "Jen... I'm so proud of you. Of all of us. The way we've built this... this little world together."

I swallowed hard, tears brimming. "I... I just can't believe it sometimes. And how... lucky I am to be here with all of you. After everything."

Lisa kissed my temple softly. "You're the best mother for them. You've been their heart through it all. And I wouldn't want anyone else but you."

I leaned my head against hers, feeling the calm of the night settle over us. The kids were quiet now, staring at the stars, their breathing soft and even. Even Cooper had shifted to lie across our feet, tail thumping lightly on the blanket.

I looked around at my family—our little universe—and felt a swell of emotion so big it was almost dizzying. All the memories, all the laughter, all the moments that had made us scream, cry, and fall apart... had built this. This perfect, messy, beautiful life.

"Promise me one thing," I whispered, mostly to myself but loud enough for Lisa to hear.

"Hm?"

"That we always... watch the stars like this. Together."

Lisa squeezed my hand, her eyes glistening in the dim moonlight. "Always. And I'll be right here, Jen. Every single time."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, letting the night and the quiet wash over me. For once, the noise of our world felt like peace. The kind of peace that comes from knowing you've made it, that you're home, and that you're exactly where you belong.

And as the kids pointed out constellations and argued over which star was brightest, and Scarlett whispered secrets to Cooper, I smiled through my tears, knowing that this—this family, this life—was everything I had ever wanted.