Married To Fire

Chapter 40: Annual BBQ

4 Years Later

Raelyn is turning four in the next few months. Both Braden and Shelby took leave after Raelyn was born, making the transition into parenting a lot easier. Braden going back to work 2 months before Shelby did. Raelyn was an easy baby and an even easier toddler so far, being very vocal. Sometimes Braden and Shelby work opposite shifts and sometimes they work the same. In that case Miranda comes over to watch her or she goes to the hospital daycare. Both parents have tried taking Raelyn to the yearly BBQ's before, when she was 2 but too young. The noise and activities upsetting her. This year they are trying again.

Shelby is standing in Raelyn's room, Raelyn on the bed. The little girl getting Shelby's curly brown hair. Shelby putting them in pigtails on top of her head with red, white and blue ribbons off of them.

"Rae please stay still for two minutes," Shelby pleads.

"Yes momma," Raelyn says as Shelby kisses her forehead, finishing her hair.

"Go find daddy," Shelby smiles, setting her on the floor. She takes off out of the bedroom and down the hall straight to her parents room. She runs in the bathroom seeing Braden in front of the mirror, shaving his face up a bit.

"Daddy me too," Raelyn says, putting the toilet seat down and standing on it. "Me too!"

"You don't need this stuff," he winks at her, cleaning up and drying his face. Once all the hazards are away, he picks his daughter up and carries her out to the bedroom.

"Where's mommy?" Braden asks sitting on the bed beside her pulling on his socks.

"I dunno," she shrugs right as Shelby walks in.

"You little fibber. You knew where I was," Shelby points at her cutely, tickling her.

"Daddy help!" Raelyn calls out, trying to crawl over to Braden.

Braden grins at the sight of Raelyn crawling to him. He finally picks her up and moves Raelyn behind him. Braden begins to tickle Shelby. Raelyn giggling and helping her dad.

"Alright you cheaters," Shelby laughs. "Raelyn go grab your dolly please."

Raelyn doing what she is told.

"Are we ready?" Braden asks a few minutes later, grabbing his keys and phone.

"Yes!" Raelyn squeals, carrying her doll. Braden grabs Raelyn. Shelby grabs the pasta salad as they all head out to the truck.

"Now don't eat all that pasta salad Rae," Braden smiling and pulling out of the driveway.

"Yes daddy," Raelyn's toothy grin emerging from behind her lips.

"My ladies are looking beautiful."

"You aren't looking too bad yourself," Shelby laughs.

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They pull up to the BBQ about 10 minutes later, Shelby getting Raelyn out, the little girl holding Shelby's dress tightly. She's not afraid of other people but the 50 or so that are there making her a bit nervous. Shelby runs her hand across the little girls head.

"Braden can you grab the pasta salad?"

He nods getting it out and walking the container to where the rest of the food is.

"Makeout with your wife in the car or something," one of the guys comes up smiling, nudging him.

"No," Braden laughs, wiping off the lipstick. "I kissed her. You know, husbands do that with their wives."