Chris And Hazel - Volume 1 Chapter 66

‘Chris, hurry up!’ Hazel said pulling the blanket off him.

‘Everyone already left their houses. Charlotte called me five times already and I told her we left the house but look at you, just getting up’ she said throwing the pillow at him.

‘I will be ready in no time, sweetie. Did you check on the kids?’ he asked getting down from the bed.

‘No, but I heard them fighting so I am rushing down and you don’t go to bed again’ she informed before running out of the room.

‘Alright..!’ he said falling back onto the bed once she was out of sight.

‘Seriously, are you both fighting again?’ Hazel asked rushing down the stairs to Rob and Aurora who were arguing right in the middle of the living room.

‘Mom, didn’t you say that I get to play with the kids this weekend if I complete all my home works and don’t bring any complaints from school?’ Robert asked looking at Hazel.

‘Yes sweetie, I did’ she nodded looking at her son.

‘But mom, dad said I can play with them if I don’t fight with Rob till the weekend’ Aurora argued looking at Hazel for support.

‘I know honey’ she said looking at Aurora.

‘Then?’ they both asked in unison confused by her reply.

‘You both were supposed to’ she clarified looking at them fighting like five-year olds again.

‘But he will only keep disturbing them’ Aurora complained staring at her brother.

‘No…it’s you who keeps playing with them while they are asleep’ Robert yelled glaring back at her.

‘Mama…’

Hazel turned to look down at the sofa where her son was staring widely at her.

‘Mama…mama’ she heard another happy voice crying out to her.

‘Who bought the babies out?’ she asked turning to look at her trouble-making kids.

‘We didn’t bring them here, they walked here’ Aurora said smiling to hide the true fact.

‘We just held their hands and led the way’ Rob murmured to his sister as they giggled slowly.

‘Mama…up’ Alex said lifting up his tiny hands towards her.

‘In a minute honey, keep playing with your brother and sisters. I will be back after checking on your dad’ she said smiling down at her two kids who tried to climb down from the couch.

‘Keep an eye on the kids especially Chloe, she seems to wander off quickly. I will go and drag your dad down’ Hazel said making her way to the stairs.

‘God, I have five kids’ she mumbled smiling lightly.

‘Mom meant me because I am responsible’ Aurora told Rob as she lifted Chloe from the floor.

‘No she meant me’ Rob argued taking Chloe from Aurora.

‘No!’

‘No!’

‘Mom!’ they yelled calling out to Hazel to sort out their doubt.

‘God, not again..!’ Hazel thought to herself literally running off to her room ignoring their fight.

‘No Haze, you’re not a bad mom sometimes you just need a break from their drama’ she convinced herself entering her room.

‘Why every single time I am the one who has to go down to resolve one of their fights?’ she asked looking at Chris who was standing in front of the dressing table.

‘Because you need to get to know them better’ he answered his eyes till fixed on the mirror.

‘Don’t you think that this excuse is getting a bit old Mr. Finch? You’ve been using it for four years now since our marriage’ she asked leaning over to the dressing table waiting for an answer.

Chris knew right away that her look meant that she needed an answer right away and he shouldn’t try and escape like other times. So he decided to change the subject.

‘You always handle them better than I do’ he answered slowly wrapping his hands around her, pulling her in for a short kiss.

‘God, you haven’t changed’ she sighed rolling her eyes, trying to pull away from his grip.

‘By now you must be pretty used to that, right?’ he asked kissing her forehead.

Hazel paused a moment to look at him.

She still remembers the week before their marriage. The tension regarding Grayson’s case just cleared up, it was assured that Grayson won’t have any loopholes to escape his punishment and that’s when Chris finally calmed down and decided to focus on his marriage. That week went off in a jiff and within Hazel could blink she was walking down the aisle with her father towards Chris. It took some minutes for him to take his eyes off her, the sight of Hazel in her off-shoulders mermaid-styled white wedding gown made him fall in love with her all over again. Ed, his best man, had to yell his name several times in order to drag him off his thoughts. The whole audience inside the church burst into laughter on seeing Chris’s reaction towards Hazel.

It was quite hard to believe that four years have passed since their marriage; the memory was still fresh in their hearts. Chris and Hazel’s wedding took place six months after Ed and Ava’s. Charlotte and William decided to wait another year before their marriage.

Years might have passed but still pretty much nothing changed in their lives. Hazel temporarily took a break from work to take care of the babies. Rob and Aurora have grown up too and so did their mischief. A new adventure awaited her every day in the land of Finch’s. Alex and Chloe equally contributed to adventure to make each level tougher for their mom and dad. Hazel’s favorite part here was that Chris had to go through as much as she did. It’s been two years since the birth of Alex and Chloe but still the routine’s the same. But each day when she wakes up, she wakes up with a smile no matter how much the kids run around building up messes for her to clean up, she was grateful to have such a lively family who loved each other beyond measure and she only felt her love for them grow with each minute. It was actually fun for her to watch Chris struggle with the four kids when she’s on break. He never failed to surprise her with his activities, each day she kept discovering new sides to him.

‘Have you stared enough?’ Chris asked looking at his wife who continued to stare lovingly at him.

‘I wasn’t staring’ she said pulling away quickly.

‘I know; you were literally drooling’ he teased as he picked up their bags and ran straight down without Hazel could throw a fit around denying his observation.

‘Are you guys ready?’ Chris asked looking at Rob and Aurora as Alex and Chloe came running towards him excited.

‘Papa…’ Chloe and Alex called out as Chris placed the bags down and picked them up.

‘Yeah’ they nodded picking up their bags.

‘Then we are all ready to go and remember if Uncle Ed or Aunt Charlotte asks why we were late just tell them we were stuck in traffic, okay?’ he asked looking at Rob and Aurora making sure they were clear with the reason.

‘Yes dad’ they responded at the same time obliging to his plan.

‘Alex, what will you tell them?’ he asked his two year-old son making him stand on the couch along with Chloe.

‘Tr…Tra…ffic’ he answered slowly struggling to complete the word.

Chris let out a chuckle as his son cutely stammered with the word.

‘Let’s go. Rob and Aurora take the kids to the car and I will get the bags’ Chris instructed the kids reaching for the bags.

‘He meant me’ Rob said rushing towards the couch.

‘Aurora, take Chloe. Rob, take Alex’ Chris said further clarifying his instructions to avoid another petty fight between them.

‘Dad’ Aurora called out as Chris headed towards the door.

‘What sweetie?’

‘Where’s Chloe?’ Aurora asked looking around the room.

‘Check under the dining table’ Hazel shouted coming down the stairs.

‘Got it mom’ she nodded heading towards the dining table.

‘No mom, she’s not there’ Aurora yelled from the dining room.

‘Check in the study under Chris’ desk’ Hazel said getting a bag from Chris.

‘Found her’ Aurora said finding her little sister under Chris’ desk.

‘To the car everybody’ Hazel announced as Aurora made her way towards them with Chloe.

‘Did you give extra attention to Alex?’ Hazel asked as she got in the passenger seat once the kids settled down in the backseat.

‘No…’ he said starting the car.

‘Come on Mr. Finch, your second daughter is just as much attention-seeking as you. She’ll only pull a stunt when you focus on your son or me. I am pretty used to that’ Hazel said staring at her husband slowly smiling as he tried to deny the obvious fact.

‘Kids, what will you tell Aunt Charlotte and others if they ask the reason of our late arrival?’ Hazel asked as Chris drove out of the driveway.

‘Traffic’ Rob and Aurora yelled in chorus.

‘God, I am so proud of our kids’ Hazel said laughing lightly.

Chris noticed his phone vibrating half way to their destination;

‘Hi William’ Chris said accepting the call via his Bluetooth.

‘Have you reached yet?’ William asked as he heard Chris.

‘Not yet. Will be there in ten minutes’ Chris replied taking a left turn.

‘That’s fine. I actually called to talk about the contract you will be signing with your new business partners, The Smiths’ William informed looking at Ed who was sitting next to him.

The Richardson business took a new leap in the business circle three years back; thanks to Ed and Charlotte’s effort and since then they have been demand, just like the Finch’s. There have been many articles on Chris and Adam on who might be the youngest and best entrepreneur of the year. Chris’ Cyber Surveillance officially merged with the government and has become the official cyber security company of the country. Chris’ new view on his other business welcomed many abroad projects keeping him occupied throughout the years. He actually had to leave abroad after a few months of his marriage to manage one of his projects regarding launching a new network particularly for the youngsters. The project had become a huge hit within a few days of its release.

Once Grayson was out of the picture, Chris made William the official attorney for all his businesses leaving no chances for the other companies to poach William from him, including Ed. Since William came into picture it has been a huge advantage for Chris’s business. He actually sued a company in partnership with Chris’s company two years ago for attempting to cheat them in the budget for the project. Since then, there had been numerous companies trying to steal William from Chris’ company.

The Richardson’s officially merged few of their important businesses with the Finch’s a year ago taking both the families business to anew height.

‘The contract is fine, right?’ Chris asked, expressing a tone of doubt.

‘It is but I personally think we can strengthen certain legal terms just to be careful in case something goes wrong’ William answered in a concerned tone.

‘What do you think will go wrong?’ Chris asked after a moment of thought.

‘Look Chris, this is brand new project for our company and so it’s important we think from all aspects and as for The Smiths they aren’t like us. They have some experience in this project so it is certain they’ll have an upper hand here so in case they try pull a stunt against you and the Richardson’s it will be helpful. We do know that though The Smiths are powerful, in a way they are cunning too so I looked into their previous partnersh.i.p.s though there weren’t anything against them a few records were missing so I just thought we should be careful’ William explained as Chris entered their beach house.

‘Where are you right now?’ Chris asked parking the car in the driveway, noticing Ed’s and William’s cars already parked in the driveway.

‘In the beach with Ed’ William replied.

‘I will be there in a minute’ Chris informed hanging up the call.

‘We left the house already?’ Charlotte asked staring at Hazel as she got down the car.

‘Sorry char! I am really sorry’ Hazel apologized as she found her friend readily standing in the driveway waiting for their arrival.

‘Sorry Aunt Charlotte, we were stuck in traffic’ Rob and Aurora said in unison looking at Charlotte.

‘That’s alright sweetie. Aunt could never be angry on you both. Go on in’ Charlotte replied smiling sweetly at the kids.

‘Hope you forgive me too’ Hazel pleaded as she walked over towards Charlotte with Alex and Chloe.

‘Don’t think you can escape via the kids’ Charlotte said taking picking up Alex.

‘Aunt Char…l.’ Alex said as she lifted him.

‘That’s okay honey, you can call me Aunt Char. Needn’t struggle with the whole name’ she said staring adoringly at him.

‘I made cake’ Hazel informed her as they made their way inside.

‘I helped’ Chloe replied looking up at Charlotte after hearing her mom.

‘Of course honey’ Hazel said lifting Chloe into her arms.

‘Aren’t you a doll?’ Charlotte said laughing upon hearing Chloe’s statement.

‘Yeah she helped by not disturbing while I made the cake’ Hazel mumbled over to Charlotte making sure Chloe doesn’t hear her.

‘Why were you late?’ Charlotte asked as they gave the kids to Rob and Aurora who were sitting in the living room.

‘Chris overslept!’ Hazel replied throwing her friend a helpless smile.

‘I knew it’ Charlotte said knowing that her guess was right.

Robert and Aurora exchanged blank looks as they saw their mom rat them out.

‘It’s going in our diary’ Aurora said looking at Rob.

‘Right..!’ Rob nodded accepting his sister’s decision.

He pulled out their secret diary from his backup and took the pen from Aurora and wrote:

“Never trust mom when it comes to excuses that we tell to her friends”

‘Wait make it best friends’ Aurora corrected.

‘Because I saw her lie smoothly to Uncle Ed and Will’ Aurora explained as Rob closed their personal diary.

It was a concept they agreed upon on their ninth birthday. They will share the same secret diary so that whatsoever happens there won’t be any secrets between them.

‘Char, where’s Micah?’ Hazel asked looking around.

‘She’s with William.  She hasn’t even started to talk yet but had already chose sides when it came to us’ Charlotte said unfolding the complaints she had on her eight-month old baby.

‘Wait…let me stop you right there. William and Ed are outside taking a walk along the beach as the climate is perfect today and Micah is with them. Ava went shopping for the groceries I missed out along with Ethan’ Charlotte elucidated everyone’s whereabouts guessing Hazel’s next question.

‘She took Ethan too? I was eager to meet him’ Hazel said pouting slightly.

‘Of course he asked for his favorite aunt too’ Charlotte teased rolling her eyes.

‘Really, did he tell you that I was his fav?’ Hazel asked growing excited after hearing her answer.

‘How the hell did you manage to bond that well with a three-year old? I am still not able to figure it out’ Charlotte said shaking her head in dismay.

‘What to say? I have my ways with kids’ Hazel replied proudly.

‘But you are close to Aurora, right?’ Hazel asked as Charlotte continued pulling her leg.

‘I have my way with kids too’ Charlotte replied smiling proudly.

‘But you remember our promise, right?’ Hazel asked narrowing her eyes as she looked at best friend.

‘I know I know, I will tell you the secrets Aurora don’t tell you and you will do the same for me when Micah grows up’ Charlotte whispered so that the kids don’t hear them.

‘Perfect and we should remind Ava about this too’ Hazel replied slowly.

‘She’ll need our help considering that her only child adores you’ Charlotte teased laughing out loud.

‘Aunt Hazel’ Ethan rushed over at the sight of Hazel sitting in the living.

‘Hey honey’ Hazel greeted sweetly picking him up to making him sit on her lap.

‘Aunt Haze, why are you late?’ he asked looking up at her.

‘It was because of your uncle. You better give him a piece of your mind when he comes back’ she replied turnings serious.

‘Done’ Ethan promised returning the same look.

‘Speaking of your uncle, where’s Chris?’ Hazel asked looking around.

‘You naïve Girl’ Ava said throwing Hazel a pity look.

‘What’s wrong?’ Hazel asked clueless.

‘When on earth did the men we married spend time with us during our get together? They must have been having a good time on the beach outside’ Ava replied recalling their previous outings.

‘So what’s the plan?’ Hazel asked pulling the girls aside as the children settled down in front of the TV to watch cartoons.

‘I thought we can have lunch outside so how about we cook outside?’ Ava asked as they reached the garden area noticing the sky unfold into the sea making them stare at it in awe for a moment forgetting everything on their mind.

‘That’s a splendid idea’ Charlotte said breaking her eyes from the view.

‘We should come here every weekend’ Hazel suggested to which the other two nodded in acceptance as they walked along the vacant shoreline.

‘Are they playing with Micah?’ Ava asked as they went further closer, finding the guys stand around trying to keep the baby busy.

‘Look at them’ Charlotte laughed as they watched the three playing joyfully around the baby.

‘Forget cooking, we’ll order something! I will ask Rob and Aurora to bring the kids. Let’s join them’ Hazel said looking eagerly at her friends.

‘Haze, you wanna play?’ Ava asked looking at her friend surprised.

‘I am in!’ came Ava’s quick reply as Hazel nodded.

‘I am in too. I will bring go and the kids’ Charlotte said making her way back to the house.

‘Thank god it’s not hot today’ Ava commented as she and Hazel continued to walk towards the others.

‘Hey, who’s watching the kids?’ Chris asked walking over to Hazel with Micah over his shoulders.

‘Charlotte’s bringing them!’ Hazel answered taking Micah from him.

‘What about lunch?’ Chris asked as they walked around the place.

‘I thought we could order something and then directly cook dinner’ Hazel said as she kept playing with Micah as they circled around the place.

‘Let me guess you wanted to spend some quality time together’ Chris said smiling as he guessed her suggestion.

‘You know me too well’ she said in a low voice closing in.

‘You have a kid in between’ Ed commented walking towards them.

‘You mean four?’ William asked joining Ed.

As Hazel and Chris parted away the whole gang burst into laughter.

‘Enough all of you’ Hazel said embarrassed as she made her way towards Ava and Charlotte.

‘Where are the kids?’ Hazel asked Charlotte.

‘They didn’t let me finish and ran straight to the sea’ Charlotte answered pointing towards the beach.

‘Hey, how about we cook dinner tonight?’ Chris suggested looking at Ed and Will.

‘Sounds great’ Ed and William nodded readily.

‘I will take care of the ingredients part. Charlotte and Ava actually bought a few for the weekend’ William offered looking at everyone.

‘Yeah, we kept it in the kitchen. You guys can have a look after some time’ Ava replied on hearing William.

‘Then it’s decided. Tonight is on us’ Ed announced looking around.

‘Now, to the water everybody’ Hazel commanded as they all rushed over towards the water to join their kids.

‘God I am all wet’ Hazel complained as she joined Ava who was sitting a bit far from the sea holding Micah.

‘What do you expect when you play in water?’ Ava asked as Hazel sat down beside her.

‘It was Chris and Rob, they pushed me in’ she said staring at her husband and son who waved at her from the waters.

‘Don’t worry, Charlotte’s getting the same treatment too, she’ll be here soon’ Ava answered seeing Charlotte fall back into the waves because of William and Ethan.

‘I hate boys’ Charlotte said joining the two as they continued laughing on seeing her poor state.

‘God, look at them!’ Hazel said as a smile escaped her lips as she watched everyone play around the waves without a worry in the world.

She found Chris and Edward swinging Rob and then launching into the waters. William trying to keep Alex and Chloe away walking further into the waters.

Whereas Aurora and Ethan were in their own world as they walked around in search of shells.

Hazel looked up at the clear sky. The skies have cleared up in their lives. The dark clouds that have been circling around a few years back have poured out completely, welcoming new rays of sunshine into their lives.

The weather, the scenario, everything was perfect but to the three sitting there their families and their relationsh.i.p.s with each other seemed more perfected. They wanted to savor that moment in their lives forever. They know that there might be other obstacles that will come into their lives in the days to come but they also know that no matter what may come they will be on each other’s side and that was and will continue to be their greatest strength.

It was a blessing they didn’t wish for…

It was something that life rewarded them with!