He's gonna kill me. He's gonna kill me. I thought to myself as I looked at the pregnancy stick.

A'rayia smiled. "I knew it! I knew it!" She jumped up and down. "You a bit old but not old enough to stop producing."

"A'rayia, I don't want no more kids," I whined.

She gasped. "Don't tell me you're..." she trailed off, frowning.

I shook my head. "I have three kids; why would I stop now? I'm just saying the age gap is huge. I didn't plan on this, and neither did your father. You're fucking thirteen, christ, and Theo's sixteen. You'll be in your thirties when this baby graduates." I groaned, just thinking about it. "Oh, your father's going to die."

A'rayia giggled. "Ain't nobody care about him. He's a grown man with graying hair. He'll be fine."

I laughed. "Don't go disrespecting your daddy, now, before he catch you."

"Why is my name always in your mouth, A'rayia?" Vincent suddenly appeared out of nowhere, glaring at his daughter.

"Your name is not him or daddy, so I suggest you teleport back to wherever you came from."

Vincent scoffed, looking up at me and pointing to A'rayia. "You see what the fuck you did to me."

A'rayia laughed, hugging him as he rolled his eyes. "I'm just joking, daddy, but we have something else to tell you."

I glared at A'rayia as Vincent furrowed his brows.

"What?"

"You wanna tell him, or should I?"

I clenched my jaw. "I should beat your ass, little girl."

She held onto Vincent tighter. "Daddy wouldn't let you."

"I would," Vincent shrugged. "But that's not the point. I want to know what you wanna tell me."

I sighed, smiling nervously. "Listen, my pookie, my one and only, the only one I will ever be with–"

"Skip the obvious. Tell me what the fuck you're hiding." He rolled his eyes.

"I'm saying," A'rayia added.

I scoffed, sighing. "Fine," I cleared my throat. "I'm pregnant."

Vincent burst out laughing. "Oh my god, that was funny."

I crossed my arms unamused, and A'rayia pulled away awkwardly.

"Stop playing with me, A'roya. Aren't you, like, going through menopause?"

"Actually," A'rayia smiled. "Menopause starts between the ages of...forty-five and fifty-five. Can I get an Amen?"

"No, dipshit, fuck off." Vincent was no longer amused. "Are you serious?"

I nodded. "Ye–"

"Yes, daddy, she's pregnant! Finally, a sister."

Vincent glared at A'rayia. "Someone wants to be grounded so bad."

"No, I don't. I'm going." A'rayia quickly rushed out.

I exhaled, letting air I didn't even know I had out.

Vincent finally looked at me with some emotion. "A'roya, do you want this baby?"

I wiped a stray tear. "Vincent, we're getting old."

He nodded. "I'm going to be honest; I have no idea how this even happened. You're forty-two." He laughed.

"I'm not finding this funny. The age gap, too, is ridiculous."

Vincent shrugged. "I really don't think anyone cares but you. The only thing I'm worried about is you. Having a baby at your age is a big risk, and are you sure you want to do this?"

I thought for a while. I mean, I do have three kids. What's the harm in having one more? Thirteen years a little too late, but hey?

Better late than never, right?

"I am."

Vincent scoffed. "Oh, wait, you got me," he said, looking at his phone. "Today's April Fools."

I shoved him. "You're so stupid. I'm being for real. Why would I go all the way to cry for an April Fool's joke?"

"Damn, I really do have super sperm."

I smiled, pulling him in for a hug. "I'm sorry to tell you, mister, but you're getting a vasectomy." I kissed his cheek and patted his chest.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

"What's going on? We never have a family meeting." Theodore said, sitting down.

Tobias grabbed a croissant. "Are you sick or something? You've been throwing up a lot?"

"Mhm–"

"Girl, if you don't shut the fuck up." I clenched my teeth and glared at her.

She nodded, putting her hand on her mouth.

I sighed. "So, um," I looked at Vincent. "Your father and I have something to tell you."

"Ok? If you're sick, just go ahead and say it," Theodore said, very concerned.

I shook my head as Vincent sighed impatiently. "I'm pregnant."

A'rayia squealed. "Yay!"

Theodore scoffed, almost laughing. "Are you serious?"

Tobias laughed, shoving A'rayia and Theodore. "It's April Fools. No one has children thirteen years after the last child/children."

"Guess what bitch," Vincent said. "We do. We're old. We don't do that April Fool's shit."

Tobias laughed. "But you are old; exactly why mom wouldn't be pregnant."

Theodore shook his head. "Menopause starts in your late forties to fifties."

"I'm saying," A'rayia agreed.

I sighed. "Listen, we took a pregnancy test, and we'll be going to for a doctor's appointment next week to confirm it."

Theodore sighed. "I would think grown people like you would have tied their tubes or gotten a vasectomy or maybe used condoms and birth control."

"Shut up, idiot." Vincent glared at him.

I ignore him. "How do you guys feel about this? I never meant to do this."

"Happy!" A'rayia smiled.

"I don't care. Babies are cute...I guess." Tobias said, shrugging.

Theodore smiled slightly. "You're barely around anymore after I turned like...ten, since you know, you're a neurologist, but this baby is going to make you stay home more."

I smiled. "Group hug?"

Theodore and Vincent said in unison. "No."

Tobias smiled widely. "I'll hug you, mom, don't worry." He embraced me, and A'rayia joined in.

"Yea, I don't think I'm too cool."

"That's not it," Theodore said. "I don't want to hug you or Tobias. Just mom." Theodore hugged me when Tobias and A'rayia pulled away.

"Well spoken, son," Vincent mumbled, kissing my head.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

I looked at the prenatal vitamins given to me by the doctor. Three months in denial. Three months pregnant at forty-two. What's going on?

I called up A'raya. "Hey, twinem."

I heard her laugh. "What's going on?"

I sighed. "Girl, I'm pregnant,"

"You're joking!" I heard her laugh until she was coughing. "I'm fine, Aris. Go play." She told her son. "Are you serious?"

"I'm not. I just came from the doctor's with prenatal gummies." I sighed, shaking my head.

"Does Vincent know?" She asked.

"He doesn't know it's been confirmed. I'm about to call him and tell him."

"Ok, well, how has it been?"

I groaned. "Three months. I know the gender."

She gasped. "Girl or boy?"

"Not gonna tell you," I sighed.

"Ok, whatever," she groaned. "But, oh my god, we're really twinem!"

"Yup," I said unenthusiastically.

"Go call him! Oh my gosh, I'm totally telling the rest of them."

I exhaled. "You go ahead and do that. I do not feel like calling five more times. Especially not with Atlas."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye."

I looked at Vincent's contact. I'm definitely not calling him.

So, I text him.

Update: It's a girl 😃😉