shivian: a forbidden love 🖤🫶🏻

chapter 43: ill take care of you

Third person pov:

Vivian and Siobhan had barely settled back into the rhythm of daily life after their long-awaited honeymoon. It had been two weeks since they returned from the peaceful beaches of Hawaii, where they’d escaped the chaos of parenting three young children for the first time in years. Jamie, their lively five-year-old, and the twins, Harper and Hailey, who were now eleven months old, had been left in the capable hands of Marjorie and Reece, their closest friends and trusted caregivers.

The break had been much needed. Parenting was a joy, but it was also exhausting. The twins, in particular, had been a whirlwind, with their first words spoken just before the honeymoon—Hailey proudly declaring "mama" and Harper coming up with her own version of her sisters name, "hay hay." They were both sweet, but the demands of infant twins and a busy preschooler had been challenging for Siobhan and Vivian to juggle.

Upon returning, they noticed something that tugged at their hearts: Harper and Hailey had formed an especially strong attachment to Marjorie. In fact, the twins would light up whenever Marjorie walked into the room, reaching out for her with tiny hands, clinging to her as if she'd always been part of their lives. At first, Vivian was happy to see how comfortable her girls were with their friends, but it wasn't long before a small pang of jealousy started to creep in. Siobhan, too, felt it, though she tried to push it aside. They reminded themselves how lucky they were to have someone like Marjorie who loved their kids as much as they did. Yet, the attachment was undeniable, and a part of them missed the constant closeness they'd had with the twins before the trip.

“Don’t worry,” Siobhan had reassured Vivian one night after putting the girls to bed. “It’s just a phase. We’re still their moms, and they know that.”

“I know,” Vivian had replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. “But it still feels weird. Like we missed something, even though it was only two weeks.”

“They’ll come back to us. Kids do that,” Siobhan had said, smiling softly, though her own heart ached a little.

---

It was a cool October morning when everything seemed to shift. Vivian had woken up with a pounding headache, chills coursing through her body despite the warm blankets wrapped around her. Siobhan, who had been up early preparing breakfast, noticed Vivian's absence from the kitchen and quietly made her way to their bedroom.

Vivian was still curled up under the covers, her normally bright eyes dull and tired. Siobhan immediately knew something was wrong.

"Viv, are you okay?" Siobhan asked, concern lacing her words as she sat down beside her wife on the bed.

"I don't feel good," Vivian mumbled, pulling the covers tighter around herself. Her skin was pale, and her forehead felt warm when Siobhan placed a hand on it.

"You're burning up," Siobhan said gently, her brow furrowing. "I think you're coming down with something."

Vivian groaned in response, burying her face in the pillow. "I can't be sick right now. The kids..."

"The kids are fine," Siobhan reassured her, stroking her back soothingly. "They're still with Marjorie and Reece, and I’ll call them to let them know what's going on. You need to rest, okay?"

Vivian nodded weakly, clearly too drained to argue. Siobhan quickly grabbed her phone and sent a text to Marjorie, explaining the situation. She knew Marjorie and Reece would keep the kids a little longer, giving them both peace of mind.

With Vivian in bed, Siobhan set to work. She started by brewing some herbal tea, hoping to soothe Vivian's sore throat and fever. As the water boiled, she called their family doctor to describe Vivian’s symptoms. It seemed like the flu, and while nothing urgent needed immediate attention, the doctor recommended plenty of fluids, rest, and keeping an eye on the fever. Siobhan felt a sense of relief knowing it wasn’t anything more serious, but it didn’t make her any less concerned.