Charlotte had just finished plating the homemade cinnamon rolls onto a plate as Jackson placed four bags onto the kitchen table. He came around to kiss his wife on the cheek with a smile.
"Everything looks great, baby." He smiled.
"Thank you," She grinned wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Can you go wake them up while I get the drinks out?"
His smile got wider before he pulled away. "Yes ma'am!" He excitedly made his way up the stairs and knocked twice on his son's door even though he knew he was probably already awake.
In a couple of seconds, the door swung open revealing a half-dressed Adrian. His wet brown hair dripped freely as he gripped the towel around his waist. Jack looked his son up and down and nodded impressed-Adrian was a good looking young man almost reaching his dad in height and carrying a good amount of muscle on his frame. "You got a girlfriend yet son?" Jack was a bit surprised he hadn't met any girls of his, though he was pretty young among his university classmates.
Adrian frowned, staring at his father. "Dad, I almost broke my neck rushing out of the shower and you ask me if I have a girlfriend?"
Jack fought the smile on his face but shrugged nonetheless.
Adrian sighed, hanging his head a little. "No dad, I don't have a girlfriend."
"Oh," Jack tried not to sound too disappointed then his smile returned. "Alright well come down to the kitchen and make it quick!" He planted a loud kiss on his son's cheek before turning on his heel, heading to his daughter's room.
Adrian was only left to shake his head at his dad's antics.
Jack didn't even bother to knock on Joanna's door. He burst into her slightly messy room and cringed a bit at the sight before focusing back on the task at hand. He jumped on the mattress and continued jumping as Joanna was tussled awake in her bedding.
"Dad!" She scowled, her sleep-filled voice barely reaching his ears. "Stop!" She yanked her comforter, causing him to lose his footing and send his long limbs flailing before he fell and landed his two hundred pound figure haphazardly on top of her.
They both groaned miserably, but Jack's noise turned into laughter before Joanna pushed him off of her. "You're crazy," she grumbled. "It's not even seven o'clock!"
"I know that!" Jack stood up quickly and pulled at a strand of her hair that peeked out of her bonnet.
"Which one, the time or your diagnosis?" She pulled her blankets closer.
"Get up, Jo!" Jack pulled her blankets away and took her hand to drag her out of her bed.
"Dad stop!" Joanna yelled.
Adrian laughed quietly from a room over. His dad really was crazy and this was typical from him. Jo was too, but she wasn't a morning person. Otherwise, she would have matched their father's energy to a T.
Back in Joanna's room, she was clutching at her bedsheets to stay on the mattress as Jack pulled her off. "Jo come on! Don't you know what day it is!"
"I know what day it is, which is why you should let me sleep in!" She shouted back at him.
"No!" He tugged one last time, successfully yanking her onto the floor before erupting in laughter at her state.
"MOM!" Joanna shouted at the top of her lungs.
Downstairs Charlotte laughed. They'd been through this for the last eighteen years and Joanna still had no will to get up early. "Get down here y'all!" She shouted back.
"See?" Jack teased his daughter and she only answered with a groan. "C'mon," He bent down and helped her up before turning around and bending his knees, signaling for her to get on his back. When she obliged, they were out her door. "You really should tidy up in here, how is your brother so much neater than his sister?"
"Because my brother is a genius and probably has OCD." She said grumpily.
Jack thought about the OCD part for a second before shaking his head. "You can be athletically inclined and still have a clean room, Jo."
"Y'know athletically inclined is a synonym for stupid, right?" Adrian passed them on their way down the staircase.
"Hey!"
"Shut up, dork!"
Jack and Joanna spoke at the same time and wore the same frown too. Adrian looked back at the two with a smile on his face. He shook his head. They were too much alike.
When everyone was finally downstairs, Charlotte grinned and came from behind the counter. "Happy birthday, my babies!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her son in a tight hug.
"Happy birthdayyy!" Jack hopped around with Joanna on his back.
"Dad, you're gonna give me whiplash!" She shrieked before he let her down. She went to hug her mom and Jack brought his son into a big embrace.
"Thanks, y'all," The twins spoke at the same time wearing similar smiles.
"How does it feel to be eighteen?" Jack ruffled his son's curly hair before his hand was shoved away.
Joanna scoffed, grabbing some food from the spread that Charlotte had set up. "Why is that question ever asked? No one ever feels any different."
"You don't feel different, son?" Jack turned to Adrian who only shook his head.
The four of them ate with smiles on their faces while they enjoyed each others company. Usually, Adrian was up and out of the house on his way to campus while Joanna stayed in bed until her first training session. She was homeschooled so that she could play tennis while Adrian chose to attend school. Still, each year on their birthday, they had breakfast together and got their gifts from their parents before everyone went on their way.
"Adrian's award ceremony is today," Joanna said, folding a strip of turkey bacon into her mouth. He shot his sister a deathly glare while she only grinned evilly.
"Wait, what awards ceremony," Jack frowned as he poured himself some coffee. He looked to his wife. "Did you know about it?"
"Not at all," She shook her head. She eventually retired from the school district to put more time into the schools she and her colleagues formed, so she didn't know about all the happenings that she used to even though their son attended Denbrook. "Why didn't you tell us about the ceremony?" She asked Adrian.
He only shrugged, not meeting his mother's eyes. She and his grandmother were the only people he couldn't lie to so when she gave him a pointed look, he huffed, "Because y'all are embarrassing."
His parents gasped dramatically, both of their hands flying to their chests. "Who?" Charlotte frowned.
"Not we!" Jack said in the same disbelieving tone.
"I know, right! How could he think such a thing!" Joanna quipped around the scrambled eggs in her cheeks. At Adrian's glare, she chuckled.
"Anna, don't speak with food in your mouth, baby." Charlotte chided gently before turning to her son again. "Adrian!" She said, almost whining. "We want to be there to support you!"
Jack nodded along with his wife. "And there's nothing embarrassing about that."
The young man tried not to roll his eyes at his parent's desperate tones. Of course, he was thankful that his parents made time to be there for him, but he wasn't the type to want any attention and his family was like magnets for it. They were not only loud, but they were practically celebrities. His sister was a rising tennis star and had gained a huge following since defeating several top-ten opponents since the year began. And of course, his father was The Jackson Welch, who was the reigning tennis icon even after his retirement five years ago. His mother was probably the most respected out of the family, as every teacher and administrator gushed and bragged on and on about the sweet, talented Charlotte Welch.
"This awards ceremony is just another way we can celebrate how awesome you are," Jack said. At Adrian's unconvinced stare, Jack shook his son's shoulders. "Adrian, we want to go-o!"
"Please Adrian!" Charlotte took his hands and gave him her best pleading look.
Joanna laughed at the sight then joined in on the fun. "Yeah, Adrian, pretty please!" He was most angry at her for bringing it up.
Finally annoyed with all the loud attention he was getting Adrian shot out of his seat, "Fine! Six o'clock in the Herbert Banquet Hall!" He straightened his shirt with a scowl on his face before kissing his mom on the cheek, hugging his dad, shoving his sister and leaving the kitchen.
"We love you!" Jack beamed at his son's retreating figure.
-
"Adrian Khalid Welch!" When the announcer called the name, Adrian's section of three erupted in ear-splitting cheers and hollers.
"Yeah Adri!"
"WOO!"
"That's my son!"
Joanna, Charlotte, and Jack all yelled in succession. More people in the banquet hall cheered him on, but the majority of heads turned toward their table and laughed at the murderous glare Adrian sent his family as he made his way to the podium to accept his chords, medals, stoles, and sashes.
The person at the mic laughed softly but finally began to list Adrian's awards and accomplishments after his family had finished. When the list was complete, the trio's congratulatory cheering went up again.
"This is why I didn't want you three to come." He grumbled, setting his plaques, certificates and other tokens on the table.
"I love you so much, Adrian!" Jack took his boy's face in his large hands before planting a big, long kiss on his head. Adrian shoved him away with a scowl as Joanna laughed.
"We're so proud of you!" Charlotte smiled endearingly. She was thankful she was able to raise such driven and successful children. Their accomplishments were in drastically different areas, but it didn't matter to Jack or Charlotte. Their pride was immense.
Despite his embarrassment, Adrian felt a small smile tug on his lips. Yeah, they were a rowdy bunch, but he loved his family, no matter how different they were.
-
the twins!