Children {s.m}

4: Bad News (I)

"Daddy! Daddy! Let me do it!" Lilly squealed, running behind Shawn, who was showing the children the right way to fly a kite. Jack examined the rainbow-colored kite above him, its vivid colors contrasting with the blueness of the sky. Shawn chuckled as he slowed down into a walking pace. The kite dance in the air for a few seconds before it fell onto the wet grass. Then, your husband turned around and handed your oldest daughter the kite winder.

"Take turns, okay?" Shawn wrapped his arms around Lilly and Jack, kissing them on their forehead.

"Okay," Lilly squirmed impatiently out of Shawn's grasp.

"I'm going to sit with mommy," Shawn said, his hazel eyes traveled to where you were.

Shawn kissed them one more time before letting them run free across the grass. You smiled when you saw that he's making his way toward you. His hair glistened under the warm glow of the sun, and his brown eyes turned to a shade of dark gold.

"What are you listening to?" Shawn asked as he approached you.

"Fallin' All In You," you smiled when he brushed his lips against yours, softly, only for a second.

"I thought your favorite song was Imagination," Shawn said, puzzled.

"Every one of your songs is my favorite," you handed him one of your earphones as he sat down on the bench next to you. He gladly took it, and the both of you just sat there quietly, listening to the lightness of his voice in the song. You put your head on his shoulder and closed the lids of your eye. The melody of "Fallin' All In You" played inside your head smoothly. You could feel Shawn wrapped his protective arms around your shoulders as you shifted to bury your face into his chest.

"Are you tired?" Shawn asked, caressing your cheeks with his thumb.

"Exhausted," you mumbled a reply, "but I'm fine."

"How long did you stay up last night?" Shawn asked in concern, the tip of his fingers brushed against one of the closed eyelids of your eye.

"I don't remember, but I woke up three times during the night," you said, "Once when I heard Gracie started to cry. The second time, I startled awake when I thought I heard her cries, but I only found her sleeping soundlessly in her bed. I woke up for the third time when I felt a pair of arms wrapped around my waist," you smiled uncontrollably at the memory of this.

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Gracie sat on Shawn's forearm, her chin resting on Shawn's shoulders and one of her arms clung to his neck. Shawn smiled as he tickled Gracie under her chin, Gracie squirmed and giggled delightfully.

"Mommy!" You heard your older children shouted behind you.

You quickly turned your attention away from Shawn and Gracie; who was walking back towards you.

"Can you get that for us?" Lilly asked, tugging on your hand with a hopeful smile that rose up to her expression.

Lilly and Jack were pointing to their kite, which was laying on the oil green leaves of a 30-foot tree. The tree was not tall, and it looked sturdy enough to fit the weight of an average adult. You sneaked a worried glance back at Shawn, who started speed walking towards you. Noticing what's going on, Shawn threw you a disapproving look as if he knew what you're thinking. You gave him a mischievous smile, shrugged, and ran toward the tree.

"Don't worry. I'll get it for you," you patted Lilly's back.

"Y/N!" You heard Shawn shouting your name anxiously from a distance away.

Jack furrowed his eyebrows and shared an acknowledging look with Lilly.

"Maybe we shouldn't let mommy help us at all," Jack whispered to Lilly.