Never Have I Ever: A PART TWO: I LET YOU SLIP THROUGH MY FINGERS

Chapter 11

"Oh my god, Devi. It's your turn to go to her. I need to sleep. I have work tomorrow." Ben grumbles, eyes struggling to stay open. Devi is cuddled up in bed, and she looks determine that its not.
"I don't think so Ben. I went last time, your turn." She mumbles back, voice raspy from sleep, and she digs her face into her pillow.
"You were there for one minute. How could you get her sleeping in that time?" He swings round to her exasperated. Then he groans, knowing she's not going to barge. I mean, he can literally see her cuddling her pillow and digging herself into the mattress, stubbornly wedging herself in. Her determination is palpable in the air. She is determined to stay. And he already honestly knows he wont win.
And even though it tears him up that he needs to leave his warm bed, he'll cave in for Devi. Because his a good husband, he reminds himself proudly. And he'll let her lay there peacefully, comfortably under the nice warm doona, undisturbed. And his not jealous. Not one bit. Or so he tries to convince himself. But at least he hopes Devi will be more content in the morning, and possibly avoid any bickering. So he gets up, grudgingly so. "Fine." He grumbles under his breath, pulling back the bed covers, and sitting himself up, turning to look at Devi, whose looking like she's close to having fallen asleep soundly. He avoids thinking about how his heart beats as he glances at her, so serenily beautiful, so peaceful as she sleeps. He lingers to look at her, because when she sleeps she is so calm, she's so angelic, she's so blissfully surreal, and - and his thoughts are cut of when the crying gets louder. And then he stumbles out of bed, heading toward the kitchen, almost walking into a wall, still pretty much dazed from lack of sleep. And he returns seconds later with a bottle of formula. His legs limply strolling over through the doorway and into the next room, head hanging slightly, his energy completely depleted. Fair enough, he tells himself as he walks over to the crib, Devi had less sleep the previous night, and she was complaining she had almost fallen asleep feeding Maya. And frankly tonight she was just done for. And completely gone. And even though it were 2am in the morning, Ben has got this. Yes he does. Because his tough. And he maybe sleep deprived, but he'll still manage to stride into work tomorrow, and his almost certain no noone will notice the purple rings around his eyes or the fact he barely has the miniscule brain power to function on. I mean, he has Nick, right? Good old Nick. He'll let me nap for a good half hour in my office, he babbles in his head. And as he picks her up, red faced and streams down her eyes, Maya's crying slowly calms as he craddles her and rhythmically pats her back to sleep, giving her a bottle.
"You are absolutely adorable May, but you are also a very tragic sleeper." He says softly with a warm smile as she watches him. And when she falls back asleep, Ben slowly and so very gently places her back into the crib, as though he were setting down a ticking time bomb, careful not to let it off. He breaks into sweat when he realises his got his hand caught under her shoulder, and desparately wonders how he will manage to remove it without waking her up. Frankly, he would rather saw off his arm then wake her, and start all over again. And, yes, his tragically caught. Basically, he feels like a rock climber who gets their foot or arm incrediously wedged between a rock and there is no escape. And he cant do anything than to wait for help. Or its the ultimate dreaded risk of waking her. He glances down at Maya, her perfect little face, sleeping contently, and she's not crying. She is beautiful, Ben thinks to himself. He falls every bit in love with her over and over again. And she has her mother's eyes. And she is so perfect. And as he looks at her, its as though the world slows down, and his in a time and space were all is right and feels a calming warmth spread over him as he admires her. He still finds it hard to comprehend that this was their daughter. The daughter they had brought into the world together. Because, just maybe, she was just too perfect.
And then he suddenly hears a noise at the door and sweeps his gaze to see Devi standing there, leaning against the door, watching them, arms crossed infront of her. She's smirking at him as he mouths to her for 'help.' She tries not to laugh and creeps on over slowly and steadly, and tries so gently to unwedge his hand from under her. As Ben's hand comes up free, utter relief washes over his face and he just wants to pull Devi into a hug, even if she has a smug look written all over her right now. But as his about to do so, Maya begins to stir, and they both instantly freeze, eyes wide, looking petrified. And every moment of waiting on her to fall back into sleep is so heightened, Ben feels as though his experiencing some form of vertigo, ancipitation on high, but manages to stay on his own two feet. And as they sense they are finally safe to leave, they begin to slowly creep out from the darkened room, backing away gently as though from a bear in hibernation, unwanting it disturbed during sleep. Ben and Devi reach the corridor, closing the door slowly behind them, then sigh in relief. He glances up at Devi as they trundle back to their bed, faintly smiling her way.
"You owe me Devi." He teases. She gasps and smacks his arm, looking appauled.
"You mean you owe me." She hisses, walking faster, passing him.
"But I got up. That has got to count for something. So what do you say, do I get any sort of reward for that?" His smile grows wider. She glares at him as she pulls back the covers and slides back into bed.
"Your annoying. And no. Besides, I got up too. I saved your ass. What reward do I get?"
He slides in next to her, and leans over, pulling her to him, then starts tracing kisses down her face to her neck.
"I don't know, I guess we could reward each other." He breaths into her neck as he kisses her.
"Ben. Its 2am. How about you get some sleep for work tomorrow?" She replies, ducking her head to catch his lips and kiss him back, bringing his attention back up. He pouts at her, giving her the puppy dog eyes. The eyes she finds amusing, and so chuckles.
"But Devi-"
"But Ben. Seriously, she will wake soon and you will have had two or three hours of sleep tonight."
"I can survive on two hours." He says, going in for another kiss, running his hands through her hair. And she is in love with the way his touch is so affectionate, she doesn't want him to stop. She wants to feel him more on her, so she gives in. And so he hovers over her, running his hand down her side to her waist, gripping her hip to him.
"Wait." Devi mumbles quickly, as she continues kissing him. "Aren't we forgetting something?"
Ben cant help but chuckle.
"Shit, I'm so tired, I cant believe I almost forgot." He says still kissing her. "Hold on." And as he gets up to recover a condom from the drawer, he looses his balance and thuds onto the floor. Devi stares after him in shock.
"Ben!" She exclaims in a whisper. "You could of woken up Maya!"
Ben scratches his head at her.
"Oh, so no 'are you ok Ben'?" He teases with a snicker as he gets himself up. She frowns at him, shaking her head.
"What?! No." She hisses shaking her head. "You should be more careful Ben! You know she wakes easily."
"I know. You know what else I know, Devi?" He says climbing over to her, and now he hovers over her again, face inches away ready to kiss her. "She also has your devine personality. Stubborn, firery. Very whiney." He teases, arching a brow at her. Devi smacks his arm, gaping at him.
"I am whiney, am I?" She frowns at him. He scoffs playfully.
"Ahh, yeah, your whining at me right now." He toys with her, but that is, until he truely realises his irritating her. And now, boy, he doesnt want to loose his chance of having her tonight, so he tries his best to make up. "I think I'm in trouble, aren't I?" He says, as he hovers over her, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple. "Im sorry, I take it back. You are-" he says as he kisses her again. "You are beautiful. You are stunning. You are-" and as he goes on to continue, his trailed off with the sound of crying again. And he winces. His utterly broken. And he just wants to bury his head into her shoulder and cry. Devi pushes him off, grumbling.
"I'll go this time." She says trying to get up. But stops her by taking her by the wrist. She turns and looks at him confused.
"No. I'll go. I woke her." He says to her, feeling guilt pit in his stomach. But Devi tenderly smiles it off.
"Ben, it's ok." She says as she gets up and begins walking over to Maya's room. And Ben sits there, watching on, feeling terrible. He knows he wont be able to sleep now, so he glides on over down the corridor, and finds himself peeking through the door way to see Devi there cradling their baby. Singing to her some lullaby, gently rocking her from side to side. Devi's eyes catch his and she offers him a truely blissful smile. He feels his heart racing in his chest, and his body flushing with some kind of euphoria, as he realises this was his little family. And he had a family. A family he could come home to every day. Not an empty lonely house he had lived in for his whole life. He had everything he dreamed of. A family who he could sit at the table with and have dinner with every night, every day. He had all he wanted. And more. And it couldn't be more perfect.

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Promise this is the last chapter lol Enjoy! ❤ Xxxx