Growing Up

Christmas had come and gone in the Baker home, leaving Liss to clean the large Manhattan home while her children played with their new toys, and her husband played with his.

“Babe!” Zacky exclaimed in joy bouding down the stairs, “I just completed all the levels on Angry Birds!” He told her waving the iPad she had gotten him in the air. \

“Good job baby!” She mocked his excitement pinching his cheek. She giggled at his unamused face before returning to the dishes.

“So we fly out tomorrow, huh?” Zacky asked wrapping his arms around his wife’s midsection from behind her.

“Mhm,” Liss nodded turning off the sink and starting the dishwasher. “I still have to pack.”

“I’ll help.” Zacky offered with a smile, “And after…we can…ya know.” He added with a wink.

“Baby, didn’t your doctor say wait two weeks after surgery?” Liss asked referring to the vasectomy Zacky went to get last week.

“Nah, I can get it up.” He boldy stated making Liss burst out laughing.

“Let’s go check on the babies.” She smiled pulling Zacky up the stairs, to the playroom.

“No, stupid. That’s a square, it obviously wont fit into the circle.” Laila sighed in frustration before taking the shape from her brother’s hand and dropping it into the correct hole on the toy.

“Laila!” Liss scolded, “Do not call your brother stupid.”

“Sorry.” Laila hung her head and retreated back to her barbies. As his sister walked away Logan looked up at his mother with the same brown eyes and began to wail, making his pacifier fall out.

“Oh baby.” Liss smiled scooping her son into her arms, coddling him to stop the tears.

“Don’t baby him Liss.” Zacky warned, “You’ll turn him into a sissy. Baker men are not sissy men.”

“Baker, he is a baby, what do you expect me to do? Tell him to suck it up?” Liss laughed and wiped the tears that escaped Logan's eyes and fell down his plump, pale cheeks.

“Exactly.” Zacky nodded making Liss glare at him. Liss felt a tug around her neck and glanced down to see Logan pulling on the Tiffany necklace Zacky had gotten her.

“Daddy?” Laila asked planting herself in Zacky’s lap.

“What’s up Princess?” Zacky kissed Laila’s temple as she brushed the hair of her new Barbie.

“Do I get to see Dunc tomorrow?”

“Yes, baby.” Zacky chuckled.

Liss smiled at her daughter, and while she was happy that she would see her friend tomorrow, her stomach churned at the thought of who they wouldn’t see on the anniversary of his death.
*

“Cookies!” Lilliana squealed tossing a handful of flour into her sisters hair. Adrienne simply continued to suck on her bottle as she sat contently in her high-chair.
“Lill, come on!” Sean exclaimed as his daughter giggled uncontrollably, "you are six years old, enough goofing around. Don’t throw flour at your sister.” He warned in a stern tone making Lilliana huff and sit back down on her chair and cut out her gingerbread cookies.

“I wan’ Mommy.” Lilliana whimpered cutting the head off of her gingerbread man. “Oops.”

“She’ll be home in about half an hour.” Sean explained placing the ready cookies on the cookie sheet and into the oven.

“Where she go?” Lilliana asked.

“She went to go pick up Aunty Liss from the airport.”

“Laila, too?” Lilliana excitely asked bouncing in her seat.

“Mhm, and Logan.”

Smiling Lilliana continued to sever the limbs of her gingerbread man untill he was just a torso.

“He’s ready daddy.” Lilliana stated lifting up the dough.

“O-okay.” Sean smiled placing him on another cookie sheet. “Mommy will love this one."
*

“I swear on a pile of Louis Vuitton bags if you ever leave me again for five months I’ll kill you.” Leyna stated squeezing her best friend.

“You have my full permission.” Liss laughed hugging her back just as tightly.

“Anyway,” Leyna smiled pushing Liss away, “give me my nephew.” She demanded, and Zacky passed Logan to his aunt.

“Hi pretty boy!” Leyna exclaimed as Logan gave her a big gummy smile. “Say Aunty Ley!”

“Bof!” Logan squealed, his pacifier still clamped tight in the teeth. Passing the baby back to Zacky Leyna hugged her favortie neice.

“Is Lilliana at home?” Laila asked with a yawn.

“Yes she is.” Leyna nodded, “Im sure you two have a lot of catching up to do.”

“As do we,” Liss smiled at her best friend, and they made their way to Leyna’s car that was ready to take them back to their Huntington home.
*

“Nothing like California sunshine in the middle of December.” Liss smiled as she stretched herself out on her patio.

“Mimosa?” Leyna asked. Liss nodded and Leyna handed her the alchoholic drink.

“So, tell me.” Liss airly stated flipping over on the recliner.

“Tell you what?” Leyna laughed taking a sip of the drink.

“Everything! How’s Sean? Are you still talking to Matt behind his back?”
“Sean is fine. We have our ups and downs, but we are going strong. Yeah, I guess I am still talking to Matt. We have coffee atleast once a week. Its just coffee, but I cant help but feel like im having a terrible affair.” Leyna sighed.

“Well it sorta is an affaiir.” Liss reasoned, “Matt doesn’t tell his wife he’s seeing you and you aren’t telling your husband that you are seeing Matt. You guys are like secretly dating.”

“We aren’t dating! We’re just two old friends that catch up on coffee once a week.” Leyna said defending herself.

“Then tell Sean.” Liss said giving her a pointed look. Leyna just sighed lowering her gaze. “Exactly.” Liss added.

“Speaking of old. You’re birthday is coming up on Saturday.” Liss smiled, “What are you planning on doing? Making a botox appointment?”

“Very funny.” Leyna mumbled, “No I think we’ll just dump the kids on their grandparents and get sloppy drunk.”

“Cheers to that.” Liss said raising her glass.
*
Leanna threw the door open to reveal Leyna and Liss and their husbands and children.

“Girls!” She pulled them both into hugs and kisses.

“How are you Lee?” Liss smiled holding her friends face in her hands.

“Im doing okay. I can’t believe its been six years though. It still hurts like it was yesterday.” She somberly replied.

“How’s Duncan?” Leyna asked.

“He’s good. He doesn’t really get it, and its hard explaining to him that his father died today, six years ago.” Tears welled up in Leanna’s eyes as the girls pulled her into another hug.

Duncan ran down the stairs flinging himself at Laila who was more that happy to hug the Sullivan boy back. He took her by the hand and they went to go watch Despicable Me in the family room with the rest of the children. Liss said her hellos to everyone she had missed in the past five months, and showed them her young son that had grown immensely in that time. As the families of Avenged gathered to commemorate the death of their friend and band mate, they felt Jimmy’s spirit there with him, and saw him tenacity in the face of his son.

*
The beat in the club was loud and modern. It was funky and melodic, and bodies rubbed promiscuously on the dance floor.

“Oh baby! Let’s dance!” Liss exclaimed pulling Zacky with her to the dance floor. “Come on Ley!” Liss yelled after her friend who pulled her husband as well. Placing Zacky’s hands on her hips, Liss began to move her body to the music winding and grinding her body against her husband’s, getting him a little too hot under the collar.

Sean took Leyna’s hand and spun her around and began to jerk his body awkwardly around the floor. Leyna doubled over in laughter as her husband entertained the crowd that gathered around them. Pulling Leyna in flush against his body, he moved their bodies together making a few of the bystanders whistle.

“You are too much.” Leyna laughed as Sean began to grind against her. A man in his twenties came over and began to dance in front of Leyna, completing the sandwhich. Upon noticing the other man putting the moves on his wife, Sean placed a large hand on his chest and gave him a rough shove.

“Sean!” Leyna squealed pulling him back “Calm the hell down.”

“Nobody dances with you but me.” He grinned twirling her again. She had severly underestimated his jealously.

“Except me of course!” Liss yelled over the music a two drinks in her hands. Handing one to Leyna, they began to dance with their drinks in the air making their husbands laugh.

“Happy fucking Birthday!” Liss screamed over the loud noise of the club. Leyna screamed back a ‘thank you’ before taking a large gulp of the beverage Liss had gotten her, letting the alcohol numb her senses, as Sean placed a protecting hand on her hip.