I will be posting something new, once a day starting December 12th, and lasting until the 24th.
Each new piece will be an auto post that will hit at 8pm CST.
These pieces can be a One Shot, a Little Moment, or the next installment to something I already have going.
Once I have a few pieces up I will create a master post that will house links to all currently available pieces, that way you don't have to worry about searching the blog for any you might have missed. Once this master post is created, it will be pinned and take the place of this one.
The outside world was quiet and still, the sounds seemingly swallowed by the fresh blanket of snow that had fallen overnight. The sky was streaked with pinks and golds, heralding the sunrise of a new morning. But this wasn't just any morning, this was the most sacred morning in all kid-dom. Christmas. The morning when three hundred and sixty-four days of behavior were hopefully rewarded with new treats and prized possessions.
Soon homes everywhere would be filled with excited shrieks and squeals as those who had earned a visit from Santa discovered the delights that had been left for them beneath the tree. But there was no laughter in one particular house. No ear-splitting screams of excitement woke this set of parents as it had in the years before. Instead, they sat on the sofa, quietly sipping from mugs of coffee, and shared a bemused smile. Santa had visited their house and had left a haul worthy of two very well-behaved children, but those same two children had apparently decided that the man in red no longer had to play beat the clock.
"Should we make them get up, or wait and see how long it takes for them to get up on their own?" Kevin asked.
Gina checked the time on her phone. "It's seven now, let's give them another half hour and then we will," she replied.
"Remember how we said we couldn't wait for this? To not be woken by screaming and yelling at the crack of dawn? I take it back," Kevin said. “This is weird.”
Gina chuckled but agreed with him. After so many years of being jolted awake by the deafening screams and yells of delight, it was a little odd to be sitting on the sofa and surrounded by silence. This time last year the living room was a chaotic mess of boxes and wrapping paper. The thought of that going away somehow managed to tug at her heartstrings more than it should, and she felt herself begin to tear up. Her babies were growing up.
She didn’t get the chance to dwell on it long as several minutes later a doorknob began rattling, indicating that at least one of them was awake. They both put down their coffee mugs and then quickly padded upstairs to watch. Kevin had activated the video option on his phone and began to record just as Indie opened her door, shrieking in delight as three dozen red and green balloons tumbled in on her. As she worked on getting the plastic sheeting that had held them against the door loose, Bodhi opened his door to find himself behind a barricade of red and green paper streamers that had been taped to his door. He punched through them and joined his sister in the hallway, where they were met by another challenge. A red yarn “laser” maze stood between them and the staircase to the tree below.
Kevin had started this tradition four years ago, with the intention of slowing the twins down. Each year they made things slightly more complicated, basing the challenges on the twins’ skill level. The maze was new, and both parents chuckled at seeing the twins’ personalities come through as they tackled it. Bodhi began to pick his way though without hesitation, but Indie studied both the maze and her brother’s attempt to get through it, before she started herself. Once both twins had made it though the maze, they greeted their parents with hugs before all four went down to the tree.
Before they seemingly destroyed the living room while exploring this year’s haul, both twins headed into the kitchen to take care of their only daily morning chore. The family had two dogs, a pair of pitbulls named Nox and Blu, and it was the twin’s responsibility to take care of them. They alternated the care, so that both were involved with all aspects of pet ownership. Today Bodhi bundled into a hoodie and slipped on a pair of slides before grabbing the pet waste bags and taking both out into the backyard. Meanwhile, Indie emptied and rinsed out their water bowl before refilling it with fresh water, and then filled their food bowls with their breakfast. The idea was to keep both dogs occupied with food while the twins opened their gifts.
While the twins were occupied with their pets, Gina took the opportunity to set the camera up on its tripod and then tuck it into the corner so that it could continuously film the entire morning, and she wouldn’t have to keep making the twins stop to take photos. She would take two stills once they had opened everything, giving them the chance to show off this year’s hoard, before carting it all upstairs. At the same time, Kevin retrieved a large open box that Gina had wrapped from the garage. It would be used as a sort of garbage bin, so there wouldn’t be any ugly looking trash bags in the pictures or video.
As he had always done, Santa had left the twins presents in two separate piles, making it easier for them to discover their own gifts, without worrying about touching their sibling’s stuff and making them mad. Gina and Kevin returned to the sofa, to wait for the twins. While Bodhi was still outside, Indie prepped the dogs evening meal. They heard the sliding glass door open as Bodhi came back in with the dogs, and there was the clatter of toenails on tile as both canines made their way to the kitchen and breakfast, as they did every morning. After getting undressed and washing his hands, both Bodhi and Indie came back into the living room, and Christmas got underway.
There were excited shouts and squeals as discoveries were made, both twins quickly settling on the floor to dive into the cornucopia of delights. They both got new art books and markers, along with guided journals and books by favorite authors. For Bodhi there were also new Lego sets, and a new Nerf gun, along with three new video games. His big gift for the year was an at home version of a Skee Ball game, his favorite arcade game. Indie got the American Girl doll she’d begged for the entire year, who happened to be dressed in matching pajamas. There was also the trunk that had duplicates of several of the eleven-year old’s own outfits, along with a suitcase, and she let out a squeal that nearly ruptured eardrums when she found that Santa had included tiny versions of the training gear that Indie wore. Genesis, as she’d previously been christened, instantly moved from her spot in Indie’s pile to the eleven-year-old’s lap. Aside from that she got an Instax camera and a Kalimba with a songbook.
With the gifts from Santa screamed over and shown off, the twins moved onto their wrapped presents. Each year Kevin took them to pick out a roll of wrapping paper that would be used to indicate which gifts they got from mom and dad. Originally this had been a way to keep them out from under the tree, but it had morphed into the twins knowing these gifts didn’t have to be shown off to anyone but each other. Before the twins could begin to unwrap them, the dogs finished breakfast, and ambled into the living room to join the family. While Blu settled in a spot where he was out of the way but could keep an eye on his boy, Nox threaded his way through the mess and laid down, contently becoming a backrest for Indie.
Bodhi took a moment to drag the wrapped box over, and as he and Indie began to unwrap presents, they tossed the torn strips of paper and tissue into the box. They started with their one expected gift, and the only thing they knew would be sort of identical. Each year for Christmas, Kevin created a custom design that included their names and favorite colors, and had the artwork put onto hoodies. The twins typically wore them their first day back to school. When Indie opened her’s, she looked down into her lap, and then expectantly at her dad, making both parents laugh. “She’s got one too,” Kevin assured her.
Indie went back to her gifts. Both uncovered new clothes, and neither complained. Gina had fallen in love with the ‘Something to Wear’ adage when the twins were toddlers, and they had been raised to expect Christmas gifts to fit it. Santa usually brought things they wanted and things to read, and then mom and dad took care of the stuff to wear and the stuff they needed. Included this year as the something they needed were new helmets, Indie’s for her bike, and Bodhi’s for his skateboard. Their thank you’s were unprompted, though this was one of two times during the year that they typically weren’t scolded for forgetting.
When they moved onto their stockings Kevin and Gina began watching Indie intently. Santa had seemed a bit one sided this year, with Bodhi appearing to get a bigger haul. She had no idea that mom and dad had decided to give her the other thing she always wanted from Santa but couldn’t quite figure out he’d do it. The twins pulled out new toothbrushes, and various other hygiene items, including the more grown-up body wash Bodhi wanted to try. When Indie got to the bottom of her stocking she found a small square box, that when opened revealed a pair of gold heart earrings. She looked up at them in surprise. “I’m getting my ears pierced!?!” She shrieked loudly.
Both dogs whined and Bodhi clapped his hands over his ears at the shrill noise. Both parents laughed. “We’re going tomorrow to get them done, so the redness will be gone by the time you start school,” Gina said.
Indie carefully put Genesis aside before pushing herself to her feet and all but jumping on her parents to hug them. “Thank you!” she said eagerly, kissing both on the cheek.
“You’re welcome,” Kevin said in response.
When Indie returned to her pile Gina smothered a grin at Bodhi’s eye roll. “Okay, finish cleaning up the paper so we can get your pictures done and then you can take your stuff upstairs before breakfast,” she said.
“Can you fix my hair like Gen’s so we match in the picture?” Indie asked as she helped Brodie finish cleaning up the mess they’d made.
“Yes, I’ll fix your hair so you match,” Gina replied with a smile.
Indie ran upstairs to get her brush and the necessary hair ties. Meanwhile Gina moved to the camera and paused the recording, getting the settings adjusted to take photos. Kevin helped Bodhi set up his stuff, and the eleven-year-old quickly wiggled into his hoodie. “You’re taking two right?” He asked.
“I’m taking one for the family, and one funny one, yes,” she answered.
“Tell me which one,” Bodhi said.
“Let’s do the family one first,” Gina said.
For the family one Bodhi simply sat Indian style in front of his gifts. He smiled and waited for Gina to tell him he could move. She quickly snapped the shot, checking to make sure it came out okay. “Okay, funny one,” she said.
Bodhi got to his feet and grabbed his nerf gun, cheekily posing as though he was guarding the rest of his stash. “Perfect,” Kevin said as Gina took the shot.
Indie returned, and carefully put Genesis aside long enough for Gina to twist the two front sections of her hair into braids so that she matched her doll. “Do you want her to wear her hoodie too?” Kevin asked as he set up her gifts.
“Please,” Indie replied, tugging on her hoodie and freeing her hair. Bodhi picked up the trunk and quickly found the tiny hoodie, helping his sister put it on the doll without messing up her hair.
For her family picture Indie also sat down Indian style, with Genesis in her lap. “I don’t know what to do for my funny one,” she said when Kevin gave her the thumbs up to move. Bodhi quickly whispered in her ear, and she giggled and nodded.
“This oughta be good,” Kevin said.
Indie passed Genesis to Bodhi, who quickly began manipulating the dolls limbs. Indie flopped over onto her back, twisting her head to look like it was at a funny angle. Bodhi placed the doll on Indie’s chest, and Indie bugged her face out, giving the impression that the toy had come to life and was choking her. Kevin instantly cracked up laughing. “That’s awful,” Gina said with a grin. “I love it.”
She took the shot and then Indie straightened up. “Okay, you two get everything upstairs while daddy and I work on breakfast,” Gina said, turning to give Indie a pointed look. “Including Genesis.”
The girl looked slightly crestfallen but nodded.
“Put out your outfits and pick out a toy and a book to take with us. We’re leaving as soon as we eat and change clothes,” Kevin said. They were headed west to spend the holidays with both families. He stopped Indie who was headed upstairs with her first load. “Make sure you pack Gen’s suitcase too.”
A smile returned to the eleven-year-old’s face and she quickly darted upstairs. When she got to the landing she paused and turned to look at them. “Thank you, for everything,” she said, her sentiment quickly and earnestly echoed by her brother.
Kevin followed Gina into the kitchen, and they shared a smile that another Christmas had gone down well, and they had two very grateful happy children.
Gina sat on the floor in Indie's room, helping her with the yearly Make Room for Santa sort. She had started this tradition when the twins were five as a way to give up toys they no longer played with, and it was now to the point where the kids looked forward to it almost as much as Christmas. It had been modified slightly over the years, and now it included clothing that had been outgrown or rarely worn. Because of the probable need to try things on to determine the fit, Gina was supervising Indie's sorting while Kevin did the same with Bodhi. The supervision had a subtle plot twist, it allowed them to see if either twin had gone through a recent growth spurt in preparation for Christmas gifts without raising their suspicions.
Originally everything was donated to a local secondhand store, but after visiting a classmate at the local children's hospital, Indie had asked if it was possible to donate the toys to them instead. Now, the only things discarded were toys that were broken or had pieces missing, and clothing that couldn't be donated. The gently used toys went to the hospital for the playroom, and their clothes went to a local shelter.
Indie came out of her closet with a handful of clothing items on hangers, and an apprehensive look on her face. A quick glance at the items on the hangers told Gina why. "You wore it three times when Nonni was here, and she has a picture of you in it," she said, trying not to laugh.
Relief washed over the eleven-year-old's face, and she handed over the items for Gina to take off the hangers. The item in question was a dress that had layers of ruffles around the neck, wrists, and bottom hem, and had been given to her by Gina's mother. She'd known last year as soon as it had come out of the box it would rarely be worn if ever. Gina took the dress off the hanger and folded it, putting it in the box. As she worked on getting the rest of the pieces the eleven-year-old had chosen to discard folded and added to the pile, Indie's voice called out from the closet. "What about shoes?"
"You can donate those too," Gina answered. There was a shuffling sound and the girl appeared with a pair of patent leather Mary Jane's, and two different pairs of boots. The Mary Jane's were unsurprising, they had come along with the dress. The boots however, Gina knew Indie adored both pairs and wore them frequently. "What's with the boots?" She asked.
"I outgrew all my favorite outfits that go with them," came the eleven-year-old's explanation. "I don't wanna lose space for something else."
Gina couldn't argue with the eleven-year-old's logic. Indie put them in the box and went back in the closet to do a last look before she moved on to her toys. She came back out with an armload of short sleeved dresses that Gina knew she hadn’t worn at all this past summer. “This is it,” Indie said, depositing them on the bed.
The girl moved to the toys that she still had, and it tugged at Gina’s heart strings that the collection was getting smaller and smaller as the little girl slowly but surely grew into a preteen. She and Kevin had already discussed whether this year would be the last year for the magic. Her wishlist for her letter to Santa had been remarkably short this year. The only thing she really wanted was a custom American Girl doll, which Gina had ordered just prior to Halloween to assure it would arrive on time for Santa to put it under the tree. She had even ordered the special Christmas pajamas, so that when Indie found Genesis under the tree that morning they would be dressed alike. Indie had no idea what the pajamas looked like, so she wouldn’t be tipped off that she just might be getting her doll this year.
As a bonus surprise for Indie, Genesis was coming with her own mini versions of Indie’s favorite outfits so that they could look alike. With Kevin’s help Genesis was also getting her own gym bag that had tiny versions of the training gear that Indie wore. They were both anticipating her reaction to finding them in the little trunk Kevin had found to put the clothes in.
She watched as Indie pulled the last of what she called her little kid books off her bookshelf and tucked them into the box, before gathering the few remaining Barbies she had left, and gently putting them in, along with the two shoeboxes of clothes she still had that went with them. She moved onto her puzzles, and Gina noted that any that were below 500 pieces were being removed and added to the box that was quickly getting full. Next were the stuffed animals, and all but two found their way into the box, keeping only the purple teddy bear she’d had since she came into the world, and the stuffed version of Nox, her pittie and best friend, she’d gotten earlier this year for the twin’s birthday. Like her parents, Indie rarely went anywhere she couldn’t take Nox with her, especially if she was going away overnight. Stuffie Nox typically went anywhere the real Nox couldn’t.
When she finished, she moved back to her closet and pulled out two clear shoebox sized containers that held all the duplicate mini brands she had collected. “We need to mark that these are a choking hazard. They probably can’t put em in the toy room, but maybe they could use em as prizes,” she said.
“I think they’ll know what to do with them when they pull them out of the box cutie,” Gina replied.
Indie put them in the box, and then returned to her closet, returning a moment later with her clothes hamper. “They do not need your hamper,” Gina said.
“I know that” Indie said in an exasperated tone that reminded Gina so much of Kevin it was almost too much. The eleven-year-old tugged it over and then took the garbage bag, carefully putting it over the top. “I cheated and started collecting my broken and messed up stuff already. I just stuck it in here so it wouldn’t make a mess.”
With Gina’s help she carefully emptied the items from her hamper into the trash bag. As she righted her hamper, they both heard a frustrated yell from down the hall. “Bodhi doesn’t wanna give up his Nerf guns. Even the one’s he has more than one of the same one,” Indie said.
Gina rolled her eyes but turned her head towards the door when there was another frustrated yell followed by a loud crash. Indie pulled the plastic ties of the garbage bag to close it and then loosely tied it shut. “I can do all this if you wanna go help daddy,” she said.
Gina got to her feet and gently grabbed her daughter’s head so she was palms to cheeks, before kissing the top of her head. At least one of the two had gotten through this process without tears this year. “Just drag everything out to the hallway, daddy and I will take care of it from there. Once you’re done go ahead and take your bath, and then you can have an extra half hour in the game room to watch TV,” she said.
Indie nodded, turning to put her hamper in the closet and put her dirty clothes back in it as Gina left one twin’s room, and quickly padded down the hall to the other to give Kevin some much needed back up.
The next morning he was up and nearly dressed before he tried to wake her. She groaned and tried to push him away, which was odd for her. Normally she was up and going not long after he was. "Looks like the jet lag is catching up to you," he teased.
"It isn't jet lag," she mumbled.
"Are you sick?" He asked.
" I hope not, I haven't been yet," she said. She reached out and snagged his shirt, tugging on it. "Come back to bed. You can play hooky now that you're retired."
"Just because I retired isn't an excuse. Gotta do better than that," he teased again.
"Remember when we first started how we used to joke we couldn't retire because we'd get bored with nothing to do all the time?" She asked.
"Yeah, we said we'd have to come up with something major to do or we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves," He answered.
"What if I told you I found something? Something just as life changing?" Came her next question.
Before he could answer his phone vibrated, and he opened a text telling him that Mark and the others were downstairs.
"Tell me as soon as I get back," he said. He kissed her temple before standing up and leaving the room.
She watched him go with a mixture of amusement and irritation. She rolled back over and reached for her own phone. Time to call in the cavalry.
--------
Kevin stepped off the elevator and was walking along the corridor towards the front doors when his phone rang. He grew worried when he saw that it was his sister calling.
"Yeah," he said into the phone.
"So help me God if she loses this baby I will beat your fucking ass, do you hear me?" Came the voice on the other end of the line.
"What?" He barked, confused. "Who are you talking about?"
"Your fucking other half, although I wouldn't blame her if she changes it to ex after this," his sister said. "You'd fucking deserve it too."
He stopped walking and his heart dropped to his feet. "Gina's pregnant?!?" He said incredulously. "Like pregnant, pregnant?"
" Like 'sneaking off to see me while you're tied up until she makes sure she's not gonna miscarry again' pregnant. She'll kill me for telling you and letting the cat outta the bag, but after what you just did, I don't think it matters," she said.
Her words silenced him. No one outside of their respective immediate families knew that Gina not wanting kids was a lie. Having gotten so excited the first time she’d gotten pregnant, only to miscarry had devastated her to the point she didn’t want to try again. It wasn’t that she didn’t want kids, she’d convinced herself that it meant she wasn’t meant to be a mom. She’d always given him the option to walk away and start a family with someone else, but he’d been adamant that if he were going to be a dad, the only person he wanted to have that experience with was her. They had taken what he teasingly referred to as “baby energy” and devoted it to their siblings’ kids instead.
All at once his brain lit up with a million and one things to do to celebrate having a little one on the way, but he was concerned that she might not be able to manage them. Fortunately, there was a straightforward way to find out.
"How far along is she?" He asked.
"What the hell are you asking me for?" She countered.
"I'm asking you, so I don't do something stupid and put her more at risk," Kevin explained. "Right now, my brain is thinking of a million ways to celebrate. I don't wanna wear her out or do something to hurt either of them."
"You won’t hurt either of them, and as for wearing her out that's more likely to be the other way around," his sister corrected.
Which explains last night. He thought to himself. "What do I need to know?" He asked.
"She's almost at the end of her first trimester. That means you need to keep in mind that her hormones are everywhere so her emotions will be too, she's gonna be sleepy a lot, and she wants to hurry up and tell you cause she's getting tired of keeping her hands to herself all the time. Once you go back to the room be prepared to spend the day in bed," his sister explained.
"Once I go back to the room, the first job is to let her tell me, then we gotta pack. We're spending another couple days here, and we're gonna celebrate in better accommodations," he said, beelining for the hotel’s check in counter. A sign for the in-house spa gave him pause for thought. "Can she tolerate getting a massage?"
"That's up to her, but it won't hurt her or the baby if she lies face down. Not big enough yet," she said. “If it helps any, getting shot, stabbed, or experiencing any other sort of major trauma is about the only way you’re going to hurt the baby at this point. You’ve got a window of another couple of months before you’re really gonna have to start being super careful.”
"Not to cut you off, but I gotta go. I'm wasting time. Do me a favor, keep me updated on her status, and let me know if she leaves the room," he said. "I wanna make things right before they get the chance to get worse.”
"Will do," his sister replied.
--------
Twenty minutes later he stepped off the elevator and walked down the hallway towards the room they were currently staying in. According to his sister, Gina had no idea the cat was out of the bag, and he was fairly confident he could fake being surprised. She had sent him one last text while he was riding up to the room, claiming she did him a favor, and he would understand when he got to the room. He had sent Mark a quick text, telling him that something had come up with Gina. Everything was okay, she'd just made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He'd get shit for it, and he'd let them think whatever they wanted unless she was okay with telling them.
He unlocked the door and slowly opened it, unsure of what he'd find or what sort of mood Gina would be in. To his surprise, she was asleep or appeared to be anyway. He decided to take advantage of the situation and padded into the bathroom, intending to strip down and slip back into bed. Kevin turned on the bathroom light and saw that she had placed two pregnancy tests and a plum along with a picture from an ultrasound on the counter. This is what his sister must’ve meant by saying she did him a favor, she told Gina to stop being subtle and make it blatantly obvious. He chuckled at first, but when he picked up the still from the ultrasound his eyes went wide. He was expecting to see a small blob with a dark spot for a heart, not a somewhat well-defined profile that was most definitely a baby, their baby.
He gathered everything off the counter and exited the bathroom, eyes wide, and found a pair of brown eyes sheepishly peeking at him from behind a pillow. A huge smile split his face as he dropped onto the bed, and as he put the items on the bed, she could see the gentle tremor in his hands. They stared at each other for a long moment before he grabbed a pillow, pressing it over his face and screaming as he fell back on the bed, making her laugh. He bent his knees, gently thumping his heels against the mattress. After a couple of minutes, he gently tossed the pillow towards the headboard and sat up, last night's loss grossly overshadowed by this morning's gain. "How long have you known?" He asked.
She picked up one of the two test applicators. "Week before my birthday, and I took it on a whim, fully expecting my skipped period to be due to stress," she said, putting it down and picking up the other one. "First week of May, and I took this one because my cycle skipped April too. When this one came out positive, I called your sister, and on the first appointment we found out I was already way further along than I expected. I kept quiet because I was approaching the same point I lost the first one. Then you started getting serious for last night, and I knew I couldn’t get into your headspace. You couldn’t risk being distracted."
She paused a moment to let him absorb what she'd said and swallow the lump in her throat that mentioning the loss of her first baby had created. She picked up the still from the ultrasound, and a smile exploded across her face. "This is why I couldn't fly out with you, I wanted to make sure everything was still okay first. Turns out, she's been with us since February," she said, watching his face for a reaction. When it didn't happen, she got concerned. "You're not mad I waited to tell you, are you?"
Kevin's eyebrows knit. "I'm a little upset you were planning to go through another miscarriage alone, but I'm not mad. At least, not at you," He countered. "Me not willing to sacrifice us for the sake of my career anymore is one of the main reasons I wanted to retire. This just adds to that. You should’ve felt comfortable enough to tell me as soon as you took the first test, and I’m sorry this bullshit made you think you couldn’t. If anything, this just solidifies that I made the right decision."
She reached out and put a hand on his knee, using it as leverage to sit up, and he took advantage of the slight distraction to let his eyes wander over her long frame, looking for any obvious signs he might’ve missed. He was slightly disappointed when there were none, but given how active she was, and that athletics had always been a major part of her life, he wasn’t too surprised. As soon as she got settled, he leaned in and kissed her, the thought of being a dad pushing to the forefront of his thoughts and making him shake all over again. “You’re shaking,” she said softly.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he mumbled. It was true. Hearing he was about to be a daddy first from his sister, and then having Gina confirm all the details was a bit overwhelming to say the least. But it was a good kind of overwhelming. He picked up the plum. "What's this for?" He asked.
Gina smiled again. "That's how big she is," she said.
"Oh wow," he said studying how neatly it fit in his palm. Comprehension slapped him on the back of the head, and Gina got the reaction she'd looked for earlier as he looked up at her in surprise. "Wait...she?"
Gina nodded.
"You're sure?" He asked cautiously.
She nodded again. "When your sister checked on her yesterday, apparently our little bean was lying just right for her to tell what was beginning to develop," she replied. "Indigo Sunrise should be here between Thanksgiving and Christmas."
He smiled at Gina's mention of a name they had jokingly agreed on if they ever had kids when they were younger. Thing is, he actually liked the name. "I know we were kidding around that night, but I actually like that name," he said.
"Good because I've been calling her Indie since I found out yesterday," Gina replied.
There was a slightly awkward pause where they stared at one another before Kevin reached out and pulled Gina into his lap, his lips instantly seeking and finding hers again.
"Can we spend the day in bed?" Gina mumbled between kisses. "It's not like we have plans."
"I actually made plans for today," he said.
"Which are what?" She asked, trying not to sound irritated that the way she wanted to celebrate may fall apart all over again.
"Pack our stuff, move to the suite I just reserved, make a quick grocery run because its got a kitchen, and then spend the rest of the morning making love to my wife," he answered.
Gina smiled at the moniker that was rarely used outside of immediate family and a few close friends. Their collective fan bases and the public had no idea that the anniversary they celebrated at the end of May was not only the date of their reconciliation, but also their wedding anniversary. Kevin had come up with the idea, saying it would allow them to acknowledge their relationship without revealing the actual significance of the date.
The image they had posted that their fans thought was an announcement of getting back together, was a carefully angled shot taken not long after they had left the judicial building in downtown LA. He had asked her that morning, as a joke, fully expecting her to put him off again. She’d surprised him by agreeing, but only if they could get it over and done with, because she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Forty-five minutes later, they filled out paperwork at the courthouse.
She dropped down in front of him, sitting on the floor in the same position so that they were facing each other. She was clad in head-to-toe orange, his favorite color. He instantly reached for her hands, her presence giving him stability in a room full of chaos. She provided the calm that allowed him to focus, the anchor in a sea of loud noises and bright lights. She was as vital to his wellbeing during a match as his training, perhaps even more so. "Still think this is it?" She asked softly.
He nodded. "Win, lose or draw, this is the last time," he answered.
"I'll believe you for now, but I'll wait to see if anything happens that might make you change mind before I take it as gospel," she said with a grin.
He grinned back, squeezing her hands in a familiar pattern that said everything they chose not to say out loud. Their love for each other, him understanding her worry about him getting hurt, the reminder that he knew she was right there with him despite being unable to be at ringside. Things that were only meant for each other’s ears. She returned the pattern, and then they both squeezed, and closed their eyes, saying a silent prayer of safety and wellbeing. He felt the pressure ease, and she gently pulled away. He didn't want her to go but knew she couldn't stay. With his heart and mind now completely in sync, he became hyper focused, easily dialing into his years of teaching and study. Showtime.
As soon as he stumbled backwards and sat down, she was on her feet. "It's over," she told his mom.
"You think so?" Came the expected question. Over the years she had learned to trust her son's partner when it came to his fights.
"It's bleeding too badly for him to see out of, he can't finish the round, “she said. "He doesn't have a choice."
"Think he'll still go through with it?" Came the next question.
The 'it' in question was his decision to retire, Gina knew that, just like she knew his mom wasn't mentioning it outright because there were too many ears that were listening, and if they said anything it would be all over social media before the words ever came out of his mouth. She didn't elaborate her feelings on the subject because she knew the likelihood of him changing his mind. "Sit tight," she told her as Kevin headed backstage with his crew to get the cut taken care of. "I'll have one of the boys come and get you as soon as they clear him."
Fighters were only permitted to have one non team member backstage, and when his career took off Kevin had made sure both his mom and sister understood that he'd given Gina that spot because she knew from her own experience when to get involved and when to stay back and let his team do what they needed to do. She also knew that bleeding and bruising came with the territory and could manage seeing him getting patched up without getting to upset.
She hurried to catch up, knowing he wouldn't let the medical personnel touch him until she was present. She dropped to her knees in front of him as the medic uncapped the syringe, and she smiled as he instinctively reached for her hands.
"Ink boy here is afraid of needles," she teased lightly as she interlaced their fingers. She'd always found it hilarious that he could lie still and let someone drill away on his body for a new piece of art, but practically had to be superglued to a chair when it came to injections and blood draws.
"I am not afraid of needles," Kevin protested.
"We then, you don't need me," Gina said, pulling away. She smothered a grin when he tightened his grip and shifted in the chair to be able to pin her in place with his legs if needed. "That's what I thought."
"I don't like needles. There's a difference. You said it's a legit phobia," he protested.
"It is a legit phobia, doesn't mean I can't give you shit cause I think it's funny," she said.
"Yeah, well next time you find a spider call the dog," he said, verbally pouting.
"Aww," she teased.
The conversation stopped as the medic cupped his chin and tilted his head back. She squeezed his hands and felt him return the gesture as he fought the urge to squint. When the medic recapped the needle, she felt him loosen his grip and she let go of his hands, dropping her own to rest on his thighs. "Good job," she said with a reassuring pat. Her tone was reminiscent of the one she used for their nieces, which made him chuckle.
"Better keep still, or he'll mess up those pretty boy looks of yours," she quipped, making him laugh.
"At the rate he's going he's not gonna have an eyebrow left," Mark said.
"What I don't get is how two of you can get in a ring and beat on each other til one of you cries uncle, but you gotta be numbed to get stitched up," the medic added.
They kept up the lighthearted chatter as the medic stitched the wound shut, and Gina sent one of the boys to give Kevin's mom an update. When the wound was closed and the medical team had moved away, the rest of his crew backed off to give the couple a moment. She put her hands in his lap, and he covered them with his own. "Where's your head?" She asked.
"I'm okay," he answered.
"You're still sure this is what you want to do?" Came her next question.
"Yes baby, I'm sure. It's time," he answered.
"I'm just checking, I know this isn't how you wanna go out," she said.
"I know, and I know I'm gonna get shit for it, but I don't care. I'm comfortable with the decision," he replied.
He gave Gina the confirmation she was looking for, and acknowledged he knew there were gonna be plenty of idiots running their mouths about the way he went out. That worried her more than anything. She didn't want to see him go through what she did after her own decision to retire. Twenty years later she was still as fiercely protective of him as she had been when they were kids. He smiled at her, the one that told her he thought she was taking things entirely too seriously. His way of calling her out for being a worrywart. She typically saw it whenever he seemed to make a serious decision but didn't spend a whole lot of time on it. Any other subject and she wouldn't care. But she knew how much it meant to him, both the fight style, and his career within it. She just wanted to be sure he wasn't gonna wake up tomorrow and regret walking away from the ring. "So long as you're happy, I'm one hundred percent behind you," she said.
His mood darkened slightly. "The hell you are. The only place you belong is beside me," he said.
She rolled her eyes, but she smiled. It was an argument they'd had many times before, to the point it was becoming an inside joke. "You know what I meant," she said.
"I know," he said, grinning. "C'mon, let's go get the annoying part over with."
Kevin exited the bathroom, yawning as adrenaline began giving way to exhaustion, his body eager to rest. He rounded the corner back into the main part of the room where Gina had stacked the pillows together and was reclining against them. She beckoned him over with a wave of her hand, flipping the blankets back when he reached the bed. The familiar gesture made him smile, they had a long-standing tradition of pampering the other on fight night. He crawled into bed, and Gina readjusted the blankets as he settled in the vee of her legs.
The sudden temperature change had caused her nipples to harden, and the feel of them pressed against his back made his cock twitch. He turned his attention to the movie she’d chosen, a mutual favorite, and she pressed a kiss to the back of his shoulder before wrapping her arms around his torso.
A third of the way into the movie he found himself craving the feeling of being skin on skin with her and was just about to ask her to strip off when Gina's hand slid into his lap where she began stroking his rapidly stiffening member with the tips of her fingers. The change in his breathing made her smile, and he shifted to get more comfortable. She located the head and was just about to start rubbing it with her palm when her bladder suddenly demanded to be emptied. She sighed in frustration and kissed his shoulder. "Hold that thought," she said.
She wiggled out from under him and climbed off the bed, angrily padding into the bathroom. "You are so not funny. Can you at least wait until you get here before you start interrupting my good time? You can do this all you want when I tell him about you, but right now you’re making momma look silly. I know what you’re thinking, but trust me, now is NOT a good time to tell him," she whispered fiercely as she relieved the pressure on her bladder. She flushed and then used a washcloth to clean herself up and wash her hands before returning to the bedroom.
In the few minutes she'd been gone he had folded a pillow in half and tucked it under his head and had stripped off his shorts before covering up with the sheet. She briefly considered pretending to be tired and making him rearrange things so she could go to sleep, but her hormones won out. She needed him. Now. She stripped off her tank top, tossing it to the floor and leaving her clad in her black satin, boycut panties. By the time she got to the foot of the bed she had a very attentive audience of one.
She straddled his legs and crawled up his prone form, gently tugging the sheet down as she made her way towards his waist. She stopped when she exposed him, shifting her weight onto her thighs, and curling a hand around his thick shaft. She stroked him hand over hand, licking the precum from her fingers and moaning at the taste.
Kevin lay at war with his own body, fighting the urge to let his eyes roll back in his head as he was overwhelmed by intense waves of pleasure, but at the same time he wanted to keep them open because he didn't want to miss anything. They had always spoiled each other on fight night, doing most of the work to allow their partner to rest and enjoy, but there was something different about her behavior tonight that he couldn't put his finger on.
She shifted off his lower legs and stretched out on the bed, using her tongue to gently tease the underside of his head while she stroked him, and he bit down hard on his tongue to keep from moaning. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for long though, his arousal would override his desire to be respectful of the people in the rooms on either side of them. He watched as little by little she took more of him into her mouth, relaxing her throat and sliding down until her nose was tickled by the tiny patch of hair at the base. When she slid back she gently raked her teeth over the skin, the intense pleasure making Kevin press his head so hard against the bed, he was sure he’d have the imprint of a mattress coil on it in the morning.
The house was quiet and still in the early morning hour, the occupants still snoozing comfortably in their beds. There was none of the controlled chaos of the night before. In the master bedroom one of the occupants stirred, seemingly woken by something invisible. Kevin flipped the blankets back and crawled out of bed, careful not to jostle it too much, knowing Gina was still going to be sore from her ordeal the night before. He padded into the bathroom and relieved himself before washing his hands and returning to the bedroom.
He quietly approached Gina's side of the bed, peering into the co-bed that was attached to it, where the newest member of their family, a healthy seven pound boy they'd named Bodhi Maverick was snoozing. He'd arrived just after eight the night before, loud and cranky. Kevin smiled and ran a hand over the top of his son's head, the downy wisps of soot black hair tickling his palm. Bodhi wiggled but didn't fuss, and Gina remained blissfully asleep.
There was a light rattle at the door and Kevin grinned, quickly crossing to open it. On the other side was Gina's mini-me, their four-year-old daughter Indie. He tapped his lips with a finger and Indie nodded, raising her arms to be picked up. Kevin lifted her to his hip and carried her back over to the bed. "Look," he whispered.
Unsure if she would be able to tolerate listening to Gina groan and cry out as she worked through her labor, they had arranged a playdate for the toddler once Gina had gone into the active stages. That playdate had included playing all day in the pool, and once she got home the four year old struggled to stay awake long enough to take a bath and get into her pj's before passing out. Her brother had arrived not long after, and Gina had kidded that he was waiting for his sister to get home first. Indie clamped a hand over her mouth, and started to reach down to touch him. Before Kevin could stop her she jerked her hand back. "Wosh first," she whispered.
Kevin kissed her temple, and then turned and padded back towards the door, patting her bottom. "Let's get you into something dry, then you can come back and wash your hands and dadda will let you hold him," he said as they stepped out into the hallway. Indie put her head on Kevin's shoulder, an indication that she was still sleepy.
He entered the four year old's room and sat down on het bed, standing Indie on the floor. "Strip off," he said gently.
The four year old was at a stage where she wanted to do everything herself, so they let her, and simply supervised to make sure she did everything she was supposed to. Indie dutifully pulled down the sleep diaper she had on, carrying it over and tossing it in the trash. She pulled a wipe from the cannister and cleaned herself, tossing it in the garbage too. She used the small pump bottle of sanitizer to clean her hands and then reached for a pair of underwear. "If you put those on you don't get to stay in the big bed and cuddle with momma," Kevin warned, knowing that Indie would want to stay with Gina and would likely fall asleep again.
Indie whipped her hand out of the bin that held her panties and grabbed another diaper, eagerly tugging it on, making Kevin snicker. He got to his feet as she crossed to her bed and he scooped her up, kissing her cheek. He carried her back down the hallway to the master bedroom, where there was mild chaos ensuing. Bodhi had woken, and was currently emitting the short, bleating cries that were common to newborns. His cries had woken his mother, and Gina was sitting up, trying to soothe him while stacking her pillows against the headboard to recline against them. Kevin put Indie on the bed and then sat down on the edge, prepared to keep her back until Gina was settled with Bodhi.
To his surprise, the four year old crawled up until she was beside with Gina's knees, and then parked herself, watching quietly. Gina turned at the waist and picked up Bodhi, settling him in the crook of her arm. Indie cautiously crawled further up the bed, curiously watching as Gina worked up one side of her tank top with her free hand and got Bodhi latched onto the nipple she exposed. Only when Bodhi's cries had stopped did Indie carefully creep up to Gina's free side, curling up against her and watching her brother nurse with interest.
Kevin had snagged his phone and was stretched out on the bed, feigning being absorbed by social media. What he was really doing was recording Indie's interaction in response to her brother. The four year old pushed herself up onto her knees and then put her head on her momma's shoulder.
Gina turned her head and kissed their daughter's temple, and Indie reached out, gently stroking a tiny hand with a finger. "C'n I say hi after bekfast?" She asked in whisper.
"Yes, you can say hi after he has breakfast," Gina murmured.
The conversation lulled for a moment, and Kevin paused the video. Bodhi moved his head back, prompting Gina to pull her shirt down, and she shifted him to her shoulder to burp him. After a couple of minutes of soft pats, she smiled and lowered him into her arms again. Knowing what was about to happen, Kevin started to record again. "You need to sit on your bottom," Gina gently told the four year old.
Indie instantly sat down Indian style, and paid close attention to her momma to do exactly as she was told. Gina shifted and laid the newborn across the toddler's lap. Indie put a hand under his head, and Gina let go, wanting the four year old to have a little trust, but stayed ready to step in should Indie need her to. "Heavy," the toddler whispered.
"He is heavy," Gina murmured. Bodhi had come into the world just shy of eight pounds which would seem like a lot to the four year old.
The new voice prompted Bodhi to open his eyes to look for the source, and when his gaze met his sister's, it stopped. "Hi," she whispered, leaning forward to kiss his head.
Above her Gina bit her lip to keep the tears at bay, not wanting Indie to think she'd done something wrong. In front of them both, Kevin smiled, already planning to screenshot that particular moment in hopes of getting it printed. Bodhi wiggled and made several sounds of distress, but before Gina could attempt to take him Indie began wiggling her knees and gently patting his belly, trying to soothe him. It worked, as Bodhi soon settled down again, his eyes closing with a yawn. Indie leaned her head against her mother's side and sat watching her baby brother sleep.
"Any idea what you want for breakfast?" Kevin asked quietly.
"Something light," Gina answered. "I expected to feel like I'm starving, like I did with her, but surprisingly I'm not."
"I figure you'll stay put and nap most of the day," he said.
"Probably," she said, yawning. "I promised to do what your sister said this time and listen to my body more."
Kevin smiled again and held up his free hand, wiggling his fingers and then pointing at Indie. Gina shifted to see that not only was Indie holding Bodhi's hand in her own, both had fallen asleep. Gina gently eased her hands under the toddler's which woke Indie, who consented to letting her momma take her baby brother. She rubbed her eyes and tried to curl up in Gina's arms to go back to sleep, whimpering when she couldn't. Gina tucked Bodhi into his pocket bed, and then turned to adjust her pillows. "Let me fix the pillows first," she said gently.
Kevin stopped recording and sat up, knowing breakfast was likely about to turn into lunch. Gina finished adjusting the pillows and shifted to lie down again, yawning. Indie cuddled against Gina, seemingly being careful to not hit her body and hurt her, and Gina snuggled the four year old close. Kevin got to his feet and headed for the door, to make breakfast for himself, and decide what he could come up with to surprise at least Gina with lunch in bed.
Kevin kept a firm grip on the shoulder of the tiny girl walking in front of him, guiding her towards a corner where Gina was waiting next to a folded crash mat. "Your momma's first trip outta the house since your brother was born and you wanna show out," he said sternly. "You wanna act like a brat, you can get treated like a brat."
The girl in question was the couple's eight-year-old daughter Indie, who had apparently decided that she could do what she wanted at seminars and sessions because of whose kid she was. When they reached Gina, she pointed at the mat. "Have a seat," she said.
Kevin let go of their daughter and returned to teaching. Gina squatted down in front of the girl as she sat down on the mat. "I don't know where you got the idea that rules are for everybody else but you, but they're not," she said. She straightened and used the handle to turn the mat so that Indie was now looking at the wall. "I'll be back in ten minutes for an apology, and then you owe daddy one at break."
Gina turned her attention back to Kevin's session, moving so that she could watch the proceedings while keeping an eye on their headstrong offspring. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Indie tried to give off the appearance that she didn't care, but her head soon dropped, and she pulled her legs up, hugging them to her chest and resting her chin on her bent knees. Gina shook her head. She had no idea where this sudden burst of defiance came from as Indie was normally well behaved when they did things like this.
She briefly dropped her gaze to her feet, where the younger of their two kids, three-week-old Bodhi was still snoozing in his carrier. She wondered if his arrival had anything to do with it. Indie had been over the moon at learning she wasn't going to be an only child after all and hadn't cared one way or the other if she was getting a brother or sister. But seeing how much of Gina's and Kevin's time he took up might've changed that, especially since she was so used to having them al to herself. Gina made a mental note to talk to Kevin about it later after Indie had gone to bed.
She returned her focus to watching the training session and being Kevin's extra set of eyes, while using her phone to keep an eye on the time. A movement at the corner of her vision caught her attention, and she looked over to see Indie knock two times on the mat she was sitting on. The signal that she needed permission to get up. Gina nodded, hoping the girl wasn't about to use it to further misbehave. Indie got to her feet and beelined for the bathroom.
A few minutes later she came out and headed straight for Gina. "Can I wait and apologize til we get home so we can talk?" She asked quietly.
Gina nodded and drew in a breath to tell the eight-year-old she wasn't allowed back on the floor, but she never got the chance. Indie immediately turned around and sat down Indian style between her feet, focusing her attention on her daddy. Gina's eyebrows knit. This was the behavior she was used to Indie exhibiting, which meant her earlier outburst was likely a reaction, and not her looking for attention. As they both watched Kevin continue the seminar, Indie unzipped one of the pockets on her backpack and fished out a protein snack and a small bottle of water, making Gina smile.
When Bodhi fussed in his carrier Indie put his pacifier in his mouth and gently rocked him, settling him down again. Her reaction was more proof to Gina that her earlier outburst had been for good reason. She was glad Indie had asked to wait and apologize, so that she and Kevin could learn the full scope of what happened before she got any sort of real punishment.
Later that night at home, Indie had gone to take a shower before their talk, saying she wanted to be ready to go straight to bed just in case. "So what makes you think she wasn't showing out?" Kevin asked while they waited for her to appear.
"As soon as I agreed to let her wait to apologize, she literally morphed right back into the child we know she is on the spot. She parked herself between my feet, and the only time she took her eyes off you from that point was when Bo got restless," Gina answered. "I missed the outburst itself, but given how quickly she got over it, I don't think it was a tantrum."
"I was in the middle of demonstrating a kick when I heard her yell something like 'leave me alone', then 'I don't have to listen to you', before she yelled for me and came running out onto the floor and nearly got kicked in the head," Kevin said.
"I can see why you thought she was just being a brat, but I kinda wish we hadn't been so quick to punish her," Gina replied.
"I still broke a house rule," a small voice said, startling them both. They looked over to see the eight-year-old standing in front of them, curling her toes into the carpet. House rules were a set of rules that she was expected to follow whenever they were in unconventional places, like seminars, where she was expected to behave. "I'm not supposed to go on the floor without permission."
Kevin patted the empty space on the sofa between himself and Gina, and the eight-year-old sat down. "So, since momma thinks maybe you weren't acting out, and you want to talk about what happened, tell us what made you break the rules," he said.
"He showed up and tried to talk to me," Indie said with a pointed look at Gina. She hoped she wouldn't have to say who, and her momma would just know. It didn't work.
"He who?" Gina asked.
"The sperm donor," Indie replied. She didn't call him by name, but didn't need to, as both Kevin and Gina knew exactly who she meant. Henry.
Gina's ex, and Indie's biological father, they had split just prior to Gina discovering she was pregnant. Gina had contacted him, but he had no interest in being a dad, and had tried to claim it wasn't even his baby. Kevin had entered the picture not long after, and as far as anyone that mattered to the family was concerned, he was Indie's dad. The only reason Indie knew any different was because one of her classmates had brought a gossip magazine that had ran a story about the situation to school and showed it to her.
At that point Gina had given the eight-year-old an age-appropriate version of what had happened and offered to help set up a meeting with her dad if she wanted. Indie had gotten angry and told her that she didn't need a meeting with her dad because he was in the kitchen. She had opted to call Henry the sperm donor like the article mentioned, after asking what it meant and deciding that was exactly what he was as far as she was concerned.
"What did he say to you?" Kevin asked. He wanted to go slow because of how upset she was starting to get.
"He called me by name, and when I saw it was him I told him to leave me alone, and looked around for momma, but I didn't see you," Indie answered. There was a slight tremor in her voice that wasn't lost on either parent, and her chin had begun to quiver.
"I bet I was in the bathroom changing your brother's diaper," Gina said. "What happened next?"
"I tried to walk away because I didn't want to talk to him, and he tried to make me come back and said I was rude. I told him I didn't have to listen to him and kept walking. He tried to grab me, so I kicked him and yelled for daddy and ran on the floor cause I got scared and didn't know what else to do," the eight-year-old said, giving into her emotions and dissolving into tears. "I didn't say anything after it happened cause I was too scared."
Gina instantly pulled the eight-year-old over to sit crossways on her lap, Indie clinging to her as she cried. Gina tucked the dark head beneath her chin, wrapping her arms around the girl's small frame and rocking from side to side. Kevin reached over and took one of her hands, rubbing the back of her palm with his thumb.
"I'm sorry for what I did," the eight-year-old blubbered.
"Shhh," Kevin soothed. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and had I known what happened, you wouldn’t have been punished.”
They allowed her to cry herself out, wanting her to get rid of all the pent-up fear. She'd kept her mouth shut out of shock, and what they'd thought was the eight-year-old being defiant when she had been punished was her letting herself cry a little, and then clean up her face to keep from attracting unwanted attention.
When the tears slowed, Gina released her grip on her daughter. "Feel better?" She asked gently.
Indie nodded.
Gina kissed her temple. "Go blow your nose and wash your face, then come back so we can finish talking," she instructed.
"You're not in trouble, okay?" Kevin added.
Indie nodded as she got to her feet and padded for the staircase to go clean herself up. As soon as she was out of earshot Kevin let go of the grip he'd been keeping on his temper. "That motherfucker better hope I don't ever catch him alone," he growled.
"He's not stupid enough to let that happen. He knows how protective you are of me," Gina answered. "He found that out when he asked me why we still talked all these years later. That conversation is what prompted me to look at where I stood with you. It’s a pretty safe bet that he likely took that and amplified it when it comes to Indie."
"If he knows that, why show up at a seminar, and try to talk to her?" Kevin questioned.
"Most likely because he was hoping that with it being a public place we wouldn't say no to letting her talk to him," Gina replied. "The one thing he didn't do was he didn't count on her being able to defend herself at her age, at least enough to get away from him."
"Which is ignorance on his part, and anyone else who tries. My God, if I was someone else I'd definitely expect her to know at least a little something, just because of who we are," Kevin said.
Indie returned, and this time stretched out between the two of them with her head pillowed against her daddy's thigh. She made sure her feet were touching Gina's leg, so that she was physically connected to them both. "So you can get up easier if Bodhi gets hungry," she said.
"You don't need a reason to lay one way or the other," Kevin said.
"Yes you do," Gina teased, tickling a bare foot, and blocking the anticipated kick. She gently grabbed her ankle and held onto it. "Now what do you do?"
She smiled at the light touch on her knee that came from Indie's free foot. "But only if I'm on my back. If I'm standing, I'm bending my knee to hopefully get close enough to swing at your head," the eight-year-old answered. "You can kick me, but you have to let go of my foot to completely block me."
“Good job,” Kevin praised. He smoothed the hair back from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. “We’ll come up with a way for you to let us know you’re in trouble if something like this happens again.”
“Kay,” Indie mumbled, yawning.
Gina reached over and began to gently rub their daughter’s back, smiling as brown eyes slowly closed and life returned to normal for her little family. A code word was a good start, but she wanted more than that put in place. Tomorrow she had phone calls to make to find out what her options were, so she could make sure something like this never happened again.
I haven't done one of these in quite some time, and I wanted to challenge myself to do it again. Starting December 12th - 24th, I plan to post at least one little moment a day, every day. When I start, I'll created a pinned post to make it easier to keep up with them all.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 2/3
Fandom: The Mandalorian (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cara Dune
Characters: Cara Dune, Din Djarin, Original Characters, Greef Karga
Additional Tags: Fluff, Romance, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Series: Part 4 of Fate Across the Miles
Summary:
A series of conversations that happened behind the scenes in the Missed Connections AUverse.
Or
Din and Cara try to tell their respective friends about the mysterious stranger they met, and are confronted with more than a little skepticism.
“One of the most amazing things that can happen is finding someone who sees everything you are and won’t let you be anything less. They see the potential of you. They see endless possibilities. And through their eyes, you start to see yourself the same way. As someone who matters. As someone who can make a difference in this world.”
Gina padded into the nursery and lifted a wailing six month old from the crib, snuggling her against her shoulder and pulling the bottle from the warmer on the dresser as she walked over to the glider and sat down. She put the bottle on the nightstand, and blew out a nervous breath, hoping she wouldn't need it.
Once they had been approved by their agency to adopt, Gina had begun taking the necessary steps to encourage her body to make milk, not willing to give the infant powdered garbage. Wanting her to get settled in and comfortable with them both, they had agreed to wait a few weeks before attempting to transition her from bottle to breast. On the advice of her lactation consultant, Gina had delayed a feeding, so that the infant would be more receptive to the idea.
She shifted the infant so that she was cradling her and tugged up her shirt on one side. She positioned the nipple next to the infant's mouth, and used her free hand to express a few drops of milk. When the milk crossed the six month old's tongue, Indie instantly clamped down on the nipple and tried to suck. Gina used her finger to break the suction, the infant giving a small cry and waving a tiny fist in outrage.
"I know, I know, that was so mean," Gina murmured as she repositioned the nipple so that it would be in the correct position, and slipped it back between the infant's lips. Indie clamped down again and eagerly began to suck, and Gina crossed her fingers that she wouldn't give up too soon. It would take her body a few days to respond to Indie's cries and automatically let down at the sound of the infant's distress. Gina winced slightly when she felt Indie suck harder, but it was quickly replaced by a smile, as she realized it meant the infant was getting milk.
She looked up at the sound of a shutter click, and realized Kevin was standing in the doorway. "I knew she wouldn't have problems switching," he said as he padded into the room.
"She took it this time, but I'm not convinced it's not just because she's hungry," she murmured, using a barefoot to move the glider back and forth. "If she's still this eager tomorrow I'll let myself get optimistic."
She continued to offer the infant her breast at every feeding, and Indie always took it, surprising Gina by how quickly she mastered getting latched on correctly. Gina had put the infant in bed with them, and was woken in the middle of the night by a pair of tiny hands pulling at her shirt. She smiled sleepily and reached out, tapping Kevin's face with a fingernail to wake him. When his eyes sleepily blinked open she pointed down, and he shifted his gaze to see the infant tugging at her momma's clothes.
He watched as Gina gently pulled the little hands away and then raked up her shirt, manipulating her breast and offering the six month old the nipple. Indie took it, and the bedroom filled with the sounds of her grunts and gurgles of satisfaction as she nursed. Kevin twisted at the waist, grabbing his phone from the nightstand and taking another picture. He knew it would be fuzzy from the low light, but he still liked the way it came out. He held his phone up for Gina to see and she smiled. "I want that one," she whispered.
He nodded and sent it to her phone, and then put his own back on his nightstand. He shifted to get comfortable again, and they both lay watching Indie suckle. "I don't know about you, but this pretty much seals the deal for her to sleep with us," he rumbled, just barely louder than a whisper.
"I was just thinking the same thing. I'll check Amazon in the morning to see what kind of options we have," Gina murmured.
Kevin lightly stroked the wisps of dark hair on Indie's head, and the infant reached up with a hand, fingers flexing in and out in a grasping motion. Smiling, he gave her a finger to hold. Indie took it, clutching it tightly as she continued to nurse. "Daddy's girl," Gina lightly teased.
He chuckled softly.
She felt the pressure on her nipple release and they watched as Indie shifted, moving her head back and dozing off with a trace of her momma's milk on her lips. She made a noise that sounded like a cross between a hiccup and a burp, followed by a sigh. Gina and Kevin both smiled, and Gina chuckled silently before they both closed their eyes and returned to sleep.
The next morning Kevin made coffee while Gina rocked from side to side as she tried to soothe the wailing infant as she made her a bottle, hoping this wasn't about to go disastrously wrong. Once the bottle was ready she carried the infant into the living room, and settled on the sofa with her. She put the bottle in Indie's mouth, and the cries dwindled for a moment as she suckled. As soon as the formula crossed her tastebuds, Indie pushed the nipple out of her mouth with her tongue, and her cries resumed. Gina waited a moment, and then repeated the process, getting the same result. "She doesn't want that nasty ol bottle," Kevin called from the kitchen.
Gina leaned forward and put the bottle on the coffee table, drawing her legs up to sit Indian style on the sofa as she straightened. Indie's cries were beginning to grow frantic, and Gina pulled up one side of her tank top, Indie's cries stopping abruptly as she latched onto the nipple as soon as it was exposed. Gina smiled as the infant's actions made it quite clear that she no longer wanted anything but her momma's milk. "Once she's had breakfast I wanna toss the rest of that powdered bullshit, and all but two of the bottles," she said.
"What are you keeping the two bottles for?" Kevin asked as he padded into the living room to wait for the coffee to brew.
He put his elbows on the back of the sofa, peering down at the infant who was contently suckling in her momma's arms. Before Gina could answer him they watched as a tiny hand rose and came to rest on the soft flesh she was nursing from. Charmed by the movement, Kevin used his phone to take another picture, angling it in a way that it was obvious what was going on, but didn't expose anything. Not that it mattered, these pics wouldn't be sent to anyone but each other.
"If something happens, or I get sick we can use them to give her the milk I saved when I first started pumping," Gina answered, looking up at him.
The coffeemaker signaled that it was ready, and Kevin returned to the kitchen. Gina's gaze returned to the infant in her arms as she felt the six month old unlatch. Indie whined as if she were upset by something, and given that she knew Indie's diaper was dry Gina suspected she was still hungry. She turned the infant around in her arms and adjusted her clothing, getting the six month old latched onto her other breast. Indie eagerly resumed suckling, confirming Gina's suspicion. "What are we doing for breakfast?" She called, trying not to laugh at the eye that appeared and looked at her beneath a furrowed brow.
"Just gonna knock something together. Why? In the mood for something in particular?" He asked.
Gina looked down as Indie unlatched again, and smiled as Indie drifted off. In that moment, something inside her changed. The feeling she had when they had first met the infant returned, and intensified. She pulled her tank top down as she unfolded her legs and got to her feet, heading for the kitchen. "Something I can eat with one hand."
Gina padded into the nursery and lifted a wailing six month old from the crib, snuggling her against her shoulder and pulling the bottle from the warmer on the dresser as she walked over to the glider and sat down. She put the bottle on the nightstand, and blew out a nervous breath, hoping she wouldn't need it.
Once they had been approved by their agency to adopt, Gina had begun taking the necessary steps to encourage her body to make milk, not willing to give the infant powdered garbage. Wanting her to get settled in and comfortable with them both, they had agreed to wait a few weeks before attempting to transition her from bottle to breast. On the advice of her lactation consultant, Gina had delayed a feeding, so that the infant would be more receptive to the idea.
She shifted the infant so that she was cradling her and tugged up her shirt on one side. She positioned the nipple next to the infant's mouth, and used her free hand to express a few drops of milk. When the milk crossed the six month old's tongue, Indie instantly clamped down on the nipple and tried to suck. Gina used her finger to break the suction, the infant giving a small cry and waving a tiny fist in outrage. Gina repositioned the nipple so that it would be in the correct position, and slipped it back between the infant's lips. Indie clamped down again and eagerly began to suck, and Gina crossed her fingers that she wouldn't give up too soon. It would take her body a few days to respond to Indie's cries and automatically let down at the sound of the infant's distress. Gina winced slightly when she felt Indie suck harder, but it was quickly replaced by a smile, as she realized it meant the infant was getting milk. "You took it this time, but I'm not convinced it's not just because you're hungry," she murmured, using a barefoot to move the glider back and forth. "If you're still this eager tomorrow I'll let myself get optimistic."
She continued to offer the infant her breast at every feeding, and Indie always took it, surprising Gina by how quickly she mastered getting latched on correctly. Gina had put the infant in bed with her, and was woken in the middle of the night by a pair of tiny hands pulling at her shirt. She smiled sleepily and raked up one side, adjusting her breast and offering Indie the nipple. The six month old latched on, and quickly settled into a steady sucking rhythm. Gina fumbled for her phone, and used it to take a picture to send to Kevin in the morning. She knew he'd be upset that he hadn't been home to witness the process in person, but they both had agreed to stick to the schedule the lactation consultant had suggested, and he'd had this teaching session planned almost a year in advance.
As Indie suckled, Gina thought about her decision to breastfeed. It was more than just wanting to make sure the six month old wasn't fed a concoction of chemicals. She loved knowing the best thing in the whole world came straight from her body, and that Indie was beginning to figure that out. Gina found herself looking forward to the crying only she could soothe, the little hands pulling at her clothes in search of a nipple because Indie was hungry, all the pockets of time they would have together. She was brought out of her reverie by the feeling of Indie unlatching and she smiled to see that the infant had drifted to sleep again, a trace of her momma's milk on her lips. Yawning, she pulled her shirt down again, and lay watching the sleeping infant as she thought about what to do next. She'd do one little test in the morning, and if it went the way she hoped it would, Indie's bottle days would be over.
The next morning she rocked from side to side as she tried to soothe the wailing infant as she made her a bottle, hoping this wasn't about to go disastrously wrong. Once the bottle was ready she carried the infant into the living room, and settled on the sofa with her. She put the bottle in Indie's mouth, and the cries dwindled for a moment as she suckled. As soon as the formula crossed her tastebuds, Indie pushed the nipple out of her mouth with her tongue, and her cries resumed. Gina waited a moment, and then repeated the process, getting the same result. Smiling, Gina put the bottle on the coffee table and then settled back on the sofa. She reached up and pressed the button on her phone to start recording a video, wanting to keep Kevin updated with how things were going while he was away from home.
She had set up the stand so that the view mimicked looking over her shoulder, allowing him to have a first person vantage point. Indie's cries were beginning to grow frantic, and Gina pulled up one side of her tank top, Indie's cries stopping abruptly as she latched onto the nipple as soon as it was exposed. Gina smiled as the infant's actions made it quite clear that she no longer wanted anything but her momma's milk, and her heart melted at the little hand that rose and settled against the soft swell of her breast. After a couple of minutes, Gina stopped the recording and carefully wiggled her phone out of the mount. She pulled up the running text conversation she had with Kevin, attached the photo she had taken last night, and then added in text.
Early early this morning. Somewhere between midnight and 2am.
She put her phone next to her while she waited for his reply, returning her attention to the infant in her arms. Gina's phone alerted her to a new text, and she opened it, eager to see his response.
This is gorgeous. Is she taking to it okay?
Better than okay. She woke me up to nurse by pulling at my shirt.
Awesome
It gets better.
Gina sent him the video just as Indie chose that exact moment to unlatch, and her face drew into a pout and she vocalized her displeasure, leading Gina to believe she was still hungry. She turned the six month old around and adjusted her shirt, offering her the nipple of her other breast. Indie latched on to it and settled down again. She worried about the prolonged delay, and picked up her phone to call him when it chimed with another message.
He sent a pair of responses, the first being a row of heart eyed emojis, making her laugh.
I can't stop watching! You look like a natural! I love that momma's milk instantly makes whatever's upset her go away. And that hand!
I tried giving her formula twice first thing this morning, she spit it and the bottle nipple back out at me. I'm trashing that powdered bullshit and all but two of the bottles. I wanna keep two so we have them for an emergency.
Good idea. I'm glad we can stop feeding her that crap. You said you put her in bed with you, did you sleep okay?
We both did. She had her midnight snack, and then we both slept til I got up at the usual time. I kinda liked her being in bed with me. I like knowing I'm close by if she wakes up and is upset. It's like were in our own little bubble.
I wanna experience this bubble. Sounds like we might have to let her start sleeping with us.
I'd love getting to see that little face first thing every morning.
Indie unlatched a second time, and she pulled her tank top down before shifting the infant upright to lie chest to chest. Indie yawned and wriggled, clutching a handful of Gina's tank top in a chubby fist and hiccuping as she drifted off. Gina took advantage to take another photo while she waited on his reply. She got to her feet and crossed the living room, tucking Indie into her swing before turning it on. She turned back, snagging her phone off the couch as she headed back to the kitchen to make breakfast for herself.
The garage door rolled shut as Gina opened the back passenger door, unbuckling the crying two-year old's car seat harness and picking her up. "I know baby, I'm sorry," Gina cooed in an attempt to soothe her.
Indie tugged on Gina's shirt, her nonverbal signal that she wanted to nurse. Gina nodded. "Let's get changed, and then you can have some milk and cuddle with momma, okay?" She said.
The toddler nodded, putting her head on her momma's shoulder as Gina opened the door that led to the kitchen and stepped into the house. They had just come from the pediatrician where Indie had been given a booster shot that the doctor had prewarned would likely make her arm throb for a while. Gina put her purse in its usual spot on the counter and moved through the kitchen and into the house.
She stopped in the living room long enough to turn on the TV, and then continued upstairs. "Momma's gonna change first, then we'll get your dress off and change your diaper, okay?" She asked padding into the master bedroom.
Gina plopped Indie down on the bed, and then quickly entered the walk-in closet to change, the two-year-old whining at the separation. "You're okay," she soothed as she swapped her pants for a pair of baggy sweats. She stripped off her top and her bra, tossing both in the hamper and pulling a tank top from a drawer. She tugged it on as she exited the closet. "All done," she said, holding out her arms.
The toddler reached for her, and she scooped up the two-year-old. Indie pulled insistently on her tank top. "I know baby," she said. "Just a few more minutes."
She carried her into the nursery and stood her on the changing table. "Arms up," she said. Indie tried to hold up her arms, but whined again as it seemed to make her arm hurt worse.
Gina gently eased the dress over the two-year old's head, trying to disturb her arm as little as possible. She tossed it into the nearby hamper, and picked up the toddler's pacifier and offered it to her. Indie put it in her mouth, and it worked enough to calm her down so that she could finish changing. "Sleepy shirt or play clothes?" Gina coaxed gently, trying to keep her engaged so she wouldn't get worked up to the point she couldn't nurse.
Indie pointed at the bin that housed the long tank tops she normally slept in. Gina pulled one out, and then grabbed a diaper from a different bin. "Pull this one off," she said, opening the clean diaper.
Indie yanked at the tabs that held her diaper in place, pulling them free and allowing it to drop to the table surface before stepping out of it. Gina reached over and opened the wipes container, and the toddler pulled one out, using it to wipe herself. They tried to use her stubborn determination to do things herself to their advantage whenever possible, and right now it was helping to distract her from the pain in her arm. Indie dropped the used wipe on top of her dirty diaper, and then held out a hand, palm up, making Gina snicker. She grabbed the bottle of hand sanitizer and squirted a tiny drop onto the two-year old's hand.
Indie rubbed her hands together, and then reached for her tank top. "Diaper first," Gina said as she fastened one of the leg tabs in place.
The two-year-old sighed and used her mother's wrists to balance herself, stepping into the dry diaper. Gina pulled it up and fastened the remaining tab in place. She grabbed the tank top she'd pulled from the bin, rolling up the material in her hands and easing it over the toddler's head and arms, and then pulling it into place. Indie rubbed her eyes, and began whimpering again, her sleepiness only adding to her irritation. Gina picked her up and stood her on the floor so that she could wipe down the changing table surface and dispose of the dirty diaper before going downstairs. Indie held her arms up, dancing about in frustration as she went into a full-on meltdown. "Indie," Gina soothed. "You're okay."
She picked up her wailing offspring and Indie immediately yanked on her top. "When you calm down," Gina said, nodding.
She left the nursery, smiling when she felt Indie put her head on her shoulder, and a tiny arm curled around her throat. She rubbed the two-year-old’s back, and Indie's cries began to slow. Gina reached over with a free hand and
tickled the bottom of a bare foot, causing the cries to be intermixed with giggles. She sat down on the sofa and shifted Indie to her lap as she drew up her legs to sit Indian style.
Before the toddler had another meltdown, Gina shifted her so that her sore arm would be on top, before leaning her back and raking up one side of her tank top. Indie nuzzled the exposed nipple before she latched onto it, reaching up with her hand to clutch the bunched material of her momma's top. Gina began to rock side to side and could feel the two-year-old slowly relax in her arms.
Gina picked up the remote and scrolled through the list of movies, searching for something that wouldn't distract the toddler. She decided on an old classic, settling back to watch, occasionally checking on the toddler. She looked down when she felt the pressure on her nipple release, and Indie pulled herself upright turning so they were chest to chest. Gina pulled her shirt down as the two-year-old put her head down on her momma's shoulder. The toddler sighed as she drifted off, the pain in her arm seemingly forgotten.
Thunder boomed and rolled, seemingly echoing forever as the storm moved through the city in the wee hours of morning. It was occasionally broken by streaks of lightning as the mounting energy discharged. The occupants of the homes beneath it slept on, unaware of the battle between positive and negative that raged overhead and made pictures and knickknacks rattle in their places.
In the master bedroom of one of the spacious homes, a particularly loud crack jolted the male occupant of the bed awake, and his gaze rotated upward, staring at the ceiling as he listened to the storm. He yawned, turning over to face the woman lying in the bed beside him, completely unfazed to find her still sleeping soundly. Gina was somewhat of a heavy sleeper once she managed to fall asleep. With her unaware, and unable to scold him for it, Kevin let his eyes roam freely over her body studying all the little changes that had started to appear.
Her breasts were fuller, the nipples darkening enough to become slightly visible through the thin cotton t-shirt she was wearing, as they prepared to make milk for her baby. Her baby. Just the mere thought of the words made him smile, and his eyes drifted down to her abdomen that now had the slightest curve to it, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that she was indeed pregnant. It was made all the sweeter by knowing that they had found out yesterday that this one was a boy, and their little family was now complete.
Two years ago, somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Gina had given birth to their first child, an seven pound girl they had named Indigo Sunrise. Not wanting her to be an only child, they had agreed to have one more, and last night over dinner they had agreed that since they were expecting a boy, this was it and they were done. He had already begun looking for a doctor to make that decision permanent.
Kevin was just about to drift off again, when another sharp crack jolted them both awake. They smiled sleepily at each other, and then both paused expectantly, listening for noises from the nursery down the hall. When there were none, Kevin reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind Gina's ear, and was just about to comment that maybe Indie would sleep through the storm, when there was another sharp crack overhead that was immediately followed by a loud scream from down the hall. They listened, expecting to hear footsteps as Indie came running to get in bed with them, but instead there was another scream.
Before Gina could react, Kevin was on his feet and heading for the nursery. Gina began adjusting the pillows and blankets to make room for the two-year-old, creating a nest of sorts for her to snuggle into. She had contemplated putting the toddler to bed in their room in anticipation of the storm, but Indie had taken so well to her new bedtime routine she hadn't wanted to mess it up. Gina turned her head as she heard Kevin re-enter the bedroom and saw that the two-year old's head was lying on her daddy's shoulder, and she let out the occasional sob as she tried to calm down. "Shhh," he said softly, rubbing her back. "You're okay."
"Ma ma," she whimpered.
"Let's go get you changed right quick and then you can come snuggle with me and momma," he placated. He padded into the bathroom where they kept a stash of diapers and wipes to use in times like this.
Gina couldn't help but smile. Indie wasn't exactly a daddy's girl, she had a strong relationship with both of them, but daddy was definitely her protector. She hoped the little one she was presently carrying had the same sort of bond with them both, just like his sister.
Meanwhile in the bathroom, Kevin stood Indie on the bathmat and then squatted down next to her. He pulled the packet of wipes and a clean diaper from the basket, and then opened the wipes taking one out. He pulled the wet diaper open, and when it slid to the floor Indie stepped out of it, taking the wipe from Kevin and using it to wipe herself, which her pediatrician said was an indication she was entering the initial stages of potty training. Indie dropped the wipe onto the soiled diaper, and as soon as Kevin was occupied by rolling it up to toss it, she tried to make a beeline for the bedroom. "I don't think so," he growled playfully, snagging the back of her shirt.
She whined sleepily; protesting being pulled back to put on a dry diaper. Kevin opened it, fastening one of the leg tabs before holding it up for
the toddler to step into it, bypassing her dislike of being laid down to be changed. Indie used his wrists to steady herself as she stepped into the diaper, slapping at the hand that gently tickled her belly. He rose to his full height, tossing the diaper into the trash and washing his hands before picking the toddler up and returning to the bedroom.
Another sharp crack made the tot whimper and hide her face in her daddy's neck, clinging to him in fear. He rubbed her back, and tried to stand her on the bed. When her feet touched the mattress Indie turned and fumbled across the bed, rubbing an eye with a fist. "Ma ma," she whimpered.
"Shhh," Gina crooned, gently grabbing the toddler by her elbow and helping her to snuggle down in the nest she'd made while Kevin got back in bed. Indie reached out and tugged at her top with another whimper. The two-year-old was nearly weaned, only getting to nurse when there was no other way to comfort her, or on the rare occasions when she struggled to wind down for a nap or bedtime. Gina caught the tiny hand kissed the fingers, raking up one side of her shirt and adjusting her breast so that the two-year-old could better access the nipple.
Indie latched on, and her eyes instantly began to droop. Kevin had shifted onto his side to face the pair, and gently curled a hand over the toddler's abdomen. The combination of warmth and pressure from her daddy's hand along with her momma's sweet, warm, milk was too much for Indie, and her eyes closed with a sigh as she relaxed, sleep at last pulling her back under.
There was a loud rumble, and two sets of eyes watched as tiny blue marbles slit open briefly before closing again, the storm unable to penetrate the cocoon of comfort and security that surrounded the two-year-old. Both parents smiled and closed their own eyes, easily drifting to sleep.
