2 months later

15th of July, 1969

The months passed far from sluggishly. The summer arrived with its hotter weather, the heating and unbearable sun. 

The Howards had plenty of ideas how to spend their summer days though little did they know what a hesitancy tormented them! To choose to go in Jude's cottage, located exactly seconds away from the lake, spending a few days far away from their well-known home or otherwise the parents taking their children for ice-cream and supervise them in the playground as they make new friends. 

After the twins and Agnes Jude had a breakfast shortly before their parents to start drinking their morning coffee, they were playing in the spacious yard as their parents seated on the porch chairs as their hands were equiped with a white mug of hot coffees, contemplating the playing children as they played hide and seek and Tristan was counting as she clamped with his tiny hands his eyes, shouting out loud "1...2...3" until he peaked 15. 

The morning summer sun bathed everything with warm sunlight, saturating Ellie's medium length chestnut straight hair as it highlighted its brightness as she wore her favorite summer floral sky blue dress as she developed taste for prefering lighter colors. The little girl even giggled inwardly as she furthered counting as Jude and Timothy couldn't help but smug broad smiles forming on their faces, whilst sipping of the hot caffeine beverage.

"It's pretty evident Ellie is vociferous." Timothy commented sarcastically as he left his mug of coffee aside the porch coffee table. The counting of Tristan, reminded him exactly of Ellie when she played with her sibling.

Then Jude chuckled as she choked with some coffee stucked in her throat as she caughed, bending slightly her torso as her other hand moved up to her throat, fingering it softly like a mother who caresses her newborn's baby smooth head. Then she swallowed the coffee that she choked in her chuckle by an accident, muttering to herself:

"Goddamn it!" 

When she choked, Timothy was extremely concerned for her as he casted a panicked look at his wife as he was visually menanced there would be anything wrong with her as she felt the swallowed coffee gushing down, burning in her body. Timothy threw an arm around her shoulder as he wanted to make sure if the things were alright whilst Tristan verged with counting "14...15!" as she commenced searching for Agnes Jude and Ellie as they hided somewhere in the yard, where they could be hardly found. 

"My love...is everything alright?" Timothy's other hand lifted up as he tucked her hair behind her ear as he stared at her face as she adjusted her breathing. 

"Yeah, yeah. It's fine." She cackled inwardly as her reassuring hazel eyes locked up in his chocolate. "It was just an accident, darling." Jude justified. 

"I thought you choked seriously." 

"I did not. And...for what we talked about?" She tried to come to her senses as Timothy's comment of Ellie was oblivious to her.

"Oh, we talked about Ellie as I said she was vociferous. She reminded me of Tristan's counting in hide and seek."

"Ah, there's a slight difference between them but I cannot disagree with you." In the interim, she sipped of colder coffee, inhaling the fresh summer fragrance that purged her nostrils. 

Whilst the parents discussed their children, Tristan wandered around the expansive yard in search for either of his siblings, bursting out, nerving himself:

"You cannot hide. I'm in charge." 

***

After the morning coffee, the Howards started to prepare as they changed themselves in slightly more appropiate clothes for outdoors as they dressed up their children with exception of the capricious Ellie, who didn't want to wear anything else than her lovely sky blue summer dress. Then Agnes was on her mother's hip whilst the twins held their parents hands, walking together as they got out from the woods' area. 

When they reached a colorful fence, there were three more children around the twins' age or possibly slightly older than them as well. They were swinging on the swing as their parents accompanied them, Jude and Timothy seated on one of the nearest benches as Agnes crawled on Jude's lap as Ellie and Tristan didn't overlook the other two girls and one boy that giggled and were playing as Ellie had the immense wish to make friends with new children since she was prone to be more extroverted unlike her slightly younger twin brother and younger sister.  

In the meantime, Ellie poked her mother's stark knee as she wore a peach pink halter dress that dropped almost to her knees as her arms were dangled around the youngest sibling, clunging her in her embrace as her wee arms were wrapped around her torso. Whilst Tristan pouted as he sensed the prejudice of being rejected by the children's group that swinged on the swing.

"Mommy, Mommy?!" Ellie cried as she wanted to enquire her, grabbing her instant attention.

"Yes, sweetheart?" The both parents enquired in unison as Jude's hand moved up to her chestnut pigtails, fondling her head softly as Timothy's broad smile saturated. 

"Can I play with them? Please?" She begged as she pointed with a forefinger at the other children who didn't notice her, meanwhile the couple peeped at the other three infants with their parents as they were rather with their own mothers. 

"Yes, of course! You are welcome to make friends with them, you know." Timothy encouraged the brunette infant as he shifted directly his chocolate eyes to Tristan.  "Tristan?" 

"Huh?" The younger twin turned to his father, facing him as their chocolate eyes met. Jude's hazel eyes shifted her gaze to the sole son she had as Ellie awaited for her brother, craving to join her as they are willing to befriend with their peers especially Ellie. 

"Do you want to play and befriend with these children over there?"

Tristan pout his thin lips as he crossed arms as Jude placed a hand on his shoulder as she rubbed his narrow shoulder, pursuing for his eyes under his lowered head. It was certainly apparent he didn't look optimistic and radiant at all. Furthermore, his response to his father's question was far from uncertain. He stood in awkward silence.

"Come on, honey! These children seem kind and open-minded. I assure you." She attempted to encourage her son as her other hand as Timothy took Agnes in his arms as Jude's hand reached for the young boy's chin, lifting it as she tilted his head to look in his beautiful chocolate eyes.

He inhaled relaxedly as Ellie poked his arm as he shifted his gape to his sibling.

"Tris, Mommy and Daddy are right! Let's play together!" 

"But what if they reject me?" It was more than unmistakable the Howards children have never interracted to other children especially their peers. Ellie was tend to be mildly more optimistic unlike her brother who had prejudices and was particularly clever child. 

In this moment, even Agnes looked desperately at her older brother as she offered him a sweet, sheerly innocent smile across her thin lips as Timothy stroke her medium length curly golden hair, running his long fingers through her silky scalp, comforting her. 

Jude proceed with rubbing Tristan's shoulder as she pulled him as she leant, planting a kiss on his forehead, opting to comfort him as she threw her arms around him as he buried his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling her extraordinary perfume scent that reached his nostrils. 

"Shu, shu, Tris! Believe in yourself a bit. I persuade you they will like you and your sister, of course. They mean no harm just like the other children!" Jude was beyond optimistic when it was joint a word about children until they become teenagers. According to her, the majority of the children were innoxious, loving and infantly inquisitveness to study about their surroundings and the world. She kept on emboldening her diffident son. 

After they broke off the embrace, she admired his cuteness and smiled broadly, cheerfully to him as she wanted to enlive him, ressurecting his glee eventually. She kneaded his upper back once again just seconds before he accepted his mother's words. Then he just nod his head as the twins walked away, heading directly to the new children as they interracted to them as soon as possible.

Jude and Timothy couldn't help but watching them ecstatically as they loved the concept of socializing their children as they needed some kind of their own life, shaping it and play with peers around their age as they adapt to the children's world. Agnes watched the twins rejoiced as Timothy kissed the back of her head. 

"Hi!" The beauteous twins approached the three children at last as they said in unison as Ellie's voice was bold, whilst Tristan somewhat shy. 

"Hi." The other three children turned to face them as their eyes met, greeting the stranger children amicably.

The other children's parents didn't help, however, smiling blissfully as they casted a cheerful stare down at Ellie and Tristan who contacted the both brunette girls and the black-haired boy. They stopped to swing on the swings as the twins caught their attention instantly. 

Howsoever, one of the mothers was anxious for the twins as she looked around, noting two parents with a slightly younger infant than the twin siblings, as a result of wiping her sweaty forehead from the sun, pondering inwardly in her head:

"Is it possible it's the twins' parents?" The same mother looked down as she casted a scrutinity gape at Ellie and Tristan who introduced themselves to the group of infants. "Oh my bad! It's them." She realised they were actually Ellie and Tristan's parents. 

While the twins met new children as their names were Darcy, Louise and Samuel, suggesting them to play together and slided on playground wave slide, snickers and joyful screams floated in the playground's background as the children's parents walked up to the Howards.

"E-excuse me?" All of a sudden Jude and Timothy shifted their fixed eyes on Agnes to the other three mothers as smiles loomed on their shining faces. "Are you these twins' parents?"

"Yes, we are." The both proud parents of three children responded in unison.

"Oh, well." The second mother exclaimed slightly awkwardly.

***

The night dawned promptly. Just like the other parts of the day. The ethereal moon hovered in the nocturnal sky with its millions of twinkling bright stars.

The Howards packed their baggage as they determined to go in the other part of the countryside through the woods where they had another sanctuary. Namely Jude's first home- her humble cottage, located to the lake. Due to the motive as they wanted to relax a bit and to be near the lake instead of walking a handful of kilometres with heavy luggage until the lake at their sight. Further, they wanted to stay there until the end of the week as the weekend looms in the horrizon. 

The cottage was renovated as it was worthy for living as the conditions were stabilised. 

Whilst the children were put to sleep on the only bed that the house provided as it was queen-sized as they slept, Jude and Timothy sat on the grass as they watched the late night spectacular sight, inches away from the sparkling of moonlight lake. They were cuddling as Jude was in Timothy's arms, absent-mindedly her head reclined on his chest, a mane of spilling flossy wavy golden hair down her shoulders as the hairtips mildly tickled Timothy's slightly unbuttoned shirt. 

 "It's so beautiful." Jude exhaled sharply as her hazel eyes blinked, cherishing from the bottom of her heart this romantic, lonely moment when she was all alone with Timothy. "It has been a while since we did have such romantic nights. Midst the nature." She furthered in velvety voice. 

"Yeah, sweetie!" He ran his fingers through her untamed honey hair. "I love these romantic nights together. Especially sharing such a pretty lakefront property of yours." 

"Definitely! They are more than lovely and romantic, Timothy!" 

They abided in hush in matter of seconds until Timothy broke the silence as the question about the twins attending a kindergarden would be great though he knew somewhat Jude wouldn't pleasantly discuss this topic at all. It would rather upset her, figuring out how her children are far away from her approximately for a half day. Without cuddling them. Without hearing their eloquent laughters and voices that rang mellifluous tunes tunes in her ears. Without comforting them whenever they need. On one hand, she would be desperately upset for seperating from them for first time as they should adapt to the world, socialize a bit more though they made a few new friends earlier today. On other hand, Jude would have the chance to spend more time either with Timothy or any of her friends or acquaintances. 

Suddenly Jude sensed the hush far from tense and serene. It rather worried her that Timothy was silent and it seemed he mused more than the usual. She emitted a sigh as she pursued for his chocolate eyes.

"Timothy? My love?" She inquired as he looked below him as their eyes locked up in an intense eye contact. "Is there anything bothering you?" She carried on anxiously. 

"Humm...I thought about something that you might not like or you are going to be desperate, unfortunately." He cautioned as his fingers combed her long glossy curly strands. 

"No matter will I approve it or not, just share it with me, sweetie!" Jude stated. 

"Well, I liked very much the idea of bringing Ellie and Tristan on the playground with you as they interracted to the new kids." He commenced as Jude's broad, alluring smile distort across her lips encouraged him to go on. "As a result develop their lives a bit as they are able to find new friends and play with them." The former nun paid utterly attention to each word of his.

"But...but...I know you will disagree as well or criticize me. Howsoever, I think Ellie and Tristan are ready for kindergarten since they didn't seem nervous midst this group of children. But not only this reason is one of the signs they are ready for kindergarden, moreover I think they should interract more with other kids."

Jude's heart was in her mouth after she heard the bitter words coming from his lips as she proceed with listening to him yet.

"I know how painful it's going to be for both of us to be without children for a half day but we cannot keep them in home without interaction forever. But do you know what? Either of us or Valerie can bring them back to home afterwards." 

Instead of answering, Jude just smiled, stimulated, as she somewhat agreed with his decision though she didn't want Ellie and Tristan to be far away from her and Timothy. Then she moved down her hand to her three-quarters silky trousers' pocket, delving for her cigarette pack with her lighter as the took them out of the pocket, unpacking the box as she took a cigarrete in her mouth, liting up, thereafter dragging off her cigarette as dim escaped her nostrils and her mouth. 

Timothy admired her beauty and loved the way she smoked cigarettes, besides his other hand shifted down to her jaw, cupping it as he stared intensely in her dazzling hazel eyes. He always thought she was drop dead gorgeous but when she smoked and had a cigarette in her mouth, it just mesmerizingly amorous. She offered him to drag off her cigarette if he doesn't minds. He just accepted as they chuckled lightly to themselves as her face faintly blushed, contemplating by the way he puffed its length as a smug grin spread across her mouth. Then he asked:

"But didn't you quit smoking?" 

"I quit smoking when I was pregnant and I breastfeeded Ellie, Tris and Agnes." She answered truthfully as Timothy returned the cigarette, plugging it back in her mouth. 

"Oh." He sighed oddly. "I quit smoking since I left Briarcliff but thanks to you, my harmful addiction returned." He exclaimed mockingly. 

"On the whole, I am a smoker for a long time though I just smoke when my nerves verge and when my needs require it." Jude confessed fearlessly. "Though our children know it." 

"Yeah and they were like curious about smoking and tobaccos, although you explained to them to not try them or they will end like you."

"Absolutely!" They burst out laughing as their laughs and voices were the sole sound sources tonight. "You know, I just want to protect them and not inherit their parents' bad habits." 

"Especially at such young age, honey!"

"Exactly! Better than when it's too late." 

"I cannot disagree with you!" Then they swapped jaunty grins as Jude unplugged the cigarette from her mouth as Timothy's face approached hers slowly, pressing his lips on her soft, luscious as they deepened the kiss for a while as she clasped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her until they broke off the short, but sensual kiss, subsequently opening their eyes as they took their time to admire one another's faces. "But Jude, seriously..." She bit her bottom lip when he changed the topic drastically. "...what do you think about Ellie and Tristan going to kindergarden in the forthcoming autumn?" 

"I like your concept though you know already what breaks my heart." 

"I know, darling! But we should cope with this issue as soon as possible." 

"I love you very much, Timothy!"

"I love you too more than anything, my rare bird!"

To be continued...