Half A Heartbeat Away

21

•Beckham Blackford•

Last night was incredibly interesting. Not only we stayed watching movies with the kids and cuddled all evening on the couch, I also carried her straight into my bed; intuitively and unknowingly. It was a reflex that I did without giving it thought. It only felt natural after I've been sleeping next to her on her bed when she was sick, that we belong together.

Although that was for an entirely different reason. She was ill and vulnerable and I needed to be there and watch over her. While now, she was fine and didn't need me. Still, I didn't drop her off into her own bed and disappeared respectfully. I carried her all the way to mine.

As she slept in the morning hues of the yellow sun, I laid there at a safe distance admiring her sleeping form. She looked so fluffy like clouds in the spring; so pure and serene. Her chest rose and fell with steady breaths. Her hair cascaded behind her; scattered resembling a running stream of water from the beau. Her skin as soft as cotton candy, and her lips an olive puckering out.

I had to give it to her, she was strikingly gorgeous and her personality indisputably matched too. She was perfect on every measure, but I doubted that any measure could do her justice. Nothing will be able to capture that insane amount of beauty.

I longed to reach my hand out and try to touch her; just to make sure she's real and not a mere mirage or fantasy I swear. But I kept my hand tucked by my side, I wasn't going to touch her without her consent or initiative. Especially when she trusted me enough to split a mattress with me in her slumber.

Just I was caught in my own imagination I felt her shift and turned my gaze towards her to find her bumping into me. She stretches her hands out and rolls slightly away in embarrassment.

"Hi" She squeaks in a morning voice and I can't help but find the action funny and cute.

"Good morning" I answer as I face her. She shifts too, that we're now face to face, still with a safe space between our bodies.

"Sorry. Did I wake you?" She asks genuinely concerned and I shake my head "You didn't, I was actually already awake". I say and catch mischief dancing in her eyes at my response.

"Then...what were you doing?" She asked with the mirth of a five year old and even her features turned childish; adorably so.

"I was admiring the view" I answer and her eyes shift for a quick second to the window and then back at me. I can see the wheels turning in her head.

"Oh, really? What's so special about the view?" She asked and bit her lower lip afterwards immediately and it drew my attention there. My mind got stuck for a good minute due to her lips. Her damned full pink lips.

I forced myself out of the trance and answered back "Oh, the view is so special. It's unbelievably beautiful that I got caught in it and wasn't succeeding in tuning out". She smiles and her cheeks enhance in size. Her eyes crinkle from the smiling lines around it and the tip of her nose turned slightly pink. I had to fight the sudden overwhelming urge to turn in and kiss it.

"How're you feeling" I laid out my hand and touched her forehead to make sure there wasn't a heat of temperature. Partially, because I wanted to touch her soft skin. But that wasn't an available option at the moment.

"I'm good. I'm good, I swear" She promises when she notices the look of doubt I'm giving her.

"What time is it?" She asks while yawning and I reach for my phone on the nightstand beside me.

"Almost 8" Her eyes widen.

"Wow, how hasn't Lily woken up and barged in on us yet?" She asks with laughter and I shrug while stretching "I don't know. We deserve some rest too. You deserve some rest too" I stress my words over to her. She thinks I haven't noticed how she's been the permanent glue holding this whole family together? If it weren't for her, I wouldn't know what I would do.

"I got enough off time" She bites back teasingly and I smile. I could see the truth behind her words. She didn't want to spend another minute locked up in a confined room.

"Well, that you did. I'm going to go down and make breakfast, you want to shower?" I ask her to which she nods while biting her lip again and I think my eyes darkened at the sight for the second time already. She has no clue what she was doing, did she?

I got up and walked into the bathroom "What're you doing?" She asked still laying on the bed, taken by surprise. I turn my head back "I'm drawing you a warm bath, suits you well?"

"Mhmm" She responds and I make sure there is soap in the cabinet, the counter is clean and towels stocked on the shelf. I throw a couple of scented syrups that I found in the drawer in there to make a beautiful mix of bubbles and make sure the water is just the perfect temperature of warm and hot.

I take off my shirt, throwing it in the laundry basket and head out for the closet. "Your bath is ready" I call for her and she stands up. I had forgotten that last night I lent her my shirt to sleep in. So when she stands up in nothing but that, I almost have a heart attack at how sexy it looked on her. The shirt hid what was necessary and reached her mid thigh, leaving a trail of exposed legs behind.

She notices my unwavering gaze and gets flushed red before scattering swiftly to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I changed into fresh clothes and headed out to the kids' room. I find them both still fast asleep, no wonder I got to have a little alone time with Lena. I kiss their foreheads, make sure to adjust the blankets, and then head downstairs to start on my promised breakfast for Lena.

I wanted to impress her, but more importantly I wanted to be able to express my gratitude for her. For everything she's done thus far. The least I could do was draw her a hot bath and make her decent breakfast.

Almost twenty minutes later, I had eggs and bacon, omelet and toast, fresh orange juice and cut vegetables. I organized everything neatly in plates. Made sure to add three empty plates for Lena, Lily and myself. Plus, I placed a small plate in Soir's high chair.

By the light elegant footsteps I heard, I guessed Lena had finished her bath and came down to eat. She had wet hair that strung down her shoulders and a never ending smile.

"Wow, this looks amazing. Thanks" She addresses as she steps into the kitchen. I wipe my hands off with a towel and smile back "I'm going to wake the kids up to eat" I announce and she suggests "I can do that".

"No, I got it. You sit down and start on, I need feedback on my cooking skills" I let out and trudge upstairs to wake Lily and Soir up and carry them downstairs into the kitchen. Soon, we were eating like a family, actually conversing back and forth cheerfully, also, Soir started consistently mumbling ba-ba and da-da sounds which was the beginning of his talking phase. We watched him closely and interacted trying to get him to say multiple words but he was just dead-stuck on those nonsensical words. It was actually pretty funny. We laughed as warmth engulfed the kitchen table. I couldn't help but wish for the feeling to last.