3 weeks later...

27th of July, 1966

3 weeks have passed so quickly. So swiftly like the wind. It was approximately in the middle of the summer. With every passing day of July, the days were getting warmer. The sun was brighter than the moon's moonlight.

3 days prior Ellie and Tristan could mark their 10th month anniversary since their birth as they grew up a little, getting bigger unlike the past weeks. Timothy and Jude, of course, couldn't be more overwhelmingly gleeful to watch how their little angels had rapidly grew since their birth. They could remember them like they were born the day before. As their first moments of their life had just begun. In spite of they are already 10 months in this world, still rendering their parents proud and beatifically happy. Additionally, it was inconceivable for them to wake up every morning, beholding Ellie and Tristan's gradual growth as they wished to slow down the time. To slow down the time not because of their aging process. It's was unconditionally simple. They wanted their children to be still the same little, adorable angels that make them smile even on their worst day.

As the Howards family had gone with the another amiable family by taking their children with themselves to the lake, organising an afternoon summer picnic altogether, they wore under their fresh, lightweight clothes their swimming suits. Jude wore a beige summer straw hat that hugged apart of her head as her hair was tied in a messy bun, a handful of glossy golden strands released from her fabulous messy bun; a fresh, beige juvenile-like silky short summer dress with thin, spaghetti straps, her slightly tanned skin beneath the tight straps, leaving traces after being worn for too long; she was already barefoot as she took off her platform sandals as her toes dwelled on the picnic carpet's rim as she held Ellie, rocking her in her protective, loving arms, humming to her in the company of Velika who was in her orange one piece swimsuit as she had already took off her overgarments that embraced her chubbier body. The luggage was under Jude and Velika's control as the both middle aged women preferred to speak to each other rather than to join the another two adults with their two children.

In the interim, Timothy was wearing nothing but his navy blue swimming trunks as Tristan was sitting on his neck as he held his wee, brittle hands into his as the younger woman Valerie wore her obsidian black bikinis as Shona was wearing her taffy bikinis, swimming around her group. They couldn't stop cackling as they swam in the lucid lake, chatting whilst they weren't overlooked by Jude and Velika.

"Just look at you, little Tris." Timothy looked up at his little blond copy-paste, grinning as he held tightly his hands, tightly enough to not harm him or something. The sun rays lit her face as they highlighted her mildly tanned skin.

"Dada." The little boy spoke fluently as he chuckled infantly, showing a handful quantity of his still growing teeth.

"When you grow up a little bit, I promise I am gonna teach you how to swim. Got it, daredevil?" He question as ahalf of his tall figure was dunking in the shallow, howsoever, aesthetically ethereal lake.

"Yaa." The little boy carried on as he answered boldly as his voice sounded more like a baby rather than a toddler.

"I have actually taught my daughter to swim when she was just 4 and a half years old." Valerie exclaimed.

"That's fascinating. She's quick learner as I can see."

"She's deliriously such a genius."

The eldest child of all just couldn't help, however, a radiant smug spreading across her rosy-coloured lips as she watched how Timothy was talking to Tristan.

Suddenly, Valerie determined herself to call the other two ladies join them in the lake as she shouted to them.

"Hey, Judy and Velika!" She waved as her shout was sufficiently heard.

When the both middle aged women heard their names, they couldn't help but turn to face the younger woman who was currently swimmimg. Velika arched an eyebrow as she was puzzled why they are addressed.

"What do you want, dear?" The red-haired's lover enquired as she increased her voice's decibels.

"To join us in the lake, as you can see." She responded excitedly.

"Oh." Jude released a sigh in relief, scarcely having the desire to go swim in the warm waters of the lake with her extraordinary, entertaining company.

"It seems somebody doesn't want to join us." The young woman mockingly whispered to herself her recent thought, although it was sure they prefered to be out of the water.

"Timothy? Sweetie?" In the meantime, Mrs.Howard yelled as soon as he turned his back to face her face from far away.

"Yes, Judy?" He asked like there was anything special or serious, a smile curled up in his lips' corners.

"Be careful with Tristan. He's slightly younger to be taught how to swim if you have planned it eventually."

"I know, I know, honey. But I have already promised him when he grows up a bit."

"Oh, what a wonderful idea!" She inhaled amused as she grinned. "Have fun!"

"Thank you." He said blissfully.

Whilst the another two adults were having fun in the lake with Shona and Tristan, Velika was eating a slice of watermelon that hydrated her body with coldness, energy and freshness, speaking to Judy who was with Ellie in her arms as she cradled her, scrutinizing her gorgeous, more toddler like face that ideally embodied baby Jude. Admiring her loveliness.

"She is so beautiful, Judy." Dr. Azarova complimented as she felt her heart melting abruptly, watching the little angel with ginormous delight.

"Thank you, dear. She is perfect in my eyes."

"It's impressive how you really alook like. As a mother and a daughter." Velika kept on as she resched her hand to stroke the little girl's growing chestnut hair which she inherited from her father.

"Yes, but my brunette version." Mrs. Howard said through a titter, unable to take her mesmerized hazel eyes off her amorous daughter.

"Definitely." All of a sudden, the middle aged doctor exhaled crudily as she ran delicately fingers through small head. "Shona is the only child that I can give my love to, despite she doesn't like me at all." She continued as she couldn't take her eyes off the cinnamon roll, a few tears building in her eyes effortlessly. In the contrary, sdhe felt a heartache when her son left her family forever, as a result of alienating himself from his mother.

"Oh." Jude inhaled astonished as she knew right away the things weren't alright. "You cannot have children or you are just...alienated from your children?" The former nun posed the question concerned, her hazel eyes looking up in her pale face.

"Not exactly! My son estranged himself from me a couple of years ago."

"W-what do you mean? How he is supposed to do it to you?"

"Well," The brunette munched continously the watermelon's slice as the fruit's freshness molten in her mouth, gesturing the blonde to wait for her with an index finger. "He used to be a good boy until 10th grade when he befriended with people who led him to the worse path as he rendered many bids to himself. As he turned 18, he left my life by utterly alienating from me. I cnanot even remember the last time when I have seen him."

"Oh, that's horrible. I am sure he loves you."

"No, he doesn't. The drugs, alcohol and his terrible company had influenced him a lot."

"But he is supposed to love you, despite his addictions." Mrs. Howard exclaimed exasperated as her anger began building by its self after hearing about Velika's son story who abandoned his mother.

"He doesn't, unfortunately. Denis isn't..." The middle aged brunette exhaled heavily, swallowing hard as she can already imagine the framed pain after her son forsaken his mother, because of the alcohol, drugs. "...the same little boy that I can recall."

Jude was more than disgusted to hear it. She knew there were certain people with such issues but she was lucky to be friends with either of those people. Moreover the former nun was inquisitive to learn more about Velika's life with questions, of course, in spite of she thought it would be rude and unwelcoming to ask her about her son's age, her love life and so forth. She wasn't the type person who would sneak secretly in somebody's personal space. She prefered somebody to permit her.

In the meantime, the former nun just swallowed hard, refraining to be sociable on this topic. She can really tell it was gravely deplorable though she was somewhat familiar with her kind of family issues.

"I have been a single mother since my husband experienced a car accident, as a result of passing away when my dear... my dear Denis grew up without a father for the rest of his youth." Velika carried on as she lowered her head, staring down at the picnic blanket with the food, drinks and some extra items.

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear it. When your husband exactly passed away?" Jude expressed her condolences as her voice was desperate.

"The car accident happened when Denis was just 4 years old."

"I see..." Mrs.Howard took her glass of water as she sipped as she felt her throat becoming dry. 

"It's not easy to survive with only one family member."

"My father left me when I was 5. Therefore me and my mother lived along until she passed away right on my 18th birthday." The blonde felt even more relieved when she told apart of her life about growing up without a father. 

"Oh, I can see that I know many people who or whose children grew up actually without fathers."

All of a sudden, the middle aged woman glanced as her glance turned into a gaze at her daughter, who was already asleep in her arms, awakening her smile. Somebody even joined her gaze at Ellie. As they ultimately admired her beauty and cuteness for 10 months old toddler, abiding silent as they silently watched the sleeping baby. 

Suddenly Valerie and Timothy got out of the lake with Tristan as they had spent enough time in the water, whereas Shona prefered to swim in the lake as she loved to swim. 

"Jude, sweetheart?!" Timothy addressed his wife as her eyes looked up at the tall figure, handing him a bath towel and Valerie bended as she grabbed her towel, rubbing her wet body parts, setting the towel on the picnic basket where she would sit next to her partner as she lost her eyes into the petite sleeping figure.

"Y-Yes, Timothy?!" Jude enquired as he placed the bath towel, sitting next to her after he wiped all over his body with a towel.

"Are you sure you don't want to go swim in the lake?" He asked her, offering her a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. 

"I am sure." She answered simply as hazel eyes met chocolate ones, smiling to him.

"I see. I am sorry for asking this question for second time."

"No problem. It's fine, darling." She forgave him as always.

"Can you actually swim?" Mr.Howard asked his wife as his smile grew as she rested her head on his dry shoulder.

"No."

"Are you serious?" He kept on as this time he sounded like he was teasing her rather than being composed.

"Yes, I am. I really can't swim." She said with irritable voice.

Whilst Valerie and Velika were speaking to each other, Jude and Timothy didn't make an except as they were couple either too. Timothy was pretty amused to realise that his wife cannot swim as she was a native Bostonian. On other hand, he felt sorry for her as he had the immense wish to teach her how to swim especially teaching her the crucial technics and mechanics for beginners. 

"Do you know what, sweetheart?" 

"What's it?"

He pecked a kiss on her cheek, pulling her closer to him as his another hand managed to hold hers as their eyes darted to the lake and the swimming little girl as she squealed in joy, rejoicing as her surroundings were shining around her. 

"I promise, when we go to the lake the next time one afternoon, I will teach you how to swim. All you need to do is to be calm, okay?"

"Okay." She replied velvety. 

"That's my woman." He exclaimed rejoiced. "You remind me so much of that Sister Jude who punishes with canes and whips her patients when you are angry." He mocked her as his hand tightened her hand into his. 

"Excuse me?" She looked up at him in slight vexation as she narrowed her eyebrows, pouting her face.

"No, no, no, rare bird." He pushed a bit of her released honey strands away from her face, tucking them behind her ear as he cupped her chin, having an access to her eyes. "It's cute, isn't it?" He questioned rhetorically.

Thereafter she chuckled as Timothy joined her too as they conformed with their decibels to not wake up Ellie, whilst Tristan was crawling on the picnic basket, climbing on his mother's hip as when she looked down at the crawling Tristan, taking her in her arm as he laid on her forearm, enjoying the sight of his parents, grinning blissfully. The Howards had almost ignored their the others who were nearby like they weren't existing and have never existed actually. 

The both proud parents of twins couldn't help but watch with broad, beaming faces that spread on their fresh faces.

To be continued...