A couple of months after Hayden and Natalie had gotten married, everything was right. Everything was all figured out, and they were so happy.
Only about six months or so after they were married, Natalie had told Hayden she was pregnant, and so she was.
Now, eight years later, they had three kids and she was pregnant again, with another on the way.
It was a busy morning, like always, Hayden answering his emails in his office as soon as he woke up, Natalie in the kitchen getting the two oldest kids' lunches ready for school that day.
"There you guys are," Natalie said as she slid their lunch bags toward her son and daughter. "Now go get your backpacks and tell Daddy you're ready to go or you'll be late."
"Okay!" eight-year-old Alex and six-year-old Rey replied, running off towards the front of the house.
Natalie smiled to herself, shaking her head. They were always so energetic and happy, despite if it was early morning and they were getting ready for school. And she was so grateful for it.
The kids came running back, kissing their two-year-old brother Tobias goodbye, then their golden puppy Sasha goodbye, and then they moved onto Natalie. Apparently Alex was in a rush to get out of the house and off to school, because when he got to Natalie he gave her barely a hug around her waist and then bolted out. Natalie laughed, shaking her head and took Rey's face in her hands, kissing her cheek. "Bye, baby girl. Have a good day at school, honey!" she called after her as she ran off, out the door as well. Hayden went to follow her, almost shutting the door, until Natalie came over and held the door open, pulling him back.
"Hey, where are you going just yet?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Dropping the kids off at school. I'll be right back, babe, I promise," he answered, turning to walk out again.
"Not so fast!" Natalie warned him, then turned him around again and kissed him goodbye, shooing him away with the kids soon after.
In the car, as Hayden pulled up to the school, Alex sat in the back asking, "Daddy? What was Mommy like when you guys were younger?"
Hayden glanced at Rey and Alex in the back seat, then looked forward again and put the car in park in front of the school, smiling to himself. "Oh, she was.... I guess, kind of like she is now. But.... different. You know, believe it or not she was trouble."