Crystal Eyes

-Short Bonus Chapter-

-J a m e s-

      I stirred when a little hand tugged at my sleeve, waking me from my much-needed slumber. "Daddy! Wake up! I'm hungry!" My son, Jacob, bellowed. He whimpered and whined, his three-year-old feet bouncing up and down on the carpet. "Jacob, just a minute." He huffed in irritation. I rolled away from his vigorous tugging. 

      I poked my eyes open, finding him below me and peering up. I moved my hand, ruffling his black hair and causing him to scowl. "Lighted up," I whispered, hauling him into my arms and setting him in my lap softly. He giggled and slumped against my chest, then whined for food again. "Where's momma?" I asked him. He pointed to the door, wiggling out of my grasp. "In the living-room taking care of Elise!" 

      I followed him into the living room where Ellery was sitting on the couch, our two-week-old daughter, Elise, asleep in her arms and cooing in her sleep. Ellery swayed back and forth, kissing our daughters head and holding her against her chest. My heart warmed at the scene, my wife had been working so hard with our daughter. I tried to help as much as possible but she insisted. She had a natural motherly tendency. 

      Jacob already adored Elise, he always asked to hold her and he always spoke to her, not understanding that she couldn't understand him yet. He just saw her as a little girl that was supposed to play and keep him company. Unfortunately, he also did get jealous of the attention Ellery was giving Elise. He also didn't understand that babies take a lot of care and attention. 

      I planted a kiss on her lips, drawing her attention to me. Morning. How's she doing today? I signed, scooping little Elise into my arms and holding her close. It baffled me that she was so small...her head fit perfectly in my palm. Her black tufts of curly hair swirled and her bright blue eyes cracking open. Elise looked like Ellery, it was amazing how much even at only two-weeks old. 

       "She's fine. Woke up a few times last night but slept well." Ellery had problems with Jacob when he was a baby because she had no way to hear his cries. I'd have to wake her up or alert her and when I was at work she'd have to check on him to see. 

      Thank God with Elise we found this life-saving device that you clip to the crib or wherever the baby is and another one you clip to the mom and when the baby cries, it vibrates and blinks. Ellery loved it, it made everything easier. Especially when I wasn't home.

      Jacob came running up, his hands flying in the air. "Uncle Ryan is here!" he shouted. Uncle Ryan is here, he signed. We'd been teaching him to sign for a while but he'd just clicked onto it recently. He finally realized it was a more efficient way to talk to Ellery without reading lips, which was often hard since children pronounced things differently. 

      "Come In!" I said when a knock erupted on the door. 

      Ryan came in, his daughter Allie slumped on his shoulder and half-asleep. Jenna waddled in behind them, her hand stroking her large pregnant belly. She wasn't too far off her self, it was a complete coincidence that Ellery and Jenna had gotten pregnant around the same time. They were both excited that our babies would only be a few months apart since Allie was much older than Jacob they didn't really find interest in each other. 

      Jenna immediately stole Elise from me, cradling her on her belly and whispering sweet things. Ellery laughed as Jacob found me vacant and decided to crawl into my lap and replace his sister. I held him close and rocked him as his eyes flapped. "How's the end of pregnancy going?" Ellery piped up. 

      "Pretty good. I feel huge and exhausted all the time, I want him out, but I'm alright. I'll be able to hang on a few more weeks," she said sweetly. Jenna had learned how to sign eventually, Ryan had taught her, but she was holding Elise at the moment. "Yeah, the last weeks are the hardest." 
"I think Ryan wants him out more than anyone," Jenna chuckle.

      Ryan smiled playfully and boosted Allie on his lap. I could imagine that Ryan was happy to finally become a father again, Jenna dealt with some pregnancy problems at first and it discouraged them but finally, she fell pregnant and it happened to be when Ellery had a few months prior also. Ryan was excited that it was a boy, I knew that. 

      Another knock blasted the door. Ryan jumped up to get it, placing Allie's sleeping form on the couch and jogging over. It's your dad, I signed. Ellery's face lit up. Declan and Emily had been on a trip the last few weeks so they were unable to see Elise until now. Jacob and Allie had missed them too, Declan was very persistent in being in all the children's lives. He spoiled them both rotten.

      Declan came in and his eyes glued onto Elise. Jenna gleefully handed her over and Declan carefully pressed her against his chest, holding onto her little writhing form. He sat next to Ellery, kissing her cheek and shifting Elise to be cradled in his arms. Declan immediately noticed her eyes, those mimicking him and Ellery. She's beautiful. Congrats you two. 

      "Thank you," we both stated together. Jacob crawled behind the couch and whined, becoming jealous of his grandpa's attention elsewhere. Jenna laughed as Declan pressed Jacob onto his left knee with one hand around him, the other hand holding Elise. "Is the new baby taking up everyone's attention?" Jenna cooed gloomily at Jacob. Jacob nodded and frowned.
"Oh, whatever. You have mommy wrapped around your finger," I said and signed. 

      "You better not forget about me when my brother is born," Allie slurred. Ryan laughed huskily and Jenna sat between them, Ryan's hand coming to rub her belly and caress it. I slung my arms around Ellery's shoulder, pressing my head against her cheek as we continued joking. 

      We spent the rest of the day talking and laughing, among the people who were home, who were our family. 

(This bonus chapter is hot garbage, I wrote it in twenty minutes. Just go with it. Anyway, thank you for reading! I've gotten so connected to this story and it means a lot to me as my first non-fanfiction story.)