Lovers

Three Months

Hello hello hello! Happy night before Barricade Day ;) I graduate tomorrow too which is crazy and I'm so excited. Huge congrats to anybody else who is class of 2020! Sending big hugs your way. In other news, I love this chappy, so I hope you all do too! Enjoy/comment/vote xx
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July 16, 2028

Patrick

"Baby girl," I say, lifting my daughter out of her crib, "you've been in this world for three months now."

It's crazy to think that it has already been three months since the moment that I became a father.

At the same time, it's crazy to think that it has only been three months since the moment that I became a father.

We don't really have any celebratory plans today. We are going to take Madeline's picture on the mat, just like we have on her other two 'month birthdays,' then just have a nice day as a family. Harper doesn't have a show today, as it's Sunday, so she gets to be home. I think Brittney is going to come by for a bit, as are Taylor and Joe.

As I'm getting her dressed, I give her a little skin-to-skin cuddle. "Your daddy loves you very much, little Millie Cosette. So does your mummy. You're a very lucky little girl."

After a few minutes, I have her in a new diaper and dressed in a cute little outfit. I take my daughter out to the living room, where Harper is all ready to play photographer.

Just as we finish up with Millie's pictures, she starts to fuss.

"I think that's a breakfast cry," Harper says. "I'll feed her."

Our little girl has been getting much better at sleeping on a schedule, and she even slept in today, which was nice for Harper and I, as it allowed us to wake up naturally instead of to her cries. Because of this, though, she didn't get fed as soon as she was awake.

Harper gives Millie a bottle, and I clean up the blanket and props from the photo shoot that we have just held.

As Millie is finishing up her breakfast, I hear a knock on the door.

"I'd bet that's Taylor and crew," Harper tells me.

"I'll find out."

I open the door, to see the guests who Harper has suspected. Audrie is smiling as she holds her mummy's hand. Her little blonde pigtails are sticking out, and she's smiling from ear to ear.

"Pat-ick!" she exclaims, upon seeing me. I smile at the little girl.

"Well hello, Miss Audrie. You look beautiful today." I lift her up in my arms and twirl her around in the air before setting her back down on her feet. "Are you happy?"

"Doggy!" she exclaims, toddling away towards Harper and Millie, who are sitting on the sofa.

"She got to pet a doggy on the street outside of your house," Taylor explains with a laugh. "She was thrilled."

I laugh. "My fully grown wife is also thrilled when that happens."

"So, how's our favourite little three-month-old?" Taylor asks, walking over to Harper, while Joe and I hang back a bit, watching the interactions of our wives.

"She's good," Harper says.

"And how's Mommy?"

"Mummy's tired," my wife laughs, "but also good."

"I'm glad," Taylor says. "Do you want me to hold her for a bit?"

"If you'd fancy that, it would be amazing," Harper replies, passing the little girl off to the older woman, who is nearly Harper's sister.

Audrie plays with a few toys that Taylor brought her for a bit, while the adults all talk and Millie sits in Taylor's arms, alert but not fussing, for once.

Eventually, Taylor and Joe insist that they have to leave, stating that Audrie was promised her favourite restaurant, Nando's, for lunch, and she will be complaining shortly if she doesn't get her food.

When the family leaves, Harper and I are left alone with out daughter.

"Do you think Taylor and Joe will have any more kids?" Harper blurts. "Just wondering."

"I don't think they will," I admit. "They've wanted one for a long time, but I don't see them wanting to, or being able to, take on the responsibilities of a second one anytime soon, and within a few years, Taylor will be too old to want to be birthing any more children."

Harper lets out a snort. "Wow. I liked that wording."

"Okay, I'm just telling it like it is."

She smiles at me. "And on a related note, we are not having any more children for at least four years."

"Noted," Patrick tells me. "I think that's fair."

We place Millie in her swing for a bit, making ourselves some pasta for lunch, then go back to fussing over our baby girl for a bit, until it's her nap time.

"Brit just texted," Harper tells me while Madeline is napping. "She's going to come over at 16:00 or so."

"That's perfect."

Madeline sleeps for quite a long time, which is nice, as it gives Harper and I a bit of time to ourselves. While we do love our daughter more than anything, both of us do sort of miss the days when it was just the two of us.

She only wakes up a few minutes before Brittney comes over.

"There's my favourite little girl," Brit exclaims, running over to Millie's swing, where she is happily sat, looking around at her surroundings. "You're getting so big, oh my goodness. Harper, she gets more and more beautiful every time."

Harper laughs and thanks her friend.

The two spend a while fawning over the baby, then start to laugh about some incident that occurred backstage at Les Mis a few days ago.

Brittney stays until dinner, when she says that she has plans at a restaurant near here, leaving Harper and I to ourselves.

Before putting Millie to bed, we have video calls with both Harper's mum, and my parents, who want to see their little granddaughter.

Then, it's finally bedtime. First for Millie, then for Harper and I. We decide to turn in early on the one day that we are able to, as it will help Harper to be very well-rested for the week ahead of her.

To belt 'I Dreamed A Dream' eight times a week, Harper needs all of the rest and water that she can get.

We watch telly for a little bit, then snuggle together and fall asleep. As Harper is asleep before I am, I watch her breathe and take the moment to remind myself just how much I love her and the life that we have formed together. I couldn't think of anything better than this.