A New Wave

9

"Who's idea was it to run before work?" Miranda asked, sipping her water.

"Yours." He chuckled.

"My legs hurt now." She laughed, putting a pot of water on the stove.

"I told you we could have stopped at 1 mile, but you wanted to push yourself."

"We've been working out for a few weeks. I wanted to get further. Did you see all the neighbors were out and speaking to you?"

"To me? They spoke to you too."

"They didn't even know I existed and it's the same women who keep bringing food over here."

"They are being nice and neighborly because we lost our friends. They were friends with K and Eric as well. That's what people do when you're in mourning."

"We are well out of mourning, that's why we went back to work."

"Look I'm just glad they are not trying to set me up with people anymore. I was over it."

"That was years ago." She laughed while making Wave a quick breakfast.

Ben held the toddler and bounced her up and down on his knee. She was asleep in her stroller for the majority of their jog, but now she was irritable and hungry.

"Here you go, honey," Miranda said, handing her some blocks to settle her a bit.

"Thanks."

"No problem. You want me to take over breakfast? I can put her in her chair,"

"You can if you want to."

"I don't have to work today so it's fine. Plus every time you move you flinch. Go soak in the tub with Epsom salt. You got a good amount of time before you have to be to work."

"Thank you. I will."

Miranda gave Ben a soft smile before heading upstairs to the bathroom. She could feel the soreness in her legs intensify with every step. This shit was no joke

Ben watched her disappear before turning his attention to Waverly, who was now tapping her blocks together, her big curious eyes flicking up at him.

“Alright, sweetie.” He said, standing up and carrying her over to her high chair. “Let’s get you all set up.”

He buckled her in, then began fix to her some scrambled eggs with sausages. When she started whining he pulled out some cut-up strawberries and placed a few pieces on her tray. “Strawberries.” He said slowly, pointing at the fruit. "Say Strawberry."

Waverly mimicked what he said, though it came out more like “staw-bee.”

“Close! Good try, Waverly,” Ben praised, placing another piece in front of her. “What about this one? Straw-ber-ries.”

“Staw-bee,” she repeated, grinning at him. "Yay, Waverly." She told him and clapped for herself.

Ben laughed and immediately clapped too. He watched as she ate the strawberry and clapped again. He flipped the eggs and sausages onto a plate and brought the food over to her tray. “Eggs,” he said, holding a forkful up.

“Eh,” Waverly mimicked, poking at the food with her tiny fingers.

“Almost,” Ben laughed, handing her the fork. She quickly began to stuff her mouth and he shook his head. "No don't do that. One at a time." He argued, but she swallowed it anyway.

"Don't do that again. One like this." He instructed before giving her an example.

"Did you leave me any?" Miranda teased, kissing the side of her head.