All These Things We Do

It was something that Eloise was becoming used to. Every time she got comfortable in bed the tiny baby inside her would start to move and kick.

With a sigh she turned over to lie on her back, her hand running over the small bump that had appeared in the last two weeks. She glanced over to the clock on the night stand and groaned at seeing the time. Even if she did manage to get anymore sleep, it would only be another hour before Katie woke up.

With another kick from her unborn child Eloise pushed her self up out of bed. “Okay, I’ll get up; you can leave me alone now.” she muttered as she grabbed the baby monitor from beside the bed and grabbed a hoodie from the small chair before heading down stairs and out into the back yard. She pulled the hoodie on over her head and curled up on one of the large sun loungers. She looked out over the boundaries of their back yard at the beach and ocean in the small distance, the sun slowly appearing over the horizon as her eyes fluttered shut.

“Mommy.” Katie’s small voice woke her from the quiet sleep she was having. She opened her eyes to find her daughter stood next to her, rubbing her eyes.

“Hey sweetie.” She replied.

“Why are you out here mommy?” she asked with a small yawn.

“Well apparently it’s the only place your new brother or sister will allow me to sleep.” she replied with a yawn.

“Oh okay.” she replied climbing up onto the lounger and pulling herself closer to her mother who wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead.

“Mommy, where’s daddy? You said he’d be home by the time I woke up in the morning.” She asked.

“Sorry baby girl, he called just after you went to bed last night, their flight got delayed.” She replied.

“But he’ll be back later won’t he?” she asked.

“Of course he will baby. You don’t think your dad would miss your sixth birthday do you?” she replied with a smile as she shook her head.

“Can I open my presents now mommy?” she asked lifting her head.

“You can open one small present when your brother gets up but the others have to wait until the party.” Eloise said.

Katie nodded her head before laying her head back down and closing her eyes. Eloise quickly found herself dozing back off to sleep.

“I found them daddy.” Nathan’s voice woke both Eloise and Katie.

Eloise turned to see Nathan stood beside them and Brian walking out with their three year old son Elijah in his arms.

“Hey.” Eloise said as she sat up.

“Daddy!” Katie yelled upon seeing him, jumping off the lounger.

“Hey Princess.” He said, bending down to pick her up. “Happy Birthday.”

“How long have you been back?” Eloise asked with a smile taking Nathan into her arms as she stood up.

“Five minutes. I went straight upstairs and found you two missing.” He replied as she leaned closer to him to kiss him.

“So how come you’re out here?” he asked as they headed back inside.

“This one wouldn’t let me get comfortable in bed, and Katie came out looking for me about an hour ago.” she replied as they walked through to the living room.

“Mommy, can we open our presents now? You said I could when Nathan was awake.” Katie said as she wriggled out of her father’s arms.

“Yes, you can. One small one each.” She replied as Nathan slid out of her arms and ran with his sister to where Eloise had sorted their birthday presents in the corner of the room.

“Have I got a present daddy?” Elijah asked, with a saddened smile.

“Actually yeah you have. There’s a small bag in the front of my bag at the bottom of the stairs with something for each of you.” he replied with a smile before Elijah took off towards the stairs.

Brian turned with a smile to face Eloise, holding his arms out to her. “Come here you, I’ve missed you so much.” He said wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and kissing her lips.

“I’ve missed you too.” she replied against his lips, using all her will power not to intensify the kiss in front of their children.

“How’s the little one doing?” he asked running a hand over her stomach.

“Great, apart from not letting me get comfortable in bed.” she replied. “I’ve not had much sleep these past couple of nights.”

“Why don’t you go lie down now?” Brian asked quietly.

“I can’t. There’s a shit load of stuff that needs doing before the party.” She replied.

“Yes you can. Go and have an hour or two. I’ll take care of the kids and will start getting stuff sorted for the party.” He replied kissing her lips.

“No, Bri, I’ll be-“

“Just go.” He whispered, stopping her protest with a kiss.

“Okay, I’m going. Just don’t let me sleep more than two hours.” She replied with a small sigh.

“Go.” He repeated, turning her in the direction of the stairs.

Apart from a weeks break over Christmas, Brian had been away with the band for almost three months. After just two weeks of being away, Eloise had found out that she was pregnant with their fourth child. They hadn’t planned it but they were over the moon just the same.

She was now sixteen weeks pregnant, just four weeks away from finding out whether it will be their second daughter or a third son.

After the twin’s first birthday Brian and Eloise had decided to try for another baby. It took them six months of trying before they finally conceived Elijah.

He, like Katie was the spitting image of Brian. They both had thick dark hair and deep brown eyes. They both had a strong jaw line and defined cheek bones and the same cute little nose. Nathan on the other hand was the image of Eloise. He had her green eyes, and lighter hair. Everything about him was Eloise. His facial expressions were identical; his mannerisms, habits and his laugh also were exactly like her.

After everything that had happened with Michelle and Katelyn and also with Billie, Eloise had decided not to return to Hot Topic to work. Instead, with some help from Brian and Zack she started her own business, designing, making and selling baby clothes and accessories.
It had become a successful business and they had recently opened a store in New York and there were talks about setting one up in the UK.

Eloise wasn’t the only one of the Avenged Sevenfold Wives that was pregnant. Val was six months pregnant with a little boy. Liam was six and a half and they’d also had a daughter; Bethany who was almost four.

Lacey was also pregnant, with only two weeks left to go. Her and Johnny had been married for three years and had finally had to resort to IVF treatment to get pregnant. But they couldn’t be happier about the impending birth of their little boy.

Zack and Gena have two children. Four year old Scott who is the image of Gena and six month old Kayleigh who had the same beautiful green eyes as Zack.

When Amber was two and a half, Leana gave birth to another baby girl called Jennifer who was now almost three.

There was a loud knock at the door as Eloise made her way down the stairs. She opened it to find the Sanders family stood there with smiles on their faces.

“Hey guys.” She greeted as Liam and Bethany ran into the house.

“Hey, where do you want these presents? We have Jimmy’s too.” Val asked as they stepped into the house.

“Um, the twins’ can go in the living room with their others and Jimmy’s can go in the dining room for now.” she replied as Matt pulled her into a sideways hug.

“You okay sweetie?” he asked kissing her temple.

“Better now my husband is back.” She replied.

“Amen to that!” Gena’s voice boomed cheerfully as she walked into the house carrying Kayleigh followed closely by Scott and Zack.

The group made their way out to the back yard which had been decorated with balloons, streamers and banners. All the older children were already on the large bouncy castle that had been hired for the occasion so the adults congregated on the patio.

Not long after Johnny and an uncomfortable looking Lacey joined them, Lacey lowering her self carefully onto one of the loungers.

“How you feeling sweetie?” Gena asked.

“Fat.” She replied simply. She opened her mouth to say more but was cut off by a squeal of laughter echoing from inside the house. They looked up to see Jimmy walk into the garden, Jennifer upside down in his arms, screaming with laughter as he tickled her and blew raspberries on her stomach.

“Jimmy, will you please put the child down before all the blood rushes to her head.” Leana said sternly, Jimmy immediately turning his daughter around in his arms. He pressed another raspberry to her cheek making her giggle again before putting her down to allow her to run off towards the bouncy castle with her sister.

“You know you’re getting old when you agree to a joint birthday party with six year olds.” He said laughing as he made his way over to the other adults.

“Nah, it just proves how much of a big kid you are.” Val said.

“Exactly, how many other thirty year olds get a bouncy castle and a Buzz Light Year Cake?” Eloise asked.

“I get a Buzz cake?” he asked excitedly.

“Point proven.” Leana giggled.

“Of course you do sweetie. Katie wanted a Tinkerbell one and Nathan wanted a Ben 10 one and I couldn’t leave you out could I?” Eloise replied with a smile.

“El, I fucking love you.” he said pulling her into a hug.

“Love you too Jim.” She replied kissing his cheek. “Happy birthday.”

They all gathered around on the patio, the guys telling tales from the tour as they watched the children run around the large garden.

Over the next couple of hours, presents were opened and cake was eaten and it wasn’t long before the bouncy castle was taken over by some of the adults as the children grew tired. Jennifer and Elijah were both curled up in their mothers’ arms, both of them struggling to keep their eyes open.

“You can put her down in one of the bedrooms if you want sweetie.” Eloise said quietly to Leana.

“I may just do that.” she replied slowly pushing herself up off the chair.

“Bri, can you help me a second please.” She said as Brian returned to the seating area.

“Of course baby, do you want me to take him up to bed?” he asked.

“No, I’ll take him, just help me up.” she replied.

Eloise took Elijah up to his bed, placing a small kiss on his forehead before returning to the party. When she got back downstairs she found most of the children in the living room, curled up on the sofas watching cartoons.

“Have you seen them all in there?” she said stepping back out onto the decking.

“Yeah, but have you seen their fathers?” Val asked with a giggle. Eloise looked around the garden with a look of confusion, her eyes firstly falling on Zacky who was led on the sun lounger fast asleep.

“Aww, bless him.” she said.

“Turn around.” Gena said. Eloise turned to find Brian also crashed out on a sun lounger.

“They’re not the only ones. Go check out the bouncy castle.” Leana said. With a raised eyebrow, Eloise turned and walked over to the bouncy castle where she found the other three guys led on the floor of it, each of them fast asleep.

With a smile Eloise turned and walked back up to the others. “We’ve already got photographic evidence don’t worry.” Gena said with a smile as Eloise picked up her camera.

“Great minds think alike hey.” she replied with a playful smile.

“Always. It seems a shame to wake them, but maybe we should make a move soon.” Val said.

“We’ll help El clear up first.” Lacey said.

“No, Brian and I will sort everything out in the morning.” Eloise replied.

“Are you sure?” Gena asked.

“Yeah go on, take your men and children home.” she replied.

“I’m going to enjoy waking them three up.” Leana said with a smirk, slipping off her shoes before running over to the bouncy castle, the other girls roaring with laughter as she leapt onto it, each of the three guys yelling in fright as they were rudely awoken.

Before everyone left Eloise made sure that Katie and Nathan said thank you to everyone for their presents. Then with the house back to themselves, she allowed Brian to carry on sleeping outside while she settled them into their beds.

She then made her way back out to the patio and sat down next to Brian on the sun lounger. “Move over Haner.” She whispered as she led down. He groaned softly, opening his eyes as he opened his arms, pulling her gently closer and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I love you Mrs Haner.” He whispered kissing her temple.

“I love you too Mr Haner.” She replied as she slipped her arms around his waist.

“Forever and ever baby.” He whispered placing another kiss to her forehead.

Eloise let out a content sigh as she closed her eyes and inhaled Brian’s intoxicating scent.

To her, this was happiness. Her life was always perfect when she lay in Brian’s arms.