Yours Truly, Austin Post - Post Malone

66

Ava pulls all the frozen fruit she has for smoothies out of the bottom drawer of the freezer and then starts packing the selection of meals she has prepared for Grayson into the drawer. Austin never goes in this draw so they should be safe in here.

"What's going on here?"

Ava screams and snaps around then breaths out heavily as she clutches her chest in relief - it's just Hope.

"What is going on here?  You look shady as shit - tell me!"

Ava pulls herself up and leans against the kitchen island that still has a few packed meals she has no idea where she is going to hide.

"Pregnancy craving..."

"Your pregnancy craving is cooking a shit ton of food, packing it, and hiding it in the freezer?  That's the weirdest pregnancy craving I have ever heard of."

"No. My pregnancy craving is Austin's food. His cooking. I need the food he cooks!  Look at me!  I am salivating just thinking about it. I dream about his meals while driving home and beg him to cook the second I walk in and then I wolf it down."

"You do this willingly?"

"Yes!  I have seconds. Yesterday I had a third helping!"

"You are going to have a demon baby."

"Poor Grayson has been living off pies for weeks. He needs real food. I sneak him a sandwich before bed but he needs real food. The poor kid. Austin took him to a friend's house for the day and then had to go to the studio so I made all this food, I will hide it and then feed it to him."

"Carter and I vote we tell Austin his cooking sucks."

"I have Gracie's vote."

"Looks like we are 2 for 2."

"You are forgetting someone," Ava says pointing to her swollen belly. She has just started showing. She is in her second trimester - the nausea, sleepiness, and headaches have gone, but the craving remains. "Damit!" Hope groans and slides into a chair. "I know it's silly and if I had to tell him he would not be mad but...it was one of Gracie's favorite things about him and it has become one of mine too. I promised her and I don't want to break that promise. Please. You have to help me hide all this food," Ava says sitting back on the floor. Hope grumbles but gets up and starts helping Ava. They are only halfway through when they hear the front door open and Austin call out for Ava. "Get rid of everything! Dump it in the bin if you need to!" Ava hisses as she gets up and dashes out of the kitchen toward Austin. She needs to buy Hope some time.

She grinds to a halt in the middle of the passage,  frowning. She blinks her eyes then rubs them and looks at Austin again. He is standing in the still-open front door with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Your hair..."

"You like it?"

"I..." Ava stumbles with her words and walks closer to him, his hands curving around her belly as soon as she gets close enough. "You cut your hair..." Ava breathes out reaching up and running her hand over the now short strands just above his ear as he bends slightly. "Why?" she asks. "New beginnings, Peach. Grayson has a new bedroom, you have a baby in your belly and I held onto my long hair for so long because Gracie loved it so much."

"I loved it too."

"I know, but I am getting older...and I am ok with change, you keep me strong. I will always remember what Gracie felt like - long or short hair."

"You do look handsome."

"I bet you say that to all the boys," Austin says with a grin then leans down further and kisses her. Weak knees again. "It will take some getting used to, but if you are ready for that change then so am I," Ava says then giggles when Austin rubs his beard on her jaw before he pulls back, his hands still on her belly.

"You could not get any more trailer park?" Hope says walking up the front steps behind Austin with four large bags full of the food Ava had made. "A mullet?  Really?" she says pushing past them. Ava frowns again at Austin who grins and shows her the back of his head. He has a mullet, just a small one, and Ava is ashamed to say she likes it. She likes it very much. "Oh...I like that," she says when Austin turns around. "Thank you, Peach, but hold that thought...what is that sister of ours up to?" Austin says then walks toward the kitchen, Ava follows him nervously. What is Hope up to?

"What is all this?" Austin asks walking into the kitchen as Hope starts unpacking the containers of food. "This is me being a fantastic person. You are welcome," Hope says opening the large chest freezer and starting to pack the containers in the freezer. Austin looks at Ava who just shrugs, she does not know what to do or what's going on. "What are you doing? Seriously," Austin asks, he is starting to sound a little annoyed.

"Chill. Ava says you are cooking every night now. I thought I would help out and made a bunch of meals for you guys to freeze, again, you are welcome."

Austin picks up a container and looks at it suspiciously. "This is Ava's lasagna. It's Grayson's favorite," he says and squints at her.

"Ava and I are sisters, we share recipes and I know it's Grayson's favorite - that's why I made it."

"This is my container," Austin says holding up the container and then looking into the freezer, "these are all my containers," he says. Ava's heart drops, they are done for. Hope rolls her eyes and then grabs the container out of his hand. "Nice observation num nuts, why would I use my containers?  I took all these containers last time I was here so I would not have to use my containers for the food I was making for your house. I swear Austin, sometimes you have a child's brain," Hope says chucking the container into the freezer and closing the lid.

"Now is when you say thank you."

Austin looks confused then shakes his head. "Sorry, Hope. Thank you, this is very kind of you, but Ava has been asking me to cook and if she wants my meals then that's what she will get...but I do appreciate the sentiment."

"Oh...if I may...we wouldn't want all of Hopes's hard work to go to waste and it is Grayson's favorite. What if you cook for me and Grayson eats those meals? It's a win for everyone," Ava steps in. Austin still looks a little unsure but nods anyway. "Tremendous!" Hope says then sits down and grins as Austin's hands find Ava's belly again. "If you are not too tired, I am kind of hungry," Ava says, Austin's face breaks out in a smile, and then he gets busy making her a meal. "It's just not right, Ava," Hope whispers to Ava as they watch him. "I hate lying to him but it's a good lie, look how happy he is and I just can't bring myself to break that promise especially now with all the changes that are happening," Ava whispers back.

"I am not talking about that, I get why you are doing this. But, Ava - the man is coating that steak in toasted coconut shavings..."

"I know, he is a genius," Ava says, her mouth-watering.