After All This Time

“You know, this whole blindfold thing, not fun,” Kate grumbled from the passenger’s seat. Her arms were crossed over her olive dress as she tried to glare through the black strip of cloth. Kendall laughed, watching the road in front of him.

“It’s payback, baby,” he shrugged, pulling up to a stoplight.

“That was like, nine years ago!” Kate argued, searching blindly with her hand to smack his arm. He chuckled, shaking his head.

“Payback comes when you least expect it. Now stop worrying, I think I see a gray hair,” he teased, and her hands shot to her chocolate curls. Her glossed lips curled into a frown as she crinkled her nose at him.

“Not funny, Schmidt,” she growled, before turning to the backseat of the SUV. “Kennedy, sweetie, where are we going?”

A four-year-old girl looked up, her sandy curls framing her oval face. Her big hazel eyes watched Kate as she gripped a doll tighter in her hands. A slightly older boy snickered, wispy strands of his espresso locks falling into his jade eyes. Kennedy shrunk in her car seat, looking at Kendall in the rear view mirror.

“Kennie, don’t say a word. Katherine Hope Schmidt, guilting our daughter into giving you answers is so not fair! It’s like, evil,” he scolded, and Kate allowed a defeated sigh to gush from her lungs, turning around.

“Well, if you would just tell me what’s going on, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” she retorted, jutting her bottom lip out.

“Daddy, you made Mama sad!” the boy screamed, struggling against his restraints in an attempt to reach his mother. Kate tried to hide the smirk on her face as Kendall frantically looked between the boy and the road.

“Keegan, Mama’s not sad, she’s acting,” he said, pulling into a driveway. The boy’s eyes lit up as he processed.

“Like you do!” he said excitedly, and Kendall smiled triumphantly.

“Exactly, buddy. Now let’s get you two outta here.”

Kate sat impatiently as Kendall fumbled with the car seat buckles. She had offered to help, but the blindfold made it nearly impossible. She heard their feet shuffling against pavement, and then, a pair of lips kissed her cheek. She turned her head, already knowing who was beside her.

“C’mon, it’s time for your surprise,” Kendall whispered in her ear, and she grinned, beside herself. She took his hand and allowed him to take the lead. When they halted, she could feel his callused fingers struggling with the blindfold knot, and had to stifle a laugh.

“Surprise!” The word echoed through the air, and Kate smiled, seeing herself surrounded by people she adored. She recognized the backyard as Jesse’s, who stood grinning front and center, Jay at his side, a raven-haired toddler on her hip.

“Happy Birthday, Aunt Kate,” a bashful eight-year-old whispered, attaching herself to Kate’s leg.

“Thank you Audrey. Where are Ethan and J.J?” Audrey wrinkled her nose, her ice blue eyes squinting up at Kate. Kate pushed a strand of coffee-colored hair behind the small girl’s ear, smiling.

“Ethan’s chasing Allie and Molly around. And J.J.’s with Mommy.” Sure enough, Kate spotted Ethan’s fiery hair, running after two girls, one with chestnut braids, the other with charcoal ringlets: Allie Maslow and Molly Pena. Kate watched for a moment, patting her niece on the back.

“Why don’t you go make sure Kennie’s alright. Keegan seems to think since he goes to kindergarten now he can boss her around. Plus, she loves to see her cousin,” Kate encouraged. The girl lit up before skipping away.

“Nicely done,” Kendall acknowledged, handing her an opened soda can. She took it, taking a swig before responding.

“You didn’t have to do all this for me,” she chastised, but couldn’t keep the smile off her lips.

“Sure we did. It’s not every day you turn thirty.” Kate cringed at the number, and Kendall laughed, grabbing her hand.

“This is nice. Thank you,” she whispered, pecking Kendall’s lips lightly.

“You’re welcome. I’m supposed to tell you happy birthday from Logan. He wanted to make it, but little Brody’s in that stage where he cries all day and night.”

“Poor guy. Can’t say I envy him though.”

Her eyes caught on Carolyn and James, his arm slung over her shoulder, her stomach bulging as she neared the end of her second trimester. Carolyn tucked a strand of golden hair out of her face before waving at Kate. James noticed and looked over, making a trademark funny face. Kate tried to hold back the laughter bubbling, but couldn’t. Even Kendall was chuckling beside her.

“Look, my baby sister’s getting old. Her hair’s going silver!” Jesse taunted, pulling Kate into an embrace. She frowned up at him, placing her hands on her hips once he released her.

“Okay, tomorrow I’m buying hair dye. And this coming from you, old man? You’re like, thirty-five,” she shot back.

“Hey now, I’m thirty-four, thank you very much. Happy Birthday, Katherine.”

“Well, thanks. Now where’s little Jesse Jr.?”

“I see how it is,” Jesse scoffed, before waving Jay over. “You love my namesake more than me, your own brother.”

“Well, he does have the whole adorable baby thing going for him, even if he happens to be a mirror image of you. Let’s pray he has Jay’s brain, though.”

“Hey, beautiful! Happy birthday,” she sang. The small boy in her arms reached towards Kate, who scooped him up. He planted a slobbery kiss on her cheek, and she beamed.

“You’re so much nicer than your daddy.” Jesse scowled as Jay’s laughter filled the air. “Thank you, by the way.”

“How’s everything been going with you two?” Kendall asked, one eye watching his in-laws, the other watching the children running amuck.

“Great. Ethan’s so excited to be going to ‘big kid school’ with his sister. J.J.’s sweet as ever,” Jay gushed, her cerulean eyes lighting up. She opened her mouth to say more when Ethan ran over, Audrey on his tail.

“Mama, Audrey took my dinosaur,” he pouted, pointing an accusing finger at his older sister, who held a forest green piece of plastic in her tiny hands.

“Only cause he threw a worm at me!” Audrey screeched in defense, her eyes widening as she looked up at her parents.

“Gee, who do they remind you of?” Jay asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. Jesse and Kate locked eyes, both of them smirking.

“I have no idea, what about you Katherine?” Jesse asked, shrugging his shoulders. Kate scratched her head, tilting it to the side.

“No clue,” she agreed, and Jay rolled her eyes before kneeling down to talk to her children.

“So, what about you two?” Jesse asked, and Kate looked at Kendall, smiling from ear to ear.

“Well, Keegan started kindergarten, and Kate bawled more than any kid or parent there,” Kendall said nonchalantly, and Kate bumped into him playfully.

“Did not,” she protested, looking down as a blush crept upon her cheeks.

“You so did,” Kendall argued. Jesse watched, amused.

“Whatever.”

“Mama, guess what! Uncle Carlos said Spot’s gonna have puppies, and we can have one!” Kennedy said excitedly, dragging Carlos behind her.

“He did now?” Kate asked, looking at him suspiciously. He grinned, watching Kendall try to hide his smile behind the aluminum can.

“Uh-huh!”

“Kennie, why don’t you have Uncle Carlos play tag with you guys?” Kate suggested. Carlos’ eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically, stopping quickly when Kennedy turned to him, face glowing.

“But Kate, you know I stink at that game!” he called as the girl grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the play set. Kate held her hands out and shrugged.

“Oops. It seems to have slipped my mind!” she snickered in response. Kendall’s arm draped around her scrawny shoulder, and he kissed her forehead lightly. Her hazy eyes danced as she watched the children sprinting and shrieking, Carlos chasing them to no avail.

“You doing okay?” Kendall asked, watching his wife lovingly. She reached her hand up, diamond ring glimmering, to grab the one sitting on her shoulder, also adorned with a gold band.

“Yeah,” Kate nodded, smiling as she went on her tiptoes, kissing his nose. “This, right here, it’s perfect.”