I do not own Grey's Anatomy… if I did season 14 would be all Japril, all the time.
Japril: From A to Z
Chapter 7: Genesis
April grudgingly crawled out of bed, wincing the entire time. She was beyond exhausted and her body was fighting every movement she was forced to make. She had just come off completing an unremitting twenty-four-hour shift and that was after one of the busiest few weeks of her life. She was jet-lagged, frustrated and her mind held a mass of information that she needed to read before she could even begin to figure out what it all meant. She still needed to transcribe notes and prepare for two meetings; one she was to give for Bailey and Hunt, and then one she had to present to Jackson and the rest of the board.
She eventually made it to the shower, but not before turning on the coffee pot and popping a sausage, egg and cheese English muffin in the microwave. It wasn't her standard breakfast of choice as she tried to eat as healthily as possible, but it would be done quickly, and she was already moving sluggishly. She didn't have the inclination or the time to make oatmeal, sit down and enjoy it. The sandwich was something she could take on the go and trying to eat a bowl of hot cereal while driving was not a feat she was ever going to attempt. She was just ecstatic that she was home and back to a regular schedule.
Two weeks ago, she had attended an intensive Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Hunt had been the one tasked to go, but since he hated attending these types of events, he somehow managed to convince Dr. Bailey that April would benefit from the involvement as she was the future of the hospital. He told Bailey that this was right up her alley and would make a better representative for Grey Sloan, so she was selected to participate. April knew, that he knew it was all a bunch of crap, but in hindsight, she had to concede that the conference was educational. There were presentations regarding the latest evidenced based practices and theories featuring a variety of specialist speakers from around the country and Europe. In addition to lectures, there were hands-on skills labs, simulated scenarios and open debate forums. One would think that spending a week in Vegas would be the ultimate excursion, but she was so occupied from morning to early evening that she was wiped out by the time the sessions were over. Oh, she did have fun and had met many interesting people on this trip, but politely declined any offers to visit the casino, have a drink or catch a show after the day's events were done, but she and several colleagues had promised to keep in contact.
She had barely dropped her bags at her front door before she was off again, this time as a representative of Grey Sloan Memorial hospital to travel to Texas. One of the Avery foundations newest acquisitions, Green Oaks – Med City in Dallas, had a trauma unit that they felt could benefit from learning April's own checklist for patient care. She was honored that they thought so highly of the procedures that she'd developed that she jumped at the chance to work with their staff. She had created the checklist back during her resident days and over the years had streamlined the process. It proved to be a highly effective method of assessing, triaging and treating emergency room patients and she was garnering a name for herself in the medical community. During her stint there, she was put up in one of the swankier hotels in the vicinity and unlike the week prior in Vegas, she took advantage of the amenities. There was a gym, spa and private pool. While there, she'd met and commiserated with several of staff members at the hospital, but again, she rejected any requests to hang out. She even got asked out on an actual date by the chief of their emergency unit, but she wasn't the type to date someone she knew she never planned on seeing again and in the back of her mind she suspected that he hoped she would be open to a one-night stand, if his ardent flirting with her was any indication and when she found out that he was married, her reservations were validated. To top off such a fast-paced and arduous week, she had to cover for Dr. Sheen's Thursday double shift the day before. Even though her time away was informative and an immense learning experience, as Dr. Hunt had cunningly suggested, there was one thing and one thing only that she did regret.
At the beginning of the three-week span, it had been Jackson's turn to have Harriet. Since she was out of town, it meant that she couldn't visit her at daycare and their only means of communication had been by skype. She did make sure to carve out several minutes each day to call Jackson and check on her status and every night before her bedtime, they skyped so that Harriet could at least see her face. She felt it was important that no matter who had her during the week, the other either spoke or saw her at least once that day. This also meant that the next week which was supposed to be her scheduled time with Harriet, she missed because she was away on behalf of the hospital. So, this third week was Jackson's turn again and they were adamant about keeping Harriet to a regimented schedule.
April swore to herself that she would never again function at such an exhausting pace that deprived her of the chance to see her baby girl face to face for more than a few days. At least she would be seeing her this morning and in only a few days, it would be her turn again with Harriet. She had texted Jackson and told him she would meet him in the main lobby, so she could walk up to the daycare center with them. She wanted to devote every minute she could with her and seeing her sweet angelic face first thing this morning would be a perfect start to the day she needed.
Rushing through the front entrance, she looked around for them and almost had the wind knocked out of her when alongside her estranged ex-husband and mini-me, was the last person she wanted to see.
Dr. Margaret Pierce or Maggie as she was referred to by her friends and family, was standing with Jackson but that wasn't the worst of it. Horror of all horrors, she was holding her baby in her arms.
Jackson and Maggie, she noticed, had been spending quite a bit of time together lately. When she first mentioned to Maggie that Jackson liked her and that she believed she liked him too, deep down she hoped that Maggie would laugh in her face at the absurdity of her assertion. In actuality, all of her suspicions were based off one lingering look that she happened to bear witness between the two and that wasn't much to base the foundations of a relationship on. But, what she'd also noticed was that over the corresponding weeks they'd shared numerous odd and knowing stares. Meals in the cafeteria, exchanges at the nurse's station, and an absurd amount of cases they worked on together which perplexed her to no end. Sure, cardio and plastics had the occasion to consult and perform surgeries in concert, but the fact that she, being a trauma surgeon had fewer procedures with either of them was baffling. They seemed to gravitate toward each other as if they had their own orbit and frankly, it ticked her off.
As she approached them, she tried to hide the ire rising from within. Yes, Maggie was technically Harriet's aunt seeing as how Jackson's mother Catherine had married Maggie's biological father, Richard, but it didn't mean she had to like it. It wasn't that she had anything against Maggie per say, she just irked her. Maggie was brilliant, and she knew it, but she had the ability to be childish at times. Well, in her opinion anyway, and Alex had the nerve to tell her that she was annoying. Ha, what a joke.
April made it a point to be civil to Jackson and Maggie both, even though she wasn't completely sure what their status was, but she watched them carefully. Since the talk with Jackson; well, talk wasn't exactly the correct term, more like soliloquy because as she poured her heart out to him about Montana, how they continued to have sex and why she felt she should move out, and him sitting there like a mute, they had been actively avoiding each other. Their only interaction had been when they'd been required to work on a patient or when they were passing Harriet off to the other. She moved out as quickly as she could, not wanting to drag out the process as it only made it harder. Jackson, it seems wasn't as bothered by her exit as she'd hoped. A new apartment, car, boat and apparently love interest later, he appeared to be reveling in and loving his semi-bachelor lifestyle.
So, no, she and Maggie weren't besties and she and Jackson weren't sociable. April did make polite conversation and was always professional, but that was part of her the fundamentals of her upbringing under her parent's tutelage and the teachings of the church. But if she were being honest, and she'd never tell another living soul, she had a reason for making sure she kept a close eye on their situation. Jackson had persuaded her to watch the Godfather and Michael Corleone's quote couldn't have been more accurate, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer".
No, Maggie wasn't theoretically an enemy, but she did notice how her characteristics mirrored her own and that Jackson and her so called friends somehow found it endearing, yet irritating if she did it. How she managed to amaze everyone just because she was the youngest head of cardiothoracic surgery, but in her opinion, she had nothing on Cristina's skills and that was saying something because she and Cristina had hardly been close. She also observed how Maggie appeared to whittle her way into bonding with Catherine and she couldn't deny that she was delighted that her ex-mother-in-law had been standoffish.
But she knew she could fool everyone, but she couldn't fool herself. She was jealous. Jealous that Jackson was heaping his affections on a woman that was not her. A woman who should have recognized that April clearly wasn't over Jackson. A woman that was by definition, his step-sister. Jesus, how creepy was that.
Approaching them, she schooled her features and unclenched her jaw. Jackson was talking to Maggie as she bounced Harriet up and down in her arms and whatever their little tête-tá-tête was about, it caused Harriet to burst out in a fit of giggles as Jackson tickled her chin.
"Hi," she bellowed, making her presence known to the trio. Her eyes focused entirely on Harriet, she reached out to take her when did the most unexpected thing. She turned away from April, and buried her face in Maggie's neck.
"Nugget, what's wrong?" she asked her as she ran her fingers over her back.
Harriet only wrapped her tiny arms around Maggie tighter and murmured, "No."
She was dumbfounded. What in the heck was going on? This wasn't how she typically greeted her. Whenever she had been apart from her and they would meet again, her baby girl would yelp in glee and wiggle wildly while in Jackson's hold to try and get to her mama as fast as possible. Today, Harriet almost seemed upset with her and she had an inkling why. She hadn't seen April in person in almost three weeks and her sudden appearance most likely had through her for a loop.
"It's okay pumpkin, your mama just wants to say hello. Come on, be a good girl."
April grimaced as Maggie spoke those words to her child. How dare she try to comfort her. That was her job and all she wanted to do was punch Maggie in the face.
April reached out again, and took a firm grasp on her waist, when Harriet yelled out at the top of her lungs, "NO!"
April immediately released her, not wanting to draw further attention as several pairs of eyes around the lobby landed on them. Staff members were aware of the confusing and often contentious nature of her and Jackson's association, but for all any of the patients knew, she was a crazy woman trying to rip a baby away from her mother's arms.
At last, her not so mute of an ex opened his mouth, "Harriet, don't you wanna go with mama? She hasn't seen you in a long time and she missed you."
Harriet twisted her head in Jackson's direction and stuck out her bottom lip, tears forming in her eyes.
April could see how much she was upsetting her and didn't want to torture her any further before she turned on the waterworks, so she decided to make her way to the ER to start her workday. She plastered a fake smile on her face, eager to hide her pain and disappointment as tears began to well up in her own eyes.
She leaned forward and kissed the mass of curls on her head and whispered in her ear, "I love you, nugget. I'll see you later okay."
Defeated, she got about ten feet away when she felt a tug on her arm.
"April, don't take that personally. She's been cranky all morning and I'm not sure what's going on with her," Jackson said.
"I know what's going on, she's angry with me and she has every right to be. I haven't hugged her or kissed her for weeks and I can't expect her to understand the reason for my absence. She's a baby and all she knows is that her mother hasn't been there for her," she uttered, her voice cracking as her tears emanated.
"April, don't cry. She doesn't know any better," he said, trying to mollify her.
"I know that, but that doesn't make it hurt any less," she replied, wiping the corners of her eyes, "I'll try to stop by daycare later this afternoon. Maybe by then, she'll be a little more amiable to my presence. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
She scurried away, not even waiting for his reply and tried to push the aching feeling of her daughters snub from her heart and mind.
Fortunately, the rest of her morning was busier than she'd expected which prevented her from delving to deeply into the significance of Harriet's actions. A ten-car pileup came in which required all hands-on deck. Doctors from every department seemed to be occupying the ER floor, assisting with the multitude of victims who'd been injured. She had hoped to avoid seeing Jackson and Maggie for the rest of the day, but it didn't look like she'd be getting her respite. It didn't help that every time she saw a child in the ER, she had to take a firm grip on her emotions for fear of bursting out in racking sobs right there in the middle of the floor and she didn't want to be known as the blubbering mommy with baby issues. She had enough unflattering nicknames and she didn't need to add one more.
Converting into doctor mode, she triaged the patients waiting in the queue and directed interns and nurses to their appropriate areas. She'd even ended up operating herself which ate up the rest of her afternoon. She had planned on visiting Harriet, but now that prospect was thrown out of the window and by the time she was finished with her surgery, it was after six and Jackson had already taken her home.
Beaten, physically as well as psychologically, she made her way slowly to her vehicle, stressed as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. All she wanted to do right now was burrow into her covers and have a good long cry. The only positive thing she had going for her was that it was Friday and she had the weekend off. Since she wasn't going to have Harriet until Monday, she planned on taking care of some of the mundane chores, so she'd be able to devote her full attention to her nugget. She had tons of laundry to do, not just from her recent outings, but also from the batch she'd had to do before she even left. Tomorrow she was going to clean the apartment and go grocery shopping and as for Sunday, after church and a trip to the hairdresser to touch up her coloring, she hoped to get some much-needed rest.
She stopped by her local pizza joint and ordered herself a personal pan margherita pie. She was in no mood to cook and decided she was going to curl up with a good movie and laugh away her blues. Harriet would be out like a light by nine pm, so that gave her a couple hours to shower, eat and find something on television before calling Jackson. She reclined on the couch, a throw pillow propped below her back and her feet tucked underneath her favorite blanket, the one she and Harriet would snuggle beneath especially on chilly nights.
Unfortunately, her evening didn't go as intended. She fell asleep about thirty minutes into the movie, her uneaten pizza on the coffee table the sound from the tv blaring across the room. The only thing that woke her from her slumber, was the shrill sound of her cell phone. The ring tone was of Elle King's Ex's & Oh's and it alerted her that Jackson was on the other end of the line. She cracked one eye open, the brightness setting of the phone causing her to wince. The clock showed midnight and instantaneously she knew something was wrong. Jackson didn't call her and if he did, it certainly wasn't this late, so she scrambled for the phone and answered breathlessly.
"What is it? What's wrong with Harriet?" she demanded, not even offering the standard greeting.
She flinched when he began to talk as he had to shout over Harriet's disturbing screams.
"I'm sorry to call you so late but I don't know what to do anymore. It looks like Harriet has an ear infection and she won't stop crying for you," he said and as if on cue, Harriet began bawling, "Mama, mama, mama."
"April, I hate to ask but could you please come over here. I'm afraid if this goes on much longer, she's either gonna pass out from dehydration or my neighbors are gonna call the cops with a noise complaint."
April was already in motion when she answered him, "Of course, I'll be right there. I should be no more than twenty minutes."
"Okay, I'll let the front desk know you're on your way over and I'll leave the door unlocked," he instructed and as he was hanging up, she could hear him trying desperately to calm their wailing child.
She pulled on the same jeans and blouse she had on earlier along with her sneakers. She grabbed her keys and purse and before she left, she took Harriet's favorite stuffed bunny Skeeter, stashed it in her bag and ran to her car. She didn't break any traffic laws on her way over, but she sure enough tested the limits of not only her vehicle but her patience.
April pulled up to Jackson's building and parked in the underground garage. She made her way up to the lobby and past the doorman who must have been expecting her because she was waved directly into the interior. She tapped her foot impatiently as she rode the elevator up to the thirty-third floor where Jackson's apartment lay praying that it was something simple as Jackson diagnosed.
Jackson, with all his newly acquired money, had moved into the Braven Signature Penthouses. His four bedroom, three and a half bath luxury penthouse that had views of the lake, the Seattle skyline and all of Mt. Rainier. Along with elevator access that opened to his residence alone, there was a private theatre, terrace garden, fitness center and signature spa. Hell, their concierge service even ordered show tickets, made dinner reservations and picked up tenants dry cleaning. It was close to the hottest entertainment, places to eat and the more pricier shops in the city.
The elevator binged at her destination and she made a beeline for his door. Just as indicated, it was unlocked and as soon as she entered she could hear the anguished cries of her little girl. Jackson was pacing in the living room, an unhappy Harriet cradled in his arms. They were facing the tall glass windows that went from floor to ceiling as he attempted to distract her with the view based on his soothing words.
"Shh, don't worry baby, mama will be here soon. Look at all the pretty lights, they're almost as beautiful as you. Yes, yes, I know sweetheart, daddy feels so bad for you," he said, punctuating each statement with a kiss to her forehead and April just about melted at the scene before her. If the situation hadn't been so dire, she would have stood back and watched, unnoticed by the pair.
"Jackson, I'm here," she called out as she dropped her stuff and reached for Harriet as she had earlier that morning, but this time, her nugget didn't hesitate to clamor for her mother's embrace.
"Mama," she cried out, fat tears rolling down her cheeks and mercifully, she instantly quieted. Her racking sobs now barely an audible simper.
"Okay, mama's here baby, yes, mama's here and we're gonna make you all better," she cooed as she patted her bottom.
Turning her attention to Jackson, she asked him for a run-down of her symptoms.
"I noticed around eight that she started feeling a little warm. She had been tugging at her ear intermittently, but I didn't think too much of it as she hadn't shown any other signs. They said in daycare she had been fussy all afternoon and I was thinking she only wanted to go home. You know how she is sometimes. All she wants is her bed and her binky. After she started carrying on, I took her temperature and it was 101 degrees. I did an exam and saw that her ear was a little swollen and there was some fluid drainage," he told her, ticking off all the indicators as if he were doing rounds.
Jackson had a pneumatic otoscope at home as well as a plethora of additional medical equipment to use for just such an occasion, same as she had at home and as far as the monotone way in which he delivered the information, she knew the behavior well as she'd done it to him the last time Harriet was sick. It was physician in them and nothing would change that.
"Did you give her any medication?" she questioned, not really concerned because she knew that was the first thing he would do. That was just the mother in her to ask.
"I called in a rush order to the pharmacy and the concierge brought up a supply of antibiotics. I also gave her some acetaminophen and eardrops to help with the fever and pain," he replied as he walked near them and smoothed down Harriet's untamed hair.
April continued to walk her around the apartment in the hopes that the movement would lull her to sleep and not ten minutes later as predicted, Harriet's mouth hung open as drool trickled down her front.
"I'm gonna take her too her room. Where is it exactly?" she asked lowly.
She had known where Jackson lived in the off chance there was an emergency and she needed to come get Harriet, but she had never seen the interior until now. She would never admit it to him, but she had pulled up the website for his floorplan and was shocked at the size of his place which with the exterior balcony that wrapped around the entire apartment, it was a whopping 7645 square feet. Hell, it was twice as big as the house she grew up in.
She followed Jackson past the family room, den and a bedroom before they reached Harriet's. Her room was predominately white with creams, lavender and pale pink touches and the ludicrousness of the styling made April titter. Jackson clearly didn't do any of the decorating as no parent in their right mind would expect a baby to exist in such a pristine environment without causing major spills, messes and disarray.
April laid Harriet in her crib and tucked a thin blanket around her lower half. She didn't want to exacerbate her symptoms by her overheating, but she needed something to cover her as the air was comfortable, but cool. She hummed softly Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as she rubbed her back and from the corner of her eye, she could see Jackson studying them with what appeared to be a wistful expression. She wasn't even going to try and decipher the meaning behind it and shifted her eyes back to Harriet. Satisfied that her daughter would remain asleep for at least for a few hours, she motioned for Jackson to follow her and he dimmed the lights behind them.
"Thank you for coming and getting here so fast, I really appreciate it. It seemed no matter what I tried, she wasn't going to be appeased until you were here," he said in gratitude.
She shook her head as if what he said was preposterous, "You don't need to thank me. I'm her mother. Of course, I was going to come. You should have called me the second you suspected something was wrong. You know how she can be when she's sick."
April was reprimanding him, and he knew that. When they were still living together, and Harriet took ill, she always craved the attention of both her parents to soothe her. Jackson would usually be the one to walk her around the house and April would be the one to sit with her in her rocking chair as she sang to her.
Now that the crisis temporarily averted, they stood awkwardly, him with his hands stuffed in his jeans and her twiddling her fingers behind her back.
"Well, it's pretty late, I guess I should get going then," she began as she went to pick her belongings when he stopped her.
"No, wait. Don't go," he begged, "If you leave now, Harriet's just gonna wake up and when she sees you're not here, all hell is gonna break loose."
"Jackson, I'm really tired and you know what an arduous few weeks I've had. It's," she checked her watch, "close to one thirty and with any luck, she'll sleep a few hours and guaranteed, I'll be back first thing in the morning."
"April, you know ear infections usually last between forty-eight to seventy-two hours. When, not if she wakes up, she is going to scream her head off unless you are right there to with her. Listen, I know this is not the most desirable of options for you, but why don't you stay here tonight," he suggested.
She eyed him warily, "Uh, I don't know, Jackson."
"Come on, it's not like we haven't lived together before," he said with a chuckle, "and I have a spare room, so you don't have to bunk on the couch."
She let out a partial breath as she considered his proposal, "That sounds like the reasonable thing to do and I can take her home with me in the morning."
"Whoa, now I don't think that's such a good idea. You know exactly what will happen. Instead of asking for you, she'll ask for me. How about when you get up tomorrow, you go home, grab some clothes, come back here and stay until this is all over. I'm thinking by Monday all should be well and if not, we'll be at the hospital anyway, and we'll take her to her pediatrician. Ear infections aren't contagious, and she should be able to stay in daycare if her fever breaks."
He threw his arms wide as if to say, you got a better idea, and she knew at the moment she didn't. Besides, it wouldn't be so bad staying with him while they took care of Harriet. It would be just like old times.
"I don't have anything to wear to bed," she suddenly remembered.
"Don't worry, I have something that should fit you," he offered then turned on his heel and gestured for her to follow.
When they reached the master suite, she stood just inside where his closets and adjoining master bath lay, but outside where his bedroom was and peered in. She was not surprised that it looked like his old place. Contemporary but with warm touches like the suede chaise lounge and the mink throw at the foot of his bed. She craned her head in further as he entered the enormous walk-in closet and saw a fireplace in the room and was at once assaulted with images of him laid out before it with Maggie, both naked and writhing in pleasure and the thought made her want to vomit. Thankfully, her musings were interrupted by Jackson who returned with a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt.
"Remember this?" he asked.
She took the shirt from him and held it up, laughing heartily when she realized what it was. His old Harvard college t-shirt that she used to sleep in when they were still married. She recalled many a night combing through his side of the dresser drawer in search of it. It was like a little game they played when she wore it. They had sex, a lot, and though they didn't need to give the other a tipoff when they were in the mood, when she would start out the evening wearing the shirt she held and that alone, he knew she was the one who wanted to be in control that night and it was customary to find it crumpled to the floor mere minutes later.
Jackson showed her the spare bedroom and like the rest of the apartment it had the same styling and embellishment. It was right next to Harriet's and just like the other bedrooms, had its own attached bath. She could never understand why he needed such a massive living space. Maybe it came along with the massive amount of money he was now worth. It certainly was a status symbol and was probably expected of him to live somewhere like this. Or, maybe he was thinking about his future and the family that would fill the home and the thought saddened her, knowing that it would never be hers. She really didn't want to get into the dynamics of their relationship or rather non-relationship right now, so she climbed in bed and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was off to dreamland.
She stirred what felt like minutes later and looked at the time. She'd only been asleep for two hours but what woke her was an extreme thirst that she needed to quench. She quietly crept out of bed and down the hallway in the opposite direction of Jackson's bedroom, past the family, living and dining rooms then finally reached the kitchen, accent lighting guiding her way.
She was winded as if she'd just done cardio as traced her path through the significant area, yanked open the fridge, and as expected, she found bottles of his favorite water stacked neatly in rows. Jackson was a bit of a neat freak and liked to keep things orderly. He wasn't compulsive by any means, but it was enough to make her roll her eyes at some of his antics. Like how he obsessed over his Nike sneaker collection. By her count, he had had about twenty pairs in rotation at all times, and this didn't include the ones he kept in storage.
She opened a bottle of Resource spring water and downed half of it. Closing the refrigerator door, she was immersed in semi-darkness when she spun around and bumped into a large solid object.
"Ow," she exclaimed as she massaged her arm, "where did you come from?"
"Sorry about that. I didn't expect you to turn so fast. I see we had the same thought," he said as he reached around her, pulled open the fridge and took out a bottle of water for himself.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"Oh, I was sleeping just fine, but I woke up abruptly and my mouth was dry, so, here I am," she said as if it were obvious.
She became aware that he didn't respond right away and followed his eyes, realizing that he is staring at her bare legs.
Subconsciously, she tugged the fabric lower so that it stretched to her knees. "Oh, um, sorry. The bottoms were way to big and I tried rolling up the legs, but they kept slipping so I took them off."
His eyes traveled back to hers, "You don't need to apologize. I'm sure you didn't expect me to catch you like this."
"No, I didn't," she responded, her voice trailing off as they gazed into each other's eyes and even though she'd just had a drink of water, she could feel her throat dry up. She went to speak but found the words stuck. She swallowed hard to wet her vocal cords and tried again.
"I'm… I'm gonna go and try to catch a few more z's," she said as she shimmed past him.
"I'll uh, check on Harriet," he replied, and she sensed the awkward waiver in his tone.
She hurried to the guest room while he took the short cut back to his. Once she was behind closed doors, she leaned against the frame. Her head tilted skyward, she tried to process what had happened. She knew that look in Jackson's eye and that was not an oh how embarrassing that I caught you off guard look. That was an I want to strip that shirt off and take you right here on the floor look. She was sure her expression reflected his, but she was not going back down that road. They were divorced and co-parenting, nothing more. She'd tried the sex without commitment thing with him and it didn't work for her. She needed something more and he wasn't willing to give it to her. Besides, he had Maggie now. If he needed to get his rocks off so bad, he could run over to his sisters and fuck her for all she cared even though the thought alone made her blood boil but rather than wallow in her own misery, she put her clothes back on, walked down to his room and knocked on the door.
When he answered, she averted her gaze from him as he'd removed the shirt he had on. She had no clue as to why he would do such a thing but right now, it wasn't crucial to know.
"Hey, sorry to bother you but I think I'm gonna go home, take a shower, then pack an overnight bag. I need to figure out what I'm gonna bring since I haven't had a chance to do any laundry yet. I should be back in about three hours. Harriet will most likely sleep until then anyway."
"Alright. Say, why don't you bring a few loads of your laundry to do here. That'll be one less thing you have to worry about this weekend and by the time you get back we'll have to give her another round of antibiotics anyway and we'll have breakfast. Sound good?" he asked, blinking innocently.
His proposal made sense and she could find no reason to argue with it, so she nodded in agreement and left for home.
The trip back was faster than the one earlier. The streets were empty; no late-night party goers or traffic to deal with. As soon as she got inside, she took off her clothes and jumped in the shower, gave her hair a wash and conditioning, then ran through all the items she needed to pack for a weekend at Jackson's. The shower helped alleviate her sore muscles as well as relax her mind.
Hair dried and once again dressed, she began packing her overnighter. She'd already had Harriet's stuffed bunny and needed to remember to give it to her. She threw in two pairs of jeans, three comfortable tops, her pajamas, two sets underwear and her toiletry bag added to the pile. The last thing she tossed in was a book she had started reading, When the English Fall by David Williams then zipped it up. There was no way she was going to get to cleaning her place, or grocery shopping and she made a note on her phone to cancel her hair appointment once they opened that morning. She filled a laundry bag full of her and Harriet's clothes, making sure to take her work tote that contained her MacBook and notes figuring she could get some work done while at his place. She didn't want him to feel obligated to entertain her or force him to spend time with her.
By the time she arrived back at Jackson's, it was seven o'clock and as he had done previously, he'd left instruction for her to be let up directly and the front door had been unlocked for her. As soon as she entered a waft of enticing smells hit her nose and the scent of her favorite coffee filled the air.
Entering the kitchen, a bright smile crossed her features as she saw Harriet sitting up in her high chair.
"There's my baby," she said, puckering her lips, getting a sloppy wet kiss in return, "how ya feeling, nugget?"
Jackson answered for her, "She was a bit lethargic when I woke her, but I wanted to make sure she ate something. I checked her temperature and its gone down and I was just about to give her another dose of antibiotics. I have my hands full here," he said, looking around at the pans on the stove he was juggling, "Do me a favor? Her meds are in my bathroom cabinet. Could you go get them for me while I finish up here?"
"Sure, no problem," she said without hesitation.
She entered his bathroom, opened the medicine cabinet and spotted the bottle straightaway. Nosily, she cheerfully noted that there were no indications that any female had been here. No stray makeup, no feminine body washes and just for her own satisfaction, she lifted the dirty clothes hamper lid with a finger and peered in, pleased to see no panties, bras, or camisoles amongst the pile. Yeah, it was classless of her to even look, but she needed to know.
She joined them back in the kitchen and administered Harriet her meds as Jackson dished out Farina for their little one and between bites of her own Denver omelet, she helped Harriet eat.
"So, how do you like living here?" she asked attempting to engage him.
"It's great. It's safe and quiet. I have my own private parking. It's close enough to the hospital and there's a huge park five blocks over that I take Harriet to. They have a kiddie playground with swings and slides and she loves it. I know it's not a house but, this is more me at this stage in my life anyway," he answered she felt with honestly. He did love it here and for that, she couldn't be mad, but she wasn't going to touch that last comment with a ten-foot pole.
"That's… great. I'm so glad that Harriet feels settled here. I gotta ask though, how safe is it with that wrap around terrace. Jackson, you're on the top floor for goodness sake," she asked, worried.
"Don't worry mom, it's secure" he said with a laugh, "I have child locks and sensors all over the place and the second one of those doors are opened, I'll know. You know I have nothing but Harriet's safety in mind. I would never do anything to hurt her."
"I know that, Jackson and I wasn't trying to imply that you would. I have the same concerns at my place and it's nowhere near as big as yours," she hesitated, "You know, I was thinking about buying a house myself."
"Really? What's wrong with where you live now?" he asked.
"Nothing, but I want Harriet to have space to run around. I want her to have a back yard and a swing set all to herself. Sometimes I think she gets cooped up in that apartment and it's not fair to her."
"Well, if you need any help looking, my realtor is amazing. Just let her know the specifications of what you're searching for and she'll be able to find it no problem. She's like the housing Svengali of Seattle," he added with a snort.
"Thanks, I'll think about it," she replied, moved that he would help.
They slipped into a discussion about the conference in Las Vegas and Green Oaks – Med City. He put on his chairman of the board hat and questioned her about what she learned and what aspects would be implemental increase productivity and patient services at Grey Sloan.
She liked when they talked about medicine and surgery. It was a neutral topic and had nothing to do with their personal lives. She strived to keep it as professional as possible with him lately as it eased the tension between them. The only time they deviated from the script was when it came to Harriet. She didn't need to know about his romantic life and she damn sure wasn't going to tell him about her. Not that she had one, but he didn't need to know that.
Somewhere during the middle of their chat, Harriet began to doze off. Her meds had taken effect and before she completely dropped out, Jackson gave her some more acetaminophen and her ear drops. Suddenly remembering, April jumped up and pulled Skeeter from her bag and gave it to Jackson.
"Here, she'll be happy to see this," she said, passing the bunny to him.
The stuffed animal was the first toy she had received as a present. Surprisingly, it was a gift from Alex, hence the moniker. Skeeter was a nickname for mosquito which Alex reminded her of. Though they pestered you and carried diseases, mosquitos were valuable to the ecosystem as they pollenated flowers, served as food for many species and had an uncanny ability to survive. But mostly, it was the pestering part as to why she chose the name. Jackson tucked Skeeter under his arm, picked up Harriet, then put her back to bed.
"She'll probably sleep a lot these next few days," he said as he reentered the room.
She had begun to clean up the dishes, "Sleep will do her good. I'll give her a bath after she gets up."
"You don't have to do that you know," he said, taking a tea towel and drying the plate she'd put into the rack.
"I know, but I'm your guest and I'm going to earn my keep," she countered.
He stopped mid wipe and looked at her, "You're not a guest, April. You're family."
And there it was again. That look. The same from earlier this morning and for some reason, it bothered her.
"Thanks, Jackson," was all she could manage to say to his pronouncement. She didn't take it to mean anything special as Maggie was his family too and look what they had gotten themselves into.
After the kitchen had been cleaned and the leftovers cleared, she told him she was going to catch up on organizing her notes while Harriet was napping and offered to stay and keep an eye on things if he had any errands to run.
"I'm not leaving you two alone. Whatever I needed to do can wait. I was scheduled to have Harriet anyway this weekend and since my sidekick is out of commission, I am too," he told her with a grin, "I'll take care of what I need to around here."
"Okay, then" she said, offering no argument.
The rest of the morning, she worked on her presentations while Jackson was busy doing who knows what. He had extended the use of his office to her, but she declined, choosing to work at the dining room table. His office was his sanctuary and she didn't want to invade his space. He kept to the far side of the dwelling, possibly to allow her the privacy she needed.
Harriet had stirred around ten and after she spent some time with her, Jackson took her off her hands. She didn't see them again until lunch and by that time she had made a considerable dent with her paperwork and she was starving. This time, she offered to make them lunch and found half a rotisserie chicken, which was odd because Jackson hated leftovers, tomatoes, bacon and lettuce to make them chicken club sandwiches which he loved so much and for her nugget Gerber Lil' Bits Mac and Cheese dinner.
Harriet appeared to be in better spirits though she did start to run a low-grade fever and began to whine toward the end of the meal. Jackson suggested they move into the family room and put on something from the Disney Channel for her to watch. Now, at this age, she didn't have much of an attention span for the movie's content, but she did appear to like the bright colors and musical numbers.
The 50's cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland was playing, and April happened to know this movie well as she'd secretly watched it dozens of times. She couldn't wait until Harriet was a little older and they could really enjoy these moments together. Her nugget cradled her in her arms, her planting raspberries on her tummy and clapping along with pudgy hands. Their choice was apparently doing the trick as it made her giggle and helped to distract her from how awful she felt.
They were over an hour into the movie when April looked toward the other end of the couch and held back a chortle. Jackson had apparently been tuckered out too. Snoring lightly, his head had fallen backward at an impossible angle, one which she was sure would be painful once he woke.
He'd always looked so cute when he was asleep she thought. The furrowed brow that made him look angry when in actuality he was thinking or contemplating how to solve a problem, relaxed and he seemed like he didn't have a care in the world and as she watched him slumber, a flood of memories hit her. How when they were happily married, he's snuggle up close behind her in bed and wrap his arms tightly around her torso. He'd whisper sweet nothings in her ear, like how much he loved her, how beautiful he thought she was and how he couldn't wait to spend the rest of their lives together. She thought about how when he'd fall into a deep sleep, he'd eventually roll over onto his back and she would rest her head on his chest and memorize his features. With the moonlight shining through the partially opened drapes, she could barely make out the freckles that dotted the bridge of his nose. His bushy, but suspiciously well managed eyebrows, which he swore he didn't get waxed. His long eyelashes that always tickled her when he would bury his face in her neck, sucking on her pulse points.
Then there were his lips. His pink, full, luscious lips that fit hers like a puzzle piece. Those lips covered her in heated kisses, suckled her breasts and teased her nipples until they were pebbled and hard. Those lips, whose color were the same as the head of his long, thick perfect penis and the only reason she'd known to check to see if this fact was true was because her sister Libby had mentioned it to her after her own wedding night. Those lips that seemed to live between her thighs and brought her to heights of ecstasy unlike she'd ever known. Okay, she'd never slept with anyone else, but that didn't change her belief that Jackson was the best at what he did, and she had known in her heart that had they ever parted, he would have been the best lover she'd ever had.
Forcing herself to direct her attention back on the television, she felt guilty for even entertaining such thoughts while she sat there with her baby in her arms. Regardless that if it weren't for those pink, full, luscious lips, Harriet wouldn't be here at all.
She decided to leave him on the sofa and turned the volume on the tv down. With Harriet in her arms, she took her back to the bedroom to take a nap herself. She stopped off and got Skeeter and The Three Little Pigs from Harriet's bookshelf. Hopefully she'd take a nap with her as she'd been up for approximately five hours now without complaint. Her fever remained low and the leakage in her ear had subsided.
She was extra cuddly with April, but that was to be expected. She stacked a row of pillows on the left side of the bed so that if Harriet happened to roll over, she wouldn't end up on the floor. She opened the book and began reading softly to her, using funny voices for each of the characters which seemed to delight her to no end and managed to make it to the end of the book before both their eyes began to droop.
She woke two hours later feeling surprisingly refreshed. She looked over and saw that Harriet had already been up and was entertaining herself by chewing on her toes.
"What are you doing munchkin?" she asked, giving her an Eskimo kiss, "Ooo, you smell sour nugget. Time to get you into a bath."
She carried her to her room and laid her in the crib with she entered the adjoining bath and saw that he had purchased a BabyDam, just like she the one she had at home. Meredith was the one who told her about the product and once she'd bought it, she loved it. Due to its ingenious technology, she didn't have to fill the entire tub, so it saved on water and energy in addition, saving money, space and time and was eco-friendly to boot. Things like that mattered to her especially now that she was a parent. She wanted to leave as small a footprint on the planet as she could for future generations to come and that included Harriet and if she chose all her babies and her babies, babies.
Dipping her elbow into the water to make sure it wasn't too hot, she gathered Harriet up, removed her sweaty romper and now soiled diaper and placed her along with a few rubber toys in the bath. Harriet loved the water and splashed wildly, wetting April and some of the floor in the process.
"So, this is where you two snuck off to," Jackson announced himself from behind her.
"Yeah, someone really needed a bath," she said ruffling Harriet's curls.
"You guys left me all alone out there," he said as he crouched next to April, picked up a cloth, lathered it with baby Dove Tip to Toe wash and began cleansing her.
"Sorry about that but you looked tired and I didn't want to wake you. Besides, we figured out where everything was, didn't we doodlebug?" she said, and Harriet babbled almost as if saying yes.
"You feeling better, huh baby?" Jackson asked, addressing Harriet.
Her response was to raise her arms high in the air then bring them crashing down creating her own tidal wave that soaked both April and Jackson.
"Nugget! Look what you did?" April shouted out. She wasn't mad, and her tone reflected that, but now, once Harriet was dried and in her own jammies, she had to go and change hers. It's a good thing she did bring her laundry.
She let her play a while longer then kneeled closer to the tub, "Okay, missy, I think you've had enough fun. Out you go," she pronounced as Jackson handed her a thick fluffy towel.
She placed her on the changing table and working in sync, they powdered, diapered, dressed and administered her mediation. They were like a well-oiled machine, even if circumstances had separated them.
"It'll be dinnertime in a few hours, what do you say I order from Kedai Makan. I remember how much you loved that place."
The Malaysian cuisine restaurant was introduced to her by none other than Jackson. He had broadened her horizons to a variety of cultures, foods and places, all which she never would have dared to experience, or encounter had it not been for him.
"Sure, if you want, but I'd be happy to cook us some dinner if you preferred," she posed.
"No, you're not here to cook, besides, you already made lunch. I'll go place the order so that'll give us a couple of hours before it arrives," he said, leaving to complete his task.
"Okay, I'll go ahead and put her playpen in the family room then start a load of laundry then. I can at least get that started before it piles up on me, then I'll clean up the bathroom."
"Don't worry about that, I have a woman who comes in on Monday's to tidy up," he said nonchalantly.
"You have a woman? To tidy up? Oh my god, Jackson, do you have a maid?" she asked incredulously.
"What? No. She's not a maid, she's a cleaner," he answered as if that cleared anything up.
"Same difference," she stated.
"A maid is usually someone who lives in the residence. A cleaning lady comes by twice a week to dust, vacuum and do some other general cleaning," he affirmed as if he had to spell it out to her.
"You really have moved up in the world. I mean you were always well off, but a cleaning lady," she said putting the last two words in quotation marks, "and all of this –"
"What?" he interrupted her, "You think it's ridiculous. If you recall, I grew up in this same life and I turned out pretty damn good if I say so myself."
"Jackson, you've got me all wrong, I wasn't criticizing. I'm impressed at how you've been handling it all," she tried to assure him.
"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to start a fight with you, it's just that having all this money is overwhelming. Yes, this was similar to my upbringing what with my grandfather's and my mother's money and I received a trust fund when I turned twenty-four, but it was nowhere near what I have now. It's taking some getting used to," he confessed.
"Is that why you purchased the boat, the car and this new place? Did you think it was expected of you?" she inquired.
He snickered, "I know I went a little overboard, especially since I don't even know how to operate a boat, but, I'm making better choices and I'm gonna make sure Harriet it well taken care of."
"I don't want you spoiling her, Jackson. I want her life to remain as normal as possible. Well, as normal as a child whose father is worth a quarter of a billion dollars can be," she said seriously.
"I promise, I won't make any major decisions without talking to you first," he said with a playful smirk.
She mirrored his mien, "Thank you. I appreciate that."
"Not a problem," he said as his lashes fluttered, and he licked his lips.
April felt her skin flush and she turned quickly before he could catch it. Dammit, she thought. Why is it he still had the ability to unnerve her with a glance. Right now, she needed to be far, far away from him.
She placed Harriet in his arms, "Here, why you take doodlebug and I'll start on my laundry."
"Sure, I –" he answered, and she was out the door before he had a chance to say anything else.
Sorting her dirty clothes, she took the book she wanted to read and camped out in the laundry room. She figured she could get a couple loads done and read a few chapters while Harriet busied herself with her daddy. Jackson would just have to amuse himself.
By the time the food arrived it was after six and she'd managed to wash, dry and fold two loads and get through three chapters of her novel. Jackson made Harriet some string beans, a scoop of mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets. She had enough teeth to gnaw her way through and he suggested they all go into the family room and eat. He laid out a waterproof splash mat on the floor for Harriet and she sat near him on the couch.
April took removed her slippers, tucked her feet under her and dug into her curry laksa. It felt strange, being here with him in his domain. Oh, he'd done everything to make her feel welcome and she was grateful that they were getting along, but she concluded that Harriet was the reason neither of them caused any trouble. They no longer raised their voices in front of her and that they could at least maintain a level of decency was important.
"This is nice," he said, taking her by surprise.
She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, "Yeah, it is."
They lapsed into easy conversation. Some pleasant and light hearted. Some revealing and serious.
He told her about Harper's funeral and how he really felt about his passing. April knew that his seemingly crude and callous speech made to staff the day Harper passed was all a front. The Jackson she knew was the king of hiding how he truly felt and she was honored that he was willing to open up to her and though they were having an enjoyable time talking, they keenly avoided any touchy subjects. These included the night she told him she was moving out. Why he chose not to give a response to her declaration. Most importantly, what was going on between him and Maggie.
Periodically she made sure Harriet was eating her food and not just smearing it all over her bowl like she was apt to do when her parents weren't watching. She was currently sprawled on her back, feet kicking the air, a mass of peas smashed in one hand and a chicken nugget in the other.
"Okay, I think you've had enough," she stated.
Jackson rose from his position "Here," he said, offering her baby wipes and Harriet's next round of medication.
All cleaned up, she placed Harriet on her lap and settled onto the sofa. Jackson had started a fire and found a flick for them to watch. He selected a romantic comedy, not his favorite genre but she knew he did it for her. They had finished the first and were on to a second when right in the middle, his cell phone rang. She saw him glance at the screen and a Duchenne smile grew on his face and she didn't have to guess who was on the other end. She'd think he would have been considerate enough to go into another room, but he answered as if she wasn't even there. All she could hear was his side of the conversation, but she knew she didn't like any of it.
"Hey, what's up… No, Harriet's not feeling good so I'm in for the weekend… Shut it… Hahaha, yeah… That's what I thought… Uh huh… No, I don't think so… Well, you know my mom… Hahaha… You know I like that… That sounds like a plan… Okay, I'll call you tomorrow… Goodnight," he said, hanging up the phone and turning his attention back to the movie.
Throughout his phone call, she tried her hardest not to listen, but it wasn't like he was trying to be discreet and whenever he laughed it only her cringe. She used to make him laugh like that she thought. He used to heap his attention on her. She tried not to take it as a slight that he hadn't even mentioned that she was here and it all made her feel very lonely. She had Harriet and she wouldn't trade that for all the money in the world, but she also craved adult companionship. No, she wasn't talking about finding a guy to sleep with, she could handle any sexual needs herself. What she wanted was someone to come home to and talk to about her day. Someone to sit in front of the television with and veg out. Someone to lay with at night and make love to until the morning.
Sensing her emotions taking over, April looked down at the mat and found Harriet asleep.
"I'm gonna put her to bed," she told him, not bothering to ask him to pause the show until her return.
She watched Harriet as she slept, debating whether she should go back. She was having fun until the dreaded call and she didn't want to ruin that. She had to be an adult. They were divorced, and he was going to date. She had to get used to it. So, she adopted a stiff upper lip, took the baby monitor and rejoined him.
She focused on what they were watching, and after a while, April was aware of his presence. Yes, she knew he was there, but she felt like she was being scrutinized. She turned her head and just as she'd suspected, Jackson had been watching her. He tried to play it off at first by coughing, but then a moment passed between them their eyes locked.
"What?" she asked, put off by his probing stare.
"You okay? You seem, distant," he asked.
"I'm fine," she answered as reassuringly as possible but even she didn't believe it herself.
"Are you sure?" he pushed.
"I'm sure, Jackson," she answered with a huff.
"Okay, then," he shrugged.
She thought he'd leave the issue alone when she felt his eyes on her again.
"What!?" she demanded.
"Nothing," he said with a smirk.
"Don't give me that. I know that look on your face and it's something. What are you laughing at?" she commanded.
"Alright, alright. You, sitting there, all proper, made me remember the time we went to that Asian place and you had that cold. You sneezed really hard and this huge wad of snot came out of your nose then I remarked how I couldn't tell the difference between that and the Egg Drop soup you'd ordered," he retorted.
April tossed a balled-up napkin at him, "You swore you'd never bring that up again."
"But it was so funny, and you were ticked at me the entire night. Remember how I got you to forgive me," he said as he reached for her.
"Jackson, don't you dare. You know how sensitive I am," she squealed.
A sly look in his eye, he paid her no heed as he began ticking her foot.
She let out a yelped and quickly covered her mouth not wanting to disturb Harriet.
"Stop it right now," she giggled helplessly.
He only shook his head and moved further up her body. Traveling past the sole of her foot, to her toned calves, over her shapely hips, to her smooth flat stomach, attacking her rib cage relentlessly. His strong capable hands with their long dexterous fingers darted over her skin, striking each nerve flawlessly as if he were stroking the keys of a piano until he was hovering over her.
"Please, please stop," she begged, barely able to contain herself, "You're gonna make me pee."
He halted his assault and their laughter died down. His body still on top of hers, she smiled uncomfortably when he leaned in and as his lips drew near, she almost let herself forget, but as the last second, she turned he head so all he got was her cheek.
She pushed at him with her forearm that lay trapped beneath, "No, we shouldn't do this. We can't do this. I don't want to start this again."
"Start what again? April, we were having fun," he said, bending at the knees, her body between his.
"You can't give me what I want, so I'd rather have nothing at all," her tone stern.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
Her mouth agape, she glared at him, "Jackson, I sat there in your living room and told you how I felt, and you said nothing."
"That's because I didn't know what to say," he answered meekly.
"Oh, and now you do?" her anger rising she pushed him hard causing him to land on his back.
He looked at her intently and she waited with bated breath for his response, only to be disappointed by his reply.
He arched one shoulder, "Well, not exactly."
"Oh my God, I don't believe you," she was livid, "How could you even try to have sex with me when you've been screwing Maggie?"
Frozen in place, he brayed at her assertion, "Wait. What? I am not sleeping with Maggie."
"Please don't lie to me. I see the way the two of you look at each other, the way you both follow each other around. Every time I see you you're with her either at lunch or walking down a corridor or on a case," her pitch rising with each accusation, "and to top it off you let her hold my baby!"
She saw the baffled look on his face but wasn't buying it.
"Are you nuts? What the hell are you talking about?" his pitch now matching hers.
"Shh. Stop yelling you're gonna wake Harriet," she ordered.
"I'm not yelling, you are, and you are so off base about me. I have never, nor will I ever sleep with Maggie."
"Come off it. I may be from the farm but I'm not naïve. I see your body language. I see the way you ogle each other. The way you talk low so no one else can hear you. The way she makes you laugh so hard. Jeez, you didn't even have the decency to take your phone call somewhere else. Yes, I know how you look when you like someone Jackson because you used to like me that way."
By this point, she had moved away from him, so he crossed directly in front of her. He was standing so close that their toes touched.
"You wanna know why I'm always with Maggie and what I talk to her so much about?" his mouth twisted with rage, softened as his next words, "you April. I talk to her about you."
She felt the air still, unsure if what she heard was true, "What?"
He braced his hands on her upper arms, "Yes, April, you. I sit there with her for hours contemplating my feelings for you. How I could let you walk out my door and not have said a word. How I see you every day and want to ask you to come home."
She was bewildered, "You expect me to believe that instead of talking to me, like I wanted you too, you talk to Maggie, about me, about us. Jackson, I can barely get you to say utter two words about how you feel unless I force you to."
He shifted his hands so that he was now caressing her elbows, "Well, I guess I've changed then haven't I."
She shook her head in disbelief. This was not the Jackson Avery she knew. He didn't willingly share and if he was, she was supposed to be convinced that it was with Maggie Pierce? Inconceivable. She rotated on her heel and marched away from him.
"Don't run away from me," he barked, "you're always running away from me."
She halted in her tracks, "Me! You have got to be kidding me. This coming from the man who'd rather bottle up his feelings so tight until they burst out and you spew your wrath and displeasure with me."
"God!" he yelled, "You are such a pain in my ass sometimes."
She poked his chest, "Well guess what buddy, so are you. And if I'm such a pain in your ass, why did you even bother telling me you still think about me?"
"Because I still fucking love you!" he answered, his fingers clinched like a claw.
Stunned into silence, it felt like minutes as she eyed him for any indication that he was joking.
"Pfft, you're lying," she said, refusing to accept his words were true.
His anger dissipating, he framed her face in his palms, "Dammit April, I'm not lying to you."
"Why now?" she questioned, trying hard to remain bold and strident, yet she knew her resolve was weakening, "You don't get to have your cake and eat it too and I never took you for a cheat."
Still in his firm hold, he beseeched her, "April, look at me."
He gazed deep into his eyes and it bore straight to her heart, "I have never kissed, slept with or even touched Maggie in any way that would be deemed inappropriate. I've come to value her judgment because she is like a sister to me. I know we've both made terrible mistakes and I'll be the first to admit, I should have tried harder. It was easier to say nothing then open myself up to the chance of getting hurt again or hurting you, and that's the last thing I ever want to do. April, I was sincere when I told my mother that you were the one. Baby, you've always been the one."
Jackson had always been charismatic, and she knew when he was gaming her and that was not what was happening. She weighed the magnitude of his words, and when he leaned in to kiss her this time, she did not turn away.
His arms now tight round her waist, he kissed her passionately and she felt a joyful beating in her chest and that old familiar throb between her thighs. She knew what she wanted, and what she wanted was him. He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around him like a vice. He carried her blindly to his room and gently placed her down. Effortlessly, they removed their clothes and she felt a shiver course through her spine as she laid across his California king-sized bed and he ran his tongue from her belly button to the dip in her clavicle. He explored her mouth longingly with his, and she felt the heat in the room rise. She missed holding him in her arms, being so close to him that it seemed as if they melded into one. Though it'd only been a few months since they were last together, he took his time with her and she was grateful that he did not rush. She wanted to savor each second with Jackson. The man that she loved. The man who loved her.
That night they spent hours rediscovering each other. His hands tracing her velvet skin. Her hands kneading his well-defined muscles. His lips kissing every freckle. Her lips kissing his caramel flesh. His teeth biting her rosy pebbled areola. Her teeth gnawing at his taut nipples. His mouth enveloping the swell of her breasts. Her mouth covering his testicles. His fingers pressing into the surface of her hips. Her fingers digging into his firm ass. His fingernails raking through her lustrous hair. Her fingernails leaving scratches down his back. Him bending her supple body in every direction. Her climbing his solid form like a tree. His tongue dipping into the folds of her dripping wet pussy. Her tongue stroking the bulging veins of his cock. He lapping up her juices as she came in his mouth. She greedily slurping his cum as it shot down her throat. Both moaning, groaning, grunting and panting. Sparks shooting behind her eyes orgasm after orgasm. Letting out silent screams of pleasure and roars of ecstasy. Their bodies spent, they embraced, vowing to never let the other go.
Opening her eyes slowly, she yawned and stretched an arm over her head. She was laying on her side, her back to Jackson, and had just woken from a well-deserved and well-earned nap, if she did say so herself. She smiled at the thought at what had drained her, and she relished the reason why. Being with Jackson again wasn't just comfortable. It was like coming home. She was about to turn and temp him into another round of love making when a happy cry interrupted her plans. Spinning, she found the cutest little buffer blocking her access.
"What are you doing in here nugget?" she asked placing smooches all over her face, neck, and forehead.
"I think our doodlebug is on the mend. No fever, no irritability, no tender or redness in her ear, and there's no leaking," he said, tickling Harriet's belly.
"What time is it?" she wondered.
"Uh, close to two, I think," he responded, not bothering to check the alarm behind him.
"It's too late for you to be up missy," she laid her hand on Harriet's stomach and Jackson immediately covered it with his. She looked at him and smiled and received an even bigger one in return.
"So, I was thinking…" he trailed off.
"Yes," she cut in, her voice rising higher in anticipation.
His eyes darted down as if he was too nervous to ask her the question, "I don't want to be to forward, but would you like to move in here, with me?"
Her eyebrows furrowed together, "Move in? Are you serious? You don't think it's too soon?"
"No, I don't. I know there are a lot of issues we need to work out and compromises we must make, but I know we can succeed. I miss having my family together. You and Harriet are my family and I love you both more than anything in the entire world. More than my job, more than my money, more than my life," he watched her earnestly.
She paused, but not because she was unsure of her answer, but because she was already figuring out logistics, "Well, it'll take me a few weeks. I'll have to notify my landlord, get everything packed and sell what furniture we can't use. But, yes, Jackson. I want us to be a family again too."
They leaned in simultaneously, their lips meeting in the middle. They were so engrossed in their activity, that Harriet must have sensed she was going unnoticed that she made her presence known. She reached up and slapped at her parent's faces, electing an uproarious belly laugh from them both.
"Aww, nugget. We'd never forget about you," she told her as she craned her neck to kiss her cheek, Jackson mimicking her actions on the opposite side.
They lay there, the three of them, playing, laughing, snuggling and at last she felt whole. This was going to be the fresh start they needed, and she was going to do everything within her power to make it work.
Jackson and Harriet. They were all she needed and wanted. It was all she had hoped for, wished, and dreamed of.
It was, a new beginning.
A/N: The Braven Signature Residences is a luxury apartment building and Jackson's floorplan is located on their website. I have taken some liberties with the design in my writing, turning the second largest bedroom into an office/den and omitting the attached bathroom.