UPSTEAD ONE SHOT(S)

Future Before Them

Both Adam and Kim had been rushed off their feet lately even more than usual, because they were working as an excellent team to raise Mackayla. They weren't a couple, but they might aswell have been. And, after a girly conversation Kim and Hailey had during their lunch break, Hailey had managed to convince Kim to let her and Jay have Mackayla for the evening, whilst she took Adam out for the evening. It was a though battle, but Hailey actually gave Kim little choice in the matter.

So, when six o'clock stricked and Hailey and Jay had just finished the buffet, the door clicked open and the sound of Adam's voice shouting their names waved through the apartment. "Around here!" Hailey called from the kitchen, adjusting a slice of cucumber that wasn't straight enough for her liking. "Wow, this looks fantastic" Kim beamed, amazed to see the entrée of delicious food spread across the kitchen island. "Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks" Jay chuckled, taking Mackayla's night bag off Kim. "I'm sure it will. Thanks for tonight, it means alot" Adam smiled, so appreciative of what Hailey and Jay were doing for him and Kim. "Ofcourse, we're gonna have a blast aren't we, Mackayla?" Hailey said, looking down to the short little girl. "Yeh" She agreed, flashing her pearly whites exitedly. "Well, on that note, we should get going. Thanks again" Kim gratefully said, giving her daughter a hug and walking her and Adam out. "Yeh, anytime" Jay shouted, hearing the door click closed as he finished.
"Can we start with the butterfly cookies?" Mackayla asked with a cheeky grin, one that was way too cute for the couple to handle.
"I think we do that. What do you say, Hails?" Jay checked. "Only the best place to start" Hailey winked, handing plates out between the three of them. "Hailey, these are delicious!" Mackayla mumbled, her mouth full of half eaten cookie. "She ain't wrong" Jay agreed, devouring the last of his. "I'm glad they're good" Hailey blushed, she never was great at taking compliments. "What should we do after we've finished this ungodly amout of food?" Jay questioned, wondering what fun activity they could do without bringing all of Hailey's hard work back up. "Make a den and then read stories. Mommy and I used to do it all the time, it was so much fun!" Hailey and Jay's heart shattered at the young girls words. She talked about it so openly, so exitedly, it made the couple wonder how such a small child who'd gone through so much could be so happy. "Yeh, that sounds like a good plan" Hailey nodded, giving Jay a sympathetic look at the same time. "Yey. Can we have hot chocolate and be in our pjs? That's when it's the most fun" Mackayla requested. Unable to say no the the happily vulnerable child, Hailey and Jay both smiled an approval. "Ofcourse".

And that was exactly their situation about two hours later.

The three of them had removed all covers from Hailey's bed and hung them between one of the sofa arms and a tall-ish ornament, along with a few extra blankets. Underneath the shelter, Hailey and Jay lay ontop and between layers of fluffy blankets with Mackayla snuggled between; as they took turns reading parts of the Magic Faraway Tree. It felt so natural to them both; warming. Reading a classic childhood story under a makeshift den, covered by blankets, snuggled into each other, and only a low light for a light source- it was Jay and Hailey's lack of childhood coming true. It was perfect. "Hey, Jay" Hailey whispered, pausing him mid-scentence. He looked down to see Mackayla fast asleep under Hailey's protective arm- clinging onto her platypus tightly. "Aw, bless her" An adoring smile crawled across Jay's face, it was the sweetest thing he'd ever seen. "What should we do? I don't wanna wake her, she's flat out" Hailey asked, stuck on what to do now. Do they move and take her to the spare room and risk waking her, or do they stay put and join Mackayla sleeping in the den? "Give it a few more minutes, make sure she's flat properly sparko, then I'll carry her to the spare room" Jay decided, knowing Hailey's back won't be thanking her for sleeping on the floor in the morning. "She looks so peaceful, though" Hailey said, feeling guilty for moving the child that was sleeping on her practically. "You wanna stay here, don't you?" Jay smirked, fully aware of how Hailey's heart worked. "Yeh" She sheepishly nodded, secretly loving the current situation all three of them were in. "Okay, but don't complain to me tomorrow about your back" Jay joked, earning a stick out of the tongue from the blond. With that, the two nestled down for the evening and attempted to join Mackayla sleeping; however, that wasn't happening. It was way too early, even though their bodies were screaming for sleep.