Ever After

Chapter 10: The Day I Knew

To say this was the biggest celebration we had in my whole life was an understatement. Mark, Jess' husband, went to check the kids out from school. We were currently eating the biggest richest lunch that I've ever had. Jackson's hand is on my thigh and I eat contently as my mother tells some embarrassing story about my brother that has us dying. "Yeah yeah. Laugh it up. I didn't know that my head would get stuck." Raelynn cackles. "How could you not know idiot?" We laugh and Zane gives her a playful glare. "Mommy I have to use the restroom." I smile at Emma. "Okay. Come on sweetie." Jackson looks up at me. "Need help?" I shake my head. "No I think I've got it. Sadie if you need to go now's the time." She gets up taking my hand as I carry Emma on my side to the bathroom.

They go and I bring them back to the table after making them wash their hands. I get them settled and and Jackson's hand immediately goes to my thigh. He leans over to me while everyone else is lost in conversation. "Six." I make a face. "I'm sorry?" He points to the the six different men glancing in my direction. "Six different men want what I have. Don't you know I'm lucky? I never got a chance to tell you how beautiful you look." I hum. "Yeah well you know I love this work attire. It's the hottest thing I've ever seen." He smiles. "I love you." I hum pecking his lips. "I love you too."

We continue to eat and eventually Zane pipes up. "So you guys really gonna do it this time?" I look at my lap before glancing up at Jackson. "Yeah were really doing it this time." He says with a big smile before whispering an 'I promise' to me. Jess claps. "That means we get to go dress shopping! Oh and think about the little ones." She says with a pout. I laugh some.

"A promise is a promise." I say to him as Jess goes on about the dresses. "I'm well aware baby. I'm not letting you slip away. I can't. You keep me sane." I smile softly before kissing him. When we pull apart I notice that everyone's smiling at us. I hide my face in his neck. He laughs some. "Will you excuse us?" They all nod and continue on with their conversations. He helps me up before putting his arm around my waist and I lay my head on his shoulder as he takes me out of the restaurant.

"Hey." He says softly and I look up at him. "Look at that building." He says pointing to the sky where is building rises high over the others. "That was you. That was all you. You can't even imagine how many times I wanted to give up. How many times that I almost did." He presses his lips to mine. "But every day I came home to you and you would smile that beautiful smile and ask me how my day was. You were so happy that I was doing what I wanted. You backed me even if it seemed impossible. I remember the day clearly."

I look up at him. "What day?" He smiles softly. "The day I knew that, that beautiful smile would be my home and that my life couldn't be complete unless I was next you you everyday. That was the day I knew that you'd be my wife. My gorgeous amazing wife." I smile. "Tell me about it?" He rubs his thumb over the crinkles next to my eyes. "Gladly." He motions for me to sit on the bench right outside the restaurant and I do before he sits next to me.

"I had a horrible day at school. It was around my last year of college. I know that we got engaged long before that and I was happy and glad to marry you I promise but I guess I wasn't all completely sure at first. I'm sorry." I kiss him laughing some. "Jackie...finish." He smiles.

"Well I had just come home. Sadie was about five and Emma was about three. I was greeted by them first..."

Flashback

Jackson POV

"Daddy!" Sadie says wrapping herself around my leg. I huff harshly faking a smile. "Hey there little one." I feel Emma run into my leg. I smile contently down at her but not even her cute toddler run can't cheer me up today. I scoop them both up. "Emma!" Teagan says running in before hugging. "Oh thank God! I though she had run off!" She takes her from my arms. "Don't scare me like that." She presses a gentle kiss to her head. "Sadie take your sister and go wash up for dinner." They nod and I set Sadie down.

"How was your day baby?" She asks with the brightest smile. Her hair was thrown up and she head a stained shirt and some shorts on. "Not so good." She steps over to me. "Hey well I'm sorry to hear that but listen this family believes in you. We always will Jackie. Know that. Now come on maybe we can find away to turn this day happy again." I follow her into the kitchen. "I don't think that's possible."

She hums. "Don't underestimate me Jackie." She says turning her back to me. I sigh closing my eyes leaning back in the chair I know sit in. I feel a cool feeling on my lips and I open my eyes to see her lips covered in something red and there's a tray of paint in her hand. She sets it on the counter. "Make colors with me Jackie." She says softly before taking a seat in my lap kissing me and when we pull back her lips are now purple so I assume mine used to be blue.

"You are something else." She wipes her lips on my cheek. "You love me." She counters and I dip my finger in the paint and wipe it on her cheek. "That I do doll." Before too long we are covered in paint and laughing between kisses. "Mommy! Daddy!" She looks at them. "Sorry kiddos. I was just trying to cheer daddy up. Come on I'll get you food and me and daddy will wash up before joining you." They nod softly and she kisses me one last time before getting up.

End Of Flashback

Teagan POV

I laugh at him. "I remember that. It took forever to scrub that paint off and by the time we got down to the kids Emma had made a mess." He cups my face. "That's also another reason. You made your daily more difficult just to make my day all that better." He kiss me. "I love the hell out of you." I kiss him. "I love you too Jackie." There's a pause. "We should go back." He says and I nod. We get up and head back into the restaurant hand in hand and I know that I wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone else.

Enjoy!