Chapter 35
L-O-V-E
NATALIE
The house was unusually quiet when I woke up the next morning.
The soft light streaming through the windows gave everything a calm glow, a stark contrast to the chaos of the past few days.
I went to check on Bebe who was still asleep, her tiny fist curled under her chin.
Her cheeks had regained some color, and the deep furrow of discomfort that had settled on her face during the worst of it was finally gone.
I lingered for a moment, watching her breathe peacefully, then followed the scent of fresh coffee into the kitchen. Meredith was already awake, her hair pulled into a messy bun as she poured two steaming mugs.
“Morning,” she said, sliding one toward me. “How’s Bebe?”
“Still asleep,” I said, wrapping my hands around the mug. “But she looks so much better.”
Meredith nodded. How about you? How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay. Just… tired, I guess.”
Meredith leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Well, then you’ll be thrilled to know I changed my flight to Saturday. Figured you could use some extra hands.”
“Aww, Mer,” I said, my chest tightening with gratitude. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course, I did,” she said. “You’re going to need someone to keep you sane. I’ve got some photo edits to finish, but I don’t have any shoots until next Monday. I can handle it here.”
I smiled, overwhelmed by how lucky I was to have her. “Seriously, you’re the best.”
“Obviously,” she said with a wink.
A faint rustling sound came from upstairs. “I’m going to check on Bebe,” I said, setting my coffee down.
Bebe stirred as I entered her room, her eyelids fluttering open slowly. She blinked up at me, her lips curving into a groggy smile.
“Hi, Baby. How are you?” I asked, kneeling beside her.
“Hi, Mommy,” she said in a scratchy voice, rubbing her eyes.
“Are you hungry?”
“Kind of,” she mumbled, still waking up.
“Okay. How about some oatmeal? Soft foods for a bit, okay?”
She nodded sleepily.
“Do you want me to put “Bluey’ on while you wait?”
“Yes, please, Mommy,” she said, her voice perking up slightly.
“Let’s have you brush your teeth and use the bathroom, and I will help you downstairs.”
“Okay Mommy.”
Meredith was already rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. “Jasper texted me earlier. He’s dropping off some bone broth, soups, and meals for us.”
“Wow, he’s really going all out,” I said, smirking. “Sounds like a smitten kitten.”
She rolled her eyes. “He’s just being nice.”
“Uh-huh,” I teased.
I finished making the oatmeal and brought it to Bebe, sitting beside her to make sure she ate slowly, spoonful by spoonful. Afterward, I tucked her back under the blanket, kissed her forehead, and headed upstairs to shower.
As I stepped out, my phone buzzed on the counter. A text from Will lit up the screen, and I noticed a missed call from Jason as well.
Will: Morning, babe. How’s everyone doing? Are you up for some visitors? Ivy and I can come by tonight with dinner.
I smiled at the casual intimacy of his words, feeling warmth spread through me. Will had started talking to me like a real boyfriend lately. After months of sneaking around, it felt… normal.
I replied quickly:
Natalie: Hey, you. We’d love to see you both tonight. How about five?
Will: Works for us.
I tapped Jason’s name and called him back.
“Hey, Nat,” he answered. “How’s Bebe doing?”
“She’s good,” I said. “She ate a little oatmeal.”
“Good to hear. Can we stop by before I take my parents to the airport? Maybe in an hour?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Oh, and I was thinking, why don’t I keep James with me for the next few days? I’m not traveling next week, so I can check in on Bebe and help if you need anything.”
“That would actually be great,” I said, surprised by the offer. Jason wasn’t known for taking time off, but it felt genuine. “Thanks, Jason.”
“Of course,” he said.
An hour later, Meredith opened the door, greeting Jason, James, and Jason’s parents, Deb and Richard. James ran toward me immediately, throwing his arms around my waist.
“Mommy! I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too, buddy,” I said, hugging him tightly.
James then approached Bebe on the couch, looking hesitant.
“Daddy told me I can’t jump on you or the couch,” he said solemnly.
“That’s right, James,” Bebe said, her voice soft but amused.
Deb handed me a bouquet of flowers. “Thought the house could use some color,” she said, her tone surprisingly kind.
“Thank you,” I said, graciously, as I took the flowers and set them on the counter.
Upstairs, as I packed James’ duffel bag with his school uniform, Jason appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
“Would you mind if Brooke and I took James to a movie tonight?” he asked casually, though there was something measured in his tone.
I paused, my hand frozen mid-fold. His question caught me off guard, and I was stunned by how I reacted. “Do you care if Will and Ivy come over tonight?” I asked, my voice sharper than I’d intended.
Jason straightened, his expression tightening.
“I didn’t even know things were serious with you and Will.
You didn’t bring it up to me and, honestly, I was surprised to see him last night.
I was focused on Bebe last night but I wish I’d had some notice, Natalie.
” He paused, his jaw flexing. “I’m not going to make a big deal out of it, even though he fucked my wife. ”
I flinched at the bluntness of his words, my grip tightening on the shirt in my hands. “Jason,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I get that I should’ve given you a heads-up. When you called about Bebe, I was with him. I needed him to take me to the hospital—I wasn’t in any shape to drive.”
Jason exhaled deeply, some of the tension in his face easing though not entirely. “I’m sorry,” he said after a long pause. “I shouldn’t have come at you like that. It’s just…Will. You know what that feels like for me.”
“I know,” I said softly, meeting his eyes. “And I get it. But you had Brooke with you at the hospital, and I didn’t say a word. It was not a situation any of us planned.”
Jason sighed, dragging his hand through his hair as he leaned against the dresser. “Fair enough,” he repeated, his tone softer. “I guess this whole situation is… a lot.”
“It is,” I agreed, folding the last of James’s shirts and zipping the duffel bag closed. “But we’re figuring it out. One step at a time.”
Jason nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
“Brooke seems to care a lot about you,” I added after a moment, feeling the need to bridge the gap between us.
“She does,” Jason admitted, his voice quieter now. “I’ll admit, she’s been patient with all of this. It’s been a long week,” he added with a faint laugh, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
For a moment, there was no tension between us, just two people navigating a complicated new normal.
“I should get them to the airport,” Jason said, straightening and grabbing the duffel bag.
“Here,” I said, handing him James’s uniforms on hangers.
“Thanks,” Jason said, giving me a small nod.
We headed downstairs, where Meredith was entertaining the crowd like a pro. I caught a rare half-smile from Richard as he sipped his coffee, and Deb was unusually quiet, her attention focused entirely on Bebe.
After they left, the house fell blissfully peaceful. Bebe, Meredith, and I decided to watch “The Parent Trap.” The cozy familiarity of the movie was exactly what we all needed. Bebe’s giggles at the pranks warmed my heart, even as she held her stomach cautiously.
Jasper stopped by briefly to drop off the food he’d prepared for us. He didn’t stay long, but Meredith followed him outside for a few moments. When she came back in, I couldn’t tell what she thought of Jasper.
“Are you into him,” I teased, leaning against the kitchen counter as she unpacked the containers.
“I do love the accent,” she admitted with a grin. “I mean, I wonder what he can do with that tongue.”
“Meredith!” I gasped, laughing as I threw a dish towel at her.
“What? I’m just saying!” she shrugged. “I don’t know if I feel a spark, though. He might just be for fun.
“Just for fun, huh?” I gave her a look. “I’m surprised you are even using the word spark. I didn’t think you did spark. Does this have anything to do with a certain other man you encountered this week” I quipped playfully. “Evan perhaps?”
She made a surprised face, and I could have sworn her cheeks blushed a little.
“I just realized, you’re going to be here for the opening, aren’t you? I completely forgot that’s this week.”
“Do you think Jason can stay with Bebe and James on Thursday so we can both go?” She asked.
“Yes, I’m sure he will,” I said, though the thought of juggling so much with Bebe still recovering made me a little anxious.
“Relax, Nat,” Meredith said, sensing my hesitation. “I’ll be here. We’ll make it work.”
“You always come through for me,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being.
Meredith suddenly broke into song, crooning “L is for the way you look at me” in a sing-song voice, her eyes fixed on me with a knowing smile.
“Meredith,” I said, trying not to laugh as she swayed dramatically around the kitchen.
“Oh, come on, Nat. You know you want to join me.”
I shook my head, but when she started singing louder, I gave in. Our voices tumbled together in a messy duet until we both dissolved into uncontrollable laughter.
Before I knew it, it was almost five, and Will and Ivy were due to arrive. A knock at the door came a few minutes later, and Meredith darted to answer it. I think she loved being the greeter.
“Hello, Will. And who do we have here?” Meredith asked in an exaggeratedly sweet voice.
“I’m Ivy,” she said confidently. “Bebe’s best friend. How do you do?”
Meredith laughed. “Well, well, I’m Meredith, Bebe’s best aunt.”
“I’ve heard of you,” Ivy said matter-of-factly. “Bebe told me how cool and pretty you are.”
“Did she?” Meredith replied, shooting me a sly look. “What a sweetie that Bebe is.”