What If

Content

That evening Brian sat in the living room flipping through the channels but the volume wasn't really loud enough to hear.

Kat was upstairs blaring some rap music loudly much to his chagrin. He had to show that kid some better music.

In front of him, Jessie was coloring singing in an off key voice. 

Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake  

Brian didn't know whether to cringe at the pop song he vaguely recognized or smile at her enthusiastic singing. She slowed her lyrics when she noticed him staring.

"That was very nice, Jess," he smiled reassuringly "What is it?"

"Shake it off by Taylor Swift," she mumbled.

"Ah...a classic," he said standing and stretching. "Please continue. I'm going to grab some milk...do you want some?"

"Yes daddy, thank you," she nodded turning her attention back to the coloring book. 

"Please, don't stop singing," he encouraged as he started to walk to the kitchen. She began again as his attention was drawn to the photos on the shelf in front of him. 20 or so snapshots. He stopped to study them as Jessie continued about bakers baking in the background. In every picture, his face was totally contented...his own face looking completely happy in the average world he was living in. It was enough to make him choke up.

"Daddy," Jessie's small voice broke through.

He turned, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. "Jess?"

"Milk?" she asked.

He nodded with a slight smile. "I'm on it."

As he walked into the kitchen, he noticed Kate sitting at the table scribbling on her yellow pad again.

He took a deep breath before pulling a chair out and dropping himself into it. "Hey," he said softly and she looked up with an exasperated expression. "I'm sorry I dropped that on you today. I should have talked to you...first."

"No," she shook her head and he was scared. "I'm sorry. I was stupid. This is like a huge opportunity for you and the guys....I'm very, very proud of you. And I want you to do it."

It was his turn for confusion. 

"You know...when you left...when you got on that bus...I thought it was over. That it was the end of us..but when you showed up on my doorstep...so sad because of everything that had happened...I was selfish. I was glad that it didn't work out because it brought you home. But I can see...that you missed that part of yourself." She leaned over to take his hand in hers. "I've been thinking about you...about what have been going through your mind after everything fell apart....and I can't believe I never thought to consider it before. We've just been so happy...or at least I thought we had been."

He watched her as she let out a small sigh.

"If you need this Brian....really need this...then I want you to do it. We can move to LA if that makes it work...I'll go wherever you are...wherever you need to go...because I love you."

He released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and she smiled. "I love you Brian and that's way more important than our address." She stood and walked over to kiss him on the forehead. "I choose us."

She turned and headed out of the room, leaving him there staring after her.

"Daddy!" Jessie's small voice cried. "Where is my milk?"

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Brian walked into the bedroom after an hour of trying to convince Jessie that there were no monsters under the bed and that one glass of water was sufficient enough to hold down her nighttime thirst. He chuckled to himself at how headstrong she was. 

The lights were off in the room and Kate was already sleeping.

He undressed in the dark as his eyes began to focus on her sleeping form. She never stirred with the noise he made. He lifted the covered and climbed into bed next to her, moving as close as he could, putting an arm around her, drawing her in.

In her sleep, she nestled into his embrace, a perfect fit. He yawned content and closed his eyes.

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When the morning light streamed into the room, Kate opened her eyes and jumped up. Brian wasn't in bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. She almost panicked but the sound of laughter from outside the window calmed her fears.

Throwing the covers back, she moved toward the window and opened the blinds to find Brian in the front yard playing keep away with the girls. Kat was the taller of the two and kept jumping to try to grab the frisbee but her father had it out of reach. Jessie anchored herself to his leg trying to bring him down. They were all laughing hysterically.

Kate smiled at the loves of her life.

"You can't get it," Brian teased. "I'm too tall."

"Watch me!" Kat yelled as she jumped over and over grabbing at his arm.

"Grab his other leg," Jessie yelled and Kat did even better and tackled him.

In his effort not to smash Jessie, he toppled over easily and they snatched the frisbee easily. 

"YAY! We're the best!" Kat yelled and they all laughed uncontrollably. Kat noticed Kate looking out of the window. "Look momma, we did it!"

Jessie started to run toward the window and Brian snagged her easily. Instead of fighting him, she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I love you daddy."