Baby Pogue // JJ Maybank

37. fatherly instincts

"Hey! I'm so happy you came!" Sarah smiled at Avie and held the door open for her as she carried River in her arms. The pogues were having  a Christmas celebration together on the night of Christmas Eve before they spent the holiday with their families. River was now two weeks old but still so tiny in everyone's embrace.

"Thanks." Avie responded as she struggled to carry all of the baby's belongings through the door of John B's house. She stumbled and Sarah took the diaper bag from Avie's hands.

"Jeez, one of us would've came out to help you." John B stood from the couch and guided Avie in.

"One of us meaning her boyfriend?" Kie raised an eyebrow and looked to JJ who raised his eyebrows before quickly getting up off the couch and readjusted his backwards hat as he walked to his girlfriend.

"Lemme take her." JJ kissed Avie's cheek and attempted to lift River from her grasp but she quickly turned her body away from JJ and walked around him.

"No." Avie told him bluntly.

"What?" JJ furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and held his hands out.

Pope looked at his friends as if he were scared.

"You didn't even text me where you were." She told him and sat on the couch next to Pope.

"I was working!" JJ explained to her.

"You got off hours ago?" Avie placed more baby shit on the ground beside her.

"I came straight here." He shrugged as his eyes moved to his daughter who was wide awake. She was so much more alert than she was just a couple weeks prior. JJ was fascinated.

"I needed help with Riv."

"Just let me take her." JJ tried again to lift River but Avie was quick to slap his hand away, "Avie, what the fuck!?"

"She needs to eat, JJ!" She shouted at him making everybody freeze. Avie looked around to her friends and sighed as she closed her eyes, "Sorry.." She breathed out and shook her head, "It's just.. new breastfeeding hormones and I'm overtired. I'm behind on school work."

Everyone noticed how sad she looked as she readjusted her shirt to begin feeding her daughter.

"Oh, okay.." Pope shifted and turned his direction away from his friend as he had never seen her feed her before.

Avie sighed and watched Riv eat.

They all stared at her sadly noticing how defeated she looked. She wore sweatpants everyday, either JJ's or Ashton's t-shirts, a bun every single day, and if she was lucky she got to shower. She wouldn't say she was struggling with post partum depression but she was definitely struggling.

No one noticed how hurt JJ seemed when Avie wouldn't let him take Riv. He stared at the baby eating before turning away and sitting at the kitchen table. He watched from a distance.

"You're doing the best you can, Aves." John B rubbed her shoulder before sitting next to her making her squeeze between him and Pope.

Sarah nodded, "Rivvy is so lucky to have you."

Kie nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys." Avie knew they were speaking the truth yet she had a hard time believing any of those words. Riv was a really good baby but Avie just wasn't used to hearing crying all the time or having to change diapers all the time or having no time to herself. It was draining. But it was worth it every time she looked in Riv's eyes and saw them glisten.

"You and JJ surprisingly make great parents." Pope told her as he tried not to look down at her breast.

Avie giggled when she saw how uncomfortable Pope was, "It's okay, Pope. I'm not doing anything inappropriate."