Everything Will Work Out

Life got crazy hectic with a baby, a toddler, and a kid. 

Random finally fixed the slow drip in Danielle's shower.  She'd been complaining for days about water on the floor.

Dishes were piling up in the sink and dirty bottles were left on the floor.

Jill was slowly trying to get all the housework done and composted the dirty diapers and bottles.  Every little bit would help her garden grow!

She was glad when her inside chores were done so she could putter in her garden.

She felt positively awful when she saw the wilted flowers in the backyard.  Her poor garden had suffered through her pregnancy!  She worked hard planting new flowers.

Thankfully, she was able to salvage the other flower bed.  

 

Danielle got home from work, completely worn out.  She didn't even feel like setting fire to the leaves like she usually did.  Wearily, she just headed to her room and laid down in bed.

"Who's my little girl?" Random asked, tickling Ollie's belly. 

She shrieked with laughter and grabbed at his finger. "ME!"

He was distracted when Jill came up and wrapped her arms around his stomach and started nibbling on his ear.

"Here's a bottle." Random set Ollie down with a fresh bottle and hurried after Jill to their room.

Ollie pushed the bottle away.  

 She didn't want baby milk. She wanted mac n cheese!

"Are you ready to sleep in your big girl bed?" Random asked, showing Ollie her new room upstairs.

 

"It's so pretty!"

"If you need anything, Buddy is right next door," he reminded her. 

She scoffed. "I won't need him! I'm a big girl now!"

It suddenly dawned on Danielle why she was feeling so worn out.

"UGH!"

Random was the first person she told after confirming her pregnancy with an at-home test.  

 

"Well, that's great news, right?" he asked.

"How is this good?" she wailed. "What am I going to tell Joe?  This just complicates everything!" 

 

"Everything will work out, Danny," he told her. 

 

"Easy for you to say," she sniffed.  "You're not the one that's going to be waddling with a bowling bowl inside you!"

Random wisely remained silent.

"Hey Joe, can you come over. We need to talk," she said as soon as she felt it was late enough to call.  At exactly 7:01 a.m.

"Morning Jill. Raking up those leaves?" Joe asked, making small talk. 

 

"Always, it seems," Jill replied.  "I'll go get Danielle."

Danielle greeted Joe.

Deciding it was best to pull the bandaid off quickly, she announced "I'm pregnant!" without preamble.

"You're what?" he asked with surprise, eyes wide from the shock. "Come again?"

"Okay, I have some news," she told the men in her life.  "I'm pregnant... with twins..."

"Wow, twins?!" Random asked with surprise, trailing off.  "We're going to have to add on to the house," he told her.  He was trying to imagine where another few rooms could fit. They were doing well financially thanks to Boolprop Bop, his club. 

Joe interrupted his musing with a loud, firm "No!"

He dropped to one knee.  "I've been carrying this ring around for months now, hoping the right moment would come," he admitted.  "I thought I'd lost you when you moved in with Random."  Joe broke for a moment and said "No offense Random."

 

Random shrugged. "None taken."

 

Danielle flicked her gaze between Joe and Random nervously. 

 

"But it took that for me to realize what a great thing I had and I decided to fight for it.  It's always been you for me.  Will you marry me?"

Danielle nodded, tears pooling.  "Stupid hormones," she grumbled as she wiped her eyes.

Random smiled.  He'd told her everything would work out. 

 

"Wait, so are you moving in here, too?" Random asked belatedly. 

 

 Danielle walked into her old room, now empty and felt more tears start to prickle.  They'd discussed for hours on end how to proceed.  Random and Joe kept butting heads.  

"She's part of our family," Random had argued.  "She should stay here."

Joe considered it an insult, as though he couldn't take care of his own family. 

"What about Ollie? She's going to miss her mom!" Random had continued.

Joe countered that he'd be happy to have Ollie live with them. 

A fight had almost broken out.

Random was not happy, but he was trying to put on a brave face for the kids. 

 

Danielle hugged Ollie.  "We'll be close-by. I'll see you all the time," she promised.  "We'll have sleepovers and weekend parties.  You won't even notice I'm gone!"

Ollie wiped the tears from her eyes.  She didn't understand why her mama was moving out, but she knew didn't like it. 

 

Danielle turned to Random and gave him a big hug.  "We'll just be down the road," she reminded him.  "Everything will work out," she said, parroting his words when he'd found out she was pregnant.

Buddy crossed his arms and glared at Joe.  "I don't like this one bit," he announced grumpily.  "Why do you have to take Auntie Danielle away?"

The family ran outside to see Joe and Danielle off. 

 

WAAAAAAAH!  😭

"Are you okay?" Jill asked Random after the van had pulled off. 

 

Random shrugged. "I'll be okay," he said, wiping a quick tear from his eye.  "I'm gonna miss her, though."

When little Orchid started crying, he was quick to pick her up and cuddle her.

 

***

Danielle settled in quickly to Joe's home and it wasn't long before the twins were born.

Welcome to the hood Lincoln and Liam Lillard!
 

 

*AN - Oh my goodness. Danielle's pregnancy certainly complicated things for me, especially when Joe genes slipped in the twins!  Since they're not technically Boolprop bloodline, I didn't want to clog the house.  But I was sure sad to see Danielle go!   She's been an awesome best friend & baby mama over the years!