Normal Life
Chapter 11
By: Bella
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Adah. Happy birthday to you!"
Everyone cheered and Adah cried as Benji and Tristen blew the candles out on their daughter's first birthday cake. To cheer her up, Benji quickly cut a huge piece of the vanilla cake that was shaped like and resembled her favorite stuffed animal, Beebee the bunny. Finding the piece of cake to be especially odd because she had never had cake before, Tristen had to put a small piece in her mouth. Her mood immediately changed as she devoured the piece and got it all over herself, her high chair, and the floor beneath her.
"I can't believe our baby is already a year old," Tristen whispered in disbelief to Benji as she poured drinks while he continued cutting the cake.
"I know, time flies. It's almost time for another one, huh?" he whispered back giving her a grin.
"Hah! I don't think so, Madden," she replied, using the pet name that she used for him every time that he said something that she did not agree with.
A few hours later most of the guests, which mainly consisted of family members and a few close friends, had left the house after wishing Adah a happy birthday. Joel, Jackie, and the twins' sister had stayed to help clean up while Benji and Tristen got the baby unwound and ready for bed after the long day with only a very brief morning nap. When they got her to sleep, they joined them to help finish up.
"Thanks you guys, I really appreciate it," Tristen said, as she joined Joel at the sink to help load the dish washer.
"Yeah, thanks guys," Benji chimed in from his spot behind his sister which caused her to jump in surprise. She then hit him with the garbage bag that she was carrying around and throwing things into. Jackie laughed at them and shook her head as she came into the kitchen to join Tristen and Joel.
"I guess immaturity is just a gene that affected them all," she giggled. "All of this time I thought it was just Joel. I didn't realize it ran in the family."
"Hey!" Joel whined, pretending to be hurt. Tristen laughed and patted him on the back.
"Yes, but it's OK. They're pretty enough to make up for it!"
"Thank you, Tristen. You know, you're not so bad looking yourself."
Jackie cleared her throat.
"However, I prefer a woman who's a lean, mean, sex machine!" Joel said, turning around the throwing soapy bubbles at Jackie, causing her to run away which made him chase after her holding his soapy hands out in front of him.
"O…K… more information than I needed," Tristen said to herself and she finished the dishes.
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A week later, Billy was to be married. Everyone had been frantic trying to put the event together, but they had found that it was much easier the third time around. Of course, Paul and Sandy's wedding was a first for the band. Then came Benji and Tristen. Now Billy and Maggie were ready to tie the knot in only a way Billy and Maggie could get away with. Almost as opposite as Benji and Tristen, Billy and Maggie had a hard time agreeing on anything for their wedding. So, they decided to compromise and do what they wanted, paying the other no attention. Billy was wearing an all black suit and make-up, and Maggie was wearing a huge white gown that looked fit for a princess complete with a tiara. One of Billy's favorite indie bands, Throne, would be playing music for the first half of the reception. Maggie's cousin's boyfriend's country band would be playing the second half. Pretty much the only decision that they had made together regarding the wedding was to have red roses and a red velvet cake.
Adah was all dolled up and ready to be a flower girl. Benji admired his daughter who was dressed in a white dress and matching shoes with sparkles that she had loved hiding all over the house for the past month. He watched her as she tried walking across the small hallway in the back of the church where the wedding was taking place, only to fall repeatedly and become frustrated. She hadn't walked in those shoes before, and she didn't like them quite as much when she had to wear them. Laughing, Benji walked over to her and scooped her up.
"You ready to throw some flowers at people, pumpkin?" he asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Da da!" she exclaimed, holding up the basket of flower pedals that she was fascinated by as close to his face as she possibly could.
"Yeah, those are your flowers! Can you say 'flowers?'" he asked her, slowly pronouncing the last word.
"Da da," she said once again.
"Hmm … close enough," he said with a smile before handing her over to Tristen on his way to stand at the front of the church to support Billy.
Because she was still a wobbly walker, Tristen had decided to hold her as she walked down the aisle as Maggie's bridesmaid. She tried to show Adah how to toss the flower pedals on the ground, but she began to squirm when she noticed Tristen dropping the flowers on the ground to try to pick them back up. Trying not to make her daughter start throwing a fit, she quickly got her to notice her mother who was sitting next to the aisle close to the front. When Adah noticed her grandmother, she quickly forgot about the flower pedals and held her arms out to signal that she wanted to be held by her. While passing that aisle, Tristen quickly handed Adah over to her mother and got back in line with the rest of the bridesmaids.
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Fortunately for Benji and Tristen, Adah remained quiet throughout the wedding and reception. The day had gone smoothly, and soon it was time for everyone gather outside and throw birdseed at the bride and groom as they left for their honeymoon. Tristen looked around and couldn't help but smile. To her left stood her husband holding their sleeping daughter over his shoulder. To her right were some of her favorite people. A now five months pregnant Sandy who was holding Paul's hand, Joel and Jackie who adored each other, and some of her own bandmates who had become friends of Billy and Maggie as well. Billy and Maggie ran to the car awaiting them with huge smiles on their faces and soon the car disappeared which left the people slowly disappearing as well.
Holding Adah over his left shoulder with his left arm, Benji took his wife's hand into his right and they slowly walked together to their car.
"Good wedding," Benji commented. "Adah enjoyed it."
Tristen laughed. "I can't believe she can sleep for so long in the noisiest places."
"Think it was better than our wedding?" Benji asked.
"Which one?" Tristen giggled, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Does it matter?" he asked with a laugh.
"Of course not. They were both perfect, I couldn't have asked for anything better," she sighed.
"I couldn't have asked for anyone better," he said, bringing her hand up and kissing it. She sighed and rested her head against his right shoulder and they continued walking and holding hands.
The End.