The Love Between US [BxBxB]

15. Renewed Jealousy

*MATTY POV*

"Peep, Peep, Peep," 

Novalee chirps as she takes a handful of feed and tosses it to the seven hens and a few chicks with her brothers. My youngest daughter, who was usually braver than Rumi, now stood in between my legs, frozen and unable to move out of fear.

"That's right baby, little chicks go peep, peep, peep, see. The babies won't hurt you, look they're soft and fluffy," I told her as I took her small hand in mine and to reach out for the tiny chick eating the feed Nova had tossed. 

"No mama!" she squealed and quickly retreated into my chest while her brothers were having a blast chasing the chickens and pretending they were little chicks under their new nanny's watchful eyes. I chuckled deeply and wrapped my arms around her while rocking her from side to side. 

"Oh Nova, what are we going to do with you? Don't tell me you're scared of a few little chickens! You know mommy's going to protect you," I remind her but she shook her head, refusing to move.

I felt someone's presence behind me and turned my head to find Luca smiling as he watched our boys run around the pen. He had his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans with the sun reflecting off his burgundy baseball t-shirt as he raked his hands through his neatly combed hair. That beautiful smile of his was so genuine as he watched the little ones play that it was contagious and my own smile grew.

"They're growing so fast," Luca sighed before tilting his head down and catching my dreamy gaze while I sat on the stump with my fearful Nova. 

"I know, they're going to be two years old pretty soon, can you believe it?" I sighed and Nova, upon hearing one of her father's voices, decided to come out of hiding and peeked her head up.

"Papa! Peep Peeps scary!" She told him and he squatted down to her height, looking her in the eyes as he tilted her chin up.

"Baby, there's a lot of things in this world that are scary, but it's only by facing the scaring things in life that we can turn our fears into strength," He tells her and gently pecks her tiny lips which hung on his every word in awe. 

"Look, they're not going to do anything see?" Luca reached out and pet the speckled chick, which continued to eat its feed, Novalee silently watched him, examining his every move before turning away from me.

"Mama hold me!" She demanded as she reached her hand to me and I took it, holding her little hand as she reached out and touched the little chick her Papa was cradling in his hands. 

"See? There's no need to be scared baby girl," He gently reminded her and she finally cracked a smile as she let go of my hand to pet the little chick.

"She's nice," Novalee cooed as she pet the fuzzy creature that was once unknown and Luca kissed her forehead. I felt a strong pair of arms suddenly surround me and giggled as Thomas' well-maintained stubble tickled my cheek. 

"You guys don't look ready to go," He pouts and Luca put the chick down, letting Nova run off to play with her brothers. 

"I'll have you know, I am very ready I just got distracted by this beautiful man in our chicken coop," Luca chuckles and stands up to dust himself off.

"Hmm, funny cause I did too," Thomas sighs and I pushed him off me.

"God you guys are ridiculous, stop calling me beautiful. I'm...I'm not," I told them honestly and I could tell neither one of them liked my response but I didn't give a shit, I'll say what I want, especially when it's the truth.

I subconsciously clutched my sides where my stretch marks from the quads were and sighed, embarrassed by my stupid body and hating it for not being what it use to be no matter how hard I worked.