Passion's Instinct

Thirty Nine

Natalie

I woke up a few nights later to Sawyer at my side, whining something I couldn't make out.

I squinted through the darkness at him and leaned down beside him. "What is it, baby?" I asked him. "Are you alright?"

"My legs hurt," he cried.

I looked over at Hayden, who was fast asleep on his side of the bed. Turning back to Sawyer, I lifted him and carried him back to his room so he wouldn't wake Hayden up.

"Your legs hurt?" I asked as I sat him on his bed.

"Yeah. They hurt all over, badly!"

"Do you mean achy? Sharp pain or --"

"Yes."

"Achy?"

"Yes." He sniffed, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand.

At that answer, my heart just melted. My baby was growing up!

Slowly, I tucked him back in bed, and once he had laid back down and gotten situated, I kissed his forehead. "You're just having growing pains.

"Do you want me to massage your legs, honey?" I asked him, and he looked at me, his bottom lip sticking out and tears in his eyes.

"Will it help?" he asked me.

"Of course," I said, smiling softly.

"Yes, please. Can you do it?"

I nodded and started to rub his legs, and after about ten minutes, Sawyer was asleep.

I smiled again, this time wider, and tears sprang to my eyes. "Goodnight. I love you." I kissed him and walked back out of his room, cracking the door.

Looking back towards his room, I wiped a tear trickling down my cheek. I felt so stupid, crying about my son having growing pains. But it made me so upset to think that he was getting older and bigger. Eventually, he would be taller than me, which made me even more upset.

As I turned my head back around to walk back in my room, I bumped into Hayden. I stumbled, but he caught me before I could fall.

"Thanks," I breathed. "What are you up for?"

He rubbed his one eye and looked at me, seeming exhausted. "I heard you. I got up to go to the bathroom and decided that after that I would come to see what was wrong," he stated simply.

"Oh. Well, everything's fine."

Hayden waited a second, studying me. "Okay." He paused again, as if waiting for an answer.

"Growing pains," I said, sighing. I rubbed my temples and looked up at him. "We should go to bed."

"Yeah," he replied, turning and starting to walk back to our room. I followed him in and laid back down in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"So. Growing pains?" Hayden asked, lying back down beside me.

"Yes."

He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. "Why, why, why..."

I laughed softly, turning my head to look at him. "I know. I was thinking the same thing."

"Sawyer, right?"

"Yep."

He shook his head, saying, "I feel like he was just born yesterday. Now he's not only getting older, but bigger."

"I know."

"Natalie?"

"Hayden."

"We need to stop our kids from growing."

"If that was possible, I would be all for it."

"Natalie?"

"Hayden."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."