▫️Thirty-nine

Grey's pov

The day was dragging out much slower than I could bear.

Everyone at work had forced me to stay home, they didn't seem to believe that I was already recovered.

The commander had even gone an extra mile by applying a two week leave and banned me from doing any work related activity.

I thought of all this as unnecessary because I had already been idle for the past three weeks.

Not to mention that Ginelle was busy with work today so I couldn't hang out with her all day like I wanted.

I flipped my phone to read her last message. She had send me a picture of her laughing with her workmates and then asked whether I had taken lunch.

I had replied with a picture of myself in the kitchen and told her that I had taken the rice and beef stew she had reminded me since morning not to forget.

She then replied with some laughing faces saying that I looked funny in the picture but I couldn't care as long as she was happy.

I honestly loved how easily we communicated; we would share with each other where we were and what we were doing through these pictures.

I smiled at my phone and relaxed into the couch, replaying a recent basketball game on TV as I waited for the evening so that I'd go pick her up.

Halfway through the game, the doorbell rang and I had to drag my feet to answer the door knowing Reece normally did that despite having a copy of the keys.

Something about privacy, he had talked about it numerous times but at times I found him really annoying.

The small girl beside him was the opposite version of him so I picked her up as soon as I opened the door, her sniffles making me panic for a second.

"Masha, Reecie refused to buy me this doll I wanted." She gripped the sleeves of my t-shirt and looked up at me with teary eyes.

I glared hard at Reece who shrugged and complained that she already had so many similar versions of that doll.

"Tomorrow I'll go buy you the doll, okay?" She wiped her face with her small fists and nodded, a temporary smile on her face.

I heard Reece sigh behind me but I didn't care much about him at the moment. Mayella was still a child, there was no need refusing her these things.

I carried her into the kitchen where I took out a small tub of strawberry ice cream and a small spoon for her.

Just like Ginelle, Mayella was a bubbly person. She told me about school and the new friends she'd made though the conversation was mostly about Dalton.

I listened to all of it, at times asking a few questions on what I didn't clearly understand and that kept the conversation going.

She had just finished her ice cream when she suddenly ran to the living room and peeked at her brother and then came rushing back towards me.

She looked at the kitchen entrance and whispered softly as she leaned closer to my ear. "Masha, can I ask you something?"

"Yes," I was now confused on what was happening but I replied, watching her look behind her again.

"Don't tell Reecie okay?" I didn't understand where this was going but I gave in to her request even after hearing her say Reecie had refrained her from asking.

Thinking it was just child talk and that Reece was just being strict with his sister, I nodded and her smile brightened.

"Why were you leaning very close to Elle's face yesterday?" She looked up at me innocently, her smile still as wide as before.

My eyes widened a tiny fraction that I looked at the floor for a second wondering whether she had really seen what we'd been doing.

Sometimes I forgot who was around when I was with my girlfriend so I hadn't even realized that Mayella had been with us at the time.

"I-I was telling her a secret," I quickly came up with the most convincing thing but Mayella frowned disbelievingly.

"But you did so three times!" Her eyes never left my face as she waited for more details. "Do you have many secrets?"

Not knowing what to say, I nodded then distracted her by reminding that it was time to change out of her school uniform.

We went upstairs where I took out a fresh set of clothes and some of her toys that were in the house and then helped her tidy up as she played.

I brought us down after we were done and joined Reece in watching TV though Mayella demanded for a cartoon show and we had to comply.

"You're growing softer each passing day," Reece turned to look at me when we switched from the game that was nearly over.

"I wonder if you'll ever get strict with your own children," he shrugged and leaned back to watch the screen.

I stared into space thinking about his words, the weight they carried making me zone out for a moment.

My children

That felt like a dream

I really wanted babies, my own babies, and I knew whom I wanted them with.

A ghost of a smile formed on my lips, my thoughts so far away as I imagined us sometime into the future.

I had all sorts of scenarios in mind, my smile broadening by the minute and were it not for Reece's sudden outburst, my fantasies would have continued.

"Seriously Grey, where did you find these clothes?" He looked at Mayella who didn't pay us any attention as she concentrated on the cartoon.

"She looks like a boy," he complained that the clothes I had chosen for her were too boyish and my face fell.

There was so much to learn but I was willing to.

With Ginelle's closing time nearing, I took out everything I needed and asked Reece to take of everything.

"Don't leave the kitchen dirty or the windows open." I reminded him again to put everything in place and walked out to leave.

"Don't you introduce my sister to PG stuff at this age," he shouted after me into the driveway and I honked the car twice and left.

I parked the car just a few meters from where the bookstore was located and walked to the front where I saw her standing.

I could have run over, but I held myself back and took long strides instead till I reached her.

"My tulip," she flung her hands round my neck as she stood on her toes and I leaned down to nuzzle my head into her warm body.

"How was your day?" She asked after standing on her feet, my hands still on her waist as I pulled her closer.

I just stared at her without saying a word then kissed her lips in reply, having longed for them all day.

She relaxed into my body but suddenly pulled back when I got carried away and it was then I remembered we were in public.

Like I had said earlier, I usually forgot

"My day was fine, I was waiting to see you." She smiled at my reply and briefly pecked my lips.

"Me too," I watched her lips turn up and I couldn't hold back from laying mine on hers for another second.

"Grey, t-there are people watching us!" She shrieked out and pushed me back though I didn't even move an inch.

"Okay, I'll behave." She seemed pleased with my answer since she looped our arms and walked towards the car.

I then brought out the ice cream I had packed earlier, hoping it hadn't melted yet and gave the jar to her.

She smiled and began to gobble it down without caring about my presence and I relaxed because she was happy.

She dirtied her face in the process and I cleaned it for her, chuckling at how messy she was even after laying a cloth on her lap.

I continued to just look at her, my body relaxing now that she was with me after hours of waiting.

"I forgot something at the store, I'll be right back." She blurted out the words and before I could even reply, she dashed out and ran back.

I walked out and leaned over my car to wait for her and after a minute or so, she appeared with a carrier bag.

It looked slightly heavy so I walked over to help but she wouldn't let me. She slapped my hands away and struggled alone which made me frown.

"Why didn't you let me carry it?" I glared at the bag that still rested on her lap as she hugged it closer to her chest.

"You can have it now," she pushed the holder at me and mumbled something about how grumpy I was being.

Still displeased, I took the bag and examined the contents before my eyes went to hers. There were clothes in there and I looked at her puzzled.

"These are for you," she shyly bit her lip and looked down, the sun shining on her face as she anticipated my reaction.

"I hope that they fit," she continued when I said nothing and I stopped staring at her to see what she had bought me.

The first item was a jersey, it was from my favorite basketball team and I almost wanted to try it out now.

Next were two hoodies, one was grey while the other was brown. I looked up to see her face still focused on me as I analyzed everything.

I stretched out the hoodies and noticed that they had a writing at the front of them. There was the letter G and a red tulip.

"I was thinking that we could have couple hoodies, is it okay?" She started to say that she already liked the ones I had but I didn't let her finish her mumbling.

I stretched just the slightest and softly gripped the left side of her face and kissed her tenderly, my heart feeling so overwhelmed by this gesture.

"I'm very okay with this baby, when can we wear these?" I looked at her red face then back at the hoodies, the excitement in me showing.

"Anytime," she picked up the bag that had fallen and urged me to check out the rest. So thrilled that there was more, I pecked the back of her hands.

There a grey scarf that was made from a very soft material and I felt it over my fingers knowing I already loved it.

"Don't expose yourself to the cold, okay?" I nodded immediately and stared at the scarf that had her scent.

"Did you love the gifts?" She asked when I just continued to stare at everything before me unblinking.

"Of course I love them, everything is awesome." I hugged her tightly and pecked her forehead then pulled back to look at her eyes.

"I love you the most," we maintained they contact for almost a minute, our eyes communicating so much of what we felt.

"I love you Grey," everything else felt too good to be true except for her words. They seeped into the depths of my heart, grounding me firmly.

"Because I turned you into a sweet tooth, have this." She took out a piece of candy from the packet that she had seemingly bought.

I opened my mouth to have her feed me of the sweet item that was just as tasty as she was.

So happy and content, I drove us to our next stop where I had planned on taking her for a while now.

The place was just as quiet as it normally was. It was just some minutes away from the main road so we got there soon enough.

I helped her off the car and watched her curiously look at our surroundings but she didn't ask me anything, choosing to follow my lead.

I opened the gates with the key in my pocket and guided us in, the inside just as serene as the outside. I opened the front door and led us in.

She looked at everything in wonder, her eyes fleeting to mine when I didn't say anything. She was perhaps wondering why I had brought her to a lone house.

"This place is so amazing, is this your house?" She asked while looking at the paintings that hang on the walls.

Despite no one living at the house, I had it cleaned weekly and had everything tended to so as to maintain it's warmth.

"Yes, this was my parent's house." She turned at my reply and slowly walked towards me, her face neutral.

"Nana didn't want to sell it, so she registered the house under my name and it legally became mine when I came of age."

"I normally come here monthly to look at how things are but even then, I'm usually scared so at times I don't even come at all."

She listened attentively, the liveliness in her eyes giving me the strength to share with her all that I felt.

I was ready enough to share everything about me with Ginelle. I wanted to tell her even my deepest thoughts and fears.

All of it, I wanted her to know

"I'm scared of losing anyone else in my life, I have witnessed some of my comrade's deaths and it gives me nightmares, the thought of losing my loved ones, especially you."

I told her about how the situation was sometimes so severe that I couldn't even sleep for days.

The fear of falling asleep and having the nightmares attack me was so haunting that I had bought some teddy bears to grip to when I was asleep.

I know she had seen the teddy bears once but she never questioned me. I relied on them during those nights I had nightmares.

"Since I met you, I've been getting good sleep but there are still days when I get scared and I have to stay awake for most of them,"

"Oh Grey," she rubbed my arms and looked at me, tears already coming out of her eyes as she spoke.

"You're so strong, don't doubt that." She lay her head on my chest and hugged me tightly, her body shaking from the tears she was trying to hold in.

"I'm so sorry for all that you had to go through," I led us to one of the seats nearby not wanting to tire her.

"Despite everything, I know that there will be better days ahead so don't be scared, I'll be with you in every step, I'm here for you."

She pulled my head down so that I lay on her, her words so soothing that everything didn't feel scary anymore.

"Thank you baby, for being with me, for listening, for understanding and for caring."

I snuggled into her body like the baby I was around her, my head resting on her chest as I let her pat my hair softly.

It wasn't tough when I was with her.

I knew with her, I could have all the peace there was.

She was my tulip, my love, my dream.

✪ ✪ ✪

You guys can add your reasons why (I go by numbers 6 and 8)

(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)