• Every Stumbled Step •

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Cal wanted to stay home and play daddy full time, but one of them had to work and since it was usually the mother that got the maternity leave, it would be him that worked. He was already pulling double shifts at the comedy club and he would be adding a shift at the fashion house as well. Eventually, he wanted to be able to open his own house, but that wouldn’t be for a long time. For now, he wanted to just work his way up and get experience under his belt. He’d been designing and creating clothes since he was still a teenager, and he’d been selling them; mostly to friends and friends of friends but still, his clothes were getting around. Though, more often than not, he was giving them away. People wearing his designs were great publicity and whenever asked, his and Ayden’s friends got orders and such. Really, he probably could have opened a studio now, and with the bigger house, there would be room, but there wasn’t enough money for him to do that just yet and that more than anything was the problem.

Ayden had no clue that when it was time to bring her and the babies home, they wouldn’t be going back to that tiny, cramped apartment. It was okay when it was just the two of them, but they had two new additions to their family to think about and the space they had now just wouldn’t cut it anymore. The painting was done, thanks to his friends from work, and from the text messages he was getting from his gramps, the furniture and the rest of their things were being moved that day. It would take a couple more to get everything back out of the boxes they were put in, but hopefully everything would be unpacked by the time his family could come home; if not, whatever was left could be hidden away in one of the spare rooms. Cal chuckled, shaking his head at his beautiful wife. “Absolutely worth it,” he said, purposely flexing his hand. Thankfully, Ayden’s grip hadn’t been as bad as he initially thought and he’d managed to come out of that room without any broken bones, just a numb hand.

Cal’s expression held no emotion, just deadpan. “We’ll get enough of that when we get home,” he said smiling down at the pretty babies starting to fuss for food. Cassidy seemed so tiny curled into his arms and against his chest. ”Mommy’s prince and daddy’s princess. They’re going to be spoiled rotten,” Cal said chuckling softly as he sat in the rocking chair next to the crib. Cal had been trying to make baby clothes for the twins but so far he wasn’t doing such a great job at it and was more than willing to concede defeat when he met it. Baby clothes were not his thing and he would fork out the cash for the necessity of clothes for the twins. Cal brushed his finger down Cassidy’s cheek, already taken with her. He was in awe of her, and Ayden for doing what she did.

He was just staring down at his little girl with a huge grin on his face when the nurse stretched her hand out with the ready bottle for him to feed Cass. ”I don’t know, Ay. I don’t see why they wouldn’t. They aren’t hooked up to oxygen tubes or anything,” he managed to get out before the nurse came up to the couple again with a soft smile, clearly enjoying having the babies’ parents in the room. ”They’re doing really well considering they weren’t full term, though twins usually aren’t. So, one more night under observation should do it for them. If the Doctor okays it, the twins can be upstairs by tomorrow night,” she said, nodding her head before sneaking away again for her desk and the paperwork she’d been filling out. Cal grinned over at Ayden winking once before, gazing down at the eating bundle in his arms. He had never given a bottle to a baby before and was a little nervous but Cassidy seemed to know what to do and he was just the bottle holder and helping hand when burping came around.

Tag || Baby Mama!
Words || 712
Location || Le Hospital
Clothes || Reality
Music || I Must Be Dreaming by The Maine
Notes ||New graphics are coming... obviously xD >.< <3

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

GOING HOME

Finally, they were all going home. Ayden was so excited to be out of the hospital and away from the nurses and doctors and fussing. She hated being treated like she couldn't do anything for herself, and the wheelchairs had been taking it a step too far. True, she was recovering, but that didn't mean she couldn't walk or feed herself! She was very ready to be back on her couch, curled up with Cal and a bowl of buttery, delicious popcorn. Plus, they'd finally get to take the twins home, something she'd been dreading and looking forward to more than actually getting out of the hospital. She wanted the two darlings all alone, without the hovering nurses and other family members. Once they were home, they'd be like a real family; a new one, that still had lots of kinks to work out, but a family, nonetheless.

After her initial sleep-coma, Ayden hadn't been sleeping amazingly on the hospital bed. It wasn't the one she and Cal shared at home, which was what she longed for every night as she listened to the constant beeping of machines and IV drips. The idea of going home to it was amazing, so she'd practically screamed for joy when the doctor said she and the twins could be discharged that afternoon. Going home also meant real food, a luxury Ayden had been missing since the moment she arrived.

She watched as Cal packed up the bags, helping when she was allowed to and readily changing into her going-home clothes she'd picked out weeks before. It felt so nice to be in real clothes again; she hadn't realized how much she'd missed them. After waiting around for what seemed like forever, the twins were brought up and loaded into car-seats, the family was ushered out the door, and they were climbing into the car. Cal had driven one of the vehicles home the other night and caught a ride back with a friend, so they only had the one to worry about, much to her relief. Ayden honestly didn't want to drive; she'd be too busy freaking out over the two newborns in the backseat. As it was, she payed more attention to them than Cal in the car, looking over the seat whenever one made a noise or rustled. She wanted to make sure they were okay and... alive. She still couldn't believe they were actually here, after so many months of preparing for them.

Ayden didn't watch out the window, being occupied checking on the twins. So, when she stepped out of the car, she couldn't help blinking around in shock as she realized they weren't at the apartment. This wasn't even an apartment building; it was... a house. She unhooked Adrian's car seat, carefully taking the bulky thing out and slinging it onto her are while she waited for Cal to get Cassie out and come around to her side. She gave him a classic glare, frowning as she said, "Where the heck are we?"

• • •

TAG: Soon-to-be Daddy!
LOCATION: The Hospital!
WORDS: 542!
MUSIC: Here by Rascal Flatts
OUTFIT: Will be here soon!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

The whole time Ayden was in the hospital with the twins, Cal had been jumping between their new place, their old place and the hospital. All trying to get things packed, unpacked and cleaned. Now though, their old apartment was emptied out and cleaned spotless. Cal had spent an extra hour in the empty apartment, walking through the place and reliving the old memories. This apartment was where he and Ayden first moved in together, it was where they realized their affection, where they told each other those three words. This little two bedroom apartment that at one point had been perfect for them was where he finally proposed, where they created those two beautiful babies currently sleeping away next to their mother’s hospital bed.

That apartment had been their home for four years and now they were leaving it all behind for a bigger and better place to call home. And Cal still had no way to tell Ayden about the move. It was supposed to be a surprise, but he was also supposed to have a line in place so if she asked, he could tell her what he rehearsed. Unfortunately, with the move and the painting and the well, everything, he hadn’t figured out a reason to tell Ayden for why they were driving home in the wrong direction. The day before Cal and his grandfather, along with Dawson and Will finished unpacking the last box so everything was ready for when he brought them home. And that time had come. He helped pack up the bags Ayden had, the gifts, flowers and little things their friend’s left at the hospital. They had to wait for the nurses to bring the twins back up from their final quick check up. The couple were told the babies had to be a certain weight, eating well and all that before they could go. Fortunately, Adrian and Cassidy were very healthy, and the couple were lucky to be able to bring the twins home so soon after their birth.

With the babies all ready and in their seats, the family picked up and left the sterile white walls of the hospital. The bed they had given Cal to sleep in was terribly uncomfortable, but he was near Ayden and the babies so he didn’t complain. He put the twins in the car, allowing the nurse to check and make sure he’d done it all correctly. Once approval was given, Cal slipped behind the wheel of his car, thanked the nurse one last time before clipping his seatbelt into place and pulling away from the curb. The drive was pretty quick and with Ayden being so preoccupied with making sure the babies were alright, he didn’t have to worry about telling her the false truth. Finally, he pulled up outside their new brownstone and cut the engine before unhooking his seatbelt and slipping from the front seat, keys in hand. He went about unbuckling Cassie’s car seat from the base and tugging the chucky piece from the back. He would get the rest of Ayden’s things when they were all inside and settled. That was his thoughts when he came around the car to stand beside Ayden and look up at their new home. “Welcome home, Little Fire,” he said, bumping his elbow lightly into her side. He was sure to hear a one sided screaming match once they had the door closed. Grinning wildly, happily, Cal took to the small set of stairs, checking Cassie’s seat against his hip and thigh so he could unlock the door and swing the big wooden door open. “After you,” he said, nodding his head towards the inside of the their new home.

Tag || Baby Mama!
Words || 619
Location || Le Hospital
Clothes || Reality
Music || Once in a Lifetime by Keith Urban
Notes || >.< <3

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

Ayden had started to notice Cal's phonecalls, and the way he'd prance into the room with a giddy smile on his face, which would vanish the moment she asked why he was so happy. She had put it down to the twins' birth, and the fact that he seemed to be screaming that from every rooftop in New York, but, as she stood outside the brownstone, she couldn't help gaping. So, this was what he'd been doing when he disappeared to "take a real shower" or "grab some things for the twins." He'd been buying a house, one that was probably worth their apartment ten times over, in order to surprise her when she got out of the hospital. She wanted to kill and kiss him all at the same time.

She kept Adrian's carseat gripped tightly over her arm, her nerves about dropping him making her hands hold that much tighter as she watched Cal walk up the steps of the house. She stared at him for a long moment, the urge to scream fighting its way to her lips. Ayden couldn't believe he'd done this without her; didn't she deserve some say in their new home? How could he have left her out of it all? Was this place really worth the debt it'd no doubt land both of them into? Why hadn't he told her, given her some warning? She was going to kill him later, once the twins took their naps. He'd be tied to a chair and killed; she'd make sure of it. The battle raged in her eyes as she warily went up the steps, watching him push open the heavy door.

Once the door opened, she couldn't help her face from showing surprise. The inside was furnished... and it was their things from the apartment decorating the front room. Ayden stepped inside carefully, taking the place in with sharp eyes, but not moving from her place near the doorway. She looked up at Cal, confusion in her pretty eyes. "This is all ours?" she asked, biting her lip as she scanned the room again. Ayden had dreamed of having a big house one day, complete with family and typical suburb life, but, she'd never actually thought it'd come true, and especially not with Cal by her side. It was them in the few pictures on the walls, and it was their coffee table from the apartment, and their old chair. Everything here was theirs. She set Adrian's seat carefully on the ground, turning to her husband and reaching up on her toes to give him a sweet kiss. She still couldn't believe he'd done this all for her.

• • •

TAG: The Darling Hubby!
LOCATION: The Hospital!
WORDS: 469!
MUSIC: Here by Rascal Flatts
OUTFIT: Will be here soon!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Nowhere in Cal’s grand plan of things did he think Ayden would hate this surprise. He instantly loved the space when his grandfather showed him the place. Even Cal didn’t know how many places the older man looked at before finally showing this particular house to his newlywed grandson. It was the perfect family home, a great neighbourhood in the city, with plenty of space to spare for the new family. Cal’s only thought was that Ayden would love it just as much as he did. He knew he took the fun of house hunting away from his pretty wife, but this place was so perfect and they didn’t have to worry about a mortgage; only the bills.

That was something else he’d have to explain. The house came with a couple strings, but they were invisible. Cal’s gramps had purchased the house, for them, with a remodelled apartment in the basement that had once been the staff’s quarters. The plan, because both men knew how Ayden felt about gifts and this was a damn big one, was that they were getting the main house, because they had the babies now and they were married. Gramps didn’t need that much space and the small apartment was good enough for him. And with the amount of business the eighty-eight year old man did in New York, he wouldn’t be there often to begin with; most of the man’s businesses were based out of Seattle.

He would use the apartment when he was in the city as opposed to spending money every trip on hotels. The house was in Cal’s grandfather’s name for the time being though eventually it would be transferred over to Ayden and Caleb. There was still plenty to be done; savings accounts had to be opened for the twins, Cal wanted to make sure they had money set aside for their university experiences. Cal nodded, walking into their new home behind Ayden and shutting the door. He set Cassie’s car seat down beside the couch, out of the way. “Technically not yet, but soon enough, yes, it will be. Gramps bought the place. He wants the apartment in the basement for when he’s in the city doing business and the rest of the place is all ours. It comes with strings to get it in our name, though. I hope that’s okay. I know I took the fun from house hunting, but when Gramps showed me, I just knew this was our place so he went through the paperwork,” Cal admitted not able to keep anything from his wife. It was a miracle he’d kept the surprise about this place a secret!

They’d been at this for months now, with painting and getting it some new furniture. It wasn’t hard to say he had a couple extra shifts here and there to get out of the house and shop for something new things, but it really had killed Cal to basically lie to Ayden about it all. Cal wrapped his arms around Ayden, holding her against him as he kissed her back sweetly. He really, truly loved this woman and wanted to give her the world. She absolutely deserved it in his eyes. “I love you, little fire. Do you really like it?” he asked, kissing her forehead. He had known for a while that Ayden had always wanted the family home, the kids the white picket fence lifestyle. And Cal had wanted that too, to a point. He loved New York and didn’t want to leave Manhattan for one of the more suburban boroughs. The streets were constantly congested and the people were for the most part rude and just didn’t care, but that was what made the city so grand; the culture of the place was just amazing. There was so much inspiration to be found in the city and Ayden’s music just seemed to fit the Manhattan scene so much better. “Go on and look around while I get these guys up to their new room. I kept the nursery to one room still. I figured it would be easier in the middle of the night but there’s plenty of extra rooms for them to have their own when they’re older,” Cal added, picking up both car seats and nodding his go ahead, telling her he was alright with her scampering off to explore.

Tag || Baby Mama!
Words || 729
Location || Le Hospital
Clothes || Reality
Music || Once in a Lifetime by Keith Urban
Notes || >.< <3

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

Since the birth of the twins, Ayden had done a lot of growing up, and had done it pretty fast. It may've been only a week ago, but, already, she was planning and thinking ahead and being... a mom. That was the best word for it; a mom. She was thinking about what clothes she'd bring the twins home in, and how much their diapers were going to cost, and what she'd need for food for herself and them as soon as her maternity began. It was scary, strange, and a bit exciting all at once; she was enjoying it, actually. The responsibility was huge, which she knew, but those two little babies were going to be worth it; she could already tell.

It was too good to be true. That was all she could think as she looked around the huge house that apparently belonged to her and Cal now. She couldn't believe he'd been able to keep this from her, especially since everything from the apartment looked like it'd been moved into the new home. She loved, no doubt there, but she just couldn't believe it; there had to be some sort of catch to all of this. It was too perfect; too surreal. Things like this never happened in real life without some consequences, and she was waiting for him to say the pipes leaked, or someone had been murdered in the back bedroom, which was why no one wanted the place and he'd been able to get it for a reasonable price. Something had to be wrong. As she ventured further into the beautiful house, she couldn't hide her smile. It was so them; practically had their name written across the walls in huge letters. Her dream-state quickly shattered, however, as soon as Cal began explaining that this place wasn't "technically" theirs.

Ayden snapped around on her heel, her death-glare back in place. She didn't care if the twins were sleeping; she couldn't understand how Cal had actually allowed his grandfather to buy them a house. This wasn't some bills vanishing or a little cash to tie them over until payday -- this was a house. It was more expensive than anything he'd ever done, and she wouldn't accept this from him. She loved the man like her own grandfather, but this was going too far; she couldn't indebt herself to him when she already owed so much to her own parents. She wasn't stupid; she knew the basement excuse was just so she'd play along and pretend that it wasn't a gift that was entirely unacceptable. There were the strings; it wasn't their place. She should've known they'd never be able to afford something as wonderful as this. "I can't believe you, Caleb," she said, disappointment and anger clear in her tone. She hadn't even had a say in this, and now it'd been sprung on her all at one time. She needed to sit down.

She yanked herself away from him with a frown, silently scooping up Adrian's car seat and then going to grab Cassie's on her other arm, not caring that she wouldn't be able to do anything but walk with them. They were not staying in this house that wasn't even theirs. "I'm not staying here. This isn't ours; it's your grandfather's, and I'm not letting him buy us things that we couldn't afford ourselves. Bills and loans are one thing; lavish houses are a totally new level. I can't believe you let him do this," she said, heading back towards the door she'd just walked through. Ayden hadn't even gone out of that one room yet, and she'd been in love with the place, but she couldn't take this. It was too much. "I'm going home; to our apartment, the one we pay for every month and the one we can afford by ourselves," she called over her shoulder, out the door and down the steps, balancing the twins on her two arms as she went back to the car and began buckling in her children. She couldn't believe he'd done this to her.

• • •

TAG: The Darling Hubby!
LOCATION: The Hospital!
WORDS: 749!
MUSIC: Here by Rascal Flatts
OUTFIT: Will be here soon!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Cal knew it would be difficult to get Ayden on board with the house. He knew how much she hated getting help of any kind, even if it wasn’t asked for. Gramps was like this his whole life. If he had money, he spent what he could on his family, spoiling them rotten, even when they declined. It had taken quite a while, but Cal finally learned to not ask questions, or tell his grandfather that he didn’t want this or that because he was well aware that the old man would do it anyway, and brush off the annoyance and grief his family gave him. His grandfather did most things on a whim, and for the most part the man was lucky as hell something bad hadn’t happened to him yet.

But with all that on his mind, he didn’t think she would explode the way she had. It broke his heart to see her so mad about it all. “Ayden!” He said, exasperated. “Telling him not to do something is like talking to a brick wall and you know it just as well as I do,” he said, shaking his head. He had to figure out a way for her to stay. She was a stubborn as a pack mule and like his grandfather; there was no changing her ways. But Cal loved that about her and although annoyed with his wife, couldn’t be angry with her. He did all this, knowing how she felt about these things. But he’d also thought that once she saw how beautiful and amazing the house was, she’d fall for it just as he had. Of course, to do that, he had to get her to tour the place first. Ayden was smart, but when she was in these moods, she forgot things; things like Cal still holding onto the car keys.

She was smart, but at the moment, she had anger clouding her intelligence. Cal didn’t have that, so even as Ayden was buckling their children into the backseat of the car, he was checking his pocket for the keys and pulling them free. He followed Ayden down the front steps and leaned back against the railing. “Fine. I won’t argue with you or fight. I know better than that. But the only way you’re getting these is if you take a walk through the brownstone. After that, I’ll even start the car for you!” She couldn’t resist place after she’d had a look through it. It was just getting her to look that was the pain. He had to get her into the house. “Go on,” he said, moving to stand next to the car with the babies as he watched a very annoyed five foot tall blonde walk back up the stairs and into the house. Already thinking he’d won, Cal leaned into the back seat of the car and freed the car seats from their restraints and carried the twins back into the house, kicking the car door shut behind him. He set the babies down on the couch and went back to shut the house door before going back to his newborn twins, sitting on the couch and waiting for Ayden to return to the main room.

Tag || Baby Mama!
Words || 540
Location || Le New Home!
Clothes || Reality
Music || Once in a Lifetime by Keith Urban
Notes || >.< <3

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

Ayden had never been okay with all the gifts, spoiling, and special treatment. Disappearing bills, surprise presents, and "loans" were all trademark Gramps doings, and she'd never liked it. She knew he meant well, knew he loved to help out as much as he possibly could, but she didn't like accepting the help. Her and Cal weren't teenagers anymore; there were adults who had to learn how to survive on their own without having extra money fed into their bank accounts. It wasn't like they starved; they managed just fine, and they would've been able to make the apartment work until they'd secured better paying jobs. They had had everything set up there, afterall, and is had seemed to just cramped enough with all the twins' belongings placed about the tiny place. It was squished, yes, and they'd be tripping over each other, yes, but they could afford that apartment on their own; they didn't need the charity acts to keep it.

When Ayden's mind was set on something, it took the National Guard flying in to change it. It'd always been that way, and probably always would be; she had stubborness in her blood, something that had no doubt carried over to at least one, if not both, of the twins. "Then have fun in your new house, Caleb. I'm sure you and Gramps will have a blast the next time he's in town. You can come visit us at the apartment," she smiled mock-sweetly, glaring daggers at him. Ayden buckled the twins in awkwardly, still not used to the way the buckles all fit together.

If this idea had been presented to her sooner, she would've thrown a fit that rivalled any spoiled child's. This house was too much; too big, too perfect, and too much. Ayden couldn't accept this, even if the old man meant well in purchasing it for the young couple. If she stayed, she'd feel like an intruder in someone else's home; it wasn't her and Cal's. Their names weren't on the paperwork, and it hadn't been their money used to make a down payment. One day, maybe, if they got well-paying jobs and saved up enough, maybe then they could purchase a nice house for themselves and the twins. Until then, they were going to be staying in a place they could afford without launching themselves into debt.

Ayden didn't even think about the car seats. She finished buckling Cassie in, making sure the seat was secure, and then reached for her pocket where she usually kept her keys. She'd handed her set over to Cal though, when he'd driven her car home; she didn't have anything in her pocket except her phone. Snapping around, her eyes flashed as Cal spoke. He was going to force her into staying; he wasn't even giving her the option to leave when she wanted. She glared at him as he came closer, debating the idea of screaming to catch the attention of the neighbors. No doubt someone would come running and "save" her from her husband who could easily be passed off as a predator trying to hurt the sweet little mommy with her newborn twins. "You're sleeping in the car tonight," she said simply, stepping harshly on his foot as she went stomping past and back through th door.

She sighed impatiently as he brought the twins in, not waiting for an escort as she went towards the closest set of stairs. Ayden stalked up the steps to the second floor, reluctantly looking around as she went. The place was huge; the perfect place for a big family, one a heck of a lot bigger than theirs currently was. She walked slowly down the hallway, doing a double-take as she saw her piano set up behind a half-open door. He'd moved her piano. The anger flared first, mainly because Cal was not allowed to touch her baby grand, even if he had given it to her, but, it subsided into a bittersweet feeling of regret. This place was the home they needed; a dreamhouse, really. Ayden looked around more, smiling gently at the nursery and then sighing longingly when she came to the masterbedroom. They'd been packed into his bedroom in the apartment for so long, and this one was practically the size of the entire apartment. She didn't want to give it up.

She went back down the stairs, slowly coming into the main room where Cal and the twins were. Ayden bent down and carefully unbuckled Adrian, cuddling him to her chest before sitting down on the couch with Cal. "We should bring them upstairs," she said quietly, submission clear on her face. Even if it wasn't theirs, someday it could be; she didn't want to miss the chance at really living in a place like this.

• • •

TAG: The Darling Hubby!
LOCATION: The Hospital!
WORDS: 855!
MUSIC: Here by Rascal Flatts
OUTFIT: HOT MAMA!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3