𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑...

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Noémie! Happy birthday to you!" everyone sang as Armani and Nai helped their now two year old daughter blow out her birthday candles.

"Yay! Good job big girl! Aw you look so beautiful" Nai cooed, kissing her.

"Tank you mama," she replied, holding Nai's face and kissing her back. She spoke very well, but of course as a two year old, she didn't have her pronunciation all the way down.

"Mi hermosa princesa! (my beautiful princess!)" Armani took her right from Nai, kissing all over her face. "Feliz cumpleaños, bebita," he said, holding his forehead against hers.

"Gracias," she cheesed, kissing her dad again. She was doing well understanding both languages, it made them laugh because sometimes she'd answer English questions in Spanish, and confuse her grandparents or her uncles and aunts.

"De nada, mi amor," he smiled. She still looked like every bit of Armani, he loved it. When she was born, she looked like Nai, but she grew into her features and just turned into a mini Armani. "You wanna have some cake princesa?" he asked her has Nayeli was cutting it up for everyone.

"Yes please!" she clapped excitedly.

"Here you go, mamas," Nai handed Armani a plate with cake on it, and he started to feed it to her so she wouldn't get her hands all dirty.

Nadira, of course, planned both of Noémie's graduation parties. This one was carnival themed, and it was extremely cute, Dira wasn't having anything less for her granddaughter.

"I play, dada?" Nomi asked, watching her God sister, God brother and her cousins playing.

"Sure, mamas. You wanna go with your padrino?" he asked, pointing at at Duck who was leading all the kids in a huge circle, holding his own son in his arms.

Duck and Noon had one son, Dawson Amir Duckett, who was affectionately called Duckling by his family. November found out she was pregnant right after Noémie's first birthday, and he was born 6 months later. He was a precious baby boy who looked just like his dad, and adored his mom. Armani was his Godfather, as well.

"Yes! And Ducky," she nodded. She nor Brooklyn could really say Duckling, so they called him Ducky too. Mani walked her over to them and let Duck take her.

"You running around with kids, you look like the daddest dad ever my nigga," Armani laughed, making Duck laugh harder.

"Shut up," he shook his head. "I'm the fun uncle, I have an reputation to keep up," he informed him, continuing to run around with the children, Dawson and Noémie in his arms. Mani just shook his head, going back to where Nai was, and kissing her affectionately.

"Hey, papa," she smiled, eating more cake. "Nomi went with Duck?" she wondered.

"Isn't she always with Duck?" he chuckled, sitting by her. Noémie adored her God parents, and was always wanting to be with them when they were around, the same with her grandfather. He treated her like a real life princess and she loved getting spoiled by him. She knew he'd never say no to her already.

"She sholl is," Lea shook her head. "He swear he the only God parent. When I steal her, he gon be mad," she sipped her lemonade as Bri nodded in agreement.

"Well I mean you're keeping her on Wednesday, so I wouldn't be too mad," Armani point out. Their third anniversary was in three days, and they'd be celebrating during the week. Since Noémie was in daycare still, Lea could pick her up at the end of the day and take her in the morning before work, and didn't have to take off to watch her.

"You're absolutely right. I'll let him have his fun for now," she snickered. "That's what he get for having kids,"

"We all have kids, except you," Tripp said, laughing. He and Bri were planning to have another baby, maybe when Brooklyn was about three. November said she wasn't having not one more, and of course everyone knew Nai and Armani wanted another one.

"And it's gonna stay that way! My man and I are enjoying being childless," she laughed. "That's why we have y'all! If we ever have baby fever, we can come pick up our nieces and our nephew and boom, cured," she shrugged.

"We're happy to be of service to you," Noon laughed.

As the party went on, Noémie tired herself out, running around with her cousins, her uncles Ajani and Omari, they played with her till the sun went down. Omari carried Nomi back over to his big sister, and she was exhausted.

"Bubby what did you do to my child?" she giggled. "Aww stinka butt, uncle Thugga wore you out huh?" she cooed as Noémie snuggled into her shoulder.

"She wanted to play football," he laughed. "So we let her, she was all over the place,"

"Lord Jesus, y'all tried to kill my daughter. Daddy knows you was letting his angel play with all yall?" she snickered.

"No, him and mama was too busy being disgusting," he chuckled.

"Do not do my parents please," Nai laughed. The kids at home were starting to be grossed out at their parents being affectionate twenty four hours a day, and it was hilarious. "You and the twins swear they're gross,"

"That's because they are," Amani piped up, walking over with Sarai and her twin. At 18 and 17, the three siblings were pretty much repulsed by anything Nadira and Gionni did. "Sarai the only one who thinks its okay," she laughed. Sarai was 13 now, so she wasn't at that phase yet, Nai was sure it would come.

"Stop talking about us please," Nadira tugged at Amani's long knotless box braids. "If we weren't disgusting y'all wouldn't even—"

"Mama, please," Ajani straight faced her.

"Mama please my ass," she pushed his head, having to reach up, because he was about 6'2.

"Nadira stop abusing my kids please," Gionni chuckled. "Hey princess. Lemme see my baby," he said, reaching for Noémie. As soon as she laid eyes on her grandfather she reached for him. "Aww hello my angel," he grinned.

"Spoiled ass child," Nai said under her breath, making Armani laugh, because he knew it was true. He was a very large contributor to that.

Once everyone helped clean up and the venue was cleared out, Nai and Mani buckled a half asleep Noémie in her seat and made their drive back home.

"Did you have fun on your birthday, bebita?" Armani asked her, changing her into a onesie after putting a diaper on her. She was in the middle of potty training now, but not putting her in a diaper was a recipe for a mess in the morning.

"Yes dada," she nodded sleepily.

"That's good, my love. You ready to go night night?" he asked her, picking her up off her changing table as she nodded again. "Okay, princesa. Let's go say goodnight to mamí and we can go night night," he kissed her forehead and walked across the hall to their bedroom.

"Night night, mama," Nomi said as soon as they entered.

"Goodnight, beautiful," Nai grinned. "Besos," she poked her lips out and Noey giggled before giving Nai a kiss. "I love you baby,"

"Love you mama," she smiled.

"Can you say it in Spanish, bebita? Say I love you in Spanish," he said slowly so she could think about it for a second.

"Te amo," she said, and they both clapped for her.

"Yes! Te amo, good job baby," Armani kissed her face again, and they went back to her nursery. "Goodnight mi princesita, I love you so much," he said softly, after laying her down.

"Night night dada," she mumbled, already half asleep. "Love you," she spoke and her eyes drifted shut after her very long and hard day.

"Happy anniversary, papa," Nai grinned as they ate. They decided to stay in and cook together, very much like their first Valentine's day spent as a couple.

"Happy anniversary mi amor," Mani pecked her lips from across the table. "Can you believe we been together 8 years bro?"
"Hell no I can not," she laughed. They didn't even realize how much time had passed. They dated all four years Nayeli was in college, they were engaged for a year, and married for three now. "Seems like just yesterday you were watching me dance without even knowing who I was," she giggled.

"Oh I knew you. Definitely, I just ain't know your name," he laughed. "But from then on you became mariposa, my lil cute ass butterfly," he smirked. "Still are, that's been your name in my phone for years,"

"And now you have a butterfly tattooed on you," she cheesed. "I'm stamped,"

"Twice," he laughed. She remembered when he came home with her name on his chest, she nearly had a fit, but she loved it now, she was always touching it for no reason at all.

"I love you, Mani, you know that?" she tilted her head.

"I love you more, Nai," he kissed her once more. "Oh shit, before I forget, I got a surprise for you," he grinned.

"What? I thought we said no presents this year?" she narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, good thing I got you one too," she giggled with a slight shrug. "Okay, what is it?" she sat up and got all excited.

"Close your eyes mamí," he said. She did as told, covering her eyes with her hands. "Okay open,"

She opened her eyes and removed her hands, seeing a few pieces of paper on the table in front of her. She picked them up, and started to read, and abruptly stopped, covering her wide open mouth with her hands.

"Armani! Are you serious baby?!" she gasped. "I'm about to cry, oh my gosh I'm so proud of you Mani," she whined, getting up and going to his side of the table and wrapping him in a hug.

The papers were a lease to his own storefront. Which meant he was now officially starting the process of opening up his own restaurant.

"Thank you baby," he hugged her back tightly. She was so emotional because she knew this was a dream of his. She knew how much money he'd been putting aside for this exact reason, and how long he'd been wanting it. So to see him finally get it was making her heart warm. "I couldn't have done it without you, mamas. Thank you for supporting me," he pulled her back and kissed her again.

"Always," she sniffed, wiping her face. "Ugh, I'm so proud," she pouted," making him smile wide.

"Thank you mama, I can't wait to start," he said eagerly.

"Neither can I. It's gonna be so fun," she pouted. "Okay lemme run and get your gift, I had to hide it in the linen closet," she giggled, making him laugh.

When she came back, she had her iPad in her hands as well, and set it up for him to watch something while he opened his box.

"Hey babe, it's me, the love of your life," Nai cheesed on the video, making him laugh. "I just thought I'd take you here with me to show you your surprise, hold on—okay go ahead," she said to someone as he popped the box open finally.

Before he could see what was inside, he heard a heartbeat, making his head snap back up to the video, only to see Nai smiling back at him. He opened his mouth to speak, and another heartbeat sounded through the video, making him shoot out of his chair, staring at it with a dropped jaw. Nai turned the camera to face the other way and he saw an ultrasound, of not only one

But two babies.

He looked back at the box and there were two onesies inside, two pairs of shoes, two pacifiers and two ultrasound pictures.

"Baby..." he spoke, looking at Nai, who was just smiling and nodding.

"Surprise," she said quietly, trying to hold back from crying again. Not even a second later, he wrapped her up in a hug, lifting her up and spinning her around.

"Are you serious?! How far along are you baby?!"

"8 weeks," she pouted, and he kissed her lips repeatedly. "Congratulations, daddy," she smiled widely and he laughed, completely overjoyed at the news.

"Congratulations to you too, mommy," he leaned his forehead on hers, and they shared another kiss.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Dallas said excitedly. They told their families a while later and everyone in the Cartier family who guessed that Nai and Dallas would be the twin carriers were completely correct.

"Congratulations my sweethearts," Nadira pouted, hugging her daughter tightly, and Amani next.

"Twins? Dios mío," Mama Sofía laughed, giving them both hugs and kisses.

"That's such a blessing! Congratulations you two," Farrah smiled, giving them the same. Gionni was already hugging Nai, barely saying a word. He was over the moon.

They waited so long to tell everyone because they wanted to find out the genders, so they could tell them the twins names as well. They decided against a gender reveal and just decided to do a baby shower for the twins instead.

"Okay, so!" Nai started, bouncing Noémie in her lap. "We have names already, and we know the gender. I'll tell yall the gender, Mani's gonna tell you the names," she said and everyone nodded eagerly in the backyard of their home. "So, I'm having two beautiful baby boys!" she squealed, and everyone got excited, seeing as all the other grands were girls.

Izzy and Nyx also had daughters, so that was 5 baby girls total.

"We decided we're gonna name them Jeremiah Naeem and Jaxon Nassir Dixon," he informed them, making Farrah and Gionni's eyes go wide.

"We decided since our daughter honored our moms, we'll don't the same for our fathers. Y'all may or may not know, but my dad, his name was Jeremiah Dixon and he passed away when I was 5," he explained. "And Nayeli's dad Gionni, who's also been like a father to me, our boys grandad, his middle name is Nassim, so we wanted to just do that for y'all,"

Everyone cooed at the couple as Farrah stood up to hug them both. They knew how much she missed her husband, her soulmate. And before they even had kids, they talked about naming their son Jeremiah, after his father.

And of course Nayeli would never pass up an opportunity to name her son after her father, who was her hero. She loved her dad like no other human being and she wanted to make sure she was able to honor him correctly.

"Thank you princess," Gionni spoke to her after the chatter of the gathering started back up. "And you too, Mani, y'all don't know how much this means,"

"Of course daddy, I been waiting just to have a little boy so I could name him after you," she cheesed.

"Yeah and we really appreciate everything you done for us, we wouldn't have a house for our kids if it weren't for you, we wanted to show our appreciation," he just looked between the both of them for a moment before grinning widely.

"Man, lemme get out of here before yall make me cry," he shook his head, making them laugh as he walked back over to Nadira who was welcoming his emotions with open arms.

"We're really having twins man," Armani sighed, as Nai sat back down in his lap.

"Yup, knocked three out just like that," she snapped. "And don't ask me bout no—and a possible till I have these two," she covered his mouth because she knew he'd say it, and he bursted into laughter, knowing he was just about to.

well 🥺 look at that. they're so successfulllll im so proud of them!

nai got her twinsss, we having little princes 💙 jeremiah and jax on the way!

the next chapter—the last chapter 🥺—is next up, another time skip into the future of our favs! im excited and sad at the same time lol. this book is my longest and i loved it very much.

ill save the speech for the next one lol.

till next time 🥰