Guess what everyone? Jasha is back! At last, right? I know how much you've all missed them and trust me, I tried so hard to get this fic out much earlier than now. Sorry for the delay, and I hope you enjoy this latest instalment.
For brand new readers, I STRONGLY advise that you read 'Into The Deep End' first, then 'Nothing Better' to get what Jasha is all about. Thank you! :D
"Damn. You look crappy."
Frowning at his smirking wife through the iPad screen, Joe rolled his grey eyes. "Our first FaceTime session in a while and you had to start with the negatives." Huffing with annoyance, he picked up his bottle of water and chugged down half of it, then tossed it aside. "Glad to know you find my broken nose funny."
Sasha sighed, fighting the urge to roll her own eyes. Ever since he lost the World title for the second time, her husband of over a year had become the crankiest motherfucker on the planet. The past week had been even rougher for him and she was only trying to lighten up the mood. However it was clear that he had little appreciation for her effort. Again. "I didn't say it was funny," she said.
Was he sure about that? From the way they'd been bickering lately, barbs and jibes seemed to be all they had for each other these days. "Right," he murmured, sitting up straighter on his way-too-small hotel room bed. "So what's up? How are the babies doing?"
"They're good. Asleep for now."
A small smile spread across his face at the thought of holding his infant twins in his arms again. "I can't wait to see them. I miss them so much."
It no longer surprised her when he made no mention of missing her, like he used to before. "So…how are you doing?"
"Tired." Lifting his tattooed shoulder, he rotated the appendage gingerly. "I've been up since the crack of dawn working on this new toy ad. Took photos all damn day in this hot-ass warehouse. I think I did the same damn pose for about five hours straight," he grumbled.
"A lot of people would be happy to do the same pose for five hours straight," Sasha pointed out, "Especially if they're doing it for something they love to do, like you are. You should appreciate it."
Joe raised an eyebrow, not liking the tone she used to address him; the tone she would use on her daughter Mia when the pre-teen was being stubborn. But he forced himself to let it slide. Again. Steering down a calmer path, he said, "So what are you up to right now?"
"Just got out of the shower," She waved the towel she was using to dry her short hair, "The yoga session was great today. I feel so much better after every class," she added, her voice lilting with enthusiasm.
For the past number of months, Joe noticed that the gym had become one of Sasha's favorite places to be at. Every time they spoke she was out running. Every time he was home, she was at one workout session or another at Pam's gym. It was great to want to stay in shape but he couldn't help but believe that this was now a bit of an obsession for her. "Where were the babies while you were out?" he asked.
Sasha's brows furrowed. "With Gin's folks like always. Thought you knew that."
Joe frowned. "I don't like when they're so far away from you."
"It's Elgin's parents, babe. And it was only for a couple of hours. Relax."
"I am relaxed," he shot back.
Raising an eyebrow of her own, Sasha scrutinized her husband. "You sure about that?"
His reply was terse. "Yes."
Sasha pursed her lips at his attitude. It had been like this for some time now, the sniping and the arguing and the overall tension between her and Joe. Both when he was at home and on the road. Every time her iPhone or iPad rang and it was his caller ID, she found herself cringing with trepidation as she didn't know what mood he would be in. It was difficult enough dealing with two infants on her own and running low on sleep and energy every day as a result. The added drama did not help matters and it certainly was not welcome. He obviously was not relaxed, but for the sake of peace she let it be, because asking questions led to more unnecessary drama. Maybe for once they could have a conversation that didn't end with them blowing up on each other. "When will you be home?"
"I'm back Wednesday like always, and lucky for me, I get to stay home till Sunday since the house shows are cancelled," Joe said.
"That's nice. I'm sure you're looking forward to coming home."
Honestly…if it only meant getting into more meaningless fights with her, then not really. He spent most of his time with the babies and Mia mainly so he could avoid getting into it again with her. Ninety percent of the time, the plan failed. It was the story of their lives as a couple lately and it was starting to get tiresome. Joe cleared his throat, about to bring up a particularly prickly topic of contention. "By the way, I got a red carpet event next Thursday in New York." He paused, wetting his lips briefly as he met his wife's gaze through the screen. "When can you fly out? I want you to be there with me," he asked, but the moment he saw her gaze shift from his, he knew what her answer would be.
Sasha swallowed. Oh no. Not this again. Joe was, by all intents and purposes, the number one guy in WWE right now. That honor came with a lot of responsibilities, mostly involving the media, and in the times when her presence was required, Sasha was happy to accompany him. She was well aware that her status as his wife meant she was under constant scrutiny no matter what, but it didn't make her any more comfortable. Things started to escalate after she had their children, Giselle and Micah, and gained a few pounds in the process. Last time she checked, it was perfectly normal to carry a bit of extra weight after childbirth. But Joe's fans didn't seem to agree, judging from the way they trashed her when a picture of her surfaced a month after having the twins. She'd pretended to brush off that little incident but it ate at her every day from then on. She couldn't bear the thought of accompanying her husband somewhere again and have people tweeting about how fat she had become. She feared that Joe himself also felt the same way and was only asking her out of obligation. Like now.
"Sash?" As if on cue, his deep voice prompted her back to reality, and she cleared her throat.
"I um…I don't think I can make it," she murmured.
And he was right on the money. Again. "Here we go. What's your excuse this time?"
Refusing to meet his gaze, she picked at her towel. "You sayin' I had an excuse before?"
"Please. You always got some excuse. This is like, the third event you've turned down. Are you gonna keep backing down every time I wanna take you somewhere? I can count how many times you've come out with me in the last couple of months with one hand. What are you hiding from?" he demanded.
Sasha crossed her arms petulantly. "Fine. You wanna know? I'll tell you. I'm not going anywhere until I get rid of this baby weight."
Joe gave her a strange look. "What are you talkin' about? You ain't even that big," he said flippantly.
If that statement was meant to make her feel better, it didn't work. In fact it had the completely opposite effect. "Gee, thanks, Joseph. And you should tell that to your lovely fans," she retorted, "Did you read what they were saying about me last time we were out together?"
His free hand clenched into a fist as he felt himself get angrier. "Who the fuck cares what the fans say? You're the one who tells me to ignore them. How about you follow your own advice for once?"
"It's not that simple, Joe."
"Yes, it is that simple Sasha. Stay off the fuckin' internet. I've told you that a million times before," he responded harshly, thoroughly irritated now.
Sasha blinked rapidly, shocked. "Are you kiddin' me? What the hell is your problem?"
"You are!" Joe shot back harshly. "You are my problem, Sasha! You don't listen to me anymore. When I wanna talk you either avoid me or start a fight with me! You always gotta have everything your way. When's the last time we did something I wanted to do? You never want to do anything except work out." The words continued to tumble out of his mouth in a heated, angry rush. "I'm sorry but I don't see why you should be going to the gym so much. Your job is to stay at home and take care of the babies, not spending all your damn time exercising."
It was like watching a clip from a movie, the way Sasha's face transformed at those last words. She looked like he'd slapped her.
"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean? So me going to the gym trying to get back in shape, trying to feel better about myself, makes me a bad mother? Makes me a problem? Is that what you're saying?"
"What? Of course not! I-"
But it was too late to backtrack. All hell had broken loose, and Sasha was in a complete rage. "I am at home taking care of your children, barely able to work, and you got the goddamn nerve to utter that bullshit because I don't wanna go to your stupid party? You selfish asshole!"
"For fuck's sake Sasha, I didn't mean it like that! Will you just-"
"You never mean anything 'like that'!" Her hands flew up angrily to make sarcastic quotation signs. "That's always your fuckin' answer for all the dumb shit you say! I always knew you could be an ass but I didn't know you were an insensitive ass."
Hurt stabbed the Samoan's insides at her stinging words. "Oh, we're calling each other names now? How mature."
"So I'm the one being immature? Of course! Pin it all on the useless wife and incompetent mother!"
"When did I even say any of that? For fuck's sake Sasha, you are completely overreacting as usual!" He realized he should be placating her instead of fanning the flames, but he really didn't appreciate her putting words in his mouth.
Sasha shot him with an incredulous stare. "Overreacting? After the way you been treating me, the way everyone else has been treating me like I don't know what the hell I'm doing, like I can't handle the babies? You think I'm overreacting? We can't even talk without gettin' into a fuckin' fight, so you can kiss my black ass with that mess!"
Joe groaned loudly, exasperated. "This is insane. You are being completely asinine."
"Go to hell." Her voice broke at the last word, and Joe felt his heart splinter as he watched the tears spill down her cheeks. His heart lurched at the look on her face, a gut-wrenching mix of pain and fury that made him suddenly uncomfortable. "Sash…come on, don't cry… Sasha, stop it," he attempted, cringing when she pinned him down with another murderous glare.
"Don't tell me what to do," she snapped, "Why does everyone keep trying to tell me what to do?" Taking yet another deep, ragged breath, she turned away and wiped her face with trembling fingers, unable to look him in the eye any longer. "I am so sick and tired of your shit. You don't even give a damn."
"Babe-"
"Do you know why I'm in the gym so much?" she interrupted him again. "Why I care about what your fans say? Because I have to care. Because I have to look and act perfect for you and for them and when I don't, I make you look bad."
"That is not true…Sasha, listen to me-" He was close to pleading now. This was nothing like their previous squabbles; this was much, much worse. He cursed inwardly, wondering how this conversation had spiraled out of control.
The mother of four started on another heated retort, but was distracted when something across the room hijacked her attention. The baby monitor was on and the sounds of crying filled both their ears. Exhaling tiredly, she pushed the tears from her face. "Gotta go. I'm off to take care of your kids like the good little wife I am," she said, her tone clipped and bitter, and as she rose to her feet, she jabbed her finger forwards, turning the iPad screen black.
"Fuck!" Joe knocked his iPad aside, too incensed to worry about where it landed. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He pressed his fists to his face, his whole body heaving. What the hell just happened? He closed his eyes only to force them back open a second later, because all he could see were the tears on her beautiful, heartbroken face. How had it come to this? What was happening to their marriage?
"You dumbass."
He twisted around on his bed and found his colleague and one of his closest friends, Trinity Fatu, at the door of his hotel room, the expression on her pretty face like thunder. Her husband Jonny stood meekly behind her, looking rather fearful for his cousin. Joe could tell they'd caught part of their conversation, if he could call it that, but he was not in the mood for any lectures.
Clearly not getting that memo, Trinity crossed her arms and shook her head. "Let me guess. You've stopped paying attention to Sasha," she said, her tone accusing. "Every time you call her it's only to ask about the twins. You barely ask how she's doing. You return home and it's the same rodeo all over again. Sounds familiar, right?" Clucking her tongue, she leveled him with a glare very similar to the ones Sasha had been giving him for months.
"That is not true!" the Pensacola native retorted angrily. He didn't ignore Sasha, not at all. If anything, it was the other way around. At least it felt that way to him. "And frankly, ain't none of your business. This is between me and her."
"Like hell it is. Not when we can all see what's going on between y'all two," Trinity countered smoothly. "Did your little pea brain not learn anything from what happened with Andrea? Hey, I couldn't stand the bitch, but you pretty much told her back then that you were only keeping her around because she was carrying your child. Look how that turned out. You're about to replicate the exact same thing with Sasha. She had two babies…two…for you! She risked her body for you-"
"You think I don't know that?" Joe threw up his hands in exasperation, feeling ganged up on. "I've tried talking to her, Trin! But she don't wanna talk to me. I ask her about stuff and all she does is shut me down. I'm not a fuckin' mind reader so what do you want me to do?"
"Try harder," said Trinity, "You have to talk to her. Not at her, and not in a bored or aggressive tone either. Dude, she's going through a rough time. She thinks she's fat and she's feeling insecure about her body. You're gone for weeks on end and she has to deal with the children by herself. She feels alone and suffocated she wants support and reassurance from you. I understand that you got a lot on your plate too, but you've let it completely take over your life and pushed Sasha out in the process." Clasping her hands together, Trinity's eyes were imploring as she added, "Joe, I am begging you. Do not make the same mistake you made before. Sasha ain't just some random baby mama, she's your wife. Call her, do whatever the fuck you gotta do to fix this. Otherwise trust me when I say you're gonna have a problem with me as well."
She let the threat hang in the air, allowing her in-law to absorb it a little longer. Then, shooting him one last scolding glare, she marched out of the room, leaving the two cousins alone and swarmed in the palpable tension. Joe glared at Jonny, who looked about to speak. "Don't you start," he warned.
"She's right though," Jonny countered, shaking his head. "But damn man, I thought I told you not to mess up with Sasha when she's around," He stabbed a finger in the direction Trinity had stormed out from. "It affects me too." He shook his head and sighed heavily. "I'm willing to bet you right now, she's gonna go and and on about it all night and I won't get any damn sleep. Fix it, Uce. Please. You know she ain't kiddin'." Rolling his eyes dramatically with another shake of his head, he disappeared through the door after his wife as he braced himself a long night ahead.
Blowing out a breath, Joe ran his hands through his hair. He had to admit, Trin was right. Though Sasha wasn't completely innocent, he knew he'd crossed a line with the things he said to her, and he needed to find a way to make it up to her. He could only hope and pray he was not too late.
Everybody sees it's you
I'm the one that lost the view
Everybody says we're through
I hope you haven't said it too…
Three days later, Joe returned home. He was welcomed by the sound of complete silence as he stepped through the doors of his lavish Tampa abode. Though it was only about eight p.m. the lights were already turned off, all the windows were closed and locked and the alarm system was on. There was no one downstairs in the living room or in the kitchen. It was rather strange for his household, and he wondered where everyone was.
Dragging his suitcases as quietly as possible upstairs, the first thing he did was to check on the twins. He strolled past the master bedroom and towards the nursery. Abandoning his luggage at the door, he gently pushed the door open and turned on the little lamp in the corner, which gave a soft, dim glow to the lilac-colored room that he really liked. However, he was surprised to find both cribs empty. Curious, he crossed through the connecting door and into the master bedroom, and a smile of relief tugged his lips at the sight that greeted him.
Lying in their king-sized bed was Sasha, flanked on each side by their twins; Giselle on her left, Micah on her right, all three of them fast asleep. The volume of the television was turned down low, with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse showing on the flat screen. Both babies' heads were turned towards their mother while she lay on her back, an arm wound protectively around each of them. It was a beautiful, Kodak-worthy moment that could not be ignored. He whipped out his phone, quickly putting it on silent before immortalizing the image on his device. He moved to pick up the children, but then remembered that he had to wash his hands. Germs around the babies were a huge no-no. Sasha read him the Riot Act every time he forgot. He dashed into the toilet and back, then, ensuring not to wake any of them, he carefully extracted Giselle out of Sasha's arm and rested her little head on his shoulder. Wow, she was so big now. He stuck his hand inside her diaper to see if she needed to be changed and was glad to find out that she did not. He loved his children to death but changing diapers had to be his least favorite thing to do. He nuzzled the baby's soft dark hair and kissed her forehead, breathing in her fresh talcum-powdered scent. "Come on Princess, let's get you to bed," he whispered.
He walked back to the nursery and found the crib on the left side of the room, and carefully, he lowered the baby inside, making sure she lay on her back. He pulled the baby blanket over his daughter, and after ensuring she was safe and sound, he exited the room to retrieve his son.
As he reached for Micah, his heart lurched a little when he saw Sasha start to stir, and she absently ran her hand over the spot on the bed where Giselle had been sleeping beside her. "Gigi?" she breathed, her eyes cracking open.
At that moment, Joe felt his anxiety melt into a warm pool of pride. His wife may have been half-asleep but her children were always on her mind, always her top priority. There was never a time she didn't realize when one of her babies was no longer near her. Joe decided to ease her fears. "I got her. She's in her crib," he said.
"Joe?" She would have opened her eyes a little more but she was just so tired. His hulking frame looked familiar but she couldn't really tell because the comforting haze of sleep still surrounded her. For all she knew, he was still on the road and this was just another vivid dream she was having of him.
"Yeah, it's me." Beside Sasha, Joe could see their son start to squirm. "I got Mike too. Go back to sleep." He watched as she relaxed and shut her eyes, then he reached over her body to pick up Micah, gently cradling him in his large arms like he did with Giselle. "Hey buddy," he cooed, rubbing his tiny back as he left of the bedroom. He'd since learned that Gigi was the lighter sleeper of the twins, often waking up at the slightest sound, while Micah was the one that slept like a rock. Either way, the last thing Joe wanted was Sasha being woken up by the babies' cries when it was evident how tired she was.
It wasn't unusual to find Joe sitting in the nursery for hours, doing nothing but cuddling his children. He always tried to reacquaint himself with their environment as much as he could before he had to travel again. Pulling Sasha's nursing chair between the two cribs, Joe settled down and lowered the side of Giselle's crib facing him so he could touch her. He wedged his littlest finger through her tiny fist, and smiled when the baby subconsciously grabbed it and held on. Micah was tucked underneath his chin, and the Samoan lightly swayed back and forth in the rocking chair, giving his son a kiss on top of his head, basking in the child's smell, his softness, his innocence.
"I've missed you both so much," he whispered.
He couldn't believe they were five months old already. He still remembered it like it was yesterday, the day when he and Sasha found out they were having twins. Etched in his memory were the wide-eyed, shocked expression on his wife's beautiful face and the sound of his own pulse hammering in his ears…
"I'm sorry, what?" Joe gaped at Dr. Sawyer like she had two heads, which at this point, was a rather appropriate expression. Because unless his hearing had become fucked up by all the beatings he'd endured in the ring, it sounded a lot to him like she'd just said that there were two babies inside his wife.
Mona laughed at his expression. "You heard me right." She pointed at the screen showing the ultrasound. "See? Over here is the head of the first baby and over here…is the second." She turned back to the couple and smiled. "Two heads means it's twins. So congratulations."
Emotions of every kind swelled inside Sasha, threatening to burst from her chest. "Twins," she murmured, shock and euphoria and fear flitting across her face all at once. Shaking her head at her husband, she said, "How did I forget that twins run in your damn family?"
Joe laughed, as did Mona. "Would you like to know what you're having?"
The couple looked at each other, and Sasha squeezed Joe's hand as they exchanged knowing smiles. They had discussed this over and over without coming to an agreement. Joe looked back at the OB-GYN. "Well, we already know we're having twins," he said. "The genders don't really matter to me. I can wait until they're born. I just want them to arrive healthy."
"You sure?" asked Dr. Sawyer, noting Sasha's skeptical expression. "Some couples decide on one thing and then change their minds quickly. If you want, we can wait until your next appointment to find out, or I can write it in an envelope for you. Many couples usually prefer that."
"An envelope will be fine," Sasha piped up. She knew her husband. There was a high chance he would be unavailable for the next appointment, and it wouldn't feel right if she found out on her own. Besides, even if she did, she couldn't keep it from him. The suspense would kill them both. Personally, she preferred to find out the sex of their babies together, and sooner rather than later.
Sooner came much quicker than later. Two days barely went by when both of them bit the bullet. Unable to hold out any longer, they rummaged through the kitchen drawer they'd buried the envelope in and tugged out the paper. They were on the floor for an hour after that, hugging each other while crying tears of joy. One baby was already a blessing, but having two, a boy and a girl for that matter, was an incredible miracle.
Despite being born premature, the twins were as healthy as ever. Micah Morgan Sika was the younger twin but he was slightly bigger than his sister – Sasha blamed it on his Samoan-inherited penchant for food – and looked exactly like Joe, from his wavy black hair to his tan skin and slanted charcoal-grey eyes. Giselle Maeva Josephina was the apple of her father's eye and already a little diva. She demanded his attention and he surrendered it to her without question. Like her brother she took most of Joe's good looks but her smile was a carbon copy of Sasha's. Their parents were overjoyed when they arrived, but honestly speaking it was more because it meant her pregnancy was over. By no means had it been an easy eight months. If carrying one baby was tough, two had been a nightmare. Sasha struggled throughout, and even ended up needing a walking stick to move around during the latter stages of her term. It broke Joe's heart to see her in such pain and discomfort and it hurt him more that he couldn't be there with her all the time like a normal father-to-be. It was such a relief when the babies were delivered safely and Sasha turned out okay. It was by far the happiest moment of Joe's life and he did his best to be as hands-on as possible with the babies, looking after them when he returned home and bonding with them.
However, as his connection with his children strengthened, the one with his wife started to diminish. Neither had much time for the other as the twins became top priority. Soon the arguments started, and Sasha fought with him over the pettiest things like cleaning up the house and taking out the trash. He figured she was acting out because she couldn't return to work and was stuck at home while her body continued to heal. But she stopped wanting to go out with him, preferring to go to the gym than spend time with him. And then, to his chagrin, she began to spurn his advances when he wanted to make love, instead putting all her attention on the babies and losing weight. When he realized her fears over her body image had skyrocketed, he'd tried to be understanding, but Sasha did not seem to see that. To add to the turmoil at home, he was having a less-than-stellar period at work. The higher-ups in the WWE kept playing hot potato with their decision over whether to give him another title reign, and feeling frustrated and yanked around, he started to lash out at the people closest to him, most notably the woman he called his wife. And just like the woman he knew and loved, she lashed right back, making his life one big giant clusterfuck.
It was all very frustrating; his kids were growing up and he wasn't there to witness it. He was constantly arguing with their mother. It had reached a point where he internally timed how long their attempt at conversation would drag on for before it broke down and they were yelling at each other again. There were days he would come home and immediately wish he was back on the road so he wouldn't have to deal with her, and though he knew it was wrong, he couldn't help how he felt. It wasn't healthy at all, especially not when there were small children involved, and after replaying their last heated exchange over and over in his head and going over Trinity's advice, the Samoan decided it was time for the fighting to come to an end. It was all a huge mess over nothing. They could not carry on like this, and he vowed to resolve their issues on this trip home.
Kissing Micah's head one more time, Joe placed him in his crib and drew the covers over him. Once he checked that the baby monitors were on, he left the nursery and checked on his sleeping wife again. He noticed she was wearing a robe and her hair was tucked underneath a satin hair cover, and he guessed that she was in bed when the twins drew her attention. Seeing it from her perspective, Joe felt bad for her. She hadn't got a break in over a year, and with T.K. off touring the independents and Mia being more and more occupied with school, Sasha was stuck with the babies with very little help. His parents occasionally stepped in, but it wasn't often as they themselves were getting on age-wise. No wonder she'd exploded like that. It was a lot to take on. He probably would have too if he'd been in her shoes.
Deciding to be of use while he was at home, he unpacked his bags and gathered his dirty laundry. Heading downstairs to the laundry room, he added a load of laundry to the washer, separating the babies' clothes and handwashing them himself. He then wiped down the kitchen, put on the dishwasher, and took out the trash. Afterwards he made his way to the den to tidy up Sasha's laptop and paperwork. He picked up the toys strewn around the living room and took them upstairs to deposit in the little toy box in the nursery. It was the least he could do. Sasha always kept the house in impeccable shape all by her lonesome and it was his responsibility to maintain that standard.
When he was satisfied with the state of the house, Joe returned to the master bedroom and climbed into bed next to his wife. Staring at her for a long, forlorn moment, he tentatively weaved his arm underneath her head, and his hand was halfway across the pillow when she moved. But instead of shifting away from him, her body relaxed and she snuggled into his embrace, all without ever opening her eyes. Expelling a huge sigh of relief, Joe wrapped his arm completely around her, then reached for the remote to catch up with his favorite TV shows. Sure, she was cuddling with him in her subconscious, but it was better than her being awake and hating him. This way he could pretend that things were still normal and all was well between them.
As another manic episode of How To Get Away With Murder flew by, the gentle movement of his fingers in her hair ceased when he felt her shift next to him. By now she was practically glued to his side, with her head tucked in the crook of his neck and her arm around his middle. He glanced down at her as her eyes finally opened, blinking slowly. She rolled away from him, rubbing her eyes, and a soft smile tugged at his lips at her adorable expression as consciousness slowly returned to her. He could see the proverbial lightbulb flash in her mind as she realized something was off. Fully awake now, she sat up and looked around the bed.
Joe instantly read her mind. "They're in the nursery, safe and sound," he told her, and he felt his heart grow when she slid down beside him again, resting her head on his shoulder as her attention turned to the TV.
"When on earth did you start watching this show?" she asked, causing him to chuckle and reply, "There was nothing else on TV and I wanted to find out what got you and Pam trippin' so much." He shook his head. "I get it now. Man, they crazy. Every single one of them." He smiled when Sasha laughed, the sound vibrating against his skin soothing him.
"Trust me, this episode is just the beginning," she said, her fingers idly stroking his pectorals. "How long have you been home?" she asked.
"About three hours, four tops. You three were out like a light."
It had been quite the crazy day for Sasha. The twins had cried all day for some reason, and she was forced to cancel all her plans for the day, including working from home. "Not gonna lie, it was a rough one today. They were super cranky. I think they knew their Daddy was coming home so they decided to give me a hard time," she quipped, not bothering to stifle the yawn that escaped her.
She looked so exhausted. Joe felt like shit. "I wish I'd been here to help."
"Don't worry about it," she replied, yawning again.
Joe stared at her, a million thoughts flitting through his mind. There was so much he wanted to say to her, so much he wanted to apologize for. But he didn't know if words could fully articulate how truly sorry he was for his part in the turbulence of their relationship. "I got you something," he said. Twisting his upper body towards his side of the bed, he reappeared with a long stemmed red rose wrapped in transparent paper.
Sasha raised an eyebrow. "There's hundreds of flowers in the garden outside, Joe," she informed him, the small smirk on her lips telling him not to take offence to her comment.
"I know. But that woulda been lazy of me."
Giggling at his statement, she took the flower and held it to her nose. "It's beautiful. Thanks," she murmured, sincerity shining in her eyes as she looked at him.
The air crackled with tension as Joe watched her intently. "I've been thinking…Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"
Sasha lowered the rose, waiting for a beat or two. "Like a date?"
"Yeah, like a date." He could sense that she was trying to play it cool, but her anxiety was written on her face. "Don't worry. It'll be just you and me, alone and in a relaxed environment and we'll get all the privacy we want. I'd really like it if we sat down and talked and caught up with each other's lives. I think being stuck in this house all the time with only the babies for company hasn't been much fun for you."
Frankly, he was right on all fronts. Especially with the notion that they desperately needed to talk. Shifting to lie on her side, she nodded her head in agreement. "Okay. I'm fine with that. Where are we going though?"
His serious expression turned playful. "Sorry baby girl. You'll just have to wait and see."
Sasha grinned. "Ooh, a surprise, huh? What about the twins?"
"We can drop them off at my parents' place. Or Elgin's parents'. Or Mia will take care of them. She'll probably ask to be paid though," he chuckled, grinning when Sasha joined him.
"I'm sure we can negotiate something," she answered.
Joe smiled at his wife, watching her laugh, and decided to take advantage of the lightened mood before it slipped away for good. Gently stroking her hip, he said in a soft voice, "You probably don't believe me, but I've missed you. I...miss you," he corrected himself, locking eyes with her, his own swirling with apologies.
It was so difficult to stay mad at him. Even when she gave him the silent treatment to teach him a lesson it required all of her willpower because it was miserable not talking to him. Despite all the conflict they put each other through, she loved him to death. She always would. "I believe you," she answered, inching closer to him. "And I miss you too." And wanting to show him rather than just tell him, she tilted her head and gently placed her lips on his for a moment. Pulling away, she moved, climbing slowly on top of his body. She watched his grey eyes, wide with surprise and hope and longing, and she gave her reassurance with a small smile. Emboldened, she leaned down and kissed him again, her lips parting wider for him, and she sensed his relief as he wound an arm around her, holding her tight to him while he massaged her scalp with his other fingers. This was so much better than arguing. Unfortunately they couldn't help themselves sometimes. They fought each other as intensely as they loved each other, probably always would, and both of them would have to come to terms with that fact and put up with it.
Trying his luck, Joe tugged off the robe Sasha was wearing, heartened when she made no protest. He pushed the clothing down her arms and gently pressed his lips to the exposed skin on her shoulder. Slowly, he rolled her onto her back, delighted to feel her legs instantly slide up around his waist. Brushing heated, suckling kisses over her neck, his hands ventured upwards, closing over her naked breasts, which were larger and more sensitive now due to breastfeeding. Giving them a small squeeze each, her soft moan was encouraging, and he happily repeated the action. He bowed his head and licked her nipple, the faint taste of breastmilk coming away on his tongue. His name was a breathy moan on her lips, her hips lifting to grind against his crotch. Joe growled in reaction, tearing his mouth away from her chest to crash back against hers. They kissed hard, fast, and his hands continued massaging her breasts, his fingers tweaking and teasing her nipples. He was about turning his attention back to them when a small cry pierced the air out of nowhere.
"No," Sasha whined. Joe's forehead dropped onto her chest with frustration. "Fuck." The baby monitor had come alive and was indicating that one of their children was now awake and very upset.
Sasha exhaled heavily. This was one of the reasons she didn't bother with sex anymore. "That's your son," she informed Joe, patting his shoulder so he could move off of her.
"How do you know?" he asked.
"There's no frills with his crying," she explained, sitting up and quickly drawing her robe back over herself. "Your daughter always whines first, always makes a big entrance. With Micah it's short, sweet and to the point most of the time."
"You know them well." There was envy in his voice.
Sasha smiled tenderly and caressed his face. "You will too, baby. They recognize you now. That's a start." She started to get up but Joe stopped her. "I got him." He pulled himself up and kissed her lips. "Stay put. I'll be right back."
Getting off the bed, Joe crossed the room and towards the adjoining door, the baby's cries getting louder as he neared the nursery. Taking a second to look at Giselle's crib, he was relieved to see her slumber on despite Micah's noise. Reaching into the other crib, Joe picked up his wailing son and patted his back. "Hey little man. What's the matter?" he asked, walking out of the nursery. "You were right. It was him." He sat down on the bed, not taking his eyes off his boy as he began to quieten. "Gotta say, nani, we got some good-looking kids," the Samoan remarked.
"Well, they got Samoan, Italian and Negro blood. They don't have a choice but to be good-looking." She carefully took their baby son. With her other hand she pulled her robe open and adjusted him in her arms, then guided her nipple into his mouth. Watching the baby suckle for a few moments, she then looked over at her husband, propped up on his elbow as he looked on with a soft, almost dreamy smile, and smirked. "Take a picture, it lasts longer."
His gaze zeroed in on her chest. "It's beautiful to watch."
"Or you just like me whipping out my naked tits."
At last, his eyes flickered to hers, familiarly dark and suggestive. "Maybe."
Her face warmed instantly. "Pervert." But the smile on her face was wide and genuine, and the Samoan was glad to be the one to put it there. Glad that they were back to this, the playful banter between them. He rested his chin on her shoulder, playing with Micah's toes while he reveled in the sight of his wife feeding their son.
Eeeeeee! That was so much fun. Combustible Jasha is fun to write. I started writing them two years ago this month, can you believe it? I feel so proud. *sniff*
Can I confess that I haven't started typing the second chapter at all? Welp! I do have most of it written somewhere else but I'd be lying if I said it'll be ready even in a week. But I'll update it as soon as I can, I promise. Hope you enjoyed this part though.
What's date night gonna be like? Hmmm. ;)
Let me know your thoughts with a review! Thanks guys!
Lyrics from 'Crawl' by Chris Brown.
