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A very dear friend of his had told him years before that special moments were not special because of glamorous things or expensive meals. Special moments consisted of people. Once he realized that, his life took a sharp turn. It didn’t take long for him to understand what she meant. He had been feeling it for a while. All he needed was to hear it being said out loud.
Their first Sunday as a complete family was one for the books. That had been one of the best days of Alex’s life. At the end of the day, looking at the four people next to him in bed, he could only thank the stars above for being so blessed.
He must have been a saint in his previous life to deserve them. His family came to be in the most unexpected and problematic way possible. In less than a year, they went from being just the two of them to a family of five. A lot of sadness and pain were involved in the process, but the bad things were healed by an unprecedented amount of love.
He didn’t know what to say to his wife when he first found out about the two four-year-old kids that were about to show up at their doorstep. He knew he hurt her a lot in the process and he wished he knew how to tell her without running away from her for a month without saying a word after leaving, but it was tough to watch his ex-wife die while he was holding his babies just days after he found out they existed. He knew he had to step up for them, be the man his father never was.
The moment he saw them, he knew there was no way he could ever run away. Those kids—his kids—reminded him so much of his own childhood. He thought back to the image he’d seen in the mirror when he held his little sister in front of it. His heart grew so much, he didn’t think he would ever recover from it. He didn’t think he’d ever feel like that again. Weeks later though, he was overwhelmed with those same feelings all over again as he looked at the abstract black and white picture on the screen of a machine.
Jo felt for a second that she would never catch a break. How could one person go through so much suffering in a lifetime? But she was strong. She knew that. If she had survived the things she went through from the time she was just a newborn, she could survive that as well. When she found out she was pregnant, the first person she called was Carly. She knew she was going to need someone excluded from the narrative to lean on, because she was going to have that baby.
Jo didn’t know what was going on with her husband. She didn’t even know if he was alive or dead. The thoughts that ran through her head, the scenarios that came to mind made her question the decision to keep the baby for about a split second before she tossed the thought out of her mind. That baby came from a place of so much love. It wasn’t like the previous time. This time she knew she was going to go through with it. The fact that she no longer walked alone was comforting. She knew that no matter what happened to Alex, she’d be surrounded by people who’d love and support her.
No amount of support could’ve have prepared her, though, for when Alex finally returned home. Jo remembered that night vividly. She had just gotten home from the hospital and was debating going over to Meredith’s house just so that she wouldn’t be alone. She was about to pick up the phone when she heard a rattling at the door. Seconds later, the door opened, and there stood Alex with one child under each arm. She immediately recognized who they were. It was obvious. These kids were his kids. They were Karevs through and through.
Jo couldn’t help but fall in love with them almost instantly. They were part Alex, the man she loved so much, and were not to blame for the mess that had been installed in their home over the previous month or so. Jo never fell out of love with him but seeing Alex with the twins reminded her why she fell in love with him in the first place. This was solidified when she finally told him about her pregnancy. He was a good man. Any pain he had caused her was far from intentional. Knowing that was what allowed her to get over the recent trauma and fears and move on to enjoy her new life that now consisted of a rather large family.
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Having a family was wonderful. For the first time in her life, Jo had people. Jo belonged. It became real when she started getting invited to Waffle Sunday’s. They became even more significant when the twins joined them and played with their newfound cousins. The most special Waffle Sunday, however, happened when baby Robin was a week old.
“Go ahead. I’ll get her,” Alex said after they helped the twins out of the car.
“Are you sure?” Jo smiled at Alex, who nodded at her with a grin on his face.
“I’ll go with you, mommy” Alexis said. It still shocked Jo every time the kids called her that. They knew Izzie was their mother, but when she was about halfway through her pregnancy, they asked her if she was their mom as well. She didn’t know what to respond, at first. Thankfully, Alex had anticipated this conversation. He swooped in and explained to the kids that it was okay to have more than one mommy. Izzie would always be their mother and would always look out for them all the way from heaven, but now Jo was doing the things that mommies usually did. So, if they wanted to call her mommy, they could. It was okay. Two days later, Eli called her his mom in front of his class and, just like that, she became their mother.
“Let’s go, baby,” she encouraged the girl to hold her hand as they walk to Meredith’s doorstep.
“Karevs!” Meredith opened the door excitedly.
“Auntie Mer, I have a baby sister,” Alexis jumped excitedly.
“I heard that, sweetie. Are you happy she’s finally here?” Meredith asked, kneeling down to Alexis’ level.
“Yes. She’s right there with daddy and Eli,” she pointed at the pair who was walking up the stairs to the house.
“Auntie Mer!” Eli ran towards her, hugging her tight. “My other sister is here. Now I got two of them,” he put up his tiny two fingers up with a crooked smile just like his father’s across his face.
“Isn’t it just so cool? You are just like Bailey now, huh? They’re all waiting for the two of you inside. Go look for them,” Meredith moved out of the way before the two almost five-year-olds ran inside.
“Hello to you two! How did this little lady treat you over the last few days?” Meredith hugged Jo and Alex before moving closer to the baby.
“We’re doing great. Still getting the hang of it all, but I’d say we’re doing good, huh?” Alex looked at Jo.
“Yeah. She’s been an easy baby so far. Guess we got lucky,” Jo smiled back at him.
“Let’s get inside. The kids are excited about the waffles, but I already told them we might need to have something else just in case you’re too tired to make them,” Meredith lured them into the house and closed the door.
“No way,” Alex scoffed. “I’m excited about the waffles too.”
“Okay, then. Let’s make sure you’re comfortable. Alex, you know where to find them,” Meredith said.
“Are you gonna be okay?” Alex pulled Jo closer before handing her the car seat.
“Yeah. She’ll probably want to eat again soon. Go make us breakfast” she said.
“Let me know if you need anything” Alex said with a serious but caring tone. He kneeled in front of the sleeping baby and started to whisper between kisses on the soles of her tiny feet. “Be good to mommy. Daddy will be right there when you’re done eating so I can burp you, okay?” he smiled at her before moving into the kitchen after hearing the kids call him from there.
“Lemme take another look at you, sweetheart” Meredith removed the sleeping newborn from the seat and placed her in her arms as she and Jo made their way over to the couch. “Jo, she is looking more and more like you.”
“Alex says this every day too, and even Eli agrees with him. Lex insists Robin looks just like her, though,” Jo chuckled.
“And how are they doing with everything?” Meredith asked.
“They’re doing fine. They are just perfect with her. They fawn over her all day every day. But we can tell they still have feelings about losing their spots as the babies. Now Lex is more attached to me, and Eli just won’t leave Alex’s side, when it was usually the other way around, but that is nothing compared to what could have been. They have been through so much over the last year. We were prepared for way worse,” Jo smiled at Robin, who started to squirm in her aunt’s arms.
“I think someone is hungry,” Meredith said, passing the baby to Jo while noticing Alexis walk into the room and sit between the two women, putting her finger in the baby’s hand while she fed.
“What happened, my love? Don’t you want to make waffles with Eli and your cousins?” Jo ran her fingers through the girl’s hair.
“I wanna stay with you and with Robin,” she whispered.
“Okay, then. Will you keep us company while she has her breakfast?” Jo pulled her closer as Alexis nodded.
“Hey, Lex. I heard you are such a fantastic big sister,” Meredith exclaimed with a smile. Alexis hid her smiley face into Jo’s side for a second before nodding at the blonde woman.
“Daddy helped me change her diaper yesterday,” she said shyly.
“You changed her diaper?” Meredith asked pretended to be shocked, making the girl giggle.
“Tell your aunt where baby Robin fell asleep last night” Jo suggested.
“My baby sister fell asleep between Eli and I while mommy and daddy had dinner together,” Alexis smiled, gently running her fingers across the baby’s head, which was covered by some thin hair. “She is hungry, mama” she looked into Jo’s eyes.
“She really is, isn’t she? What do you say you and daddy burp her once she is done?” Jo offered, while Meredith smiled at the pair.
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Alex was having the time of his life in the kitchen. Ten years ago, he would’ve never thought he’d enjoy being surrounded by kids this much. Sure, at that time he’d considered specializing in peds, but he hadn’t had as much exposure to them as he did now. Throughout the years, his job taught him the joy that kids could bring into one’s life. He remembers the first time he felt that kind of joy. It was with a patient—this little girl whose trachea he grew in a lab months after the shooting. From that point on, he looked forward to seeing his patients. It was a strange feeling to love kids that weren’t his own. And just when he thought he was used to it, his nieces and nephews entered his life. Things shifted all over again, because now he had a responsibility. For some of those kids, he was their only father figure. Alex did not take that task lightly. He was one to show up, to be there.
He knew how important it was for children to have a father figure in their lives. Still, he wasn’t their dad. He wasn’t anyone’s dad until he was. Suddenly, he found himself holding two four year olds who were half him. Consciously, he knew their existence was a possibility, but he never even thought about it actually being a thing until they were both in his arms. Overnight, his life was turned upside down, and, although he loved them so much instantly, he knew he was going to have to fix the huge mess that showed up like a third child in his marriage.
His wife deserved that and so much more. And just when he thought he couldn’t love her any more than he already did after seeing her welcome his kids into her life with open arms and heart, she gave birth to their daughter like the badass she is. The baby they had been dreaming of pretty much since they met each other was born and rocked her father’s world once again. And now they were living this strange domestic life, all enjoying a beautiful Sunday surrounded by laughter and love.
Alex looked around and took in the sight. His son eating waffle batter just like he loved to do when he was little, “Is that any good, bud?” he chuckled at Eli, who nodded with a face covered by the thing. “Come here. The waffles are done. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Alex picked him up and washed his face at the kitchen sink.
“Uncle Alex, the table is set!” Zola announced.
“Good. Just in time, Zozo,” he bumped his fist into hers.
“We helped too!” Ellis exclaimed, pointing at herself and her brother.
“You guys are the best helpers I’ve ever had,” he smiled before seeing Jo walk into the kitchen with Alexis and Robin, Meredith right behind them.
“Daddy,” Alexis smiled.
“Hi, princess. Did you make sure your sister ate well?” Alex picked his daughter up and brought her to the table.
“She was really hungry,” she chuckled, making her father look at Jo.
“You okay?” Alex asked sweetly.
“Yes. Just hungry,” she smiled, passing the baby to him.
“Oh! Hi, nugget,” Alex smiled, holding the milk drunk newborn so he could burp her. He patted her back and kissed her head. “This is your first waffle Sunday, Robin.”
“Mommy, can we give her some?” Eli lifted his fork that held a little piece of his waffle.
“Not yet, sweetie. We’ll have to wait a bit until she can have some,” Jo laughed at her little boy. She looked at him with heart eyes and turned her gaze at her husband, who was holding their two daughters, the older one helping her father burp the tiny one.
“Babies can only have milk until they turn six months old, Eli,” Zola schooled the younger boy, who pouted at Jo.
“It’ll go by so fast, baby” Jo ran her fingers through Eli’s hair.
“Faster than we would like it to,” Alex kissed the baby’s hand while looking at the family they built. He had everything he needed right there, the people who were making an ordinary day one of the best days of his life.