Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Lucy and Tim wake up in the morning, it is to their three daughters jumping on their bed.

“Mummy! Daddy!” their ten-year-old, Lauren, says, jumping onto Tim.

Tim grunts at the impact, but he hugs his eldest daughter into him. “What’s got everyone so excited?”

“Last week you told us you had a surprise for us today.” Their second eldest daughter, Casey, snuggles in between her two parents.

Lucy sits up and reaches her arms over to their five-year-old, Evie, who immediately wraps her arms around her mum’s neck.

“We do have a surprise for you girls,” Tim explains, “But we have to fill those tummies up with breakfast first.”

Lauren giggles at him when he tickles her stomach.

“Can you make us pancakes, Daddy?” Casey asks, smile on her face.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Tim replies, bringing his other arm around Casey. “Just give your mum and me some time to properly wake up.”

Their daughters make their way out of their room.

“Good morning, baby,” Tim mumbles as he reaches his arms over to Lucy and plants a kiss on her forehead.

“Morning, babe,” she replies, nuzzling her head into his chest.

“Are you going to be alright today?” he asks. “I can take the girls if you’re not.”

“Tim, I will be fine. Even if I can’t participate, I love these family outings with our family.”

“Will you participate?” he questions.

“Of course,” she answers as if it were obvious. “There is no way I am letting you win.”

He chuckles. “Just be careful.”

“I’m pregnant, not broken.”

“I know that, but I just want to make sure that you are alright.”

“No,” she argues, shaking her head with a mischievous smile. “You’re just scared that I will beat you.”

“Am not.”

“Don’t lie, babe.”

“Why don’t you have a shower while I get breakfast sorted?” Tim offers, changing the subject.

“That sounds nice,” she nods. “But don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the subject.” She pulls herself out of Tim’s hold and makes her way over to the bathroom.

He gets himself out of bed and slips some clothes on. He goes downstairs and is greeted by his three girls sitting at the dining table.

“How are my princesses this morning?” he asks as he grabs all the ingredients for his pancakes. “Do you girls want to help me make our breakfast?”

They all shout their ‘okays’ with excitement and run over into the kitchen.

Tim gets two step stools out of the pantry for Lauren and Casey and then he lifts Evie up so she can sit on the counter. He lets the girls help in the least messy steps, relishing in the sound of their laughter.

When Lucy is finished in the shower, she can smell the delicious aroma of pancakes.

She makes her way downstairs and hears the sound of her daughters' laughter. She rounds the corner and sees Tim making pancakes with the girls.

She quickly snaps a photo of the scene and then she takes a seat at the breakfast bar.

“Mummy, we helped daddy make breakfast!” Casey excitedly explains.

“Did you?” she asks, smile on her face. “That means it should be extra yummy.”

“I got to crack the egg!” Lauren says as she runs around to hug her mother.

Lucy hugs her daughter back and presses a kiss into her hair. “You’re so smart, baby.”

“She didn’t even get any shells in the mix,” Tim states proudly.

“That’s amazing.” Lucy turns to Evie who is sitting on the island counter. “What are you doing up here, Eves?”

“Daddy put me here,” she explains as she reaches her arms out to Tim. “I help too.”

Tim picks Evie up and rests her on his hip. “Your plate is over there,” he points to a small pile of pancakes.

Lucy walks around and puts on whatever toppings the girls want on their pancakes before making her own with syrup and strawberries.

They all eat before they get ready for the day and then Lucy and Tim get the girls into the car.

“Where are we going?” Lauren asks.

“It’s a surprise,” Lucy states.

“Why can’t we know now?” Casey whines.

“Why can’t we just surprise you?” Tim counters.

“Because we want to know,” Lauren says.

“Well, we are nearly there, so you will be finding out soon enough,” Lucy tells them.

The girls don’t ask any more questions and sing along to the music on the radio.

When they pull into the car park, the girls excitedly look outside.

“Bowling?!” Lauren exclaims.

Tim nods with a smile on his face. “Does that sound fun?”

“Yes!” Casey and Lauren shout at the same time.

“What is bowling?” Evie asks, her brows furrowed.

“It’s a game we are going to play today,” Lucy explains as she takes the five-year-old’s hand. “Then, maybe if you girls are good, then we can go to the arcade.”

The girls exclaim their excitement as they walk in.

Lucy leads them to the front desk to get their booking and their shoes.

When they get to their lane, Tim puts in their names and sets up the game while Lucy grabs the balls they are going to use.

“Daddy, do I have to use the ramp this time?” Lauren asks.

“If your arms are strong enough, then of course you can.”

Lauren flexes her muscles. “Look how strong I am.”

“Woah, you are so strong,” Lucy tells her and passes her a size-six ball.

Lauren takes it with a huff and then walks over to the lane. She bends down and rolls the ball forward. It slowly bounces off the sides before hitting a few pins over. She runs back over to the ball rack to grab her second ball.

“Can I take the pink one?” she asks, gesturing to the size nine-ball.

Tim walks over to Lauren and passes her another green ball. “Maybe next time if you’re stronger.”

“Fine,” she sighs, but then she happily runs over to the lane and pushes the ball down the lane. She hits over a few more pins then skips over to where Tim is and sits next to him.

Casey springs up out of her seat and runs over to the ball rack. Lucy sets up the ramp and goes over to Casey.

“Which one do you want?” Lucy asks her.

“Hm,” she thinks. “The purple one!”

Lucy picks up the ball and places it on the ramp. “Big push.”

Casey pushes the ball, and it rolls down the lane. It hits half the pins down and she squeals in excitement.

Lucy grabs her another ball and puts it on the ramp. “Are you going to move the ramp?”

Casey twists the ramp and then pushes the ball down. It hits the bumpers and then goes into the gap between the pins. She turns to Lucy with a pout on her face.

“Don’t worry, Case,” she reassures her. “You still have nine more turns.”

“Yay!” Casey runs over and sits next to Lauren.

“It’s your turn, Eves,” Tim says.

Evie stands and runs over to Lucy.

“What colour do you want, baby?” Lucy asks her.

“Pink!” she exclaims.

Lucy grabs the pink ball and puts it on the ramp. “Now, you have to give it a big push and try and get all of the pins down.”

Evie pushes the ball down and she knocks all the pins down.

“What does that mean?” Evie asks.

Lucy bends down as best as she can and holds her hand up for a high five. “That means you got a strike,” she explains, pride on her face. “That means you get lots of points.”

“I do?”

“Yeah,” she nods. “It means you are winning.”

Evie runs over to Tim and jumps into his lap. “Did you see that, Daddy? I got a strike!”

He wraps his arms around his daughter and hugs her. “I did. I am so proud of you.”

“Well done, sissy!” Casey gives her younger sister a high five.

“Am I going to beat you, Daddy?” Evie giggles.

“Well, your mum and I are playing our own game against each other,” he explains. “You are against your sisters.”

“Why?”

“Every time your Mum or I have a go, the barriers at the side will go down.”

“Why?”

“Because we have more experience than you girls and it gives us more of a challenge.”

“But why?”

“To make it more fair, sweetheart.”

“Is it your turn now?”

Tim shakes his head. “No, mummy is first.”

Evie shifts in Tim’s lap so she can face her mum. “Your turn mummy! Go bowl!”

“Is it really?” Lucy feigns shock to entertain the five-year-old.

Evie enthusiastically nods. “Yes!”

“Should I use the same ball as you?” she asks. “It must be lucky.”

“Yes, mummy!”

Lucy grabs the pink ball and adjusts her hold. She takes her place at the lane and swings. The ball leaves her hand, and she hits over majority of the pins. Her second bowl goes straight into the gutter. She groans as she turns and sees Tim’s smirk.

“Don’t even,” Lucy grumbles at him making him chuckle.

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” he shrugs.

Lucy playfully rolls her eyes as she sits next to Tim. “Come here Evie, daddy needs to have his turn.”

Evie crawls over into Lucy’s lap and snuggles into her chest.

Tim grabs an orange ball and stands a few steps away from the line. He closes that gap and then swings the ball. It rolls quickly down the lane and hits the middle. The pins get knocked over and three pins are left with a clear split.

Lucy laughs as she sees Tim’s face drop. “Have fun with that.”

“Dad is going to miss,” Lauren giggles.

Tim’s jaw drops and he feigns offence. “I will at least hit one.”

Lauren shakes her head defiantly. “No, you are going to miss.”

“If you say that, then it will happen,” Tim whines.

“Babe, stop whining and hurry up and fail.”

“I will prove you both wrong,” he declares.

“I believe in you, daddy!” Evie exclaims.

“Thank you, princess,” Tim says before he picks up the ball. “At least someone has faith in me.”

He bowls and the ball rolls straight through the middle. He turns around with a salty look on his face.

He does not say anything as he walks over and reaches over to take Evie.

She just shakes her head and stays put in Lucy’s lap. “You didn’t do good enough.”

“Don’t worry Daddy, I will give you a hug.” Casey moves into Tim’s side and wraps her arms around his middle.

Tim presses a kiss into her hair. “Thank you, Case.”

“Is anyone hungry?” Lucy asks, and the girls all nod. “I will go and order some food for us.”

She moves to put Evie down, but she clings to Lucy.

“I will be right back, Eves,” Lucy tells her. “I just can’t hold you for too long. You’re getting so big.”

“I hold your hand.”

“Okay, sweetheart.” Evie lets go of her and Lucy grabs her hand.

Lucy orders the food and comes back over with a buzzer.

“Where is the food?” Casey asks.

“They have to make it first, Case,” Tim explains to her.

“What about our drinks?”

Lucy smiles at her. “Because you girls have been super good today, I thought I would get you girls a milkshake.”

The girls all squeal in excitement and hug their mum.

They continue playing until their food arrives. Tim is just beating Lucy by a few points and Lauren is beating both of her sisters.

“Wash your hands girls, then we can eat,” Lucy instructs.

Once they are finished eating, they continue the game.

On Lauren’s last bowl, she calls for Tim to come over. “Daddy, can you teach me how to bowl like you?”

“Of course, my love.” Tim stands and walks over to Lauren.

Lucy watches as he instructs Lauren on how to hold the ball. She takes out her phone and records as Tim helps their eldest daughter with her bowl.

All the pins get knocked down and Lauren jumps up and down with joy. Tim gives her a hug before she runs over to Lucy.

“I am just like you and Daddy now.”

“You sure are,” Lucy nods. “You have another go now.”

“Why do I get another turn?”

“If you get a strike on your last turn, you get another turn.”

“Yay!” Lauren explains and she runs back over to the ball rack. She takes the green ball.

Tim goes to help her again, but she shakes her head.

“I’ve got this.”

Tim backs away and watches as Lauren bowls. She knocks a few down, then misses on her last go, but her smile does not leave her face.

When Casey has her turn, Tim helps her with the ramp, and she knocks down a few pins. On her last bowl, she knocks down all but one pin.

Evie ends up with two pins left and while she got the lowest score, she still skips happily over to take her seat.

Lucy takes her turn and ends up getting a spare. Her last bowl ends up as a strike, so she walks over to Tim with a grin on her face.

“I only need ten points to win,” Tim grumbles. “I will beat you. Won’t I, Evie?”

Evie shakes her head. “Mummy will win.”

“Yeah,” Lauren agrees with a nod. “Mum is better at bowling than you.”

“There is no way I’m losing,” Tim confidently states.

“Wanna make a bet?” Lucy smirks.

He narrows his eyes at her. “What do you have in mind?”

“You know what I want.”

“You’re on,” Tim walks over to the rack and takes a ball. He bowls and hits all but one.

He takes his second bowl, and it goes straight into the gutter.

He groans as he turns to face his family. Lauren is looking triumphant, Casey is pouting at Tim, Evie is giggling as she hugs into Lucy’s side, and Lucy is smirking at him.

“I thought you would win, Daddy,” Casey whines.

“Maybe next time,” Tim states.

“Next time?!” Lauren exclaims.

Tim nods and smiles. “Of course. We have many more of these family outings we need to do.”

“And when this little one comes along-” Lucy puts her hand on her small bump, “-We are going to have to teach them all these games.”

“Can we come here again tomorrow?” Casey asks.

“Sorry, Case, but we have work tomorrow, and you have to go to school,” Lucy tells her.

“And next time, we can go somewhere else,” Tim suggests.

Tim and Lucy get the girls back in their shoes and pack everything up. They let the girls have some time at the arcade, and they get some lollies with the tickets they win.

When they are back in the car, the girls are quiet. Evie is asleep in her seat while Casey and Lauren whisper to each other, trying not to disturb their younger sister.

When they get home, Tim carries Evie inside and settles her while Lucy starts dinner.

Lucy flops onto their bed once all the girls are fed and in bed.

“You tired?” Tim asks as he makes himself comfortable in bed.

Lucy yawns. “A bit, but today was good.”

“It was,” he agrees. “I loved today.”

“Imagine it with one more kid,” she sighs.

Tim pulls Lucy up to the top of their bed and she giggles. “I love our family.”

“I love our family too.” Tim presses a kiss into her hair and lets her make herself comfortable on his chest. “I can’t wait for next time.”