I looked over at Zach who was pushing Millie on the swing under the Owl Tree. I rubbed my six-month belly when the twins kicked. I grabbed Dane’s hand, and Trevor and Sadie put their hands on my stomach. They all laughed as the twins went crazy.

“We found out what we’re having.” I smiled and pulled my shades down from my head to cover my eyes. It was such a beautiful day in April, and we were spending it under the Owl Tree so Millie could talk to Sam the Owl.

“Duh,” Dane said with a laugh.

“You went to the doctor three days ago.”

“The question is,” Trevor added. “When will you tell us?”

“I think it’s girls,” Sadie said as she pulled her hand back from my stomach.

I looked at Zach. “Do you want to tell them or me?”

He picked up Millie and whispered in her ear. She nodded and giggled.

“Millie would like to tell them.”

We all looked at Millie.

She held up two fingers. “Two boys.”

Sadie’s eyes immediately went to Zach.

“Oh, Hales, you’re so screwed.” She laughed.

Zach let Millie down, and she came over to me. She put her head on my stomach and rubbed my belly as she whispered to the boys.

I laughed. “Yeah, I’ll be having to beat the girls off them.” I played with Millie’s curls.

“I’m gonna miss you guys. I can’t believe Trevor and I leave for school at the end of next month.”

I nodded. “I know. I still think you’re nuts for taking summer classes.

“What are your plans, Hales? You haven’t really told anyone.” Sadie asked.

“I haven’t because Zach and I have been talking. I’m gonna help him coach and stay at home with the twins.” Dane put his arm on the back of my chair. “And make sure Zach doesn’t lose another manager.”

Zach smiled. “Hales, ran off the latest one, not me.”

“Hey, we brought food,” Quinn announced as her and Brink came into the backyard, “and gifts from New York.” Millie walked over to them.

“And how did you run off, what was her name? Chloe?”

I laughed. “Zach can tell that story.”

I got up and started looking through the food.

“We got all your favorites,” Quinn said as she touched my belly.

Zach laughed. “Chloe slapped my butt, and Hales went off on her before I could.”

I grabbed a french fry and started eating it.

“Zach had to hold me back.” I laughed.

Brink rubbed my belly and kissed my head. “We have a trunk full of stuff for you and the twins.” He picked up Millie, and she hugged his neck tightly. Everyone chuckled.

“It was majorly sexy.” Zach said proudly.

I made a face. “Yeah, pregnant lady gone wild.”

He came over and kissed me. “But you’re my pregnant lady.” He bent down and kissed my belly.

“Daddy!” Millie screamed and giggled. She took off running.

Everyone looked at her in shock. Zach hurried after her.

“What’s happening?” I asked Dane.

Dane pointed. “Something just flew down into the Owl Tree. It looked like another owl.”

We walked over, and there it was. Another snow owl right next to the other. Zach picked up Millie and put her on his shoulders so she could get a better look. She wrapped her arms around his neck and put her chin on his head while she watched the owls hoot at each other softly. Zach smiled down at me and wrapped his free arm around me.

“We’re going to be okay. All of us.” I smiled up at him.

“Yes, we are, Tiger.”

“Looks like Sam got her Elliot.” I smiled at Millie when she giggled. “Her laugh is one of my favorite things ever.”

I watched Sadie take her camera out of her backpack near the tree, and she started snapping pictures of the owls. Everyone gathered around.

Life was messy and imperfectly perfect. It was a rush of emotions and unplanned events that would either make you or break you. But what I learned over the past year is that you determine whether a situation will make you or break you. You are in control of how you handle things and your happiness. Finding the silver lining in situations, good or bad, is key to survival. You find that little bit of happy, and you make it into a whole-hell-of-a-lot of happy, and you centralize your entire mind around it. You hold onto it and refuse to let go. I looked around at my happy: the memory of Coach, Zach, Dane, Quinn, Brink, Sadie, Trevor, Millie, and the twins. This was my family, and life from here on out would be okay, no matter what came our way, because in the end we would always have each other.