Aria's POV
I'm sleeping soundly in my cozy bed when the sound of thunder begins to ring out in the room. A shiver goes down my spine, and I bury my head underneath my pillow in fear. Ever since I was a little girl, I've hated thunderstorms, and my phobia hasn't gotten better with age.
"Ezra, did you hear that?" I ask as I scoot towards my husband's side of the bed.
I don't get a response, and I quickly remember that Ezra left this evening for a conference in Washington DC. Of course a thunderstorm arrives in New York City on the one night I'm away from my husband.
I let out a breathy sigh before closing my eyes, and burying my head underneath my pillow. Maybe if I pretend like there isn't a storm, I'll be able to fall asleep.
After a few minutes, I realize that my plan isn't working. There is no way I'll be able to fall asleep when there is a storm outside, and Ezra is almost a four-hour car ride away.
I think of my four year-old daughter, Audrey, who is sleeping in her princess themed bedroom down the hall. She hates storms almost as much as I do, and if the thunder wakes her up when Daddy isn't home, she'll be terrified.
I should move her to my room, that way neither one of us will be alone. Having Audrey next to me when Ezra isn't home always makes me feel safe, even though I'm the mother and it should be the other way around.
I climb out of bed and hit the light switch, but the room remains dark. Shit, the electricity isn't working because of the storm. I open Ezra's nightstand and feel around for the flashlight he keeps in case of situations like these. As soon as I find the flashlight, I turn it on and walk down the hall to Audrey's room.
My heart breaks in my chest when I see the little girl hiding under her covers, and sobbing softly. I hate the thought of her laying in here all alone, when it seems as though the world could fall apart in a moment.
"Honey don't cry, I'm right here." I say as I walk towards the canopy bed that Toby and Ezra built for her last Spring.
"Momma?" Audrey asks as her little head shoots up from underneath the covers.
"Yeah baby, it's me." I mutter before wrapping my arms around Audrey and planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
Audrey continues to cry as she wraps her small arms around my neck, and presses her warm body up against mine. I stroke the dark and messy curls she inherited from her father, and hope that the simple action will soothe her.
"I want Daddy." Audrey says through her tears.
Even though Audrey and I are close, she's always been a daddy's girl. Whenever Audrey hurts herself on the playground or has a nightmare, she asks for Ezra, not me. Sometimes I feel bad that I'm not the favorite, but then I remember how adorable Ezra and Audrey's relationship is. A girl really needs a good father, and Ezra definitely meets the criteria.
"Daddy went to Washington DC, remember?" I ask my daughter gently.
"Call Daddy and tell him to come home!" Audrey exclaims.
"I wish I could Audi, but he's probably already asleep. Besides, Daddy can't drive four hours just because there's a storm." I say with a chuckle.
"Why not?" Audrey asks as her little face falls.
"Because traveling costs time and money, and it's not safe for him to drive in this weather." I tell her seriously.
Audrey nods, but she continues to cry for her Daddy. I hate when she's upset, especially when there's nothing I can do to help her.
"How would you like to have a sleep in my room tonight?" I ask, hoping it will cheer her up.
"Can Mr. Bear come too?" Audrey asks me hopefully.
"Yes, of course Mr. Bear can come." I say with a chuckle.
Mr. Bear is the stuffed animal that Ezra bought for Audrey on the day she was born. She carries the bear around with her everywhere, and he's so worn out that I have to stitch pieces of him back together almost every week. Nevertheless, Audrey loves the bear, and he's basically become the fourth member of our family.
"Mommy, I can't find Mr. Bear!" Audrey exclaims in terror.
"Here, get off the bed so I can find him." I instruct.
Audrey nods and hops off her bed. Next, I take off her covers and shine my flashlight over the bed. To my surprise, Mr. Bear isn't stuffed underneath the covers like he usually is when Audrey can't find him. I look on the floor next to the bed to make sure he didn't fall off, but I can't find the bear anywhere!
I took Audrey out to dinner tonight, and she fell asleep in her car seat on the way back. I remember lifting her out of the car, and wondering why Mr. Bear wasn't in her arms. I assumed Audrey left him in bed, and I didn't question the bear's absence when I tucked her in.
"Baby, when was the last time you saw Mr. Bear?" I ask her curiously.
"When Daddy took me to the park before he left. The three of us had a tea-party, and we went down the slide together." Audrey says after thinking about it for a minute.
Shit! Did Audrey leave the bear at the park? She'll cry for days if we don't find Mr. Bear, and I'm not looking forward to watching my daughter grieve her loss. Stupid Ezra, why didn't he make sure Audrey took Mr. Bear back to the car?
"Honey, do you remember if you brought Mr. Bear to the car?" I ask her nervously.
"No Mommy, I don't remember." Audrey says as she shakes her little head vigorously.
"Well, I think you must have left Mr. Bear at the playground." I say with a heavy sign.
Audrey's eyes grow wide with shock, and it isn't long before she's screaming and crying hysterically. I sigh before picking Audrey up, and carrying her to my room. I tuck the little girl in, and give her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Mommy, we should go to the park and get Mr. Bear. It's raining outside, and he might catch a cold and die." Audrey says as she looks up at me with her beautiful hazel eyes.
"Baby, bears don't catch colds. Besides, I'm not driving you to the park at two o'clock in the morning." I tell her seriously.
"Why not?" Audrey asks through her tears.
If the bear is at the park, the rain probably damaged him beyond repair. I don't want to tell Audrey that, so I begin to list the other reasons why we can't go to the park.
"Because it's two o'clock in the morning! Plus, the roads are slippery during storms, and it would be dangerous to drive on them. I'd never do anything that could put your life in danger." I tell my daughter truthfully.
"Please Mommy! Mr. Bear is all alone in the dark, and storms are scary." Audrey says with a whimper.
"Audrey, the answer is no." I say with firmness in my voice.
"Mommy, if you left me at the park during a storm would you come back for me?" Audrey challenges.
"Of course I would, but I'd never leave you at the park so you'll never be in that situation." I say to her.
"If you'd get me, why won't you get Mr. Bear?" Audrey asks with a pout.
"Because you're my little girl, and I love you more than anything in the entire world!" I exclaim.
"Well, I love Mr. Bear." Audrey says as a fresh batch of tears begins to form in her eyes.
"I know you do Audi, but you're worth more than a stuffed animal. You're a real live person with a heart, and Mr. Bear is just fluff stitched together." I tell my daughter.
"I'm starting to think you don't have a heart either, but I'd still get you if you got left at the park." Audrey says angrily.
My mouth drops open as I listen to my daughter's words. Did she really just accuse me of not having a heart? Ezra always says she gets her sass from me, but I don't see it at all. The only thing I know is that I'm dreading having to deal with her during puberty.
"How about I pretend like I didn't hear that, and I'll tell you a bedtime story?" I suggest.
"Fine." Audrey says with a dramatic sigh.
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Audrey Fitz. She lived in a far away kingdom with her parents, King Ezra and Queen Aria. The king and queen loved Audrey more than anything in the world, and they wanted her to marry the kindest, and most handsome man in the kingdom. One day, an evil man from the kingdom went to the royal ball at the palace, and he asked King Ezra and Queen Aria if he could marry the princess. Both of them refused immediately, and this made the man very mad. That night when the king and queen were sleeping, the man snuck into the palace and kidnapped them both, leaving Audrey alone..." I start to say.
"Momma stop! I don't want you and Daddy to get kidnapped!" Audrey says, interrupting me.
"Audrey, it's just part of the story. I promise things will get better." I say as I rest a hand in her shoulder.
Audrey gives me a small nod, indicating that she's ready for me to continue. I'm about to start speaking, but I close my mouth when I hear the downstairs door slam shut.
"Mommy, what was that?" Audrey asks with terror in her voice.
"Nothing sweetheart, that noise probably came from outside. The storm must have knocked over our trash can or something." I say trying to convince her and myself.
As soon as I finish my sentence, a Audrey and I hear footsteps coming from the living room.
"Momma, that wasn't the trash can." Audrey says as she begins to cry hysterically.
"Baby, just calm down..." I start to say.
"How am I suppose to calm down? The man is here to kidnap us, and I don't have Daddy or Mr. Bear to protect me." Audrey says through her tears.
"No one is going to kidnap us, and I'll protect you Audrey." I say as my voice softens.
"You can't protect me! You're little, remember Mommy?" Audrey asks with a sniffle.
"Please, Mr. Bear is way smaller than I am." I say with an eye roll.
"But Mr. Bear has strong muscles because he goes to the gym with Daddy." Audrey tells me.
I stare at the four-year with a confused expression on my face. I don't know how she comes up with these ridiculous theories, and I'm starting to think Ezra's bedtime stories are getting to her head.
"Audrey, I need you to listen very carefully. I'm going to go downstairs to find out what's going on, and I want you to lock the bedroom door behind me. If I'm not back in a few minutes, I want you to call the police as soon as the power comes back on." I tell my daughter seriously.
"Mommy, please don't leave me!" Audrey begs.
"I have to Audi, please don't make any more noises." I say before kissing her forehead and climbing out of bed.
I look around the room to see if there is anything I can use to defend myself, and I finally decide on the small lamp on my nightstand. I grab the lamp before waving goodbye to Audrey, and creeping out of the bedroom.
I slowly make my way downstairs, and I gasp when I see a muscular figure approaching me. Does he see me? Probably not, since it's so dark.
I think of the defenseless four year-old who is laying helplessly in my bed upstairs, and an adrenaline rush surges through my body. Ezra once told me that if a man ever tries to hurt me, I should knee him in the balls with all the force in my body.
I wait for the figure to get close to me, and I swing back my knee and hit him right in the nuts.
Ezra's POV
I'm about to start walking upstairs, when I feel something hard hit my balls. Pain immediately surges through my body, and I fall to my knees and let out an audible moan. What the hell just happened?
"E-Ezra, is that you?" I hear a familiar voice ask.
I look up and gasp when I see my wife hovering over me. She has the lamp from our bedroom in her hands, and she's staring at me with a concerned expression on her face. Aria did this to me? I don't know what hurts more, my balls or my pride.
"It's me." I say as I clutch my stomach in pain.
"Oh my God! I am so sorry Ezra, I thought you were an axe-murderer or something!" Aria exclaims.
"I think I'm going to be sick." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.
"Sick as in you're going to puke?" Aria asks as her eyes grow wide with shock.
"Yes Aria, that's exactly what I mean." I growl angrily.
Aria responds by rushing out of the living room, and moments later she comes back with a large plastic bowl. I grab the bowl from Aria, and begin to vomit shamelessly. I don't think I've ever been in this much pain in my life, not even when I forgot to wear a cup during a high school football game.
"Ezra, does it really hurt that badly?" Aria asks as she watches me in amazement.
"Yes Aria, this is the equivalent of giving birth for a man." I mutter as I moan out in pain.
"Ezra, I am so sorry!" Aria says as tears begin to form in her eyes.
"Don't be sorry, I'll survive. I'm just glad you're able to defend yourself when I'm gone from any man with a penis." I say through my gritted teeth.
"Speaking of defending myself, what the Hell are you doing here?" Aria asks me curiously.
"Audrey, she left Mr. Bear in my car." I say as I gesture towards the bear, who fell to the ground after I got hit.
Aria looks down at me, then at the bear, and then back at me again.
"You drove four hours to give Audrey her teddy bear?" Aria asks as her eyes grow wide with shock.
"Yeah, she can't fall asleep without him. I was also checking the weather report, and I heard there was going to be a thunderstorm. I know how much you hate those, and I figured you'd feel safer with me here." I say as my voice softens.
To my surprise, and angry look washes over Aria's face, and she looks like she wants to kill me.
"I'm tempted to kick you in balls again." Aria growls.
"No, please don't! God I'm begging you!" I say with terror in my voice.
"Why the Hell would you drive four hours in this weather? Suppose you had gotten in a car accident and died? How do you think Audrey and I would feel?" Aria screams furiously.
"I'm sorry, I am so sorry! I thought I could handle the weather, and if it got too bad I would have stopped at a hotel." I say as place my hands over my private parts in case Aria decides to strike again.
Aria lets out a breathy sigh, and the anger on her face begins to evaporate. This is a good sign, maybe she'll spare me and my penis.
"I should be angry, but what you did for our daughter was probably one of the sweetest things I've ever witnessed. Please, just don't do anything stupid like that ever again!" Aria begs.
"I won't." I say as I nod my head in agreement.
Aria responds by bending down and giving me a soft kiss on the forehead.
"How are you going to get to your conference in the morning?" Aria asks me softly.
"I called my boss an hour ago and told him I was feeling ill, so I'm off the hook for the conference. I'll probably need to see a doctor about this, so at least I'm not lying anymore." I say as I gesture towards my throbbing manhood.
"Again, I'm so sorry about that." Aria tells me sympathetically.
"I'm glad Audrey likes being the only child, because I think you ruined our chances of getting pregnant again." I say with a small laugh.
"Come on, let's get you to bed." Aria says as she rolls her eyes in annoyance.
"I think I'm going to have trouble getting upstairs." I say with a groan.
"You can power through, your daughter is upstairs crying for you." Aria says as she gives me her hand.
I grab Aria's hand, and grimace as I spring to my feet. I somehow manage to make my way up the seemingly endless flight of stairs, but when I try to open the bedroom door it's locked.
"Aria, why is the door locked?" I ask my wife curiously.
"I told Audrey to lock it behind me." Aria says as she begins to knock on the door persistently.
A long silence passes, and finally we hear a little voice coming from inside of the bedroom.
"Please don't hurt me." I hear Audrey say through a series of muffled sobs.
My heart breaks for my poor baby girl. Audrey thinks I am a stranger who wants to hurt her and her Mommy. I want the four-year old to open the door as soon as possible, so I can wrap my arms around her and hold her for the rest of the night.
"Audrey honey, it's Daddy." I call out gently.
Less than a second later, the bedroom door bursts open. Audrey runs into my arms, and I hold me sweet baby close to me as I stroke her dark curls.
"I am so sorry I scared you Audi, I just needed to find a way to get home so I could give you Mr. Bear." I say with a guilty sigh.
"Mr. Bear?" Audrey asks as her little eyes light up.
"Yes angel, you left him in my car." I say with a chuckle.
Audrey's eyes dart over to Aria, who is holding the worn out bear in her arms.
"Mr. Bear, Mommy thought I left you at the park! I asked her if we could pick you up, but she said no way Jose!" Audrey exclaims.
Aria lets out a soft giggle, and I stare at her with a puzzled expression on my face.
"What are you, heartless?" I ask as I glare at my wife.
"I'm sorry I didn't want to drive my four year-old to the park during a storm at two o'clock in the morning!" Aria says as she rolls her eyes in annoyance.
"I understand, not all of us can be superheroes like me." I tease.
"You're right, some of us have no problem being the villain. Just so you know, I'm not afraid to kick you down there again." Aria says as she takes Audrey from me and tucks the little girl into our bed.
"You kicked Daddy? That isn't nice Mommy!" Audrey says as her eyes grow wide with shock.
"She didn't just kick me Audrey, she kicked me in a very private place." I say in a fake angry voice.
"Mommy, I learned in preschool that you're not allowed to touch other people's private parts!" Audrey says as she stares at her mother with a puzzled expression on her face.
"Well, I think Mommy needs to go back to preschool. She touches my private parts all the time." I say with a smirk.
"Ezra!" Aria hisses angrily.
"Wow! You're a bad girl Mommy, Mrs. Petty needs to put you on time-out." Audrey tells Aria seriously.
"Don't worry about that Audrey, I always punish Mommy when she's being naughty." I say as I try to hold back laughter.
Aria glares at me furiously, and if looks could kill I'd be dead. She's very protective of our little princess, and Aria always monitors what she says and does around the four-year old. I am also careful about how I behave around Audrey, but sometimes it's fun to tease Aria in front our oblivious daughter.
"You're right Ezra, some of the things I do to you are completely inappropriate! I'll make sure never to do anything that could get me in trouble again." Aria fires back.
I let out an audible moan, and Aria shoots me a triumphant smile. Even though the thought of having sex sounds horrible due to getting kicked in the balls, I'm usually like a horny seventeen year-old boy when it comes to Aria. I can't help it, I love Aria so much, and I always want to express that passionate love. (In more ways than one.)
"Audrey, why don't you close your eyes honey?" Aria suggests as she lays to the right of Audrey and Mr. Bear, whom the four year-old clutches in her little arms.
"I'm scared Mommy." Audrey says with a whimper.
"What are you scared of darling?" I ask as I cuddle close to my daughter.
Right after I finish my sentence, the sound of thunder erupts in the small bedroom. Of course Audrey is scared, she hates storms almost as much as her mommy does.
"D-Daddy..." Audrey says as she bursts into tears.
"Don't cry love, I'm right here." I say, trying to sooth the little girl.
"I'm here too." Aria says before kissing Audrey's forehead lovingly.
"Mommy and Daddy will always be right here to protect you." I tell my daughter truthfully.
Audrey nods, and eventually her soft cries begin to die down. I hold the toddler in my arms, and hum to the tune of "Happiness" by the Fray.
"Are you feeling sleepy yet?" Aria asks as she rubs the girl's back.
Audrey shakes her head, but a small yawn escapes from her lips.
"Go to sleep baby girl, and when you wake up we'll take you to the zoo." I say, hoping it will motivate Audrey to fall asleep.
Unfortunately my idea has the opposite effect, and Audrey springs to her feet and begins to bounce on the bed happily.
"Zoo, zoo, zoo!" Audrey chants.
"Audrey honey, we'll only take you to the zoo if you go night-night." Aria tells her.
"Why Mommy?" Audrey asks as her face falls.
"Because if you stay up all night, you'll be too tired to go to the zoo." I say, filling in for my wife.
Audrey sighs before laying back down and pulling the covers over her little body.
"Daddy, will you buy me pet penguin from the zoo?" Audrey asks me hopefully.
"Only if it's stuffed." I say with a chuckle.
"Can I get a tattoo?" Audrey asks as her hazel eyes begin to droop.
"Only if it washes off in the shower." I say after thinking about it for a minute.
"Will you let me eat lots of ice cream and candy?" Audrey asks.
I'm about to say yes, but Aria gives me a warning look. She hates when I feed Audrey sugar, and I know not to agree to something that could get me trouble later.
"Only if it's okay with Mommy." I decide.
Audrey nods before closing her beautiful hazel eyes.
"Goodnight Audi, we love you so much." Aria whispers to the toddler.
"I love you too." Audrey mumbles.
Less than a minute later, Aria and I hear soft snores coming from the four year-old laying between us.
"She's perfect Aria." I say as I admire our sleeping daughter.
"Isn't she?" Aria asks as tears begin to well-up in her eyes.
"Why are you crying love?" I ask my wife gently.
"I just love you so both so much, and I'm so happy that my baby has such an amazing daddy." Aria says with a sniffle.
"Well, I love my girls, and I'd do anything for you two." I tell my wife truthfully.
"I wish Audrey was in her room so we could..." Aria starts to say.
"I'm to sore to have sex." I say, interrupting my wife.
"Oh yeah." Aria says with a soft giggle.
"Don't worry Aria, next week I'll be fine to do whatever you desire. We can start trying for another little prince or princess." I say before running my fingers through Audrey's dark curls.
"I thought I ruined my chances of getting pregnant again." Aria says as she raises an eyebrow.
"Well, I know first hand that miracles do happen. I live with two of them, remember?" I ask my wife softly.
Aria gives me a sweet smile, before cuddling close to me and Audrey and closing her eyes. A few minutes later, I hear soft snores coming from both Audrey and Aria.
I know storms terrify my wife and daughter, but I personally love nights like these. Storms give me an excuse to have Audrey and Aria near me, and if the weather gets to bad, they'll have me to protect them.
What did you think? I wrote this story about a month ago, and I finally decided to post it. Thanks for reading, and please review :)
-Erin