[legxllyblxndc]

A silence elapsed between the two of them as Landon finished speaking. Not because she was angry with him or anything of the sort - but because she was letting it sink in. She wondered how long he had kept all of this in, how long ago he had come to this realisation. "I understand." Iris started. "I do. And I'm so sorry I did that to you." She didn't think that she would ever stop being sorry. The kiss had been the worst mistake of her entire life. "I do understand but it wasn't - What happened wasn't about you." She sighed. She knew how it sounded but she hoped that he would understand. "It was about me and, if anything, it was more about my mother. My fears of being like her so I did exactly what she would have done." But she wasn't Bridie and Arlo was definitely not Elias. Iris refused to make Landon her father, too. "But I understand that it doesn't change how my actions made you feel." If she could take it back, she would in a heart beat. "I have never thought about you as weird, Landon. I never thought of you as different. You were just - You are this man who was a little quieter than the others but who was so clever and secretly hilarious. The first man who has ever made me really, truly felt safe and loved." She took a deep breath before she took a sip of her drink, "And I'm sorry I ruined it."

[foreverwednesday]

“I know,” Landon said quickly, nodding. One thing he had never doubted was that Iris was truly sorry—he believed it with everything he had. But even so, he hadn't known how to move past it. He gave her the same quiet respect she’d shown him, listening closely as she spoke, absorbing every word. “Why are you afraid of being like your mum?” he asked softly, fingers tapping absently on the side of his glass. “You’re… honestly, probably the furthest person from her that I know.” They might have looked alike, but beyond that, Landon thought, their worlds were entirely different. A soft, sad smile touched his lips as Iris continued. He knew all of those things—the way she’d seen him, truly seen him. It was the most incredible feeling he’d ever known: someone who understood the parts of him he’d always kept hidden. “You are safe,” he said gently, shrugging as if to ease some invisible weight. “And you are loved. You can always count on that—from me.”

[legxllyblxndc]

Noah nodded his head as Mia assured him. He had never been in a situation like this. He was too young to remember how things had been when Nancy was born and any other babies in the family? He had never paid much attention too. This was his kid now and it was going to be different. It had to be different. "You did?" He questioned as he looked at Mia. He felt a little less stupid if she had asked the same thing. He looked back at the screen, taking in the sight of their baby. They were going to have a child. They were really, truly going to have a baby. He could hardly believe it. "I'd never doubt it." Noah muttered. He looked to Mia then, "You were always going to be amazing." He'd never had a doubt. If it was growing their daughter or just being her mum, when she was finally here, Noah knew that Mia was going to be perfect. It was him that he was worried about. He didn't know if he would ever be able to live up to the example that she was bound to set.

[foreverwednesday]

“Are you kidding? I had, like, a million stupid questions the first few times. I’ve managed to narrow it down to a couple thousand now.” Mia grinned, shrugging playfully. Her mum had always told her there was no such thing as a stupid question when it came to having a baby—and Mia had definitely taken that to heart. She wanted to know everything. She chuckled softly as Noah and the midwife chatted, shaking her head. “I don’t really feel like I’ve done much yet,” she admitted, raising an eyebrow with a crooked smile. It all still felt a bit surreal—like things were just happening to her and she was doing her best to roll with the punches. Still, she wanted to be good at this. She wanted to be amazing. And she thought maybe she would be. She glanced over at Noah, her voice dropping to a whisper. “It’s so cool, right?” she said, her eyes shining. “Seeing her?” There was wonder in her tone—and maybe a little disbelief, too. As if even now, she could barely believe this little person was real. Doing this with Noah made it feel as though it was the first time all over again.

[legxllyblxndc]

"Of course, of course. That makes sense." Chip nodded. He had never felt like a spare part when he was around Katie. He never felt like he was some sort of burden that she just had to put up with. "Course I do." He nodded, a small smile on his face. Chip had never entertained the idea that Katie would ever share his feelings. He couldn't ever think that someone like her would like someone like him. He was happy harbouring a secret crush on her. He could be happy to keep this all to himself. "It is!" Chip nodded. "I watched it over and over again when I was little. Used to drive Meg mad." He had the same two or three films that he would rotate over and over again. He had never really been sure on why. "The Secret Garden? I think Meg might've tried to get me to watch it but - No. I don't really remember it." He shook his head. "So looks like we have our plan!"

[foreverwednesday]

Being part of the Royal Ballet took up most of Katie’s life—and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. She loved it more than anything and was happy to give it everything she had. But it was no secret that the job monopolised nearly all your waking hours. Some of your sleeping ones, too. Which meant that the precious free time she did have was reserved for people she genuinely liked being around. Somehow, Chip had slipped into that category without her even realising—but she wasn’t mad about it. Not at all. “Oh really? I was that kid too,” she laughed, giving him a knowing look. “I loved watching the same films over and over—at least I knew I already liked them! Why risk wasting an hour and a half on something I wasn’t going to enjoy?” She shook her head at herself, smiling. “I can imagine that it's exactly the kind of thing Meg would love,” she smiled warmly. She really liked how close Chip was to his sister—it said a lot about him, the good kind of stuff. “I actually saw the ballet before I saw the film,” she said, her voice softening. “It’s beautiful. I think you’ll like it.” When Chip mentioned the plan, she smiled again. “Sounds like it to me! I’m not far away.” Katie had purposely found a place close to the theatre—after those long, exhausting rehearsal days, the last thing she wanted was a long commute when she could barely keep her eyes open.

[legxllyblxndc]

As patient and understanding as she was, Frankie didn't know how long it would last. She wanted a life with someone. She wanted to get married and have kids and she just didn't know if that would ever be on the cards with her and Will. One of these days, she knew that they were going to have to sit down and have a proper conversation about it all. It was something which she kept pushing off though. It could wait. She didn't need it right now. He was more important than her stability with their relationship. She never doubted that Will was loyal, she just hoped that he'd be able to give her some sort of promise of a future together. Frankie laughed as Will spoke and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, maybe you're a little bit right." She laughed, shaking her head. Frankie smiled as he took her hand, glad that he was with her now. She always felt better when he was with her. "Perfect!" Frankie beamed. "I was looking at that the other day actually so that is perfect."

[foreverwednesday]

Will didn’t let himself dwell on the truth: that if he kept going the way he was, he would be the reason things fell apart. He was so afraid of losing Frankie if he fully committed… that his fear of loss was going to cause it. And the worst part? He knew that. He just didn’t know how to stop it. “I’m always a little bit right,” he said flashing a grin and giving a casual shrug. He moved around to open the car door for Frankie, waiting for her to slide in before heading to his own side. Will loved cars—loved driving them. Normally, he’d be behind the wheel of one of the many he kept for various moods and occasions. But after the mind-numbing meeting he’d sat through, he figured he deserved a drink tonight. Someone else could handle the traffic. “Evening,” he nodded to the driver as he got in, then turned his attention back to Frankie. “My dad wants me to have lunch with him and Jesse tomorrow,” he said, rolling his eyes. His tone was light, but there was something under it. The relationship with his half-brother had always been... tense. Two puzzle pieces from different boxes trying to slot together, as his mother had once put it.

[foreverwednesday]

true generation 2 | social media profile pictures

will junior - captured by frankie on their way to a dinner date

tommy junior - his most recent headshot

megara - her and her daughter molly, taken by chip on a family holiday

ezra - a picture of him outside the family hotel, captured by serena

katie - a photo from a recent ballet photoshoot she got to do

gomez - he and his father, on the first day they visited his university

[legxllyblxndc]

Although Frankie tried not to let her work life interrupt her home life, it was hard for her to not use those skills when it came to other people. And she had definitely used them to think about Will and to rationalise everything between the two of them. He had, had a good childhood. No-one was ever going to debate that. But she could imagine the damage that Felicity and her leaving Jacob at the altar had done. He was so young at the time and he had lost a woman who was as close to a parent as you can get without actually being his parent. She could understand his reluctance. She just wished that she had been able to get him through that. She had been there time and time again for him. She wished that she could prove that she wasn't going to go anywhere. "Oh please. I have breaks." Frankie laughed, shaking her head. She was happy when she was busy. Her thoughts got too busy when she was just sat still. "I mean - that's why he's there, isn't it? It's his specialty." She had always had a little bit of a soft spot for Chip. She could see that it took a lot out of him to be around the rest of them. She wanted to be a comforting presence - not just for him but for everyone that she came across. "Lets go." Frankie smiled and started towards the lift. She looked to Will as they waited for it to be called, "Do I get to know where it is we're going tonight?"

[foreverwednesday]

Will had absolutely no idea that Frankie had ever psychoanalysed him—mostly because he didn’t think there was anything to analyse. As far as he was concerned, he was about as normal and well-adjusted as they came. His childhood had been close to ideal, even with his parents’ separation. He’d never once doubted their love, or questioned when he’d see them next. He’d been given everything—stability, affection, opportunity. But the cracks had still formed. Quiet ones, buried under perfect appearances. He trusted Frankie with everything. He knew she wasn’t going anywhere. But then again… he’d once thought the same about Felicity. “Oh please,” he said now, grinning as he bumped her shoulder. “Your brain is always in work mode.” He meant it with affection—loved how dedicated she was, how much of herself she poured into what she did. It was one of the reasons he tried to spoil her whenever he could. Frankie spent so much time caring for other people—he liked being someone who took care of her. As they stepped into the lift, he laced his fingers through hers, offering a quick wave to the doorman as they passed. “Oh—did I forget to mention?” he said, glancing at her with a cheeky smile. “I booked us into that new Italian place in Mayfair.” He raised an eyebrow. “You said you were craving pasta the other night. Thought I’d come to the rescue.”

[legxllyblxndc]

"It's just unfair of you to interrupt them, honestly." Chip attempted to joke. He had never really thought that anything he said was too funny but he tried. He wanted people to think that about him. He'd always been told that he took things too seriously and he had never really liked that. "Well, there are worse people to be stuck with." He nodded, a small smile on his face. He had harboured a crush on Katie for almost as long as he had known her. She was gorgeous, after all. But it was more than that. She had been the first person who he had spent time with where he properly felt like he could be himself. He didn't have to worry about how he was coming across - she was just her usual, kind self. He didn't know if even she knew just how much he appreciated her. "Favourite childhood movies?" He repeated and thought for a moment, "Have you ever seen A Land Before Time?" He was a dinosaur kid ... because of course he was. And the idea of watching it now, with her, was definitely something he was excited about. "Gomez won't mind. I dunno if Fleur will be there or not though."

[foreverwednesday]

“Guess that’s just who I am,” Katie laughed, shrugging lightly. She found Chip genuinely funny—without even trying. His dry humour had always caught her off guard in the best way. She smiled as he spoke, nodding. “I’m glad you think so,” she said with a soft chuckle. Her sister had always teased that Chip had a crush on her, but Katie had brushed it off for years. Back then, she was too caught up in dance and rehearsals to think about anyone that way. But now… things were different. “I haven’t!” she said, eyebrows lifting. “Is that your pick?”nShe smiled, genuinely intrigued. “It’ll be cool to watch something I’ve never seen. Is that the one with the dinosaurs?” There was a vague memory tucked away—her dad talking about something from an old dinosaur movie when she was little. Maybe it was that one. “I think I’ll pick The Secret Garden,” she said, her smile softening. “Have you ever seen it?” It had been her favourite movie for as long as she could remember—ever since her dad took her to see the ballet when she was just a little girl. She smiled as Chip mentioned Fleur; the girl was one of her closest friends, but her presence wasn't exactly subtle. "So we'll head to mine; Serena will most likely be hanging out in her room anyway."

[legxllyblxndc]

As the midwife spoke to him, he was suddenly incredibly overwhelmed. This woman knew so much more about his child than he did. She had been there for Mia, clearly. She had seen his little girl already. Little girl. It took a moment for those words to proper filter through his brain. They were having a girl. A daughter. A part of him couldn't help but be relieved. Maybe she wouldn't have the gene that seemed to fuck up all of the men in his family. Oh, he hoped that she wouldn't. He followed blindly, trying to keep his breathing level. This wasn't about him and he didn't want Mia to have to think about how he was feeling. She had enough to deal with. Noah sat down beside the bed but his gaze was on his clasped hands. He had missed so much. Could he make up for any of it? He only snapped out of his downward spiral as he heard the midwife, "Okay... there she is." Noah quickly looked up at the screen as the midwife started to explain what it was that they were looking at. And then came the most incredible sound that Noah had ever heard ... the heartbeat. He quickly looked from Mia and back to the screen. "Is -" He coughed, an attempt to hide the crack in his voice, "Is it supposed to be that fast?"

[foreverwednesday]

Truthfully, Mia had always pictured herself as a boy mum—chaotic little tykes coming home covered in mud, footballs sailing through windows, water fights in the garden. That had always been the image in her head. But now, knowing she was having a little girl… it just felt right. Of course she was. Of course it would be a little girl. A perfect little girl who would no doubt do all those things anyway—just like Mia had, once upon a time. And there would be so much of Noah in her, too. Mia couldn’t wait to find out which parts. She loved them all. She smiled wide as the familiar cold gel was smoothed across her stomach, her eyes locking onto the screen. No matter how many times she saw her baby up there, she knew she’d never, ever tire of it. Then came the sound. The rhythmic thud of her daughter’s heartbeat filled the room, and Mia instinctively turned her head—just in time to catch Noah’s reaction. Her heart tugged, eyes filling up. She laughed softly, emotion caught in her throat, and nodded. “I asked the same thing,” she whispered. “She’s fine. It’s normal.” The midwife smiled, glancing between them. “Oh yes—she’s a healthy little thing, your daughter. Growing perfectly. She's doing a great job is Mia.”

[legxllyblxndc]

As Landon spoke, Iris' eyes widened a little. She had been wondering the same thing that he had but she hadn't bothered to voice it. She hadn't wanted too. She was doing whatever it took to get him back, to gain his trust. "Therapy was your idea, Landon." Iris stated. there wasn't any judgement in her tone. She merely meant it as a matter of fact. If he didn't want to do this anymore, then she would follow his lead. "If you think that us talking will help..." She shrugged her shoulders. "Then lets do that." At this point, she was open to pretty much anything. she was so desperate to get the two of them on a good path, that she would do just about anything to make it work. "Is there - do you have things that you need to get off of your chest? No judgement." She was nervous. What if he decided that he didn't want this at all? What if he decided it wasn't worth it? But she didn't say anything. Instead, she took a sip of her drink and waited for him to continue.

[foreverwednesday]

"I know," Landon said softly, nodding. He wasn’t going to pretend otherwise—he had been the one to suggest therapy. It had felt like the mature, responsible thing to do. But the truth was, he didn’t think it was working. Not for him, anyway. Iris was brilliant at it—open, articulate, composed. But for Landon? Sitting in a room, laying his thoughts bare in front of someone he barely knew? It made his skin crawl. "I think so," he added, picking up his drink and taking a long sip, letting the silence settle between them for a beat. Then, with a quiet exhale, he spoke. “Okay…” His fingers fidgeted in his lap, nervously weaving in and out of each other. Even now—even with Iris—it wasn’t easy. “I think I’ve always felt… different,” he said, eyes fixed on the table. His voice was quiet, almost childlike in its honesty. “On the outside.” He paused. “My family—my mum, my dad, Piper… they’re all so alike. Charismatic. Easy to love. And I was just… not. I was the weird one. The quiet one. The one people didn’t quite get.” He swallowed, glancing away as if bracing for the shame of saying it out loud. “And I always told myself I didn’t mind being that way. That I liked being different. But then I met you.” His gaze lifted to her for the briefest second. “You never looked at me like that. You never made me feel like I was strange, or hard to love. You just… saw me. And that was the best feeling in the world. Being understood.” A breath shuddered out of him. “I’ve never felt happiness like the kind I felt when I had a life with you. And maybe it’s unfair, putting all that weight on you—but that’s what it was. That’s how it felt.” He nodded faintly. “I wanted to marry you because of that. Because I knew with you, it didn’t have to be some big performance, some huge spectacle the way weddings always seemed in my head. With you, it could just be.” He paused—longer this time. His voice came quieter now. “But then… what happened. You told me about Arlo that day, in that moment, in front of everyone… and suddenly, I was the spectacle.” His hands were shaking now, visibly, resting on the table. “And it felt like everything crashed down around me. Like maybe you didn’t understand after all. Like you needed one last chance with someone… normal. Before you could resign yourself to a life with someone like me.” He went still, looking down, like the weight of saying it had knocked the wind out of him.

[legxllyblxndc]

"Thank you." Iris smiled a little as the drink was placed down in front of her. She felt better having something to do with her hands. At least she didn't have to worry about reaching out to him when they were wrapped around her glass. And just as he wanted, Iris couldn't help but laugh a little as Landon spoke. She nodded her head, "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" She had hoped that it would be. Iris wasn't stupid. She had known that there would be no easy fix to the two of them. It wasn't going to be a quick two minutes and everything would be back to how it had been before. She wasn't even convinced if they could ever get back to exactly how it was. But she had thought that things might be a little easier by now. She had hoped that he wouldn't feel like such a stranger to her. She hoped that it was one of those 'trust the process' things but she was struggling a little. "You think we should try and find someone else? I mean, not everyone gels, right? I went through something like five therapists before I got the woman I'm now with."

[foreverwednesday]

Landon took a slow sip of his drink as Iris spoke, turning her words over in his mind. If he was honest, a part of him wasn’t even sure therapy was what they really needed anymore—despite being the one who had suggested it in the first place. He’d never been good at talking. Not really. Especially not about feelings. He struggled to show his hand unless it was with someone he trusted completely, and even then, it took effort. So trying to open up in front of someone who, at the end of the day, was still a stranger… maybe that had always been a long shot. “I mean…” he started, nodding slightly. “I would. If you wanted to keep going, I would.” He paused, then gave a small shrug. “But part of me wonders if maybe it’d be better if we just... talked. Just you and me. No one else in the room. Laying our cards out, honestly. No holding back.” He sighed, not in frustration, but more in quiet hope—like maybe, just maybe, that kind of simplicity was what they’d needed all along.

[legxllyblxndc]

As Mia took his hand, there was a part of him that wanted to pull away from her. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve her, or the comfort that she was trying to give him. Here he was, after missing out on the first six months of her pregnancy and he was making everything about himself, again. How someone like her put up with him, he had no idea. Mia truly was the most amazing woman he had ever met. She was the best of them. She could have anyone. He didn't think he'd ever wrap his head around the fact that she wanted him. He was about to say something when he heard her name called. He stood up quickly, dropping her hand as he went. It felt like he was being assessed as he looked at the midwife. He felt like he had to pass some sort of test to even get in the room. The pressure on him was all put there because of him but he couldn't help it. He finally looked at Mia as she said 'the father' and he nodded his head. It was the first time that it had properly dawned on him that, that was what was going to happen. He was going to be a kids father. "Yeah, that - that's me." He nodded as he looked to the floor again. It seemed like the two of them knew one another and if that was the case, then it probably meant that she knew that he hadn't been there for Mia the first few months. Just another person who knew how much he had fucked up.

[foreverwednesday]

Mia knew she’d never be the kind of person who could deny Noah comfort—or the safety of knowing she was still there. It just wasn’t in her. But, selfishly, she needed him too. She’d done so much of this alone, carried so much weight by herself. And now, just the idea of someone sharing it—even briefly—felt overwhelming in the best way. She could only imagine how good it would feel to believe, even for a moment, that she wasn’t doing this on her own. As the midwife entered and Noah stood, Mia followed suit—slower, of course, hand instinctively resting on her bump. She looked at him as he confirmed he was the baby’s father, and though it might have seemed like nothing to anyone else, Mia knew exactly how huge that moment was. A smile bloomed on the midwife’s face—warm, knowing. She’d asked about the father before, and Mia had done her best to explain, without really explaining why Noah hadn’t been there. “Oh, how exciting!” the midwife beamed. “Ready to see her kicking around? We couldn’t believe how energetic she was on the scan—jumping all over the place. Then Mia told us both her parents play football.” She chuckled softly, ushering them into the room. It wasn’t until they were inside, being shown where to sit, that Mia realised Noah wouldn't have heard the word she just yet. “Okay,” the midwife said brightly, prepping the machine. “Let’s get ready to see your little girl.”

[legxllyblxndc]

Chip had never felt as comfortable as he felt with Katie. She eased his worries. She made him feel better about almost every situation. He didn't have to think too much into what he was going to say. She would always take him as he was and not a lot of people did that for him. He wondered if she knew how special she was to him. "I'm sure that you are." He laughed, nodding his head. He thought that she'd be pretty much the most perfect person to spend time with. He could sit in perfect silence with her and he knew that it would never be awkward. "Well, that's a shame. I was going to go home and count sheep." He laughed, attempting a little bit of sarcasm but it was never something that he was very good at. "Alright. Yeah, sounds good." At least two movies? That meant they'd be spending a decent amount of time with one another and Chip was more than happy for that. He was already trying to think of the perfect film to show her. "Did you - Where should we watch?" He questioned. They both had flatmates, after all. But Chip didn't think that Gomez would mind too much if they went there. He hoped not, anyway.

[foreverwednesday]

“Oh really? I’m so sorry to have interrupted such thrilling plans,” Katie teased, grinning. “But—too late. You’re stuck with me now.” She laughed, giving a casual shrug of her shoulders. She wasn’t exactly sure when her feelings for Chip had shifted. When curiosity had crept in. But she knew it was there now—this quiet wondering if maybe there was something more between them. It wasn’t just attraction, though that was definitely part of it. For the first time in a long while, she actually wanted to spend time with someone—not just flirt or fill space, but really be around them. And that meant something. “We could pick a theme,” she offered with a smile, raising an eyebrow. “Favourite childhood movies?” It was half a suggestion, half a gentle nudge. She had a feeling Chip might overthink his choice—worry about picking the right film—and a theme might take some of the pressure off. “Oh—yeah!” she laughed, glancing around and realising they’d started walking without any real idea of where they were headed. “You think Gomez would mind some company?” she asked. “If he does, I’m sure Serena wouldn’t.” She gave another shrug, casual and easy.

[legxllyblxndc]

It wasn't like Frankie was desperate for commitment. She didn't need the ring or anything like that. but she did think of her future and her future was with Will. She could see them getting married and having kids and living a life that she had always dreamed. But it seemed to be so far away. She didn't know if he was ever going to be able to get himself there. She hoped that he would. But she didn't want to be ten years down the line and he still wouldn't call her his girlfriend. "No, I know." She laughed, "But I had nothing else to do and I couldn't just sit around all day." She loved to keep herself busy. Frankie rarely let herself have down time. If she wasn't working, she'd try and get a dance class in - especially if Katie was available - or go and see her parents or do something. She couldn't just sit in front of the TV all day. It wasn't in her nature. "How is he doing with it all?" She questioned, her tone softening slightly. She'd heard bits and pieces from Katie but she was intrigued how Will was finding all of it. "That was always part of the deal, my love." Frankie smiled as she looked across to him. "Besides, we have all of this. There could be worse things about growing up."

[foreverwednesday]

Will didn’t fully understand why he was so messed up about it. Plenty of kids watched their parents separate and get back together. It wasn’t uncommon. But maybe it was what happened in between that had done the damage. The memory had never left him: being a little boy in his expensive suit, sitting in the front pew, waiting for his dad to marry the woman he loved so much. Waiting... and waiting… until through the stained glass of the church window, they’d seen the bridesmaids leaving. Then the bride. Climbing into a car. Driving away. And just like that—it was over before it began. He still remembered the awkward, sympathetic glances. The quiet "Are you okay?" from family members who didn’t know what else to say. His grandfather’s rage at how stupid his son had been made to look. His dad’s quiet sadness—gentle, embarrassed, trying to act like it was fine. Will knew people had gone through far worse. He wasn’t trying to make it bigger than it was. But that image—the church, the silence, the leaving—was what his mind snapped back to every time someone asked him when he was going to make things official with Frankie. “I know you can’t,” he said now, voice lighter, smiling at her. “Even if I wish you would. Pretty sure nobody deserves a break more than you.” He laughed, shaking his head before shifting topics. “He’s doing alright… actually, no—he’s great at the finance stuff. Total numbers whiz,” he said with a nod. “Just not so great at the people part.” Will shrugged. He’d never really understood why Chip struggled with that side of things—it came so naturally to Will, it was like breathing. “You’re right, though,” he added with a grin. “We’ve got it pretty cushty, haven’t we?” He raised an eyebrow, the familiar mischief flickering in his expression. “Speaking of—your chariot awaits. Driver’s outside.”

[legxllyblxndc]

If this was against the rules, then Iris didn't want to have to follow them. She didn't think that it was outside the realm to want to go on a date with her fiancé. Was it a date? She was not going to get in her head about that. It didn't matter what it was. It only mattered that it was happening. It was surely a step in the right direction. At least, she hoped so, anyway. As they stepped into the bar, Iris nodded her head, "Sounds like a plan." She smiled. That was nice. It felt like a slice of normal life. She didn't have to tell Landon what she wanted to drink because he already knew. Being with someone who knew her as well as he did used to scare Iris. She knew that it was something which had always scared her mother. It was why Bridie messed things up as often as she did. But with him? It had been easy. She longed for that easy now. Iris picked a booth in the corner. Intimate enough that it gave them the illusion of privacy but he could have his escape, should he need it .

[foreverwednesday]

Whatever this was—whatever it meant—Landon figured it could only help to spend time together outside the therapist’s office. He understood why they were going. He wanted things to get better. But lately, the sessions had started to make Iris feel more like a stranger than the woman he loved—the woman he was still trying to trust again. He offered her a quiet smile and drifted over to the bar. Ordering both of their usual drinks came easily—he didn’t even have to think. Everything about Iris was still etched into his memory. The way she took her coffee, the sound of her laugh, the drink she always got when she needed something a little stronger. Neither of them were heavy drinkers, but tonight… they probably both needed it. He thanked the bartender and carried the glasses over, setting them gently down in front of her. “So…” he said, easing into the chair and raising an eyebrow. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but for the amount of money we’re paying for therapy, shouldn’t things be a little less awkward by now?” He smirked, trying to make her smile—testing the waters with something that felt just a little more like them.

[legxllyblxndc]

There was a part of him which knew that Mia would accept him in whatever way he gave himself to her. If he was drunk and deep in the throws of addiction, she'd have him. But he didn't want her to have to deal with that. At his core, Noah was deeply ashamed of the man that he had become. Of the man who couldn't even deal with life that he got off his face and couldn't seem to stop. The fact that he wasn't dead yet was a minor miracle. But her? She was everything. She was the very reason he breathed and yet he couldn't be good enough. He would never be good enough. He knew that her family thought it too - especially her sister. He knew that the best thing to do - the right thing to do - was to leave her for good. But he could never stay away. Especially not now. Not when she was carrying their baby. He was glad that she didn't just accept his apology, that she didn't tell him it was fine. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, either. At her question, though, Noah nodded, "I - Yeah. If you want me to. I'd really like that, Mia." He still couldn't properly meet her gaze. He was too ashamed in himself. But the idea of getting to see their child was something which he wasn't sure that he could put into words how much it would mean to him.

[foreverwednesday]

There wasn’t a version of this life where Mia would ever stop Noah from seeing his daughter. Sober or not. Together or not. Sonogram or real life—he was her father. And Mia, more than most, knew what that absence could do. She’d seen it in Noah. She knew how deep that wound ran from not having his own father around. Still, she couldn’t help but hope. Hope that maybe—just maybe—they could still find a way to do this together. That the past six months she’d spent alone, growing their baby, weren’t the start of a pattern. “Of course,” she said softly, nodding. Her heart squeezed as she realised he couldn’t even look at her. She could see the shame in his expression, in the way his eyes stayed fixed on the floor—and somehow, impossibly, she loved him even more for it. Without thinking, Mia reached out and gently took his hand, resting their entwined fingers on the armrest between them. It was the first time they’d touched in six months, and the feel of his skin against hers hit her like a wave. She missed him. Before she could say anything else, the doors to the waiting room opened and the midwife appeared, a warm smile on her face. “Mia Saracen?” she called, waving. Mia smiled back—she liked this woman. They’d met plenty of times by now, and there was something comforting in her presence. “Oh, and who’s this?” the midwife asked, glancing at Noah with curiosity. “We have a new visitor today!” Mia looked at him quickly, checking for hesitation—but he was here. That had to mean something. “This is Noah,” she said. “He’s the baby’s father.”

[legxllyblxndc]

There were many people who found him annoying but Katie always seemed to placate him. She seemed to actually want him around. She was one of the few people who could actually put his mind at ease. It was not unusual for Chip to be caught up in his head but Katie always helped calm him. He felt better when he was around her. "Well, that's her loss." Chip retorted as he shrugged his shoulders. "But yes! Done for the weekend." Although when he got home, he might peek at some stuff for the next week. His mind drifted away from any thoughts of work, though, as Katie asked him to join her. "I'm not sure that you can get stood up if we didn't have a date in the first place." And he was all too aware of what he said. A small blush crossed his cheeks before he spoke again, "But I'd love to be your move night replacement. If you don't mind the company. I'm a far cry from Frankie but i'll do my best." In his head, he was cursing himself for being so awkward. He was willing himself to shut up. "You can even pick the movie if you want."

[foreverwednesday]

Katie had never found Chip annoying. Honestly, she couldn’t imagine how anyone could. She loved that he was unapologetically himself—that he spoke without a filter, that what you saw was exactly what you got. It was rare. And refreshing. She laughed as he spoke, nodding. “It’s absolutely her loss. I’m a fantastic movie night partner,” she said with a playful shrug. When Chip threw in the word date, she smiled slightly, unable to help it. “You’re right,” she said with a mock-serious nod. “It wouldn’t be as embarrassing... but still, the date’s set in stone now. No backing out.” She tossed his own words back at him with a grin. It was just teasing. But if this did turn out to be a date? Katie wouldn’t mind at all. She liked Chip, and more than that—she wanted to know if this thing between them, whatever it was, could actually become something more. “Oh, I think you’ll live up to the job,” she teased, eyes glinting. “Frankie usually passes out by movie two if she’s worked all day, so you’ve got a low bar to clear.” She rolled her eyes fondly, then softened. “So generous. How about we take it in turns?”

[legxllyblxndc]

If Will dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him tomorrow, it would be a no brainer. She would say yes without hesitation. But she had given up on getting any kind of commitment from him. She wasn't worried that he would be doing something behind her back. She knew that he was completely devoted to her. Really, she understood his reasons for not wanting to properly commit. His examples hadn't been the best. But there was a part of her that was scared. What if he found someone who made committing worth it? Would he leave her? Those fears were what she tried to put to the very back of her mind. "Boring day." Frankie sighed. "I spent most of it cleaning this place and creating more jobs for myself." She tilted her head as she looked at him, "But what about you? Sounds like the meeting wasn't the most thrilling earlier?"

[foreverwednesday]

Will already knew the truth—if he wasn’t going to commit to Frankie, he wasn’t going to commit to anyone. It drove him mad, the constant back-and-forth in his own head. When he pictured the future, it was her. Always her. Marrying Frankie, building a life with her—it wasn’t just possible, it made sense. So why couldn’t he take the simplest step? Why couldn’t he just call her his girlfriend like a normal person? He had no idea. As he heard about her day, he shook his head with a laugh. “I’ve told you a hundred times—you don’t need to clean this place,” he said, amused. “There are people here whose actual job is to do that.” It wasn’t that he thought he or Frankie were above it—not at all. But if they were living above the shop, so to speak, then surely one of the perks was not having to think about vacuuming. Especially when half his brain was always stuck in work mode. He disappeared into the closet, grabbing a clean shirt and tugging it over his head. “Oh, it was glorious,” he called out dryly, rolling his eyes. “Should’ve sent Chip—half of it was about finances.” He buttoned the shirt and glanced at his reflection with a smirk. “Honestly, who decided we had to grow up and get boring adult jobs?”