Run, Girl (If You Can)

After the babies had been cleaned up, they ended up playing with their toys on the floor of the living room and the adults all broke into small groups to chat. Keeley, Valentina, and Jennica sat closest to the babies on the couch to keep an eye on them.

Alice, Roger, and Kyle chatted about a hiking trip they planned to take with some of their friends once the weather got nicer. Aiden animatedly told Cameron all about a new video game he had been playing. Aaron and Robert were talking about the twins.

Keeley couldn't help but smile at the sight. This was the most people she had ever seen inside the apartment at once. A quick glance at her husband let her know that he wasn't even uptight about it. He was perfectly fine having this many people in his house despite liking his privacy.

A wave of tenderness washed over her. He had truly blossomed into the wonderful husband she had always hoped he would be.

"When is your next day off, Val? We need to hang out more before you go to Connecticut," Jennica insisted.

Valentina sighed and leaned her head against the back of the couch. "Who knows? It's amazing I even had a few hours off today. I do have a graveyard shift tonight though." She pulled a terrible face.

Keeley really felt for her friend. Her schedule had been crazy ever since she started medical school and it would only get worse from here. Residents worked 80+ hours a week. She would have to learn how to survive on practically no sleep.

It was a good thing Rico y Reencarnado was going to end before graduation because Valentina was very attached to the storyline at this point and would be crushed if she couldn't keep up with it.

Keeley had been watching it on her laptop rather than on the TV because she was worried Aaron might see the recordings. It hadn't gotten much better than her original impression, which was to be expected. They didn't stick to the true story very well but that wasn't a problem in her mind. Reality was much better.

"Well I'm glad you did," she said. "You were the first person other than Aaron and me to see them after they were born so of course you needed to be at their first ever birthday party."

Valentina beamed. "They were so cute! They're even cuter now though since they aren't all red and wrinkly."

Kaleb and Violet had been even more red and wrinkly than the average newborn because they were premature but they had still been the most beautiful sight Keeley had ever seen. Watching them play, she wondered what they would look like as they continued to grow.

Their eye colors had changed from the standard Caucasian infant blue. Kaleb's eyes were a warm brown but Violet's were exactly the same unique shade as her father's. A blue so dark that it looked almost black from a distance.

She looked more like Aaron all the time but he still insisted that her face was more like baby Keeley's had been. Kaleb actually looked a lot like his namesake aside from his eyes. Their children had gotten an interesting mixture of Hale and Hall genes.

"They don't look very much alike," Jennica noted. "But I shouldn't be too surprised. Brian and I are fraternal twins too and a lot of the time people don't even think we're siblings. One summer in high school we went to an amusement park and more than one person commented on what a cute couple we were."

Keeley snorted. She and Kaleb probably wouldn't have run into that problem since they definitely looked like siblings. Their hair color and face shapes were practically the same.

His face probably would have changed as he grew but no one would ever know. Since baby Kaleb looked so much like his uncle she might be able to imagine what her brother would have grown into better now.

"I never had to worry about that with my brother. He's basically the male version of me," Valentina said.

"Since he's older, I think you would be the female version of him," Jennica pointed out. 

Valentina scowled and bopped her friend on the head with a pillow. Keeley chuckled as she watched them go. It was great having her old roommates back together again. They really did need to get together as much as possible before Valentina moved.

About an hour later it was time to get the babies ready for bed so the guests began trickling out. Keeley gave her friends big hugs and said she would text them about hanging out again. She shook hands with the people she didn't know as well.

When it was time to say goodbye to Alice, the composure she had been holding up all night discreetly crumbled. Keeley felt it as the other woman melted into her arms. Apparently she really needed a hug.

"Are you okay?" she whispered in concern. Alice had seemed perfectly fine earlier.

"Not really. My divorce finalized today."

She was so shocked that she nearly pulled away to look at her friend's face but Alice wouldn't allow it. She wanted to continue the hug.

"I'm glad you're free but I'm sorry you're feeling upset about it. We should talk about this tomorrow. Are you available?" Keeley asked softly.

"I don't have work until 11."

"I'll come pick you up and treat you to breakfast then. Are you going to be alright home alone?"

Alice had seemed perfectly fine when surrounded by other people at the party. But who knows how she would feel once she wasn't distracted anymore.

"Yes, I'll manage. Thanks." She pulled away and gave Aaron a quick hug as well before hurrying to catch up with Roger at the elevator. He was her ride home.

Keeley was absentminded as she gave her father a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, telling him she would see him on Sunday. Poor Alice! She was still so young to have been through a divorce.

Aaron caught onto her distracted state and asked her what was wrong as soon as everybody was gone.

"Alice's divorce finalized today. I didn't have a clue."

"I thought they were supposed to take the matter to court in a couple of weeks," he commented as he picked up a protesting Kaleb to take him upstairs.

"So did I. Something must have happened."

But what? What could have changed Brock's mind to make him want to get rid of his wife faster? It was probably something bad based on how Alice had crumbled in Keeley's arms.