Before you read this, send out some prayers or good vibes or whatever for LG, her dog walker, & that Gustav & Koji are home safe soon.I cannot imagine!
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Sitting by the pool in Malibu, Stefani sipped a glass of lemonade. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes to let her senses take over, wanting to commit this comment of calm happiness to memory. A hint of coconut from her sunscreen, the acidic sweetness of her drink, the sun's warmth on her skin, and her favorite, the splashes and giggles coming from her pool. Feeling droplets of cold water land on her skin, she opened her eyes to see Lea pop her head up out of the water proudly. "Whoa Lea!" Bradley exclaimed. "That was a big splash!"
"You even got me!" Stefani laughed, finishing her Instagram post and setting her phone down to join them at the edge of the pool. "Done. I posted my VMA hype picture for the day." She sat, dipping her feet in as Bradley helped Lea paddle over to her. "Hold on tight." Lea wrapped herself around Stefani's legs and she bounced her up and down playfully.
Stefani watched Bradley swim to the deep end and lift himself out of the water. Slicking his hair back, he took a running start and yelled "cannonball!" before jumping in and splashing them.
Stefani laughed loudly, lifting Lea up above the rippling waves. "Whoa! Dat was a weally, weally big jump, Daddy!"
"That's a real laugh," Bradley said, joining Stefani at the edge of the pool. He kissed the side of her knee, letting his lips linger on her salty skin. "And I'll come all the way across the country just to hear it."
"That's how I know you love me," she smiled down at him. "How I know you get me."
"Whats that?" he asked as he lifted Lea out to go get a drink.
"Because you didn't ask if I needed you. You didn't ask if I wanted you to come. You just knew this week would be tough and so here you are." She pulled him in with her feet, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugging him, thankfully. "Thanks again for being here, B."
He kissed her stomach through the cutout of her zebra print swimsuit and she gently scratched at his beard with her fingertips. "If we can't be at the VMAs in person, I figure I could at least be here to take care of you while you make a whole week out of it. Besides, it isn't all about you," he teased and she shoved him away playfully. "I've got a few days of filming. And at the end of the week, we'll curl up on the couch and watch you absolutely dominate the entire night."
"Well... I don't know about that..."
"Oh I do," he insisted. "Hey Stef? You know how I know you love me?" She raised her eyebrows questioningly before being completely caught of guard when he tugged her into the water and silenced her squeals of protest with a kiss. "Cuz you still love me even when I fuck with you."
"Catch me too Daddy!" Lea called before splashing in next to them. "I getted you 'tefi?"
"You got me!" She pulled Lea into her and let her hold onto her shoulders while she swam a lap across the pool with Asia running happily across the side. "You've gotten to be such a good swimmer this summer, big girl."
