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Birthday Party
Nicole pulls a tiny purple pair of jeans out of their daughter’s lilac-colored dresser.
“What about these?”
The five-year-old shakes her head.
“Uh-uh, CoCo. Jeans are scratchy!”
Ariel crosses her arms and hugs her plush goat (affectionately named Gertie) to her chest. Her right thumb pops into her mouth.
Now it’s Nicole’s turn to say “uh-uh.”
“You have a point, Ariel. Jeans are the most uncomfortable pants. But…what did Wavy and I say about putting your fingers in your mouth?”
Ariel pouts and adorably misquotes Finding Nemo.
“Fingers are friends, not food.”
Nicole tries her best not to giggle.
“So are fish, isn’t that what Bruce says?”
Ariel nods solemnly.
“What’s wrong, princess?” Nicole sits on her knees (painful as it may be in her flowery dress Waverly had insisted would look irresistible on her) and pulls Ariel onto her lap.
“Don’t wanna wear jeans. They stiff.”
Nicole runs her fingers through Ariel’s messy red curls.
“You don’t have to wear them today. What do you want to wear?”
Ariel puts Gertie in front of her face so Nicole won’t see her.
“Are you hiding from me?” Nicole’s voice is gentle as she rubs her daughter’s back.
Ariel shakes her head and buries it in Nicole’s neck.
“Jammies.”
Nicole sighs and kisses the top of Ariel’s head.
“As much as I would love to wear my jammies to Alice’s birthday party, too, it is a princess party. Do princesses go to balls in their jammies?”
“Can I wear my Punzie onesie?” Ariel looks up at Nicole, and every freckle on her face is glimmering, in addition to the smirk on her face.
“You’ve really got me wrapped around your finger, haven’t you?”
Ariel nods knowingly and wraps her arms around Nicole’s waist.
“Punzie PJ’s for the party?”
“What about instead of your Rapunzel jammies, you wear your Rapunzel dress?”
“No thank you.” Ariel smiles sweetly, and Nicole starts to tickle her.
“You’re a handful.”
“But you’re our handful.” Waverly enters the bedroom before Nicole can give in.
“Is Princess Ariel almost ready for the party to begin?” She checks her watch.
“Thirty minutes until the C-A-S-T-L-E people will be here to get it set up.”
Nicole grins and rocks Ariel back and forth in her lap.
“You and Alice are going to love the surprise Auntie Wynonna is planning.”
“I can’t believe she got it.”
Ariel shakes her head.
“Don’t like surprises’”
“Why’s that, Princess?” Nicole’s brown eyes meet sad blue ones.
“Usually surprise mean I get a new family.”
Nicole shakes her head softly.
“You’re not going anywhere, baby.” She kisses the top of Ariel’s head.
Waverly bends down and cups Ariel’s chin in her palm.
“We stay, remember? It’s a good surprise. Now, what is our Princess going to wear to the ball?”
“CoCo said I can wear Rapunzel PJ’s!”
Waverly casts a sideways glance at Nicole.
“Did your CoCo say that?”
Nicole bites her lip.
“Mmmm…someone might be fibbing a little. I don’t believe an official agreement was made”
Ariel pouts.
“Rapunzel please.”
Waverly leans her head on Nicole’s shoulder and rubs their daughter’s back.
“That onesie does look adorable on you, Ariel.”
“Grandma!” Alice runs to the door as soon as the person on the other end starts knocking.
Wynonna throws her oven mitt on the counter and runs after her daughter to the front door.
“Ask who it is, first before you open it!”
Alice clears her throat.
“WHO IS IT?”
The little girl can barely contain her excitement as she jumps up and down.
Michelle does their secret knock again, and Alice flings open the door as she flies into her grandmother’s arms.
“MEMAW! MEMAW!”
Michelle cradles Alice’s head to her chest, and her granddaughter ushers her inside.
“Look at you Alice! You’re like a real princess today!”
Alice grins and gives her grandmother a little twirl.
“I’m Snow White! If I take a bite of my poison donut cake too soon, I might fall into a long sleep and miss my party.”
Michelle gives the side eye to Wynonna, who merely shrugs.
“She has a great imagination, eh?”
“Hi, baby.” Michelle pulls Wynonna in for a hug and places a kiss on her cheek.
“Hey, Mama.” Wynonna smiles weakly because her mother has no idea, but she’ll figure it out soon enough.
Michelle places two large gift bags on the counter, and motions to the purple one.
“This is for you, Miss Six. I don’t want you to open it until after your party, okay?”
“Thank you Memaw!” Alice throws her arms around her grandmother’s waist.
“Of course, baby. The other one is for your new cousin. Just some clothes and toys to get her settled in her new home.”
“Memaw, I have a secret to tell you!” Alice dances around the kitchen and licks her lips at the site of her chocolate birthday cake, decked out with an assortment of donuts on top of it.
So do I, Wynonna thinks.
Michelle leans down, and Alice cups her tiny hands around her grandmother’s ear.
“Daddy let me have two donuts this morning before he put the rest on the cake My Nonna made!”
Michelle snorts and covers her mouth with her hands.
“You’re just like Wynonna. Well, it isn’t every day a special little girl turns six, is it now?”
“Nope! I’m six! Six, six, six!”Alice pulls her grandmother into the living room to show her all of her and Ariel’s toys and to maybe find Calamity Jane and see if she wants to dress up for the party.
(Calamity Jane has been subjected to a tea party or two in the past).
“Where is your Daddy?”
Alice shrugs, grabbing her stuffed pig from the farm off the floor and throws him into the toy bin.
“My Nonna said he’s picking up the pizza.”
Michelle nods.
“Sounds yummy. Where are your Aunties and cousin? I can’t wait to meet her!”
Alice’s face becomes serious, and she puts her palm on her Memaw’s cheek the way My Nonna sometimes does before she tells her something important.
“Ariel’s really shy, Memaw. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you though. Okay?”
Her Memaw nods, and presses a kiss to her forehead.
“I can already tell that you’re a mighty good cousin, Alice.”
“She’s my bestie Memaw.”
Alice pulls Michelle upstairs into the bedroom she shares with Ariel.
With her daughter preoccupied in the other room, Wynonna opens her phone, and her stomach flips when a new text message pops on the screen.
Jesus. The Goat Thing is totally happening.
When Doc had first approached her with the idea, she had been hesitant. But, how different could a baby goat be from a dog? Alice loved the goats at the farm, and Doc did too so how could she say no?
(They’d even picked up diapers and long sleeved baby onesies for the goat after falling into a spiral of YouTube videos one night after Alice had gone to bed.)
Upstairs, Nicole and Waverly have pulled back Ariel’s hair into pigtails and helped her change into the requested Rapunzel onesie. She looks adorable.
She also looks terrified and clings to Nicole as Waverly rushes over to hug her Mama.
“Baby, there’s someone we’d like you to meet.” Nicole hoists Ariel on her hip and walks over to greet Michelle.
“Hey, Nicole!” Michelle looks at the tiny redhead with pink glasses who seems incredibly comfortable in Nicole’s arms.
“You must be Miss Ariel.” The little girl points to herself and nods.
Waverly places her head on Nicole’s shoulder and looks so immensely proud of her two girls and the little family they’ve become.
“Yup, Mama, this is our little girl.”
Nicole presses a kiss to Ariel’s cheek and bounces her up and down a little to make her giggle.
“Ariel, this is Waverly and Wynonna’s mommy, Michelle. Can you say hi?”
Ariel hides her face in Nicole’s neck but gives a little wave.
“I call her Memaw, Ariel. She’s awesome.” At the sound of her cousin’s voice, Ariel peeks out from her CoCo’s neck and signs nice to meet you.
Waverly moves in front of Ariel, and puts her fingertips to her lips, moving her left hand up and down as it meets her right palm . Next, she makes two fists, placing them on top of each other.
It’s the sign for good job.
“Good job, baby. She’s saying “Nice to meet you,” Mama.”
Ariel makes a fist and holds out her hand.
“Looks like someone wants to give their Memaw a fist bump.” Nicole giggles as Ariel looks up at Michelle expectantly.
Michelle returns the fist bump, and then shakes Ariel’s tiny hand.
“Nice to meet you too, sweetheart. Are you excited for Alice’s birthday party?”
Ariel shrugs because she’s never been to a birthday party before.
“You’ll have so much fun, sweet pea. You wait and see.” Michelle grins and squeezes Waverly’s hand.
It’s forty-five minutes later, and Doc is back with his surprise, complete with three baby bottles and five gallons of milk and a plethora of goat food.
The children have arrived for the party, so unbeknownst to Wynonna, Doc hides the baby goat in their bedroom. He’s sure it’ll go over well later. He leaves Buttercup with a blanket and some milk in a bowl. She looks content as she hops from the bed to the floor.
Outside, a gigantic pink bouncy castle has been blown up, and the kids are jumping away.
“So,” Wynonna crosses her arms as she watches Alice bounce up and down with her friends.
“Where did you hide her?”
Doc takes off his hat and combs his fingers through his hair.
“Oh Wynonna, you don’t have to worry about Buttercup. She’s fine!”
Wynonna gives him a look.
“She better not be in my room, Doc.”
“I thought it was our room, sweetheart.”
Wynonna flicks his cheek with her fingers.
“We do have a nice, cozy, barn where she will be sleeping.”
Doc pulls Wynonna in for a hug.
“Cozy would have been a mighty fine name for the little goat, too!”
Wynonna rolls her eyes.
“Move her before you’re sleeping in a goat shit filled bed tonight.”
Doc salutes and goes to retrieve Buttercup.
Wynonna sighs, as a remix of Baby Shark begins playing on the speakers inside the bouncy castle, and the kids cheer.
Michelle walks over to Wynonna, two beers in hand.
Shit.
“Figured you could use one with all this kiddie chaos.” Michelle grins, pops the tab off of one of the cans with her teeth and hands it to Wynonna.
“Mama, I’m going to need something stronger to get through this.” Wynonna chuckles pretends to take a sip and sets the beer down on the picnic table with the pizza.
Michelle’s not stupid.
“I thought you loved Amstel.”
Wynonna shrugs and quickly hands the can to a surprised Waverly who has just come outside with Nicole and Ariel.
“Oh. Amstel. Thanks, Wynonna, but I’m more in the mood for-”
Wynonna casts a pleading look at her sister, who promptly takes a swig of the drink before passing it to Nicole.
“We love Amstel, Mama. Thanks for bringing it!” Nicole sets the drink on the table.
“Wynonna.” Michelle leans in and places an arm around her eldest daughter as her eyes sparkle.
“Are you exp-”
“Oh no!” Wynonna is saved as she hears the panic in her little sister’s voice.
“Baby don’t drink th-!”
Wynonna turns on her heel and sees amber liquid dribbling from Ariel’s mouth.
Waverly takes the can from Ariel’s hands.
“Baby, this drink is for adults. You can’t drink it until you’re older, okay? ”
Ariel’s eyes widen, and Wynonna bites her lip to keep from laughing.
“Like when I’m six like Alice?”
Nicole looks mortified.
“It’s okay, honey. Just no more. Wavy will get you a juice box from the cooler. Do you want to jump with Alice? I hear Baby Shark.”
Ariel shakes her head sadly, and motions down at her walker.
“Can’t.”
Doc returns from the barn, just in time and starts to talk to Michelle and Wynonna. He notices an unattended beer on the table.
“This yours, Wynonna?”
Wynonna nods as her eyes narrow.
“You can have it. Did you fix the problem?”
Doc tips his hat.
“Always. You’ll be happy to know that Buttercup chewed up one of the thousand Peppa Pig dolls we have in this house.”
Wynonna steals his beloved Stetson and puts it on her head.
“I knew I liked that goat.”
Waverly, Nicole, and Ariel slowly make their way toward the bouncy castle.
“Are you sure you don’t want to jump?” Nicole lifts Ariel out of her walker.
“I bad at standing, CoCo.”
“You’re not bad at standing, Princess.”
Waverly starts to take off her heels and steadies herself by placing her hands on Nicole’s shoulders.
“We never said you have to jump by yourself.”
“You short, Wavy. Me and CoCo tall.” Ariel looks down at Waverly from her spot up high in Nicole’s arms.
Waverly bursts into giggles.
“You’re very tiny, Miss Ariel. Maybe one day you’ll be as tall as CoCo.”
Nicole smirks.
“Or taller. You’ll be way too big to pick up.”
Ariel pouts and runs her fingers through Nicole’s hair.
“I like being little.”
Nicole undoes the Velcro on Ariel’s sneakers and kicks off her own heels. Waverly opens the flap of the bouncy castle, and they climb inside.
“ARIEL IS HERE GUYS!” Alice calls out to her cousin and Ariel makes her way toward the other kids with the help of Waverly and Nicole.
“I want to bounce with Ariel!” says a little girl in a Cinderella dress.
“No, I want to!” says another in a Belle dress.
Alice bounces over to Ariel and grabs her hands. She links her arm through her cousin’s.
“You can all have a turn to bounce with her. Me first though.”
Alice whispers into Ariel’s ear.
“I’ll help you jump.”
“We’ll be right over there, okay?” Waverly and Nicole motion to one side of the bouncy castle.
Ariel nods.
“Okay, Wavy.”
Ariel and Alice jump up and down together for the remainder of Baby Shark and the entity of Let It Go before they fall, laughing. Alice tries to pull Ariel up to a standing position, but cannot.
Waverly rushes over and scoops Ariel up into a standing position as How Far I’ll Go from Moana begins.
“You wanna bounce with CoCo and me?”
Ariel shakes her head.
“Wanna bounce with Alice and my friends.”
Waverly grins and walks over to Nicole.
“She has friends Nicole. She wants to bounce with them instead of us!”
Nicole pouts.
“She wants her friends instead of her foster Moms. We’re being ditched for the first time, Waverly.” Waverly smiles up at Nicole’s big, brown, puppy dog eyes.
“I’ll never ditch you, Sheriff Haught.” She presses a kiss to Nicole’s temple, and then one on her lips.
“Mmm. With Ariel off with her friends, who I am going to catch at the end of the bouncy princess slide?” Nicole wraps her arms around Waverly’s waist and jumps up and down.
“You think I’m too big?”
Waverly giggles into Nicole’s embrace.
“AHEM.” Waverly and Nicole jump apart from each other as they see Wynonna shaking the mesh on the side of the castle.
“You’re supposed to be watching the kids, not canoodling.”
Waverly shrugs and pokes her sister’s arm through the mesh.
“You can come inside and watch the kids. I’m going down the bouncy slide!”
“Not if I get there first!”
Alice is in love with Buttercup from the moment Doc releases her from the barn. As a special birthday treat, she gets to stay in bed with Alice tonight.
After they say goodnight to their little girl, Wynonna guides Doc into their bedroom. He raises an eyebrow.
“We might want to wait a little while before-”
Wynonna kicks the door closed with her boot.
“That’s cute. You think you’re getting some. You are getting something all right.” She walks over to the closet, bends down and pulls out a gift bag.
“What’s the occasion?”
She saunters back over to the edge of the bed, and sits next to Doc, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Six years ago today was simultaneously the best and worst day of my life. Today, I thought we could remember it as another good day since we’re adding to the family.”
Doc puts his hand on Wynonna’s cheek.
“Buttercup is a wonderful addition to our family, Wynonna.”
Wynonna smirks and pulls the card out of the bag.
“You have to read this out loud first, or else you won’t get the rest of the gift.”
Doc gives Wynonna a look as he opens the card and starts to read.
“Roses are red, violets are blue. I’m having a baby, and the father is you.”
Doc’s face breaks out into a grin.
“You’re having a baby?”
“Creative, right? I stole it off of Pinterest. At least we know the father is you this time, right?”
Doc pulls Wynonna in for a soft kiss.
“We’re having a baby, Doc. So…uh…I guess you’re stuck with me, partna.”
He reaches into the bag and pulls out a positive pregnancy test, as well as a baby onesie that reads Coming Soon, Baby Earp.
“I love you, Wynonna. I am so excited to be a daddy again.”
“You’re not mad?”
Doc shakes his head.
“Frankly, I am thrilled.”
Wynonna grins and plays with the ring on her finger.
“I’m surprised too, but, hey…it’ll be better than last time, right?”
Doc wraps his arms around Wynonna and lifts up her shirt to expose her still flat stomach.
“It will be fantastic, Wynonna. He will have so many people who love and care for him.”
He presses a hand to her stomach and rubs it softly.
“Mmm. So you think your son is cooking inside of me?”
Doc winks as Wynonna places her hand over his on her stomach.
“All I know is that I love whomever is cooking inside of you right now.”
“Love you.” Wynonna climbs onto his lap.
Doc pulls her close.
“We are having another child, and you called me your partner, Wynonna. I am ecstatic.”
“Don’t get too cocky now.” Wynonna pins him down on the bed.
“You know, we really like you being here with us, Princess.”
Nicole tosses Ariel onto the middle of the bed, and the little girl erupts into giggles.
She snuggles next to Waverly, and motions for Nicole to come lay down next to her.
“I like it here.”
Ariel puts one tiny hand in Nicole’s big one, and the other touches Waverly’s face.
“We’re so happy you like it here, cutie pie.” Waverly leans on her side to face Ariel.
“Did you have fun at the party?”
Ariel smiles and pokes Waverly’s cheek with her finger.
“Loved it. I not scared of Buttercup.”
Nicole wraps her arms around both of her girls.
“Buttercup loves you, little one. Did you see the way she licked you hello?”
Waverly shivers under the blankets and presses a chaste kiss to Nicole’s knuckles.
“Thanks for keeping us warm, baby.”
“You’re my girls. Of course I’ll keep you warm.”
Ariel’s eyes widen.
“I lied.”
“What’s that Princess?” A look of confusion washes over Nicole’s face.
“Not only like the house.”
Ariel’s eyes fill with tears as she stammers.
“I-I like the house, but I love- I love-I’m not ‘sposta say it to people…”
Ariel frowns as she sees her CoCo and Wavy’s eyes filled with concern. They’re not supposed to look like this. They’re supposed to send her back, because she’s almost said it, and she’s become too attached and emotionally disturbed and other big adult words other foster parents have used to describe her.
But Waverly’s stroking her hair, and Nicole’s wiping her tears, and they’re sitting up on the bed and pulling her into the biggest hug in the world.
Ariel’s most favorite book in the world is Matilda. At the end of Matilda, she’s taken away from her awful parents and put into the care of her beautiful teacher Miss Honey.
Ariel wishes that she could stay with Nicole and Waverly forever like Matilda stays with Miss Honey. She kind of thinks they’re better than Miss Honey, combined.
“We are so in love with you Ariel; you have no idea.” Nicole pulls her onto her lap, and Waverly sits across from them, criss-cross applesauce.
“We love you more than your Auntie Wynonna loves donuts, and that’s a lot.”
Ariel giggles a little bit, and Waverly places Ariel’s hands into her own as Nicole presses kiss to the crown of her head.
“We’re going to do our best to make it official sweetheart, so you never have to leave...if you want.”
Nicole places a kiss on Ariel’s cheek.
“Yup. We’ve been talking to lawyers and the foster agency, and we would very much love it if you would like to stay with us. It’s going to take a really long time, but…I told your Wavy something a long time ago. I said that when I see something I like, I don’t like to wait.”
Ariel looks up at Nicole with a look of confusion.
“See…” Waverly places a quick kiss on Nicole’s lips. “Even she doesn’t get your quips.”
“It’s okay to say I love you?” Ariel looks back and forth from Nicole to Waverly, and then Waverly to Nicole, again.
Nicole clears her throat.
“It is more than okay. Because we love you back. So do Doc and Wynonna and Alice. So, what do you say, would you like to be our little girl?”
Waverly’s eyes glimmer with tears as Ariel processes the information.
“You want to adopt me?”
Ariel grins at Nicole and Waverly’s affirmative nods as they hold their breath.
She positions herself in between Nicole and Waverly, and much like Matilda leaps into their arms.
“I stay.”