Free (Sequel to Trapped)

Ch. 165

Ariana

Friday, 9:30 pm

I wake up to darkness in the bedroom, except for the bathroom light, which is on and allowing me to see Justin walking around the room, rocking Bella.

"Baby?" I whisper, followed by a cough.

Justin looks over to me, smiling immediately.

"Hey, Queen. How do you feel?" He walks over to the bed, continuing to rock Bella in his arms.

"My throat is worse. It feels like it's swelling. I don't know."

"Yeah, I heard my baby coughing. In your sleep, by the way."

"I was coughing in my sleep? I didn't even know that was possible." I reach my hand up and stroke Bella's hair.

"Is she sleeping?"

"Almost. Been doing this for about twenty minutes now. She goes to sleep, but then I stop and she wakes up. So I'm waiting for her to go back to sleep, then I won't stop."

"And that's why you're super daddy." Justin resumes rocking Bella around the room before she wakes up.

"Where's Aviella?" I ask, picking up my phone to look at the time.

"Still asleep. I think she's out for the night. Unless she wakes up hungry."

"That is excellent news."

"What do you need me to do, babe?"

"Huh?"

"What do you need?

"I need tea before I die of sore throat."

"I don't think you can die of sore throat but I will make my baby some tea."

"Wait! I wanna come." This sudden outburst causes me to cough uncontrollably.

That may be a little dramatic but still.

I get out of the bed and follow Justin to the kitchen.

"Can you take her? I can't exactly make tea while holding a baby."

"I can." Justin carefully gives Bella to me and she starts to wake up but I use my mommy magic to rock her back to sleep.

I lean down and plant a kiss on her forehead, moving tiny strands of her long hair away from her eyes. I watch Justin do everything he needs to make the tea, admiring his amazing-ness.

"I don't appreciate you walking around my house wearing nothing but a jacket and panties that are doing a bad job of covering anything."

"Not my fault. Tell your company to make underwear that actually cover something."

"It's not my company."

"You basically own that place."

"I don't think I do. What are you talking about?"

"I think you do. And that's just because I'm your wife and I think everything you do is amazing."

"Disrespectful. You really are."

"I know. I really try my hardest to be disrespectful. It's also really fu-"

"I'm gonna poison your tea. And no one will ever hear from you again."

"Lies. You would never do that."

"I know I wouldn't. I love you too much." Justin brings my tea to me and I smile as he takes Bella from me.

I wait for it to cool off a little bit, following Justin to the living room. We sit on the couch and he turns on the TV, finding something for us to watch.

I drink the tea, slowly, because it's hot and also because it hurts to swallow.

9:49 pm

"Justin, it's getting worse." I say.

"What is, Queen?"

"My throat. I'm really trying to drink this tea and it hurts to swallow."

"I'm sorry, baby. What should I do?"

"I don't even know. I just wanna go to sleep again."

"I'm coming with you. Let's go to bed."

Justin turns the TV off and we go to our bedroom.

"I'm scared to put her down. She might wake up." Justin says as I get in the bed.

"Don't put her down then. She likes to sleep on your chest, you know?"

"Yes, I do know." Justin lays next to me with Bella on his chest.

"I hope you get better, baby girl. I love you."

"Love you too, baby boy."