Staying in Times of Trouble {Book Two}

Chapter Twenty-One: Parenting

"Lloyd," Aira said smacking him with her pillow.

"What?" He asked groggily.

"One of the babies is crying," she said in an exhausted tone.

"I'll get them," he said standing up.

He started to walk forward but smacked his toe on the chair. He stifled a yell and hopped on one foot for a second. It's funny how he could survive endless falls and a knife to the side; yet this hurt like crazy.

He yawned and hurried into the next room. They had a little nursery attached to their room. Xavier was the one crying. He was the loud one of the two. Julia was usually happy and peaceful. Lloyd picked him up and began to rock him back and forth.

"Bring him here," Aira said from the other room.

"Is he hungry?" Lloyd asked.

"Probably," Aira said sitting up. She looked at the clock. It was almost 2:30 in the morning. "Julia will probably wake up soon too."

Lloyd handed Xavier to Aira and she began to feed him. On cue he heard Julia start to wake up in the other room. He walked in and leaned over her crib.

"Are you hungry too?" He cooed. Julia just stared at him.

Lloyd picked her up and took her over to Aira where she began to feed her.

"It's a good things it's only twins and not triplets," she laughed. "At least I can feed both of them; I couldn't handle three."

"That's a really weird thought," Lloyd said making a face. "Why don't we just bottle feed them."

"It's healthier for babies to breast feed," she said. "Besides it's calming."

"Whatever you say," Lloyd said yawning again. "You know, parenting is a lot harder than I thought."

"They are only three days old," Aira laughed. "Just wait till they get to he teenagers."

"Ah! Don't say that," Lloyd said. "I don't want my babies to grow up!"

"That is extremely adorable," Aira said smiling at him. "And you were worried about being a dad."

"I took your advice," he laughed.

"You should take my advice more often," she winked.

*********************************

"It feels so good to be able to walk around and not have and extra forty pounds strapped to my abdomen," Aira said stretching.

They were all about to sit down to breakfast. Nya started laughing at her comment.

"But I am serious," Jay was telling Lloyd. "If I ever have a son in calling him Jason. Because it sounds like 'Jay's son'."

"You do that," Lloyd laughed.

"What if you only ever have girls?" Cole asked.

"Then I'll adopt a boy," he harrumphed. "I'm not letting that go to waste."

"Would you boys quite talking and sit down," Misako chided. "Aira you look exhausted. How are you feeling?"

"I feel great actually," Aira responded.

"Do they cry much at night?"

"Xavier does. Julia doesn't really," Aira said.

"That reminds me," Lloyd said. "Can we move that chair please. I've stubbed my toe on it three nights in a row now."

"You would think that you would remember it was there," Aira teased.

"Not at three in the morning," Lloyd said wearily. "My brain doesn't start working till at least eight."

"What brain?" Kai pipped up. Lloyd smacked him on the back of the head.

Julia began to cry and Xavier started crying just because Julia was crying. Lloyd went to pick Julia up but Nya and Misako waved him off.

"You sit and eat," Misako said. "Besides we want to see them too."

"That's fine with me," Lloyd laughed.

"He is so cute!" Nya said cooing at Xavier. "I can't wait till I have kids."

Everyone literally looked at Jay.

"What are you looking at me for?!" He asked.

"Well we aren't going to look at anyone else now are we?" Cole said.

"Really guys? Way to make it awkward," Nya deadpanned.

"I dunno," Kai said. "Xavier and Julia could use cousins."

"Kai! We aren't even married," Jay said.

"That didn't stop Lloyd!"

"Hey, leave me out of this," Lloyd said.

"Kai, shut up," Nya said.

"Kai, shut up," he mimicked in a whiny voice.

Nya smacked him and sat down still holding Xavier. Everyone was laughing at poor Nya and Jay even Sensei Wu.

"That's it," Jay said standing up. "I'm going to work on repairs. I'm not really hungry anyway."

"Aww, poor Jay," Aira said still laughing. "Come back! They'll shut up now!"

"Fat chance!" He yelled from the other room.

A/n- Just a plain and simple chapter. I want to hear any suggestions you all may have! Comment them and let me know! Hope you enjoyed! -LL_17