Baby Pogue // JJ Maybank

i miss her

Avie stood at the microwave in the kitchen and waited for her hot chocolate to finish heating up as JJ's mug sat on the counter beside her. JJ was already sitting on the couch under a fuzzy throw blanket as he watched his little girl play with a baby doll that her Aunt Sarah had bought her.

She was more of an action type of kid so she wasn't too sure on how to play with the doll but JJ noticed how she rocked the baby in her arms before taking her by her head to lay her on the floor.

He chuckled to himself watching her nearly abuse the fake baby.

He turned his attention to his girlfriend as she walked over with two hot cocoas in her hands. He nodded his head towards himself, "Come sit."

Avie smiled softly and handed him one mug as he lifted the blanket for her to climb underneath, "Thanks." She whispered and cuddled into his side. He placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side, kissing her cheek then looking back at River.

"Look at her playing with that doll." JJ grinned.

Avie watched Riv pick up the baby by it's arm before cradling it gently, tapping it's back with her hand, "How does she know what to do?"

JJ shook his head and shrugged, "Don't know." He sipped his hot cocoa before continuing, "But it's cute."

"It is." She leaned her head against his shoulder, "She'd make a good big sister."

"Woah," JJ pulled away from her and looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, "The hell are you talking about?"

Avie rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying she's not bad with the fake baby."

He just stared at his girlfriend still in shock.

"I'm not pregnant, J." She tilted her head as she laughed.

"Mm.." JJ relaxed but held his weary expression as he settled back with Avie under his arm again, "Better not be."

The two watched as Riv adjusted her position to lay on her belly and prop herself up on her elbows, rubbing the baby doll's belly as she titled her head to watch. The bun on top of her head shifted to the side slightly as a few more strands of hair fell out of the hair tie.

"I just.. I kinda miss her when she was a baby." Avie admitted without taking her gaze off her daughter.

"You do?" JJ raised an eyebrow and looked at his girlfriend.

Avie giggled and shrugged, "Sometimes. I don't know, it's stupid."

His expression changed when he noticed her beginning to get a bit upset, "No, it's not. Talk to me."

She shrugged again and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Tell me, baby." He nudged his shoulder up to get her to talk.

"I just- I miss when she was so little and we could hold her all the time. She loved cuddling, remember?" Avie looked up at JJ whose eyes were locked on his daughter playing gently with the doll.

"Yeah," A soft grin crept on his lips.

"Now she rarely wants to cuddle."

"I guess I do kinda miss baby Riv." JJ admitted and rubbed Avie's arm as he remembered all those times when baby River would cling to his chest, holding his shirt in her teeny fists. Or the times when holding her was the only way to calm her down and JJ would find himself losing sleep as he prioritized her emotions over his own.

"She used to love being with me whenever she needed to eat." Avie spoke weakly as tears pricked at her eyes, "I miss that bond."

"Hey, you've still got that."