BXBX NOVEL Chapter 281: Surprise
«Scarlet,» he whispered, touching her shoulder. «It's time.»
«No, daddy, not yeeet,» she complained, covering her head with the blanket. «I wanna zweep!»
«You can sleep in the car later or at school in the afternoon. Now we have something to do.»
She pouted but followed him out to Jaden's room. She held her daddy's hand for better balance and to avoid the need to think about where she had to walk.
With her brother, things went easier.
«Jaden, it's morning,» Nate said.
The boy opened his eyes and stared back at his father for a few seconds. Four or five.
Then, he beamed and jumped out of bed, running to his study corner and collecting the papers he had prepared.
«Yes, yes, I am ready!»
«No, you're not,» Nate chuckled. «Let's first get dressed, brush your teeth... Then we can wake your mommy and have breakfast together. She will be happy with the surprise.»
«Mommy doesn't like purprises,» Scarlet moaned, observing the confusion with a frown. She wanted to sleep some more, but there she was... She didn't even remember what the reason for all that excitement was. Luckily, Jaden had thought about it for her.
«I'll keep this safe while you two get ready. You'll be able to enjoy the breakfast for longer if you don't have to rush to prepare, right?»
Jaden nodded, obediently strolling to the bathroom. Scarlet sighed and followed suit, still tired and sleepy. She yawned all the way, and she could wash her face soon after her brother, but it didn't help her wake up for good.
«You look so excited,» she commented, starting to feel annoyed by Jaden's vivacity.
«Of course, I am!» Jaden said, releasing his ears and trying to move them in front of the mirror.
Nate was behind them, watching from enough distance to let them feel free to move but careful about everything. The twins were standing on their stools, brushing their teeth or washing their faces.
They would then get off the stools and dry themselves before turning to Nate.
«Done,» they said.
Jaden was still twitching his ears in search of the right level of cuteness for his mommy. Scarlet yet didn't know what was happening.
Nate realised only at that moment that he was smiling. His heart was warm, and his mind at peace. Just looking at his pups was filling him with love.
If anyone had told him that he would come to love those little beasts like that, he wouldn't have believed. He didn't even like them at first!
«You two are growing up,» he commented, patting their heads.
Jaden nodded, proud, while Scarlet's face lost colour.
«Grow up?» she moaned, her eyes watery and worried. «I don't want that!»
«Oh, I see... But it's better. You won't need a stool to wash your teeth. Isn't that better?»
She sulked, crossing her arms and turning her back on Nate as if he was the culprit for her changes.
«Shall we go, now?» he said, chuckling slightly at his daughter's antics. «It's getting late, and we risk failing if we wait any longer.»
«Late?» Scarlet muttered, finally remembering what they were supposed to be doing. «Oh, no! Let's hurry, let's!»
She grabbed Nate's hand and pulled him out of the bathroom, followed by a Jaden not less excited than before. The boy returned to his room and collected everything he needed, and, all three holding hands, they walked to Lara's room.
Nate pressed a finger on his lips while opening the door ajar. He checked that Lara was sleeping soundly and not just lazing on the bed. Her body was relaxed and her breathing stable, but that was no guarantee she wasn't awake. She used to need quite some time since the moment she opened her eyes, to properly function.
Since she was still dreaming something nice, Nate and the kids could walk into the room and reach the bed undisturbed.
«One, two, three,» Nate said before inhaling deeply and giving the signal to the twins.
As if programmed, they started singing together.
«Happy birthday too youuu! Haappy birthday too youu!» they sang, a little out of the pace but still synchronised. «Haappy biirthdaay to our mooommy! Happy biirthday too you!»
Lara winced, turning under the blanket and looking around in shock. She then noticed her bare shoulders and remembered she was wearing no clothes underneath.
Her face turned red, and she glared at Nate. What was he doing? Didn't he know well enough how undressed she was?
«Mommy, are you happy?» Jaden asked, pressing his palms on the edge of the bed and moving his face closer to look at her. His eyes were shining, and his lips half-open in a smile. He was even blushing, for the Moon Goddess!
«Oh,» Lara sighed. «I'm so happy.»
Her cubs were singing for her, and they had remembered her birthday... But how could Nate remember if they didn't know dates yet? He had organised everything.
«How did you even know?» she wondered.
«I won't tell you my secrets,» he said, winking.
«You read my employee information!»
«You caught me. But only because Jaden reminded me about it. I would have overlooked it and felt awful when it was late...»
«Oh, Jaden,» Lara chuckled. «How did you know?»
«It's July,» he said.
«Oh, mommy's smart boy,» she said, bending over to peck his head. «You surprise me every day, don't you?»
«And I?» Scarlet inquired, butting in and inelegantly pushing her brother aside. «Am I too?»
«You're mommy's precious girl,» Lara sighed. «Come here and have your kiss.»