N/A: Not feeling great all-around so time to actually try and write out a full chapter instead of a scene :/

Looking around, Idina found enough to make some omelettes. The kids were still asleep, and she was sure they'd prefer eating at the breakfast bar on the main floor anyway. When she finished, she frowned, realizing there was only enough for one. Idina knew she was going to be eating on the way to the podcast anyway, it was in her schedule.

Nodding to herself, she went over to their bedroom and knocked on the door before opening it, as not to startle her husband. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, reading his book of the week. The site made Idina grin.

"Knock, knock," she said, getting his attention "I made you some breakfast."
"Oh honey," he cooed in surprise, "that's so sweet, come here. Let me kiss you."

She smiled and brought the meal over. Placing his book on the bedside table, being careful to mark his page, she balanced the plate on his knee and cuddled up beside him. Her knee rested against his chest. Aaron's arm slipped around her, rubbing her upper arm as he kissed her forehead.

"Love you," Aaron said. "So much. This is good. I'm so proud of you."

The heat had risen in her cheeks as she smiled up and him and kissed his cheek. "I wanted to do something nice, and I love it when you make me breakfast," she explained between kisses. "Do you like it?"

"Immensely, Chickadee."

"Why did you come up with Chickadee?" she asked innocently. "It's more syllables than saying Idina."

"Not really sure," he admitted. "Lots of pet names are themed off of birds, I guess. Lark, Dove. And Dee's your nickname, plus I think you're both cute."

"Loud and irritating."

"You're not irritating. And I love your loud voice." He kissed her lips. "If you don't like it, I won't use it anymore."

"No! No, I like it. I was simply curious. Taye said Dee was quicker to say and Dina was too close to Idina, especially in some accents, so it wasn't really a nickname. I liked it though; it felt so grown up and musician star-ish to go by a letter instead of a name."

"I'll call you whatever you want," he assured her, taking another bite. She gazed up at his brown eyes, looking for anything but except the utter adoration she always saw in them and coming up empty.

"I'm good with the nicknames," she said. "But you could use Chickadee more, it's cute."

"Okay... Chickadee." He chuckled, and kissed her forehead again, pulling her close.

"You'll have your phone on all morning, right?" she after when he had finished his plate.

"With the ringer on and loud," he clarified. "You'll be fine, honey, I know you will be. If you're nervous, we can come with you and go to your mom's place together after."

She shook her head. "I want Walker to have some time with his cousins. And maybe they'll have a good relationship with Erika, that would be nice. If not, mom and Cara said they've got some stuff to do with her and all the kids. When you're there, make sure they're not teasing Walk too much. Cara is tough on it, but sometimes she needs a little backup." Idina pouted. The age gap sometimes got between them. "I'll pump before I leave so that you have some food for the triplets. And if you need some extra hands, I left you a list of sitters who said they don't mind being called last-minute if they're free."

"I'll be fine, Idina, I promise."

She kissed his lips again, this time not a small show of affection, want lingering behind it. For him, for assurance, for the warm rush of dopamine that made her giddy. She heard that confident chuckle that always followed her first groan, making her heart flutter. He loved the fact that she loved him, and he knew how he made her feel.

She pulled back and rested her head on his chest. "I have to go soon," she mumbled, playing with his shirt.

Two arms now around his wife, Aaron gave her a tight squeeze. "I'm so proud of you Chickadee," he reiterated. "This is the start of something great. For you, and our whole family." He kissed the crown of her head. "I know it. Feel it in my bones. You'll be all smiles this afternoon."

"Yeah," she giggled optimistically. "I can do some work when we get back to California, slowly. I still want to spend time with the children. I'll have to bite my nerves and see if I've finally amassed some negotiating power when it comes to starting dates."

"Anyone would be stupid not to hire you now," he said. "You've made it love."

"I have," she admitted. "I wanted to be a signer you know, Rent as a fluke. Now, look at me."

"I'm lookin'."

"I'm getting up now," she announced, not moving. "Then I'm going to say bye to Walk and Erika, and you're going to give the triplets lots of hugs and kisses from me. And I'll see you around noon at the air b and b."

"Alright, you should go."

Neither of them moved until Idina looked back at her clock and realized she would be running late if she did not boogie.

~

She climbed up the ladder to the two twin beds her eldest children were asleep in.

"Hey, Pumpkin," she said, gently shaking her son.

He groaned.

"Mom's going to work soon, love," she said. "I'll see you around lunchtime at Auntie Cara's and Grandma's place."

He put his arms out for a hug.

"Love you Walk," she said, embracing him and kissing his cheek.

"Love you, mommy, have fun," he mumbled, turning over. Idina pulled his blankets back up and tucked him in, kissing his brow.

She walked over to Erika's bed and gently shook her awake. "Hey there sweetie," she said. "I'm going out to work, but I'll see you later and I love you."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"A podcast interview."

"For what?"

"Um, for me?" she chuckled. "I don't really know, I haven't booked anything, so it's not press."

"Are you excited?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm going to try and get a role when we're back in California when the triplets are a bit older."

"Do you have an idea?" Walker asked from the other side. "Like you know secret whisper talk people want you in stuff?"

"Yeah," she admitted. Quite a few things. Too many things for now, but if they wanted her, they would help her get through them one at a time.

Walker came over and sat on Erika's bed. "Spill," he told his mother sternly. "Or else."

"Or else what?" she giggled, tickling the boy.

"Or else," he said firmly.

"Spill," Erika chimed in.

"Well..." she stalled.

"Now," Walker insisted.

"Okay, so the two most probable things would be movies," she said. Walker started bouncing and Erika sat up.

"Do we get to travel with you when you're filming?" he asked. She was sure his eyes were bright.

"I don't know where they'd be filmed. I'd hope right in LA."

"Oh," the boy groaned in disappointment.

"So, Walk, you know I was in Enchanted."

"Mhm," then he turned to his sister: "Mommy was in Enchanted. The Disney movie. They didn't give her a song and she wasn't a princess, but she married the prince in the end and became a cartoon. Have you seen the movie?"

"Yeah," Erika replied.

Idina cut in before Walker derailed the conversation. "They're thinking of doing a sequel, and, obviously, I could be in it if I wanted to."

"And get a song?"

"Hopefully."

"What's the second?" Erika asked.

"I'm not really sure, it's for Amazon. My managers said it's an evil stepmom role, but they won't say more unless I go to an audition."

"I don't think you could be an evil stepmom," Erika informed her apologetically. "You're too nice."

"It's acting," Idina said.

"No," Erika said, shaking her head. "I can't see it."

"Yeah," Walker agreed. "Even if you said evil things and gave them the eye, I don't think people would believe you're mean."

"Well, luckily, the two of you don't decide what roles I get." She ruffled her boy's hair.

"We don't want you to be disappointed," Walker stated, making Idina cackle.

"I love you both," she said. "Go back to bed for a little bit and be good for Aaron."

"I'm always good," said Erika.

"Me too!"

"You both are very good children," she assured them, giving them both a cheek kiss. "I'll see you in a few hours, love you." She said as she left.

~

In the back of the limo, Idina's phone pinged. A smile crept up on her lips when she saw what Aaron had sent.

I did the girls' hair, followed by a picture of Erika holding Lucinda. They both had high pigtails.

10/10, she texted back. Love you.

Her manager brought her back to the present, asking her to choose the blazer she would wear. She chose blue, then regretted it, then decided the green one was ugly anyway.

~

Aaron loaded all the children into the taxi.

"Stuck babysitting?" the driver joked.

"Um, no," he said, furrowing his brow. He buckled Lucinda up.

"Duh," she said.

"Oh, what was that?" he asked the child.

"Guhhh," she responded again. He had probably misheard.

"I heard it," Walker said, smiling and him from the back. Erika nodded too. "Mommy's going to be so happy when you tell her."

"She will be," he assured the boy before getting into the passenger seat of the van. Lucinda babbled the entire drive while the motion soothed her brothers into a post-meal nap.

~

Clammy palms and pounding hearts just meant that you are alive. Idina washed her hands again, then her face. Her makeup artist was waiting for her. Jodi, as always, had done a stellar job on her wardrobe. The blazer was giving her Elizabeth vibes, making her smile at the fond memory of being on tour with her son and then-boyfriend Aaron. They'd all cuddle on the couch at the end of the night, watching a movie well past Walker's bedtime while he told them about all the interesting things he had seen and which city he wanted to write his essay on. The damp smell of cleaning chemicals would soon fade into the aroma of popcorn and pop drinks.

Slowly, she put another person on the tiny couch, then placed a triplet in each person's lap, now almost toddlers. She pinned the image. This is what she was working towards. If she could do this, she would be one step closer.

"Dina?" Jodi asked. "We don't have all day," she said sympathetically.

"I know, I'm coming."

Idina stood up straight and walked outside. She sat down in front of the heavily lit mirror and closed her eyes and tilted her face as talented artists brushed powders over her skin, making her sneeze.

She checked her phone as the hosts did their twenty-minute intro.

More updating texts from Aaron.

Arrived safely, babies are self-playing on the floor. Picture attached.

Walker and Erika have forgotten they don't have snow pants and are having a snowball fight in the backyard. The house is nice. Will be better once you're here <3

Avery put snow down Walker's coat, then Erika got him back and he complained to Cara who told him he could either suck it up or get in trouble for picking on Walk. Proud of our kids.

Another picture, where it looked like all the kids had built large snow walls and were having the snowball fight of their lives.

Going on soon, she texted him. Love you.

Make us proud, he replied. Love you.