A family Au? Where Pidge and lance have twins a little girl(Estella Or Stella For Short) and a boy (León).
The door slamming shut made Lance start. That was loud, Pidgemust’ve had a frustrating day at work. He carefully placed the last two tamalesin the strainer, covered the pot, and set the kitchen timer.
Lance felt his wife press her face between his shoulderblades and wrap strong, wiry arms around his waist. She mumbled into his shirt,“Honey I’m home.”
He turned in her grip and kissed the top of Pidge’s head. “I’mmaking tamales.”
“Beef. Don’t tell Kaltenecker.”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you’re hot in anapron.”
A sudden collision jerked them both backwards and nearlysent Lance’s ass onto the burning stove. “Mommy!”
He saw a little head of messy, deep russet hair over Pidge’sshoulder. Stella clung to her mother’s arm and jumped up and down forattention.
With a tired chuckle Pidge let go of Lance and heaved Stellain her arms. “Hey, Sparkles. How was school today?”
The little six-year-old let loose a dramatic groan. “Bo-ring.We played tag at recess but León wouldn’t play with me an’ Rosa an’ Xav.”
Pidge carried Stella to the couch and collapsed into thecushions. “Really? Not even science class was interesting?”
“Ugh, teacher justtalked about clouds and made me say big words like cuma – column – UGH.” Sheburied her face in Pidge’s shoulder and screamed something that sounded like, “too hard!” Pidge flinched and rubbed herback bemusedly.
Lance set aside tidying up the kitchen to sit next to hisgirls. “We hear you, cariña. Rememberhow to talk when you’re upset?”
Stella looked up and very seriously squared her shoulders. “Usemy Queen Voice.” Her tone dropped as deep as her little voice box allowed.Pidge mouthed thank you over herdaughter’s shoulder.
“Yep. So, Queen Estella, why are you upset?”
She pouted a little but kept her voice low, and byextension, quieter and less piercing. “All the other kids remembered the stupidkinds of clouds but me. They’re just clouds,who cares? That word is too long anyway.”
Pidge leaned back and swept Stella’s wild hair out of herface. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. That must have felt sucky.”
“And then León didn’t wanna play with me.”
“Oh honey, I’m sure your brother just didn’t feel likeplaying tag. You don’t have to do everything together.”
“But we do have to! We are twins!” To Stella’s credit, she diligentlykept her voice at a deeper octave, and it seemed to be keeping a cap on her temper.
Pidge sighed. She looked so tired, so Lance reached over andrubbed her neck. “León is a different person, but he’ll always be your brother.Okay? Now let’s get some food into you and maybe you’ll feel better.”
“Because when your body digests healthy food, your gut makesserotonin, which makes your brain feel calmer.”
“Most adults don’t, princesa.”Lance rubbed her back and went to get his kid some yogurt.
Stella’s mood improved immenselywhen León emerged from their room with a crayon picture of Stella and theirfriends running around a playground. Trying to get their son to eat his tamaleswas almost impossible between him chattering to his parents about the pictureand about the book his teacher had given him, but at least his sister hadcalmed down. Lance had to cajole the drawing from the twins’ hands by pointingout the sauce would stain the paper. It went up on the fridge.
Pidge leaned over and whisperedin his ear, “We need to get that picture framed.”
“Assuming we manage to pry itfrom Stella’s clutches again,” Lance murmured back. He pecked her on the cheek,which she returned with a hand on his neck and a lingering kiss on the lips.
“Ewww!!!” Two voices chorusedfrom the other side of the table. Pidge stuck her tongue out at her children.
