Fearless

89

"You guys really couldn't clean up at all?!" I groaned and looked around the house. It was an absolute mess, with cups and trash everywhere. Every inch of the floor was sticky due to spilled drinks. "You're like the resident mom...we knew you would do the best job." Jake said and I rolled my eyes, "guys I didn't even GO to the party." I said and glared at Jake and Corey. Sam was off in the other room starting the task.

"Yeah you did, when you had to pick up Colby's drunk ass." Corey said and I rolled my eyes, "good luck idiots, I'm going to go take a bath. Colby will help you though." I said and turned to grab Mia from Colby, "did you just volunteer me to help clean the house?" He gasped as I started for the stairs.

"No. I voluntold you. If you need me I'll be in the bath. Keep an ear out for Mia." I said and smiled as I turned and kissed his cheek, before finally going up the stairs.

"When did she get so bossy?" I heard Jake mumble causing me to snap my head to him, "I got bossy when you expected me to clean up your mess. I'll think about helping you later." I said then opened the door to the nursery and laid her down in the crib.

I waved her favorite stuffed animal in front of her face causing her to giggle. It was a small stuffed owl that Sam had gotten her when we brought her home. She was absolutely obsessed with it.

I played with her for 45 minutes before her eyes finally started to droop with tiredness. "Goodnight sweet girl, I love you." I said and kissed her head before leaving the room.

I immediately went to the bathroom and started the water for my bath, setting it to be the hottest it would go. I decided to really take this time to myself and even locked the bathroom door, then lit some candles and put bubble bath into the bathtub.

I needed this.

Once the tub was filled I got in, breathing out all the stress and tension I didn't know was consuming my body. I let my mind drift off as I closed my eyes, letting myself sink down further into the water.

I started thinking about the wedding. There was still so much to do, and not a lot of time to do it. It was now officially November meaning time was really ticking. We still had to basically plan the whole reception. We had to pick out a food menu, had to hire a dj, find songs to dance to for our first dance and the dances with my dad and his mom. We had to organize when the different reception events would take place. We had to write our vows.

Our vows.

I had already expressed my love to him multiple times and he has to me, but this was different. This was the real deal, where we would seal our love forever. We were really getting married.

I smiled at the thought of it as I opened my eyes. I looked around our bathroom that we shared that was connected to our shared bedroom. Next door was our daughters nursery.

We had a daughter.

A sweet sweet little girl that could do no wrong in my eyes. I hated that we would be leaving her for a week while we went on our honeymoon. We were going to Fiji and we didn't want her flying in a plane at such a young age. Our parents also insisted that we go on a trip with just the two of us, and that they would watch Mia for the week. It broke my heart knowing we wouldn't be here with her for a week.

Would she even be okay? She has always been with us. Maybe I was second guessing all of this, we couldn't leave her.

I felt my chest heave and I shook my head.

I'm supposed to be relaxing.

I let my mind finally go numb for a minute, not letting any particular thought come to mind.

I don't know how long I sat in the tub but my fingers were definitely pruning so I needed to get out and actually help the guys. It made me wonder if they were finished yet, probably not though because they get easily distracted.

I got out and dried myself off then went to the closet and changed into a fresh pair of shorts and a long tshirt.

I heard music and yelling as I went down the stairs, the mess looked a little better but it still wasn't finished. I let out a sigh and followed the noise to see Jake and Colby throwing cups at eachother as they screamed lyrics to a new song Jake was working on. "Is this why the house is still a mess?" I asked and crossed my arms as they stopped and stared at me.

They looked like they were getting in trouble by a parent which was comical. "Sorry mom.." Jake said and I laughed, "it's okay Jake, I'm gonna help you now." I said as Colby let out a breath, "thank god, we are so bad at this." He said and came up, "how was your bath by the way, "relaxing for the most part." I said as he kissed my head, "for the most part?" He asked and I nodded, "I got a little stressed out, ya know thinking about the wedding and stuff." I said and sighed as I grabbed a trash bag and started grabbing the trash.

"What about it?" He asked as Jake went to help Corey in the other room. "I'm scared to leave Mia when we go on our honeymoon." I said and looked down, ashamed.

"My parents and your dad are going to take good care of her. We need a little time to celebrate our marriage, and although I love her dearly, we need to separate ourselves from her a little bit." He said and came up to me, lifting my chin with his fingers, "yeah, you're right." I admitted and he smiled, "they will FaceTime us every night. Remember at the end of the day she won't remember the one week we aren't here. She also doesn't get to spend time with her grandparents because they live so far. It's gonna be a good thing Cor." He said and I nodded, "yeah, you're right. I shouldn't stress so much over it I guess." I said and tied off the bag that I had just filled.

We cleaned for hours and hours, leaving me super sore and tired, "let's order a pizza." I breathed out and flopped onto the couch. "I'm down, stuffed crust." Colby said and flopped down next to me. I held my hand up for him to high five signaling that stuffed crust was the actual best.

"No I want dominos it's so much better." Jake said and I rolled my eyes, "now way! They don't have stuffed crust. What about that local place we got it from a couple weeks ago? That place was amazing AND they have stuffed crust." I said and played with Colby's hair as he leaned his head on my lap.

"See? Resident mom." Jake said as I looked around, noticing the girls weren't down here, "where are the girls?" I asked and Sam laughed, "probably still sleeping." I frowned, "it's 5 pm..." I said and he laughed again, "yeah they went HARD last night. I wouldn't be surprised if they slept all day." Corey said just as Tara walked in, "hey Tara!" Colby yelled making her roll her eyes, "fuck you Colby." She said and flipped him off. I stifled a laugh as he gasped up at me, "you're gonna let her talk to me like that?" He asked just as Mia started crying upstairs.

"Oop, resident mom has to go feed Mia." I said and got up as Colby sat up. I got up and ran out of the room, "someone order the pizza!" I yelled as I jogged up the stairs.

I fed Mia only half the amount of milk because I wanted to try and feed her more solid food tonight. She looked up at me with those big blue eyes that I loved so much and she smiled, "I love you sweet girl." I cooed and kissed her cheek.

When I finally got downstairs again the pizza was here and the girls were all awake.

I found my place next to Colby and curled into his side after I grabbed a couple slices of pizza. He wrapped his arm around me as I held Mia. I loved when we all cuddled together it was truly my happy place.

My happy place was also around these people. My chosen family that has stuck with me through thick and thin. I was forever grateful and would always take moments like this in.

Tara and Jake were fake arguing as Kat and Devyn talked about this makeup look they both saw. Sam and Colby were talking about a new video idea and a possible prank war. Corey just sat on his phone, probably scrolling through tik tok.

I loved my chosen family.

And I loved my little family so much.