Kate & Kassidy, Age 5

            November 19^th, 2023; Kate and Kassidy were turning five years old. Jenny and Jethro had the hardest time getting the girls to go to bed the night before their birthday. Kate and Kassidy were beyond excited that they were going to see their older sisters the following morning when they woke up. They didn’t want to sleep at all; Kate and Kassidy were persistent four year olds the night before their birthday.

            Kelly and Charlie were on their way over when Kate and Kassidy finally started to drift off to sleep. Delilah, Emiliana, Arabella and Madison were stepping out of the car they came in when their parents were stepping out of the twins’ bedroom after the twins had fallen asleep.

            “We made it.” Madison called up.

            “Shh!!!” Jenny reprimanded her daughter as she and Jethro came downstairs.

            “We just got your sisters to fall asleep.” Jethro said.

            “Sorry.” Madison said.

            “Nice going, Mads” Arabella said as the twins raced down the stairs.

            “Lila, Lena, Aria, Maddy!!!” the twins shouted in unison.

            “Happy Birthday Kat.” the quads said to Kate.

            “Thank-you.”

            “Happy Birthday Kass.” the quads said.

            “Thank-you.”

            “Now the four of you get to put them in bed. Your father and I are tired.” Jenny said as she grabbed Jethro’s hand.

            “You got to be kidding me.” Emiliana said.

            “No, I’m not. Put your sisters to bed.”

            With that Jenny and Jethro went up to bed leaving Kate and Kassidy in the care of their sisters. A few minutes after Jenny and Jethro had gone to bed, Kelly and Charlie came in.

            “Keke, ChaCha!!!!!” the twins said.

            “Happy Birthday girls.” Kelly said to her kid sisters.

            “Thank-you.” the girls said in unison.

            “Happy Birthday.”

            “Thank you, ChaCha.” the girls said.

            “Where’s dad and Jenny?” Kelly asked.

            “They went to bed after we arrived, Mom told us to put them to bed after Madison woke them up.”

            “I’ll take care of them.” Kelly said.

            “Fine they are all yours.” Delilah said handing over the responsibility of putting their younger sisters to bed.

            “Kat, Kass. Come with me.” Kelly instructed.

            Kate and Kassidy did as their sister said. Kelly led her two youngest sisters up to their bedroom and opened the door. Kate and Kassidy didn’t know what to make of what was going on. All Kelly did once the bedroom door was open was nod towards the girls’ beds. Kate and Kassidy knew what Kelly’s nod meant; Jethro had used it on them before when it was just him putting them to bed when Jenny would work late.

            Kate and Kassidy knew that their sister meant business so they wasted no time going to their beds. As Kelly turned off the light on the dresser that was near the door she noted that their father had finished the project he had been working on since the twins’ fourth birthday. Jethro had carved out the letters of each twins’ name out of some pieces of cherry oak wood and painted the letters in the girls’ favorite colors.

            Kate’s name was hanging over head in her favorite color of hot pink. Kassidy’s name was hanging over head like her sister’s but in lavender instead. Seconds later once Kelly was assured that her sisters were asleep had rejoined her other sisters downstairs.

            “It’s been far too long since the five of us have had time to ourselves like this.” Emiliana said.

            “It’s been years, Em.”

            “You want something to drink, Kelly?”

            “Yeah, pour me some whiskey.”

            “Mom and Dad don’t have that in their wet bar.”

            “What is there then? Where’s Charlie?” Kelly asked.

            “They have red and white wine along with half a decanter of bourbon.” Delilah rattled off.

            “Charlie went up to bed as you were putting Kate and Kassidy to bed. He said that he had a long day.” Arabella said answering the remainder of her sister’s inquiry.

            The quintet then stayed up a bit longer and talked over their drinks of choice. The following day things got a bit more chaotic even if was just a small get together that consisted of Abby, McGee and four year old Kyle Luca, Jaylyn, Kasey; six year olds, Aliyah, Juliet and Zoey.  Ducky was there with a date, Palmer and Breena also came. Tony, Ziva, thirteen year old Asher, four year olds Tali and Monique were there just as their older sister; eighteen year old Madalyn had driven down from Ohio State to attend the birthday party for Kate and Kassidy. Rachel had also come to the party. Jack and Ann were also attending their granddaughters’ birthday party.

            So while the kids ran around the backyard and played in the inflatable bouncy house that had been rented for the party, Jethro barbequed while everyone else conversed. Madalyn and Asher were attached their phones. Once Jaylyn had arrived with her family she made a beeline for the drink table and picked up one of the chilled bottles of Budweiser. Within seconds Jaylyn had down at least half of the bottle before Jenny had taken the bottle from her.

            “What’s wrong?”

            “The girls asked why they don’t look anything like Kasey before we came.”

            “Ouch.” Abby said as she sipped her Budweiser.

            “Ah yeah, Abby.  They also asked where their brothers were.” Jaylyn said as she took her Budweiser from her sister.

            “And what did you tell them?” Jenny asked.

            “Tell me Jen, how do you tell three six year olds that their brothers died before they were born and that the man that they have thought to be their dad isn’t their dad, that their actual dad has been dead for years?” Jaylyn asked.

            “I don’t know.”

            Rachel had been able to wish Kassidy a happy birthday and was searching for Kate. It wasn’t long before she found the quirky five year old.

            “Hi Aunt Rachel!!!!”

            “Happy Birthday Kate.”

            “Thank-you Aunt Kate.”

            “You’re very welcome, sweetheart.”

            Kate smiled as she hugged Rachel.

            “Aunt Kate, can I ask you something?”

            “Go ahead, honey.”

            “What was Aunt Kate like when she was my age?”

            “My sister was a piece of work when she was your age. Aunt Kate was constantly playing some sort of game with our brothers outside.”

            Like every one of the twins birthdays there was a sense of family but this year was special. It was just as special as the day that Kate and Kassidy were born.

            Happy Birthday, Kassidy.  Paula said to Kassidy as she brushed her hand against her namesake’s cheek.

            Happy Birthday, Kate.  Kate said to her namesake as she brushed her hand against her sister and her namesake.

            “Aunt Paula.” Kassidy said before took another jump in the bouncy house.

            “Kate.” Rachel said.

            “Aunt Kate.” Kate said.

            Abby saw the girls and Rachel look around.

            “What is it Abby?” Ziva asked.

            “Kate and Paula are here.” Abby responded.

            “Well that’s the way it should be, my dear. We all felt their presence when Kate and Kassidy were born.” Ducky said.

            Abby smiled at the thought that her friends were at the party in spirit. Rachel was happy that her sister was there with everyone. Tony was just as pleased as everyone else was that Kate was there, he was also happy with the fact that Paula was there too.