Meilin's POV
The morning sun filtered through the white curtains of our bedroom, spilling soft light across Theo's bare chest. His arms were lazily draped around me, and my face was firmly squished against his neck—exactly how I'd fallen asleep the night before. Sixteen years married, and I still couldn't sleep unless I was plastered to him like a koala.
"Mmm, stop staring. It's creepy," Theo muttered, eyes still closed, voice deep with sleep.
"You love it," I whispered, kissing his jaw, then his nose, then his forehead.
The sound of a soccer ball thudding against the side of our house interrupted the moment.
"Adrien!" I called out, scrambling out of bed in my silk robe, bolting down the stairs barefoot. "Don't kick the ball so hard, baby, the window's gonna—"
"I didn't mean to!" Adrien shouted from the lawn, looking sheepish as he bounced the ball on one knee. He was tall now—six feet and growing, with Theo's messy black hair, my eyes, and his own effortless charisma. Popular, athletic, smart, always surrounded by friends—and yet, still my baby.
"Be careful, love. Want pancakes?"
"Only if you make the whipped cream hearts on top," he called, grinning. He was already FaceTiming Alex, no surprise. That boy practically lived with us.
Speaking of which…
"ALEX!" Ava's voice yelled from next door. "Stop jumping on the furniture!"
"They're literally the same person," Theo muttered, walking into the kitchen in sweats, ruffling Adrien's hair on the way.
"You two raised them. What did you expect?" I teased.
Minutes later, Austin and Ava strolled into our backyard through the connecting gate. Ava was wearing a silk pajama set and a sleep mask pushed up onto her curls. "Your son woke me up at six, screaming about fantasy football rankings."
Adrien leaned over the hedge. "That's because Alex picked a trash team."
"Language, young man," Ava scolded.
"Pot calling the kettle," Theo said dryly.
"Oh hush. Anyway," Ava flopped onto our patio couch, "we're having barbecue night at ours. You're bringing dessert."
"I'm bringing my whipped cream heart pancakes," I chirped, sitting beside Theo, my arms immediately around him.
Theo sighed but didn't complain—he never did, not when it came to me. He simply kissed my temple and let me curl into his side, Adrien rolling his eyes but smiling anyway.
From next door, Austin and Ava's laughter rang through the air. Adrien and Alex were already arguing about some video game while plotting their next football win.
And just like that, life was perfect. The same madness. The same chaos. The same love.
Only bigger.
Only louder.
Only forever.
The end.
Signing off
Siddhii singh