The Past Haunts us- BOOK TWO

Chapter 23: Late night baking

I could listen to the steady beat under my hand. It's that steady beat which gave me a second chance. Not just in our relationship but in life itself. That beat, saved me. It says I don't owe it anything, yet I would've been suffering if he hadn't stepped in. I don't believe in having a knight in shining armour and I don't need one. Growing up, I found calm in the silence and loneliness that surrounded me. Still, everyone needs a person to have their back,
I'm grateful that he's mine.

We had escaped Daisy's speech about 'Making out in-front of our daughter' a while ago. Sinking deeper into Phil's side, I closed my eyes and sighed. 4 more months and the baby is here. It'll be exhausting. Extremely.

My mind went back 28 years.

"What are you naming her?" The nurse asked with a smile.

"Layla." Phil whispered.

"Layla Chuju Coulson."

"That's a pretty name."

I smiled and looked down at the little human in my arms, "Hey, Layla. I'm your mom." The smile on my face was the brightest I ever had. Phil kissed my forehead, "This is your daddy."

Layla had looked around with big brown eyes, "We're not going to let anything happen to you." Phil whispered.

I looked up at him and saw unshed tears of happiness threatening to fall. I smiled at him and pulled him down to me for a kiss. "I love you."
Phil had froze, it had been the first time I said the three words.

His face mirrored the smile of mine and I looked back at the tiny human we had created. "We love you, Layla." I whispered.

I sighed once again, cuddling even closer into Phil's side. His eyes flickered and I looked into his sleepy blue eyes.

I bit my lip, "Did I wake you?"

"Nah."

I nodded, "What's keeping you up at," He looked at his phone, "3 in the morning?"

"Nothing." He raised and eyebrow and I sighed, "4 more months and we'll have a baby. An actual baby."

He turned around to face me, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just-" I bit my lip, "thinking about the day Layla was born."

He smiled, "It's going to be okay, Melinda."

"I really hope so."

He kissed my forehead, "You're going on leave in less than a month. Wanna talk?"

"I'll go to my apartment." I whispered.

I bit my lip, "Can you promise me one thing?"

He nodded, "Don't. Die."

He lightly laughed, "I'm serious. Phil."

He frowned, "Hey, where's this coming from?"

I shook my head, "Not important."

"Mel-"

"I had a nightmare, okay."

"I got the news and I fell into depression. And then I was back at you funeral. It was- it was horrible." I bit back tears, "I didn't sleep, Phil. I - I didn't sleep for months. I looked like a walking zombie." I whispered.

He sighed and pulled me even closer to him. "I promise. I won't die on you again."

"Could you - Could you come home with me?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Maria texted me."

"Oh?"

"She said she'll take over. When you leave."

"Oh." I smiled, "Thank you."

"Not me."

I nodded, "I'm not sleepy."

"I know what we can do."

"Oh?" He grinned.

"Bake." I smiled.

"Cookies?"

"Yep."He sat up, "Let's brush our teeth."

I nodded.

We cleaned up and I gathered my hair in a messy buns. We gathered all the ingredients and I looked at   Phil.

"I'll make hot chocolate, can you start the dough?"
I nodded and mixed the egg, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl and continued the steps.

I put the baking trays in the oven and walked over to Phil who had two mugs of Hot Cocoa in-front of him.
I smiled at him and took the offered mug.

Sipping the warm liquid inside, I smiled, "Just how I remembered."

"Thanks." He sipped his own cocoa.

We sat in silence when the over dinged.

"I'll get it." Phil offered.

He took the baked cookies out and placed 3 in each one of the two plates in front of us.

Biting into the cookie, Phil smiled.

"You did it."

I rolled my eyes, "I can bake, Phil."

"You once put salt instead of sugar in my birthday cake."

I rolled my eyes and finished my cocoa.

"I'm gonna go do Tai- Chi now."

He nodded and I went to lay out my yoga mat.

Going through the practiced movement, I felt Phil's presence on the chair beside the mat.

Ignoring him, I continued.

Once I finished, a sleepy Daisy entered the room.

"What you guys doing this early?" She mumbled.

"We baked." Her eyes widened, "Cookies on the island and cocoa on the stove."

She hurried to the kitchen and I snorted.

She moaned as she bit into the cookie.

"Chocolate-y goodness." She mumbled.