PROMISE

Date

A week with the new rules was a complete 180 from the hell Bradley and Gaga originally fell into. They started to have regular sleep schedules, they remembered to eat and were able to get back to juggling their own personal lives and their jobs. They had a routine and as long as they stuck to the routine, they were solid gold. 

Bradley walked in to the home seeing Gaga guiding Jackson between her legs, helping him to walk. "Hey, sorry I'm late. I ran to my house to grab some things." He dropped his things off neatly in the foyer, making his way into the kitchen for a beer. 

"That's ok." She cooed down at Jackson who was all bright smiles as he tried to pull himself up into her arms and avoid walking. "How'd the voiceover go?"

Bradley smiled, still not used to having someone ask how things in his life were. "It was awesome. Still getting used to it. It ran late and I didn't even get a chance to grab food." He pops open his beer bottle, meeting her back in the living room. "But I'll order something, so you can officially tag out."

"No worries. I still have plenty of time to get ready." She smiled encouragingly at Jackson who had no interest in learning to walk. "Oh, I cooked yesterday while you were on your date, so there's leftovers if you want some." Gaga handed Jackson to Bradley, then started to heat up some leftover pasta. 

"Actually, that would be awesome, thanks. Leave it, Stef, I'll heat it up. Go get ready." 

"Ok." She looks around the room thinking. "They are fed and didn't have a long nap, so they might go down pretty easy for you. Oh and Ava is getting more teeth so if she is cranky, just put some of that gel on her gums. I think that's it." 

Bradley takes a swig after hearing her short list and they high five crossing paths with each other. "Copy that, captain!" He carries Jackson like a football to the kitchen to heat up the food. Gaga had already picked out her clothes and started putting makeup on when she realized Bradley was going to be late, so it didn't take her long to get ready for her date. "Oh my God!" Gaga hears Bradley yell all the way from downstairs. What once may have caused her skin to crawl, only made her laugh at his loud ways. 

She grabs her purse and walks downstairs. She enters the kitchen again putting on her earrings. "What?"

This was the first time Bradley had tried her cooking. They have been comfortable just eating separately and if Bradley was being honest, he secretly assumed her food was garbage since the kids won't eat it. "This is amazing!"  He turned and nearly choked seeing her all dressed up. Ava clung to his fitted sweats, balancing on her wobbly legs, while Jackson tried to wiggle free from Bradley's arms. He juggled the boy and the large plate, with a mouth full of pasta, "Stef, you look..." He was speechless. 

She didn't process his last line. "Haha I'm glad you like it! See? I don't know why these stinkers don't like my cooking." She finished putting on her earrings and walked over to Jackson who was stretching to be held by her. "What? What is it? I have to go baby." She kissed Jacksons chubby cheeks while Bradley just kept taking in her tight black dress and exposed legs. "Oh and if Ava is still in pain, there is a bowl of frozen fruit in the freezer. Google says it helps sooth their gums too. I don't know. Good luck. What?" She stared at him seeing him looking her up and down with his mouth open. 

Bradley quickly closed his mouth. "Nothing. Have a good time." Gaga's phone buzzed and she kissed Jackson and knelt in front of Bradley while she smooched Ava. He gulped trying to avoid looking down at her while she wiggled in front of this pants. 

"Don't wait up!" She joked leaving the house. 

Bradley finished his second beer while he worked on his script. That was his limit when he watched the kids. He stretched and heard a car pull in to the driveway. He heard them whisper at the entrance, then was a little surprised when they both entered the home. He sat in the dark and heard them quietly walk upstairs. Bradley hadn't  been on this side of things and felt odd. He looked at the time; 12:15 am. He yawned, it was time for him to head to bed, he had to be up early. Bradley closed his laptop but before he went into the basement, he convinced himself he needed to check on the kids one more time. No harm in checking to make sure they were asleep. Just one peak. He made his way upstairs quietly and heard her raspy voice pretend to laugh then go quiet, then he heard one of the most amazing sounds he's ever heard. A soft moan escaped through the cracks in her door and Bradleys eyes grew. He needed to leave but his feet were stuck, he heard it one more time and it was too much to handle.  He turned and opened the nursery and was brought back to reality, smiling at the sleeping babes. He checked his phone for the monitor and then quietly closed the door. He heard her moan again, the sound went directly to his groin and touching himself was unavoidable. He paced outside the door not understanding why he couldn't just leave. Bradley heard her muffled talk again but was unable to make out what she was saying in time before the door flew open. 

"Hey." A shorter, dark haired man stood looking up at Bradley.  

"Hey." He looked down awkwardly at the man, then behind him to Gaga who was walking towards them pulled down her dress. "Sorry, I was trying to be quiet, I just checked on them again. Jack was doing that breathing thing." 

"It's ok." Gaga whispered with a knowingly smile. "Bradley this is Michael, Michael, this is Bradley." She whispered as the guys just nodded towards each other. The 3 awkwardly walked downstairs. Gaga walked Michael out while Bradley went to grab his laptop from the living room. As she walked back in, "You spying on me, boy?"

"No!" Bradley avoided eye contact. He brushed past her and couldn't help taking a dig. "...But that was a 10 second man if I ever saw one." He knew he was trying to get a rise out of her but couldn't help himself.

"You were spying on me!" She threw a pillow at him playfully. He was surprised she wasn't mad at his comment. "We didn't do anything." 

"Sure." Bradley smiled, getting this charger and walking towards the basement as he recalled the sounds she was making.

"We didn't!"

"OK, I believe you. I hope I wasn't the reason... if I was too loud." 

Gaga started to go upstairs, "No, I just wasn't feeling it. Night."