Bonus Chapter: Thunderstorm

                                    

                                          

QOC: Are you scared of thunder and lightning like Anna? I'll have you know that that trait of hers is based off of me. I get crazy panic attacks during thunderstorms lol. 😂
                          
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- Anna's POV -
Nine years later
                          
I wipe sweat from my forehead as I finish setting down the last set of silverware at the dining table. I blow out a breath and go to the back sliding glass door, stepping out into the breeze. The sky above looks cloudy, and I know there's going to be a big storm. The forecast on the news said there would be too. I can hear Kahara, Mia, and Mya playing together on the playground we have set out back in the grass. 
                          
"Girls! Come inside! Time for dinner!" I shout. 
                          
They all look up, smiling and still giggling. "Okay mom!" 
                          
They start running over, and I smile at my girls. Mia and Mya are seven (identical twins), and Kahara is nine. While Kahara takes on her father's darkish brown hair and my silver eyes, the girls have my ombré light fawn-colored hair and their father's gorgeous green eyes. 
                          
Mia takes a hold on my right leg, and Mya grabs onto my left. "Can you carry us inside please?" They say through laughter simultaneously. They do that very often, always doing and saying everything together. 
                          
I laugh tiredly. "Alright." They cheer as Kahara chuckles. I follow her inside, hobbling Mia and Mya along. 
                          
The twins climb off of my legs. "Go wash your hands and sit at the table, okay? Wait for everyone to get there before getting any food," I tell them. 
                          
Kahara groans. "Mom, we're hungry! Can we please just eat? Mason takes forever to get home and Dad is—"
                          
"Stop whining," I say sassily, crossing my arms. "Go wash your hands and do as I told you." 
                          
Mia and Mya look at each other knowingly, not wanting to argue with me either. They take off as Kahara sighs. "Fiiiiine." She groggily goes to the bathroom upstairs to wash her hands, shoulders slugging. 
                          
I release a breath and look at the photo of my family hanging up on the wall. We just took it four months ago when we took a vacation to Bora Bora. Seventeen-year-old Mason is standing tall above his father by a good two inches, strong build wrapped protectively around Kahara with a large grin. And Kahara is standing next to Mia and Mya, who sit on the dock, dipping their feet into the clear blue water. Alex, our six-year-old is cluelessly looking off to the left with his little purse he seems to always carry around. And Ivan, our four-year-old is being held in my arms. Aiden stands in between me and Mason, an arm slinging around my pregnant waist. 
                          
I glance at my swollen belly and sigh. My thirty-seven-year-old self is getting way too old for this.
                          
"I feel so fat and hungry all the time," I say out loud, talking to myself. Then I roll my eyes and mumble, "Stupid Aiden always making me pregnant," as I waddle towards the stairs. 
                          
I mimic him quietly: 
                          
"Just one more." 
                          
"Baby, please just one more." 
                          
"Dimples, I promise we can be done after this one." 
                          
I snort, clinging to the guard rail as I reach the top stairs. "One more my ass. The dude never pulls out in time."