Wandering Romance

There's a Storm You're Starting Now

Part II: Family Matters

_________________________________________________

Even though she nose-dived into motherhood, Aubrey feels like it has changed her for the better. As she grew up with strong and capable parents, she knew what it took to be a parent. But watching and being the product of her parents was nothing compared to actually raising your own.

She thinks she is able to see why her mom and mothers like Gemma are extremely fierce and protective of their children.

Being a mother changes a person and Aubrey hasn't known a love like any other until her daughter was laid into her arms.

At the tender age of 23, she feels motherhood has made her stronger and a little wiser. She has become a force of nature.

She knows others have noticed this, especially Jax.

With the six months that have followed Ava's birth, they have become strong parents. Of course, in the beginning there were some mistakes. Bouts of frustration and exhaustion with each other before they found a rhythm that worked. They were both first time parents with different philosophies of how they wanted to raise their daughter.

And she could admit with her postpartum emotions, she did take them out on Jax especially since he seemed to operate on weird hours for the club.

Now they found something that worked.

As parenthood brings them closer, she does keep her distance from Jax.

She's still guilty of allowing him in her bed to just sleep. She'll even let him steal the occasional kiss from her when he leaves, but she keeps all matters focused on Ava.

And it's not easy.

It would be easy to allow Jax back in. After her 6 week checkup, she was tempted to take advantage of Jax for the night. It wasn't like she was blind. Even with the distance, it wasn't as if her attraction to Jax was shut off. Considering that they had Ava now, she knows how good it was with Jax.

it's not like he would object either. She knows all she has to do is give him one look and he would gladly take her to bed. But even if she is looking for a release she isn't going to use her baby daddy like that.

So she keeps things strictly platonic. Of course, she has to work around his need to invade her personal space occasionally or the sense of entitlement over her he seems to have because she had his kid. She knows that she shouldn't tolerate his feeling of ownership over her, but for now, she's fine with it.

She's focused on Ava and isn't looking for a relationship.

...

"Aubrey, she is just the cutest little thing!" Payton gushes as she holds a giggling Ava. Payton is visiting Charming for her parents' 20th year wedding anniversary. This is also the first time that Payton has gotten to see Ava since her birth.

"Thanks, P," Aubrey replies. "I have to admit Jax can make a pretty baby."

"Like you had nothing to do with it."

Aubrey shrugs her shoulders with a small smile.

"So tell me how is that working with friend-zoning baby daddy is going?"

Aubrey rolls her eyes. "I'm not friend-zoning him."

Payton snorts. "You never told me what went wrong between you two."

Aubrey sighs as she runs her hand through her hair. "Jax is a very complicated man."

"But you still got pregnant by him."