FP tightens up the knot in Charles's tie and takes a step back to get a full look of his son who is all grown up now. He's eighteen years old and is graduating high school in an hour.
"Wow," FP shakes his head. He doesn't want to tear up just yet. He wants to at least make it to the ceremony before getting emotional. "I can't believe my boy's already graduating and heading to college."
"It's in honor of my old man," Charles smiles. He knows how badly he wanted to go at his age. This was his chance to show his dad that his and his mother's sacrifices for him weren't for nothing.
FP swipes away a stray tear, "Hey. I'm not old."
"Yeah, and you have a weird way of proving that." Charles scrunches his nose. "You would think that having five kids would make someone feel old. I'm telling you now." He claps a hand on FP's shoulder. "I better not come home Thanksgiving break and be told that mom's pregnant with baby number six."
FP gawks.
"When uncle Fred took Vegas and Hot Dog to get neutered we should have sent you in too."
"To be fair, the twins were half planned. After your sister, we were aiming for a third and final kid. How were we supposed to know the third pregnancy would be twins?"
When Charles was eight years old, he was sat down and told his mother had a baby in her belly; his sister. FP and Alice were ecstatic about getting a second chance as parents to raise their daughter from the very beginning. She inherited Alice's blonde hair, but unlike Charles she was born with green eyes.
A year after their daughter was born they tried for baby number three only to get a two for one deal. Funny enough, they evened out the number of sons and daughters they had together. A twin boy and twin girl were born.
Like Charles's first sister, the baby girl was born blonde and with green eyes. Both daughters were almost exact carbon copies of Alice.
FP's genetics gave him a chance with the boy. He was hoping at least one of the kids would look more like him. Charles had been an equal mix of him and Alice. He loved that their daughters looked like miniature versions of Alice, but he wanted a miniature version of himself too. Fortunately for him, the boy had FP's dark hair and his facial features, but he wasn't exactly letting FP have it all; he inherited Alice's blue eyes.
Six years after that FP got what he wanted again. Their last baby was born. A tiny brunette who was a spitting image of FP. He fell in love with her little caramel brown eyes.
FP and Alice loved all of their children equally. They were satisfied with the mix. Whenever they look at them, all they see is the love they have for each other. Their children are a living reminder of what they love most about each other.
If they were told when they were younger that they would be married and have children, they would have likely laughed in your face. That is all they have ever wanted but believed they didn't deserve.
"Whatever you gotta tell yourself, dad. Uncle Fred and aunt Hermione only have two."
"Daddy!" A tiny three year old runs into the room looking for FP.
FP scoops her up. She's the baby of the family. "What's the matter, princess?"
"I can't find mommy."
"She's getting dressed, baby. We can go find her right now. Are you all ready for Charlie's graduation though?" He tickles her belly. "Your big brother is so smart."
"It's not like I'm valedictorian or something," Charles says.
"You worked hard all of high school. I wish I put in more effort like you. Then I never would have felt the need to run off to the army."
YOU ARE READING
You Can't Hurry Love
Fanfiction{COMPLETE} After six years in the army, FP has nothing to his name but a bus ticket back to the town he bitter sweetly calls home. He reaches out to his long time best friend, Fred Andrews, for some help shortly after he gets to town and is labeled...
