Forever Blaze (Sequel to Good Match)

Chapter Twenty-Six

"What have you been up to, Soph?" Mr. Forkle asked, smiling. 

"Well, mostly just fighting with him," she said, pointing to Keefe.

"What did you do now?" Mr. Forkle asked, chuckling. 

"It's all her," he said, gesturing. 

"It's him," she said. "He impregnated me." 

"You're pregnant," Mr. Forkle said with a gasp. 

She nodded, grinning. "Yeah. We don't know the gender yet but we, obviously, know it's just one. Thank gosh." 

"We've been fighting over the nursery," Keefe continued. "I think it's stupid to give the baby its own room when it's going to be spending all its time in our room."

Mr. Forkle shook his head then turned back to her. "You're like, really pregnant?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Is it a problem that me and my husband only waited a year into our marriage to have a kid?"

Mr. Forkle waved the comment. "Like... I know I said that it was very possible that you could get pregnant but it's like... You can get pregnant. Imagine how powerful your kids will be. Knowing how powerful Keefe is and how really powerful you are. It's amazing." He grinned. "How'd Grady take it?"

"Pretty well," she answered, smiling. "He was surprised but he's really liking the idea of being a Grandpa. After Jolie died I don't think Edaline and Grady even thought of the words."

"Jolie. . . Man, her death seems so far away," he said, frowning to himself. 

Sophie smiled. "I would've loved to meet her," she said.

"Jolie... Isn't that pretty in French?" Connor spoke up. 

Sophie nodded her head, he translation coming to her easily. "Yes. My adoptive parents named their late daughter Jolie, though."

"Was Jolie jolie?" Kate asked, smiling at her own joke. 

"Yeah," Mr. Forkle answered for them. "She kind of looks like Sophie but at the same time, she looks completely different."

"She really was beautiful," Sophie said. "Not just pretty. I wish I'd met her." Sophie sighed and looked at Mr. Forkle. "How are things here?"

"Well, they're really good. I've decided to wait another few years before I retire."

"Retire? You have a job?" she frowned. "Since when?"

He rolled his eyes. "Our money is not American money. I need to make that somehow."

"Your money is not American money?" Kate frowned. 

Mr. Forkle turned to look at her in alarm but Sophie just said, "Yes. A lot of our family lives in France so my inheritance will be in euros."

"Euros?" Keefe looked at her in confusion. 

She rolled her eyes. "European money," she explained to him. He nodded in acknowledgement. 

"That's really cool. Where in France do they live?" Connor smiled.

"Paris," Mr. Forkle answered for her. 

"We have family there," Connor said. "Hey, do you guys speak any French?"

"Sophie's fluent," Keefe said, grinning at her. 

She narrowed her eyes at him and leaned in. "I'm not fluent in French," she whispered. 

"You're a polygot. You're fluent in everything," he reminded. 

She face palmed herself. "Oh yeah," she hummed. "I haven't used those specific abilities in like... Years." She frowned. 

"You don't grow out of an ability," Keefe said, rolling his eyes. 

She smiled and they looked at her human parents who were in the middle of a small discussion with Mr. Forkle. Sophie frowned and let out a sigh. "Keefe, we have to babysit Adela today. We should probably leave."

Mr. Forkle turned to her. "Adela is Fitz and Ashla's daughter, right?" he questioned. She nodded. "You babysit her? I thought Biana and Dex did."

Sophie shook her head. "There's this big Vacker family get together thing. It was either me and Keefe or Maeve. Actually, they both agreed they'd even have Marella and Jensi babysit before Maeve is a choice. Luckily, me and Keefe were free to babysit tonight."

"Good practice, too," Mr. Forkle said, smiling. 

She rolled her eyes. "I was over their house literally everyday after they got home after Adela was born. I think I've had enough practice for a lifetime after that."

"There's no such thing as too much practice," he responded. "Now, you kids go and babysit and do whatever. I was actually having an important conversations with the Freemans about some trees in the backyard." He got up. "I'll walk you out."

___

"Thanks so much, guys," Ashla said, hugging Adela to her body. She looked at Adela and back to Sophie. "Please don't get my daughter killed."

"Ashla, it's fine," Fitz coaxed, taking Adela from her arms and walking her into the house. He sat her down on the couch and looked at Adela. "You be good for Uncle Keefe and Auntie Sophie."

She frowned. "Why can't I go with you guys?" 

"I'm sorry, baby, but it's adults only," he said with a sad smile. "How about we make you some mallowmelt tomorrow to make up?" She nodded enthusiastically. He grinned at her before looking at Sophie. "Please don't break her, either."

"Come on, guys, this isn't our first time babysitting her," Sophie said, rolling her eyes. 

"It's Keefe's first time babysitting her, technically," Ashla pointed out. 

"He's not allowed to do anything anyways," Sophie said, waving them off. "Go out and fly free. I have the baby tonight."

"I'm not a baby," Adela called. 

"Adela, you're only one," Sophie exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "You're no longer a baby when. . . You're a toddler."

"When will I be a toddler?" she asked curiously. 

"When you're no longer a baby," Keefe answered for Sophie.

"Why can't Auntie Biana babysit me?" Adela asked, frowning. 

"You wound me," Sophie said dramatically placing her hand on her chest. "Hey, do you want to name your cousin?"

"I can name my cousin?"

"If you're a good girl I'll tell you if it's a boy or a girl," Sophie said, smiling. 

"You told us you guys don't know yet," Ashla said, frowning. 

Sophie put her finger on her mouth to shh Ashla. "I'm trying to calm her down."

"Well if you tell her it's a boy and a girl pops out, I'm not the one telling her the truth," Ashla said, holding her arms up in defense before walking over to Adela. She leaned in and gave her a kiss on tje forehead and Adela giggled. "You be good," she warned. 

"Bye, baby," Fitz said, giving her a kiss, too. He waved to Sophie and Keefe before leaving the house, trailing behind Ashla. 

"So, what do one year olds do for fun?" Sophie questioned. "Humans aren't very mature at one and you don't understand them so you just give them some toys and call it a day."

Keefe rolled his eyes. 

___

extra a/n: idk why but I was really excited to write this but when I sat down and actually did it, I just wasn't feeling it. Oh well. 

chapter question: Do you guys want me to write the scene where they babysit Adela as the main part of the next chapter or do you guys just want to skip to the next part... or do you guys want to kind of include it but as a small scene that's only like... 1/2 or 1/3 of the chapter?

I don't really care. I'm cool with any of these options. I have ideas for all three.