Take Care

by Ash Johnson

  “Of course I would. I think having your mom’s name as her middle name is a great tribute to the woman who raised a wonderful man like you. We will always carry a piece of her forever.” Jay leans over and kisses me soundly before turning back to our little bundle of joy that is sound asleep in his arms.

  “Okay Maya Jane Hunt, what do you say we let mommy get some sleep? You kicked her ass tonight,” he says before walking over to sit on his makeshift window bed and ogle our daughter some more. I giggle at his comment and marvel at the fact that he’s such an attentive father already before I drift into a deep sleep, grateful that I have such a perfect family.

  ***

  I wake up a few hours later when I hear Maya start to fuss but before I can even sit up, Jay is picking her up and softly rocking her, so I close my eyes and just listen to him hum. After a few minutes I hear Jay softly talking to our little girl, telling her about how Jay and I met.

  “So I was in a club because your Uncle Blake forced me to go, not because I wanted to.” I try to hide my smile because I know that’s a bunch of bull shit. Jay continues whispering the story to her with contentment in his voice.

  “I saw your mommy the second she walked into the place. Well, I guess I can’t say that I saw her because she’s so short that most people see over the top of her head, but I felt her the second she walked in. I finally spotted her at the bar getting some drinks when some jerk came over to hit on her.

  “Of course your mommy knew she was there for me before she saw me, so she blew off the dickhead, but he grabbed her and daddy decided it was time to step in. By the way I’m going to teach you all the ways to break those holds so you don’t have to worry about some asshole doing that to you. You have nothing to worry about little girl.”

  I am trying so hard not to laugh at his story that I’m holding my breath and I’m sure my face is beet red, when he continues.

  “Anyway, I walked up behind mommy and got rid of the scumbag and before your mommy even turned around to look at me, I just knew I was going to fall in love with her. After that night, I wanted to be with your mommy every second of every day. I wanted to learn everything about her. I wanted to take care of her; I still do. I knew that she was something special made just for me, just like you are my little princess. I will spend every second of my life protecting and loving you and your beautiful mom, I promise.”

  I let out a soft sigh and fell asleep again, silently promising him the same thing. I will love and protect my perfect little family with everything I have for the rest of my life. We’ll take care of each other.

  Epilogue

  Jay- Two years later

  I hold tightly onto Ada’s ass as she slides down my body, trying to regain her balance after I just had her pressed against our bedroom wall while I pounded into her. Her feet finally hit the floor and I loosen my hold on her perfect backside, but not before I give it a tight squeeze.

  Before I can bend down to give her a deep kiss, there is a light slapping sound on our door and a tiny voice screaming words at us that we don’t understand. Ada sighs and leans her head into my chest before letting go of my shoulders and walking out of my grasp to throw on her yoga pants and a tank top.

  “You are supposed to be sleeping Maya Jane!” Ada yells at our closed bedroom door. I smile when I hear Maya giggle and run away, and then I grab some work out shorts and a t-shirt before I walk out of the room behind Ada.

  Before I can wrap my arms around her waist and grab her perfect breasts, a slightly pregnant Elle barges through our front door, yelling at Ada to hurry or they will be late. I throw my hands up in the air and stare at the ceiling for a second before I turn my attention back to Ada, who is giggling at me. I just can’t catch a break, can I.

  “I’ll take care of the munchkin. You go with Elle and I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?” I give her the smile that she says makes her knees weak, and bend down to kiss her quickly.

  “Thank you for taking care of Maya today while I get ready. I’ll see you at the reception hall in a few hours. I love you,” Ada says, walking backward toward the door and smiling. I find Maya sitting on the toddler bed in her room, smiling widely. Her shoulder length brown hair is sticking in all directions and her light blue eyes shine along with her smile. She gets off her bed and runs toward me when I kneel down on the ground.

  “Hey baby girl, are you just too big for naps and mommy keeps making you take them?” I ask her and laugh when she smiles back at me.

  “You know, when you get older you’re going to wish that you had taken advantage of these naps, Maya Jane,” I shake my finger at her, pretending to scold her, but she knows that daddy is a push over and I would do anything she ever asked of me.

  “I yuv you daddy,” Maya squeaks out and wraps her tiny arms around my neck. I immediately melt into a puddle at this little girl’s feet and carry her to the kitchen to find her something sugary to eat.

  ***

  An hour and a half later, Maya and I arrive at the reception center that Ada and I are getting married in today. I have a tired Maya in one arm and her flower girl dress and my tux in the other as we walk through the doors.

  As soon as we make it to the top of the grand staircase off the entrance, Ada walks out of one of the rooms in a thick white robe. Her shoulder length blonde hair hangs down, but partially pulled above one ear and held back with a sunflower. Her makeup is simple, making her natural beauty shine through, making me feel like the luckiest bastard on the planet to be marrying such a beautiful woman, inside and out.

  Ada reaches me and takes Maya’s dress out of my hand and then reaches for her, but stops to inspect her sleepy face before she takes her. Ada sighs softly and then turns her gaze up to me, trying to look upset but failing.

  “You gave her chocolate instead of trying to get her to take a nap, didn’t you?” She shakes her head at me and gently pulls Maya out of my hands.

  “Of course I didn’t. How could you think I would do that?” I ask her, feigning innocence. Ada lets out a huff of air and rolls her eyes before smiling at me.

  “She has chocolate in the corners of her mouth. Next time clean her off better before you try to lie to me. You are such a sap when it comes to this girl, you know that?” She teases, turning to walk back into the room.

  I take a quick step forward and wrap one arm softly around her waist before kissing her exposed neck.

  “I’m a sap when it comes to both of you girls, not just her. You look beautiful and I can’t wait to make you my wife,” I say as I pull the small black box out of my pocket and hold it in front of her face. Ada looks back up at me and then smiles before handing me Maya’s dress and taking the box out my hand to open it.

  She gasps when she sees the diamond solitaire necklace on a white gold chain inside the box.

  “It’s beautiful Jay. Thank you so much,” she whispers before popping up on the balls of her bare feet, and I bend down, so we can kiss each other stupid. She pulls back and bites her lip, grinning like a mad woman.

  “Hold on, I have something for you, too,” she says before turning back to the room to lay a now sleeping Maya on the couch and then she comes back to the hallway holding a small black rectangular box. She smiles and hands it to me, bouncing up and down with excitement. I open the box and shift my gaze from the small gift to Ada’s shining eyes and back to the gift again.

  “Are you sure Ada?” I ask her, smiling down at the positive pregnancy test tucked into the small box. Ada nods and her smile spreads wider.

  “I went to Dr. Sue’s office last week after I got off work and had some blood drawn. I’m not very far along, but we are definitely going to have another baby.”

  I reach out and wrap my large arms around her tiny body, hauling her into the air and chuckling. We have been talking about having another baby for a few months now and I couldn’t be any happier than I am at this moment.

  I put Ada down and place my hands on either side of her face to pull her in for a long and p
assionate kiss.

  “Thank you so much Ada. You have given me a life that I had always wanted but wasn’t sure was possible.” I place my hand across her small belly, still amazed that the next piece of our puzzle was inside of her.

  “Thank you Jay. Today I get to have the family that I always wanted. I get a stable home with a man who adores his children and loves his wife. I couldn’t ask for anything else in the world.”

  I smile at her and kiss her silly before realizing that we only have twenty minutes to get ready before the ceremony was scheduled to start. Ada didn’t get a beautiful wedding with that ass hat Rob, so I promised her the wedding she deserved. I didn’t have a hard time fulfilling all of her requests, because they were all small.

  Ada didn’t want an expensive wedding with all the trimmings. She just wanted something small where she got to wear a pretty white gown, so I was more than happy to give that to her.

  Thirty minutes later I’m standing under a giant white archway with sunflowers attached, a minister to my right and Blake, my best man, to my left. There are about fifty guests sitting in their chairs, awing and snickering when they see my little princess Maya come walking toward me.

  Her brown hair is curled and it looks like her Aunt Ellie has out some makeup on her because Maya’s pretty light blue eyes have silver eye shadow around them and her lips are bright pink. Her bright yellow satin dress and silver strappy dress shoes make her look older than two years old.

  I inspect her a little more closely and see that she has a white basket with sunflower petals inside and a deep scowl on her face. I try to hide my cringe from the audience. She must have needed a nap more than I thought.

  Our guests chuckle as she picks handfuls of petals out of her basket and throws them to the ground with a little more force than necessary and then walks over to Blake, holding her arms out and waiting for him to lift her up.

  “Hold you Unca Bake?” she whines. Blake smiles and hoists her up; her head immediately rests on his shoulder.

  Elle walks down the aisle next, holding a small bouquet of sunflowers to go with the sunflower on the side of her long brown hair matching Ada’s. She is wearing a light gray tea length dress that matches Blake’s vest, and has on black high heels.

  Elle looks into the crowd smiling at Ronan, who is now her husband, and rubs her four month pregnant belly while she walks down the aisle. Turns out that Elle was dating Ronan at the same time she was seeing Blake and never really considered Blake an exclusive thing anyway.

  When Elle reaches me, she wraps her arms around my neck and I bend so she can give me a small kiss on the cheek before she takes her spot on the other side of the altar.

  Then the music starts to play and all of our guests stand up and turn their attention to the double doors in the back, waiting for Ada. I rub my sweaty hands on the outside of my pants, nervous and excited for her to walk out so that I can see her; the beautiful mother of my children and the love of my life.

  When the doors open I notice my father first in his gray suit, a huge smile on his face and his gaze locked on mine. Then I look at the angel walking next to him and gasp.

  Ada looks breathtaking holding a large bouquet of sunflowers and white roses with ivy wound throughout, but I lose it when I get a look at her white tea length dress. It’s strapless and has delicate detailing in the lace of the tight bodice. The lace detailing softens down the dress, where her tulle skirt makes the bottom of the dress look fuller. I smile when I make it to her feet and see that she’s wearing bright yellow high heels, the small tattoo of a bear silhouette proudly displayed on the top of her right foot.

  When she makes it up to the altar, I try to hold back my tears, but I can’t help them and a few escape my eyes. Ada’s are shining with the same happiness and love I know she sees in mine.

  After our vows are said and the rings are exchanged, we are announced to our family and friends as husband and wife. I smirk at Ada before I bend down and kiss her with everything I have, not caring that our friends and family members are sitting in the crowd watching.

  As soon as we break apart I swipe my arms down under her ass and lift her off the ground, her feet dangling almost a foot off the floor, and bring her face toward mine.

  “I love you Mrs. Hunt,” I whisper against her lips. She gives me a few pecks and murmurs through her smile.

  “I love you too, Mr. Hunt, forever.” I give her a few more swift kisses and we walk hand in hand down the aisle, those closest to us cheering us on and smiling as they get to see a small part of our forever, and what a forever it will be.

  Acknowledgements

  There are so many wonderful people in my life that it’s hard to cram them all into this section.

  Enormous thanks goes to my wonderful husband, Joe. You have been so amazing and so helpful with the kids while I wrote. I never could have finished this book without you.

  To my two wonderful kids, who will never get a chance to read about the things mommy writes, I love you both to the moon and back.

  To my mom and dad, thank you for making me the considerate and mostly sane person that I am today. You have both been such a positive influence on me.

  A huge shout out to my beta girls- Rachel, Jennifer, Brandi, Lisa W., Mollie, Diane, and April. You girls helped to shape this book into what it is today. Without you Ada wouldn’t have been as cool, Blake would have been a bit creepier, and Jay wouldn’t have been as badass as he was. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

  And the biggest thanks goes to you, the reader. I will never be able to tell you how much I appreciate you reading my story. These characters have been screaming in my head for too long that they wanted other people to know about them. Please let me know what you thought of Jay and Ada by leaving feedback.

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