Mr.Brightside

Chapter 13

Clara

I woke up to the sound of rain pattering against the window, a soft, soothing rhythm that made me want to stay curled up in bed forever. Jack was still asleep beside me, his breathing slow and even, and I took a moment to just watch him, feeling a deep sense of contentment.

Our lives had been busy since we got back from our honeymoon, but we were finding our groove. The little moments we carved out for each other-a shared breakfast, a walk in the park, or a quiet evening on the couch-kept us connected, reminded us of what really mattered.

But as much as I loved those moments, there was something else lingering in the back of my mind, something I hadn't quite found the courage to bring up with Jack yet. I had been thinking a lot about our future lately, and as much as I was enjoying our life together right now, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more, something we hadn't yet discussed in depth.

Thoughts of the Future

As I lay there, listening to the rain, my mind drifted to the idea of starting a family. It was something we had talked about in passing, but never really sat down and made a plan for. I wasn't sure why it had suddenly become so important to me, but the thought of having children, of raising a family with Jack, had been occupying more and more of my thoughts lately.

The idea both excited and terrified me. I knew that having kids would change everything, that it would be the biggest challenge we had ever faced together. But I also knew that it could be one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives.

The problem was, I wasn't sure how Jack felt about it. We had always been on the same page about most things, but this felt different. What if he wasn't ready? What if he didn't want the same things I did?

I sighed softly, trying to push the thoughts away, but they kept creeping back in. I needed to talk to him about it, to see where he stood, but the timing never seemed right. There was always something else going on, something that made it easy to push the conversation to the back burner.

But I knew I couldn't avoid it forever. We had made a promise to each other, to always communicate, to always be honest about what we wanted and needed. And this was something I needed to talk about, even if I wasn't sure how to bring it up.

A Rainy Morning

Jack stirred beside me, blinking awake as the rain continued to fall outside. He smiled sleepily when he saw me watching him, reaching out to pull me closer.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Morning," I replied, snuggling into his embrace.

We lay there for a while, enjoying the warmth and comfort of each other's presence. But even as we talked about our plans for the day, the thought of that looming conversation lingered in the back of my mind, making it hard to fully relax.

Eventually, we got up and made our way to the kitchen, where Jack started making coffee while I prepared breakfast. The rain continued to fall, turning the morning into a cozy, quiet affair. It was the perfect setting for a deep conversation, but I couldn't bring myself to start it. Instead, I focused on the task at hand, chopping vegetables for an omelet and trying to keep my mind from racing.

Jack seemed to sense that something was on my mind, but he didn't push. He was good at that, giving me space when I needed it, knowing that I would come to him when I was ready. It was one of the things I loved most about him, but today, it just made me feel more anxious.

Finally, as we sat down to eat, I took a deep breath and decided to just go for it.

"Jack," I began, my voice steady but soft, "I've been thinking a lot about our future lately."

He looked up from his plate, his expression curious but calm. "What about it?"

I hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I've been thinking about... starting a family. About having kids."

Jack's fork paused halfway to his mouth, and I could see the surprise in his eyes. He set the fork down slowly, his expression shifting to something more serious.

"Clara, I... I didn't realize you were thinking about that already," he said, his voice careful, as if he was weighing every word.

I nodded, feeling a knot of tension in my chest. "I know we haven't really talked about it in detail, but it's been on my mind a lot lately. I don't want to rush into anything, but I think it's something we need to discuss."

Jack leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful as he processed what I had said. "I guess I've been so focused on work, on just getting through each day, that I haven't really given it much thought," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm not open to it. I just... I want to make sure we're ready, you know?"

"I do," I said quickly, wanting to reassure him. "And I feel the same way. I don't want to rush into it either. But I think it's something we should start talking about, start planning for, so that when we are ready, we're on the same page."

Jack nodded slowly, his expression softening as he reached across the table to take my hand. "You're right. We should talk about it. I want to make sure we're both ready, both excited about the idea. And if that's something you want, then I want it too."

His words brought a wave of relief washing over me, and I squeezed his hand, feeling a smile tugging at my lips. "Thank you, Jack. I wasn't sure how you would feel about it, but I'm glad we're on the same page."

"Me too," he said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze in return. "Let's take our time with this, okay? We'll talk about it, figure out what we both want, and make a plan that works for us."

I nodded, feeling a sense of peace settle over me. It wasn't an easy conversation, but it was an important one, and I was glad we had finally had it. There was still a lot to figure out, but I knew we would do it together, just like we always had.

As we finished our breakfast, the rain outside began to taper off, the clouds giving way to patches of blue sky. It felt symbolic, like a sign that we were moving forward, clearing the way for whatever came next.

A New Chapter Begins

Over the next few days, Jack and I continued to talk about our future, slowly and carefully, making sure we were both comfortable with the direction we were heading. It wasn't always easy-there were moments of doubt, moments when we weren't sure if we were ready for such a big change-but we kept the lines of communication open, and that made all the difference.

We started talking about practical things too, like our finances, our living situation, and how we would balance work and family life. It was a lot to consider, but we approached it like we did everything else: as a team.

One evening, as we sat on the couch together, I realized just how far we had come in such a short time. We were no longer just newlyweds, basking in the glow of our honeymoon; we were partners, building a life together, planning for the future, and facing the challenges that came our way.

And as daunting as it all seemed, I knew that we could handle it. We had already proven that we could navigate the ups and downs of life together, and I had no doubt that we would continue to do so, no matter what the future held.

With Jack by my side, I felt ready for anything. And as we continued to talk, to plan, and to dream about the future, I knew that this was just the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in our lives.

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