“We are going to be late,” Allie comments as she hurriedly runs to the car, holding up one of the twins’ shoes in the air like a trophy.

“Where was it?” I ask as she gets in the car and shuts the door.

“In Jace’s pillow,” Allie says, and I look back at Jace, who just grins cheekily. Life changed in the most incredible way when the twins were born three years ago. Jace and Henry both have my dark hair, their uncle Luke’s cheeky grins, and their mum’s eyes. Their personality is all Allie though. They are three-year-olds that have more sass than teenagers. Allie and I had all but given up hope that we could have children after years of trying. It just wasn’t happening for us. When Allie confided in me that she was worried she would never get pregnant, we got professional help. I’d do anything for Allie, and if I was honest with myself back then, I wanted a child. The doctors recommended IVF, and on the first go, Allie got pregnant with our two devilsome children. They are our miracles that Allie went through a lot of pain to have. The IVF was rough, but the labour was much worse. I put the car into reverse and drive out of our drive away, the one right next door to Sebastian and Maisy’s home. We bought the land next door and built our own home, so that we could be close to our family. Izzy and Blake did the same with some land next door to Harley, and Luke copied them with Emilia a few years later. It was good to have family close when the twins were born. Allie sings along with a song on the radio, and the twins garble little words here and there that they know. I’m just thankful their favourite word isn’t clock anymore. Considering they always left the “L” out of the word. Explaining to strangers why our kids were running around shouting “Love cock, cock” was not funny.

“You look lost in thought,” Allie points out as we get close to Harley’s.

“Just thinking out the past few years,” I explain to her. “I don’t think I ever tell you how much I love you. How much you’ve changed me and made me so bloody happy.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” Allie says, resting her head on my arm as I slow down and turn into the driveway.

“You are my world, Allie King,” I whisper to her, pulling the car up behind Harley’s red Land Rover. Allie turns my head with her hand, kissing me deeply for a moment before the twins start making a whole lot of noise.

“Maybe we could sneak away from the party later and see how my old room is,” I suggest.

“I’m sold,” she happily says, laughing before getting out of the car. I climb out next and open Henry’s door before getting him out of his car seat as Allie wrestles Jace’s shoe back on.

“Daddy!” Henry shouts as I lift him into my arms, pressing a kiss on the side of his head before shutting the door with my other hand. I walk around the car, holding Henry close as I hear Harley’s dog barking.

“This was my home. Now it’s your uncle Harley’s and Auntie Tilly’s, but we all lived here once. It wasn’t all fairy tales kid, but there were good times. I knew I loved your mum one day on that very doorstep. She was in her prom dress, and even though she wasn’t mine yet, she felt like everything,” I tell him, and he grins at me, sticking his thumb into his mouth a moment later. “I love you,” I say, kissing his forehead as I watch Allie chase after Jace who is running full speed towards the front door, somehow missing both shoes. “Let’s go and save your brother, huh?” Henry grumbles as Allie catches Jace, swinging him around and ticking his side as he giggles. Some moments in life are perfect.