My Lucky Stars

Chapter 10

Ryan

The twins run happily to the playground as they climb the stairs to the slides. Mia and I smile as we take a seat on a nearby bench. Ayla keeps on waving at us, while Ayden is trying hard to not let Ayla get hurt.

"Careful!"

Mia stands up and yells as she sees Ayla stumble but Ayden catches her quickly and then glares at Ayla, who's making an apologetic face at him. I pull Mia back to the seat and she just smiles at me.

"Let them be" 

"Ayla is clumsy, but Ayden is always there to help her"

"He is the firstborn, right?"

Mia nods, but she doesn't look at me. Her eyes glued to the twins, each and every movement of them, Mia never misses. My mind goes back to her and the twins' conversation back at their home a few hours ago.

"Mia, who's 'Mom'? The one Ayla and Ayden spoke about back at the house?"

Mia turns to look at me, but she does not have any surprised expression as if she knew I would be asking this question.

"She was their biological mother."

My eyes widen and I look at the twins smiling at both of us.

"I thought, that you're.."

"No, I'm not...I adopted them.."

"But, how ..I mean.."

"She did all the paperwork and all legal things before she died"

"She died? How?"

"She had some complications when giving birth, but she knew about it way before. She chose them without any thoughts right after the doctor told her about it. She was awesome, you know?"

I look at Mia and see her unshed tears. I lean towards her and put my hands on her cheek as my thumb brushes her tears away. Mia pulls away as she turns to look at the twins again, now playing on the swings.

"After giving birth to both of them, her health worsened, but she smiled and did her mother's duties happily. She left her ring for Ayden and necklace for Ayla, that's the only memory they have about her since she died when they were still babies."

"She was a great woman."

"She was, Will...I mean their mother was a great woman indeed... If you want to know, most of their traits are from her. Ayla is graceful, but hot-headed while Ayden is demanding, but protective. The only traits they got from me is.."

"Let me guess, they got their kindness from you?"

Mia squints her eyes at me as she laughs and shakes her head.

"Eating, they love food as much as I do."

I laugh at that, but I can't look away from her beautiful face and laugh.

"No, really..I'm serious kids usually get their traits from the one that raises them. They see you daily, how you behave and all, they will follow. That's how they got their kindness, and it's from you, Mia"

Mia blushes and my hands itch to touch her face again, but the twins come right at that moment.

"Mommy, Ayla's hungry.."

Ayden nods along before both of them collapse in Mia's arms causing me and Mia to laugh out loud.

"Both of you are so dramatic. Let's go and eat."

All of us walk away from the playground and head to the place where most people have picnics.

I lay a medium-sized mat and after that Mia takes out all of the food that we bought on our way here. There's pizza (Ultimate favorite), sandwiches, pasta, snacks, and drinks for all of us. 

Ayla and Ayden wait for their Mommy to finish preparing and open the pizza box for them. As usual, they wait for Mia's signal to start eating. As soon as Mia nods, they both dig in but they still kindly offer some to me and their Mommy. It's satisfying to see how well they eat and they are not picky about it.

"So, what do you want to do after this?

I look at Ayla and Ayden, waiting for their answer. Mia asks them with her eyes, but I see Ayden shaking his head as in no, to whatever conversation they had in silence.

"What is it Ayden? We can do whatever you want to do, today is the day. So just tell me."

"Ayden wants to play catch ball!"

"Shut up Ayla!" 

Ayden pouts as Ayla reveals his desire. I understand they don't have any father figure to play catch ball with, and I've been there. I always wanted to play catch ball with my father, but he was always busy, until one day I exploded and rebelled. From then on he tried to spend time with me when he had time. It's not that I didn't understand his work, but as a kid, I need his attention too.

"Okay, let's go!"

All of them look at me weirdly.

"Where to?"

Mia asks me as her hands slowly pack up the food back into the bag.

"No, no... I mean, let's play catch ball, Ayden. Together."

Ayden looks at me, and I can see his eyes turn hopeful.

"Really?!"

"Yeah, we just need to find a ball... Wait! I'll go and buy it.."

I turn around to run to my car when Ayden stops me as he holds my hand. He slowly opens my palm and puts a baseball on it. I smile at him as I ruffle his hair and pick him up on my shoulder.

"Let's go! You girls wait here, okay?"

"Okay!" 

Ayla and Mia happily answer me and I wink at them with Ayden on my shoulder as we go a bit of a distance from the girls to play catch ball.

It is a really happy day for me, and hopefully for them too. I can see how their smiles widen each time, and I also see my future with them. I know it's still early to say this, but this is the first time I feel like this, happy and content. Mia makes me happy, and I can see how she is slowly opening up and her true mischievous self that's buried inside, coming-out, as she raises the twins.

I want a family now, no, I want to be a family with them, Mia and the twins. I want to be a part of them, daily and forever. As we walk back to my car, I grab Mia's hand, and she turns to look at me surprised by my action. But she sees my eyes, she smiles back at me and that's when I intertwine our hands together.