A Family Affair

3

Jay furrows his eyebrows deeply. "How do you even know about that?" He questions.

Olivia sighs. "I heard mom and dad talking about it one night right after it happened, which wasn't hard because they were basically yelling about it."

Will speaks up, resting one hand against his hip. "You were only three when that happened, how do you even remember that?"

"Because it's not that difficult to forget your dad shouting about how his brother almost got him killed," Olivia replies quietly, shuffling on her feet slightly. "It's something that kinda just sticks with you."

There's a million thoughts rushing through Jay's head in one moment as he processed the news about why his niece had taken a disliking to him for the past nine years.

He stammers against his words for a moment before sighing, the realisation only just sinking in. "It was the fight that started this," he mumbles, "I started this."

Will shakes his head. "This doesn't make sense-" he begins before being sharply cut off by his brother.

"It makes perfect sense," Jay mumbles before slowly going toward the apartment door. "Okay, well I got what I needed, so I should be heading out. Thanks for the drink, Will, I'll see you tomorrow." He announces his departure, waving to his older brother over his shoulder before hastily walking out of the apartment and down the hall, toward the elevator.

Once he reaches the steel doors, the impact of everything that had just happened washes over him, leaving him paralysed in shock before he could press the button to call the lift.

There's this awful guilt that fills his stomach, making him feel sick.

He did this.

He caused all this drama.

Just from one tiny mistake.

************

It had just gone nine by the time Jay got back home, which usually always meant Macie would already be in bed - unless they had been working an intense case and ended up having a later dinner.

He quickly shuffled around the living room and kitchen looking for Hailey to no avail before looking upstairs for her. As he climbed the stairs, he noted how the light to Macie's room was turned off and the door was shut, further confirming his theory of her being in bed.

He took up the second flight quickly, reaching the top of the house and going toward the master bedroom. There hadn't been any light coming out from the bottom for the door, and it was pulled to as well.

Jay slowly opened the door, hoping that this wasn't the time the door decided to creak with the movement. Luckily it didn't, meaning he was able to sneak into the room.

There was a warming feeling that filled his chest when he saw Hailey already asleep in bed, her head being really the only thing peeking out from the comforter because the rest of her body was hidden underneath it. He smiled at the image in front of him as he moved further into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

He moved across the foot of bed whilst kicking off his shoes, making his way over to his side, removing his shirt and pants as quietly as he could as not to wake his wife and bundling them up into a ball, putting them in the laundry basket in the corner of the room.

He then joined Hailey under the comforter, wrapping his arm around her waist and putting his chest against her back.

She stirs, moving into his warm embrace before ultimately turning her head to face him, humming to get his attention.