happy never after

Chapter four

Then

Madelyn

I wake up gently to the sound of our alarm, dreading the day ahead. Today, I have to leave Jaden for a family vacation. It feels strange going without him; after all, he's family to me.

"Morning already?" Jaden mumbles into his pillow, his voice filled with sleepiness as he rubs his eyes awake.

"Mhm," I reply, snuggling closer to him as he wraps his arms around my waist. "You know, I think this clock is broken," he says, his face buried in my neck, sending delightful shivers down my spine.

"Is that so?" I tease, running my hands through his hair before he pulls away to kiss me. "Oh, definitely," he responds, breaking the kiss. "Either the clock's broken or you're broken."

"Wow, such a romantic thing to say to your wife," I playfully retort, attempting to move out of his grasp. But he pulls me back almost immediately and kisses me again.

"C'mon, darling, you know what I mean," he pleads, kissing me back. "Oh, do I now?" I tease, reveling in our morning routine. It's the perfect start to my day, every single morning.

"Oh, yeah," he murmurs between kisses, his hands now cupping my face as he pulls back to gaze at me. "What?" I inquire, feeling his intense stare.

"You're so beautiful, do you know that?" he whispers, his words filled with genuine admiration. He tells me this every morning, and every time, it melts my heart. Before I can respond, he continues, "I mean it, Mads. You're the most breathtaking person I've ever seen."

I can't help but smile, too overwhelmed to reply. "I'm so lucky to wake up with you every day and go to sleep with you every night. I've hit the jackpot."

"I love you," I manage to say as I kiss him, feeling a rush of affection. "I love you so much, Jaden," I add, running my fingers through his hair before pulling him into a hug.

After a few moments, I reluctantly pull away. "I have to get up," I announce, but he holds onto my hand.

"Aww, come on, a few more minutes," he pleads, his voice filled with longing.

"I can't, baby," I reply, slowly moving away from the bed. But his grip on my hand remains firm as he brings it up to his lips and places a soft kiss.

"Good morning, baby," he says, his eyes filled with warmth. I walk over to him, running my fingers through his hair as I whisper, "Morning."

As we held each other close, time seemed to slow down, allowing us to bask in the warmth of our embrace a little while longer. There was a certain magic in the air, a feeling of closeness and intimacy that filled the room with an almost tangible sweetness. But like all good things, our moment of bliss couldn't last forever.

With a soft sigh, I reluctantly pulled away from Jaden, feeling a pang of sadness tug at my heart as I glanced at the clock. "I guess I should start getting ready," I murmured, my voice laced with regret.

Jaden's eyes softened with understanding, mirroring the reluctance I felt deep within. "Yeah, we don't want to be late," he agreed, his tone gentle yet tinged with a hint of sadness.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself for the inevitable goodbye that loomed over us. "I'll go make breakfast," I offered, forcing a smile despite the heaviness in my heart.

Jaden's smile faltered slightly, his eyes reflecting the bittersweetness of the moment. "I'll come help," he said, determination coloring his voice as he rose from the bed with graceful purpose.