I'll Come Running

Chapter 69

A week had gone by and Jessie and Rafe were still at a stale mate, and just in time for Christmas Eve too. After their one night stand with each other they both found it in their hearts to at least table the argument enough to get through the holidays, and then they would deal with what life would look like afterwards. Surprisingly, the agreement actually satisfied the both of them, and allowed them to put on genuine smiles and laughs as they went about their days and raised their daughter.

Of course, they still had their rifts, the main one for Jessie being that Rafe felt it was necessary for her to distance herself from the Manhattan Mayhem due to keeping up an image she didn't care about. The main rift for Rafe being that she didn't want the life he promised her... the life she was made for because of her upbringing. If he was honest, Ward himself would have wanted Jessie as his wife, considering how poised her words could be and how unashamed she was of conflict. Although she was a little rough around the edges, Rafe just figured she needed more time to get used to the role, so he stayed persistent despite her clear disappointment.

"Charleyyyy..." Jessie woke her daughter up from her sound sleep. "Guess what day it iiiiis." She whispered as she gently shook her daughter awake. She invited Rafe to help her, but he still struggled with waking his little girl from her sleep knowing how grumpy she got. The child groaned and rolled over away from her mother.

"Uncle JJ is coming in today!" Jessie finally spilled with excitement, to which the toddler flipped back over and gasped.

"Uncle JJ?!" She asked as she sat up with wide eyes and an unforgettable grin.

"That's right! Him and aunt Sarah and everyone else are coming in for Christmas!"

"Christmas?!" Charley asked once more. Jessie laughed because her and Rafe had discussed Christmas with her plenty of times this past week, yet she always forgot and was amazed all over again every time the idea was reintroduced. "Yayayayayay!" Charley rang throughout the house as she skipped out of her room and all the way into the kitchen with Jessie following close behind with a smile.

Charley rounded the corner to find her father standing at the kitchen counter.

"Daddyyyy!"

"Good morning, baby." Rafe replied with a smile as he stirred a cup of coffee in his hands. He gave his wife a smile as he walked over to her, handing her the mug and kissing her on the cheek softly. She was surprised at the gesture, but took it as a sign that they were getting better each day, little by little.

"Thank you." She cooed, but their little moment didn't last long as their daughter pulled on her father's sweatpants to get his attention.

"Daddy." She said once more.

"Yes, darling." He responded as he looked down at the toddler.

"I want breakfast."

"Well what do you want?" He asked, even though the both of them already knew the answer. Charley gave Rafe a shy smile and wild eyes. "Let me guess... the same thing you've wanted every morning this week?"

The child nodded her head frantically and began to bounce up and down out of excitement. Rafe laughed and pulled his daughter up to sit on his hip.

"Strawberry toaster strudels it is." Rafe answered his own question as he paraded around the kitchen with the toddler to get the toaster and the pastries out of the freezer. Thankfully, Charley had done her part in making sure her father knew she didn't need any professional chefs. Her palate was not near refined enough to need such fancy meals. Besides, to Charley, nothing could compare to the toaster strudel her father would make her each morning. Knowing the routine, Rafe went ahead and made a whole box for all of them.