successful ; david dobrik

epilogue

LORELEI

When I wake up, all I know for sure is that I'm not supposed to be up this early. If past patterns were meant to be any indication, the idea of me being awake and out of bed on a Sunday morning before at least eleven is absolutely absurd, and yet today it's particularly sunny outside and somehow the curtains in the bedroom got left open, and so while I should have been spending the morning lazing about, I've currently got an eyeful of bright sunlight that has me squinting and blinking my eyes just before eight.

The other tell-tale sign that I'm definitely supposed to be asleep is the fact that the bed is empty beside me, a rare occurrence on Sunday mornings. While lazy or sluggish are absolutely the last words to describe David, who is definitely the most driven and motivated person I know, he's more than willing to spend Sundays tucked into bed with me, our bodies intertwined.

My hand roams around the mattress beside me, checking for a final time to make sure I'm alone before a soft sigh leaves my lips. Sunday mornings are generally our only alone time, and so with slight disappointment I lift myself out of bed and shuffle towards the bathroom.

Five minutes later, my teeth are brushed and my body is wrapped in a soft, silky robe that leaves me warm and cozy and somehow even sleepier than when I first put it on. The stairs creak as I make my way down them, a smile tugging across my lips as I hear David's voice downstairs.

My foot hits the bottom step and I'm immediately assaulted by the sound of loud chatter and morning cartoons playing in the kitchen. When I walk down the hallway, running my fingers through my hair, I catch a whiff of the smell of coffee and perk up even more, poking my head around the corner to be greeted by my favorite sight in the entire world.

David is stood in the kitchen leaning against the counter with our baby settled on the marble countertop, iPad on the surface beside her. His hair is a ruffled mess and she's wearing a dinosaur onesie that has a giant stain on it, her bottle laying discarded on the kitchen floor. His eyes dart over to meet mine and a smile drags across his lips. "What are you two doing awake so early?" I ask, unable to stop myself from smiling as Penelope looks up, clearly happy after hearing my voice. She gurgles out a noise and makes grabby hands towards me, giggling.

I make my way over to the island and take the baby in my arms, balancing her on my hip. "Hi, baby," I coo, biting down on the inside of my cheek as I gaze down into her brown eyes. She's begun to look so much like David, her eyes an exact replica.

"Penny was crying," David says, leaning in to press a kiss to my temple. "I decided to make you some breakfast," He gestures towards the stove, where a pancake lays burnt in a pan. "I, uh, kinda burned it."

I bite down on my bottom lip and shake my head, letting out a soft laugh. "You should've woken me up," I say, setting Penelope down on the countertop again, watching as she begins to toy with the case on the iPad. There's a kid show playing on the tablet and yet she seems more interested in the piece that dangles from the case, tugging and pulling on it instead of looking at the show. I bend over and pick up the bottle that rests on the floor, setting it on the counter.

"You were up all night with her. Besides, Penny loves father-daughter time." I raise a brow at David's words but don't debate it, a smile on my lips as I make my way towards the fridge. I open it and take out a container of strawberries. "You want some coffee, petal?" David asks, as I pick up a cutting board and begin slicing the fruit into even pieces.

I let out a soft hum at the suggestion. "Yes, please," I reply, glancing over my shoulder when I hear a clatter. Penelope kicks her legs and lets out a giggle, her brown eyes wide and practically sparkling with mischief. Her bottle lays on the floor once more, her hands culprit as she babbles out nonsense. "Thank you, bub," I say when David places a white, ceramic mug on the counter in front of me. He hums out a response and presses a kiss to my shoulder, quick to brisk away to sweep Penelope up in his arms.

I glance over my shoulder just in time to catch our baby reaching up to tug on a wisp of hair that falls in David's eyes, a smile on his lips. My heart feels full and warm in my chest and I think, with a spark of joy, that in seven months there'll be another baby to look after. "God, can you believe us?" David asks as he enters the kitchen once more. I can hear Penelope from where she's sat in the living room, the baby-gate rattling as she tugs on it. "We've gotten this parenting thing down pretty well, don't you think?"

I roll my eyes and let out a soft laugh, turning to face him. He's wearing a green shirt that stretches across his broad shoulders and a pair of flannel pajama pants, his hair a mess and yet still effortlessly perfect. There's slight bags under his eyes and a ghost of stubble across his jaw, and yet he still looks as attractive as ever. "Mm," I hum, leaning against the counter. "I don't know about that," I say, taking a sip from my mug of coffee. I set it down and let my hands wander to my stomach. I don't have a bump yet, although pale pink stretchmarks are left as a reminder of my previous pregnancy.

David approaches me, pressing a soft kiss to my mouth as he leans in. I sigh against his lips, bringing my arms up to drape over his shoulders. "I love you," He whispers, pulling away slightly to look down at me. "How are you feeling?"

I smile. "Good," I say, bringing my hands up to cup his face. "Really good." And it's true, because as my eyes dart over to where our seven month old is banging her tiny fists against the baby-gate, desperate to gather her father's attention, I couldn't be happier. David places his hands on my stomach and smiles before reluctantly moving off to go entertain the baby on the floor.

As I watch them, I can't help but feel a wave of emotion rush over me. Maybe it's the pregnancy leaving me so emotional, my heart swelling in my chest as David tickles Penny's sides, her lips parted in loud laughter, a bubbly giggle that makes me so, so happy. I've never been happier than I am now at this stage in my life, and I can only imagine that it's only going to get better as time goes on.