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“Ma does you gotta go for that long? Three weeks is ages!” Willow agued with her mother.
“Willow you know she has to go, stop arguing and eat your dinner will you it’s going to go cold!” Waverly snapped from her place at the table, eyeing the two gingers who were stood.
“I’ll be home before you know it and you won’t even miss me.” Nicole sat and began to cut her food.
“But-“Willow continued to argue.
Whilst the two bean poles sat opposite each other argued, Waverly eyed her son who was pushing his mash potato around his plate.
“You ok Wyatt?” Waverly asked quietly not drawing him any more attention.
The 15 year old looked up as if he was a deer caught in headlights, dropping his fork with a loud clatter, his ma and sister looking at him now too.
“Everything ok bud?” Nicole asked raising a brow.
“Why does everyone think something is wrong?!” Wyatt’s chair scraped back noisily as he stood and marched up the stairs leaving Nicole Waverly and willow shocked out of their minds. That behaviour from their usually sweet and kind boy was odd to say the least.
Waverly sighed and put her cutlery down, going to get up but was stopped when Nicole stood and held up a hand. “I got this.” She smiled and headed after her son.
Gently knocking on the door Nicole put her ear to the wood, there was sniffling coming from the other side.
“Wyatt?” Nicole asked gently
“What?” Came the reply that was obviously through tears.
“Can I come in buddy?”
A red eyed Wyatt swung the door open and began to cry even harder at the sight of his mom.
“P-please don’t go ma.” He sobbed into her chest, Nicole cradling her baby and closing the door softly behind them.
“Hey its ok, its only three weeks and I’ll call every night bud” Nicole rocked them gently as her son clung onto her for dear life.
“Promise?” The fifteen year old managed through hiccups.
“Cross my heart.” Nicole placed a kiss on the top of his head and they sat together, Nicole gently rocking her son as he calmed down.
The following Monday Nicole heaved her bag into the back of the car ready for her three weeks away in Houston. She was there as a representative of purgatory Pd to straighten out their department. Of course Waverly was apprehensive at first, but when Nicole explained that she’d be getting paid extra and three weeks wasn’t that long, Waverly thawed out. Of course the children didn’t take it so well, they had never been without one parent, so it was a first and they didn’t like it.
The three Haught- Earp’s stood on the porch, willow standing behind the two smaller members of the family as they all waved goodbye. As Nicole pulled out of the drive, she suddenly didn’t want to go. She took a deep breath and straightened out her sunglasses, and pushed the road trip mixtape the kids had made her into the drive. She stuck a hand out the window and waved as she sped off to the airport.
With that Waverly turned and folded her arms. “Right go and get changed for school, you got the morning off but that’s it. You have practise after school till seven and I’ll pick you up then.” Waverly was in game mode, prepared to make this time without Nicole as easy and painless as possible.
Showered dressed and fed, the kids came running down the stairs to leave like normal, Waverly stood by the door with the lunch boxes when she stopped her son who was behind his sister.
“Wyatt where are your trousers?” Waverly raised an eyebrow as her boy stood with his socks pulled up and shoes on, the rest of his uniform correct but missing one item of clothing.
“Crap.” Wyatt dropped his rucksack and flicked his shoes off as he ran back upstairs to rectify the situation.
Waverly turned to willow who was stood against the door frame “Your ma has been gone less than two hours and this place is already going downhill.” They both laughed as Wyatt came running down the stairs doing his belt up.
After teaching all day, Waverly went home at five to cook the teas. It was weird being on her own, as at this time Nicole would be stood making spaghetti. Monday was always spaghetti night.
Her phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts as she swiped across to answer it.
“Hello?”
A voice on the other end made her physically deflate.
“I’ll be there as soon as possible. Thankyou coach” With that Waverly hung up and sighed as she picked her bag up again and walked back out the door. “You have to be kidding me.” She said as she climbed into the car.
She drove to all too familiar hospital on auto pilot. Dam they spent too much time there. Walking in the receptionist looked up and saw her, smiling at the way Waverly smiled and shook her head.
“Room 12b in the fracture ward Mrs Haught- Earp.”
“Thank you Diana.” Of course Waverly knew the nurse and the nurse knew her, they spent so much time here with the kids.
She strolled onto the ward and two familiar faces went white. Willow turned to the coach whilst her brother gulped. “I told you not to call her!” She whisper yelled and turned back to where her mom was stood at the end of the beds. With a nervous laugh she fiddled with her hands and spoke “Hey mam! Fancy seeing you here! Well as you can see-“
“Can it.” With that willow shut up. “You pair had to choose today of all days to break your ankles! Just as your ma left. Honestly trust you pair.”
Both of the children mumbled an apology as Waverly sat on the end of Wyatt’s bed “Its fine, I’m just glad you’re ok. I’ll call your aunty Nonna to give me a hand whilst your ma’s gone.”
Whilst the doctor was casting them up, obviously both with bright pink casts, Waverly sent a text to Nicole who would be just landing.
Waverly (18:07)
In A&E with kids. Both broken their ankle at football. Miss you loads and could use you here with me right now xx
Wx
p.s When are we gonna tell the kids about haught-earp #3, I don’t think it’s gonna be easy to hide it for much longer xxx
When the doctor was all finished, they got their crutches set and Waverly took her babies home. It was gonna be a long three weeks. Waverly was just doing the dishes after a particularly messy spaghetti night when she got a text back from Nicole.
Nicole (20:15)
Just got to the hotel, miss you like crazy. Hope the kids are ok, trust them to break something as soon as I leave. It won’t be long before I’m back in your arms and we can tell everyone then, for now wear baggy clothes ha-ha. Tell the kids I love them and will call tomorrow when everything is settled in. I love you Waverly Haught-Earp, to the moon and back xx
N x
Waverly smiled at her wife’s cuteness before a metal clanging noise came from the front lobby. She dried her hands and marched out. The brunette was greeted by her children duelling with their crutches, willow having the advantage as hers were longer. However Wyatt didn’t give in, he had a strong comeback poking his sister in her ribs with a giggle. Waverly took a quick picture before sending them too bed. The hopped up the stairs with a huff.
The next week wasn’t as difficult as Waverly thought it was going to be. They spoke to Nicole every night before bed, and they fell into a routine. Waverly would drop them at school in the morning, then at 3:30 they’d hop round the corner to sit with their mom until 5, when she’d take them home, cook tea and sit with them whilst they did their homework.
At the weekend Waverly suggested a picnic to the twins and they happily agreed, asking if they could invite Ava, aunty Nonna and uncle dolls.
Waverly obliged and called her sister.
“Hey Wyn, just a quick one, fancy a picnic whilst the weather is nice?” Waverly asked
“Sorry baby girl but Ava cracked her kneecap at karate, don’t ask how that girl of mine is never ceases to amaze me, so we’re at the hospital at the moment. If you want we can meet you there once were done, should be long?” Wynonna replied as if it was another day at the office.
“What!? Is Ava ok? Why are our children so accident prone?” Waverly laughed as her kids came hopping down the stairs.
“She’s fine, she said she was sparing some older kid and he was giving her jiff so she roughhoused his jaw and fell on her knee on the hard floor instead of the mat.” Wynonna winked at Ava who was lead grinning with pride.
“She gets more like you every day Wyn, remember that time you broke your nose head-butting that kid who used to bully me?” Waverly smiled at her sister’s protectiveness.
“Yeah Sam Ennis, what a jackass-“Wynonna laughed “Anyway we’ll meet you there in a bit, love you baby girl.”
“Love you too sis.”
Waverly put the phone down and looked at her children. “Really?” They were wearing pretty much the identical outfits. Baseball caps on backwards, tinted aviators, willow in a navy blue purgatory college t-shirt with a blue check shirt round her waist and Wyatt in a maroon red one with a burgundy shirt tied round his shoulders. Both wearing brown chino shorts and one Nike shoe, their matching pink casts. Her children were something else, she quickly got a picture and sent it to Nicole saying “their definitely your children”.
“Hey Wyatt go long.” Willow said picking up their rugby ball as her brother hopped out the front door ready to catch. He certainly wasn’t slow.
“Willow Katherine Haught-Earp don’t even think about it.” Waverly warned with a glare.
“Sorry mom.” Willow grinned and launched the ball at Wyatt, who leapt to catch it landing on his good foot with a grin.
“See mom nothing to worry about!” Wyatt called from where he was stood.
“Right go muck about in the yard whilst I pack the lunch.”
“K mom”
“But be careful! And no sword-“It was too late before the metal clanging was heard. Waverly smiled and shook her head, she loved her children and she was sure if Nicole was here she’d be out their refereeing the fight.
Waverly put together some sandwiches for all of them and packed it in a hamper. She walked out, locking the door behind her, to be greeted by the twins sat on the roof of the truck. They were definitely Nicole’s kids. To be fair they looked pretty cool with the sunglasses and the bright pink casts.
Waverly, Wyatt and willow met Wynonna Ava and Xavier. Ava sporting a purple leg cast that stretched from her ankle, but not her foot all the way up to her thigh. Upon inspection, Waverly realised Ava was wearing the same clothes as her kids but in dark green. Ava had darker skin than the twins but looked just like Wynonna, she was tall with long brown hair but had dolls’s shoulders, and she was one heck of a badass for the age of 10, obviously influenced by her parents.
“Wynonna why do our kids look like they dressed from the same wardrobe?” She asked as the children laughed, Wyatt and willow hopping over to their younger cousin who gladly accepted their invite to go play ball.
“Be careful!” Waverly called after them then turning back to her sister.
“I think they texted each other.” Wynonna said as she took Xavier’s hand and the three laid a blanket under a tree and sat watching the kids in front play ball, all hopping after each other on different sized crutches.
Waverly’s eyes widened when a familiar boy walked over to where the three of them were. Wynonna sat up and put a hand on her sister’s shoulder.
“You want me to go sort it out waves?” Wynonna asked seeing who it was.
However Waverly’s children needed to learn and show her cousin how things are done she let them be for a moment watching what they did.
“What do you want chase?” Willow asked with a sigh. Chase hardy hadn’t given them any trouble since the incident a couple of months ago but it didn’t mean they liked him.
“Look I’m not here to cause trouble-“
“Good.” Ava spat
“My parents just got a divorce and I just want to apologize for the hassle my dad has caused. He’s not the best of influence so I’m sorry too.” Chase stuck out his hand to Wyatt with a small smile.
Wyatt’s cheeks heated up and he took chases hand. He had a firm grip. Not too hard not too loose, Wyatt felt a tingling sensation even after chase had let go.
Chase rubbed the back of his neck and carried on smiling at Wyatt, unsure of what to do but not wanting to look away from the other boy. There was something about him that chase hadn’t noticed before, something he felt deep in his stomach.
“You wanna come play ball?” Wyatt asked
“Sure if that’s ok with you guys?” Chase asked respectively.
Willow looked at her brother, she trusted him so agreed, and maybe chase wasn’t so bad after all. Ava on the other hand, was getting tired on her leg so made the suggestion they went and found easy trees they could climb.
They all agreed.
After finding one with a low branch that was thick enough for them all to sit on without falling, they hoisted each other up, chase boosting the others up so they could sit before willow and Wyatt used their strength to pull him up. Chase sat in between Ava and Wyatt, willow beside her cousin, the Haught-Earp twins on the outsides.
The four of them had another week at school before they had a week off for Easter. Chase spent every day afterschool with them, not wanting to go home because his dad was still there. Waverly warmed up to chase after he apologized on behalf of his dad and his own behaviour, and it was nice to see the twins having someone other than each other to mess about with. Come the holidays, the twins, chase and Ava, spent every waking moment together, chase being patient and kind whilst the others were still on crutches. It was nice to see.
On the Friday before Nicole was due to come home, they lit the fire pit and made smores.
“So chase, where is you dad leaving to?” Wynonna asked after hearing the news of the town.
“Wynonna!” Waverly warned.
“No its ok Mrs Haught-Earp-“ Chase insisted on calling her that no matter how many time she told him just Waverly would do “its ok, has got a job in Texas working on a ranch. He said he’d keep in touch but I doubt it.” Chase looked sad until Wyatt put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, making the boy smile at the touch.
Waverly saw the whole thing and tried to hide her grin. She stood to put another log on the fire when a pair of arms snaked around her waist and scared the crap out of her.
She spun around and was shocked to see who it was “Nicole!”
“Hey baby, I missed you.” She smiled.
“Nicole!” Waverly said again before pulling her down for a kiss, grinning when she hear four EEEEEEEEEEWWWW’s.
Waverly pulled back still smiling. “You’re early?”
“Yeah I finished up earlier than I thought and got the next flight home.” The children ran up and gave her a hug before realizing their smores were burning and running back to their seats. Nicole sat in the chair Waverly was sat in a moment ago and pulled her wife onto her lap, placing a hand on her belly and leaning her head on Waverly’s shoulder.
“Should we tell them?” Nicole asked looking at Waverly.
“Well we kind of have to now.” Waverly giggled.
“Tell us what Ma?” Wyatt asked curiously.
Wynonna raised a brow as chase smiled knowingly.
“Well, “Nicole began.
“We’re having another baby!” Waverly flung her arms in the air unable to contain her excitement.
“What she said.” Nicole laughed.
Everyone clapped and gave the couple hugs, Wynonna absolutely gleaming at the thought of being an aunty again
Wyatt didn’t look convinced. “What?” Nicole asked.
“We’re not stupid ma. We know how babies are made, and-“ chase leant over and whispered in Wyatt’s ear. He went bright red. “Oooooooooohhhh.” Everyone laughed.
“Nicole he’s definitely yours.” Dolls laughed.