The imagination of a perfect life

Chapter six

It's 6 o'clock when Archie and Aurelia come back home. He places a bag of burgers and french fries from Pop's on the kitchen counter before he walks into the living room. Veronica and the twins are still asleep. He smiles at the sight of his wife and kids cuddled up on the couch.

"You know if they sleep now, they won't tonight" Aurelia says as she walks towards Archie.

"Your mom won't sleep anyway" he grins.

"Ewww dad. I didn't need to know that and I was talking about the twins"

"I know. Could you set the table? I'll wake them up"

"Sure"

Archie leans down to Veronica. He places multiple little kisses to her cheek until her eyes flutter open. She looks up to him with her deep brown eyes. He loves her eyes, he could stare at them forever and he's happy that two out of three kids have them too.

"Archie" she whispers.

"Hello love. Ready for dinner?"

"What time is it?"

"Six"

"Already?"

Ben shifts in her arms. He stretches and turns to look up to his father.

"Daddy" he mumbles as he reaches his arms out for him. Archie kisses Veronica before he lifts his son up.

"Did you have a good nap buddy?"

"Mhm" he says and lies his head down on his father's shoulder.

Meanwhile Emilia woke up too. She climbs on top of Veronica and reaches for Archie as well.

"Oh sweetie, you got a little to big to sit on me"

Archie chuckles. He lifts Emilia off Veronica and kisses his daughter's cheek. Just like her brother she lies der head down on Archie's shoulder. Both of them are still tired and more interested in cuddling than eating dinner. Veronica gets up too. She gets on her tiptoes, places her hands on her husband's chest and peaks his lips.

"What are we having for dinner?"

"Pop's"

"So you and Lia are having Pop's for the second time today" she giggles as she walks towards the kitchen to help her daughter set the table.

"Do you have a problem with that Mrs. Andrews?"

"Not at all Mr. Andrews"

"Good"

He sets the twins down before he walks to Veronica. He wraps his arms around her waist from behind and kisses her cheek.

"I love you, I love you, I love you" he grins.

Veronica leans into his chest. She tilts her head to kiss his jaw and places her hands on his.

"I love you too"

"I have a little surprise for you. You get it after dinner"

"Can't wait"

"Mommy, daddy dinner!" Emilia says. She stands on a chair with her hands on her hips.

"Baby sit down. I don't want you to fall" Veronica hurries over to her daughter and helps her sit down before she sits down herself.
Archie grabs a beer from the fridge before he joins his family.

"How was your day honey?"

"Good, we had a lot of fun. We saw that new movie I wanted to see, had way too much candy and we met Aaron"

"Oh yeah, I invited him over for dinner tomorrow"

Veronica turns to Archie with a grin on her face.

"Really?"

"Mhm"

"It's nice that you give him a chance Archiekins. He's a really sweet boy. You'll like him"

"Yay Aaron" Emilia cheers "he's the best"

"Hey, no one is better than daddy"

Veronica raises an eyebrow. Archie feels how her eyes burn into his soul so he reaches for her hand before he continues. "Except for mommy of course"

"Nice save, dad" Aurelia giggles.

•••

It takes Archie and Veronica way longer to get the twins to sleep due to that long nap. Aurelia knew it but Archie didn't really believe it until both of the twins were climbing up on him after reading the second bedtime story.

Now he and Veronica are finally in bed themselves.
While she lies on her side half asleep Archie sits up and scratches her back. He can't take his eyes of her. Even after almost 15 years of marriage, she's still the most beautiful woman in his world to him. Their daughters don't count because one of them is still a little girl and Archie refuses to believe that she will be a grown woman one day and the other one is a younger version of his wife.
He loves his girls more than anything and his little boy too. They are really close since they are the only two Andrews' men against three women with Lodge blood in their veins. They get want they want so Ben and Archie have to stick together sometime.
He loves his kids and when it come to him he would never stop having babies but Veronica is not really a fan of that idea. Though he's not really satisfied with the amount of children he has yet.

"Ronnie?"

"Mhm"

"What do you think of another baby?"

She turns and stares at him for a couple seconds.

"What?"

"I want another baby. Just one more"

"Archie-"

"Please Ronnie. You always said you wanted four kids"

"I said that when I was 18. A lot of things changed. You're not even home for most of the time. Raising three kids is hard already and I can't imagine having a new born in that mess too"

He sighs and lies his head down on her stomach.

"I'm sorry Archiekins"

"No, you're right" he mumbles. He grabs her hand and intertwines their fingers. This thumb run over her knuckles before he turns his head to look up to her.

"Can we get a puppy instead?"

"That's a possibility worth discussing. Let's talk about it tomorrow okay?" She smiles while she runs her fingers through his red hair.

"Mhm"

"Perfect. I love you"

"I love you too Ronnie" He places a kiss to her hand before he lets go of it and wraps his arm around her body. Like a child he keeps his head on her stomach all night long while holding her close.