The Seventh Year
Max stretched out to lay his arm round Rosie whilst they slept, his arm fell to the bare matress.
"Rosie" he mumbled into the pillow, moving his leg to locate her too. She wasn't there, the bed was empty, the gap aroused him from his sleep, he opened his eyes into the darkness and saw that he hadn't been imagining it. He twisted his head and saw the light was glowing under the bedroom door. Max lay there a few more moments until he heard his wife speaking softly. He swung his legs out the bed and creaked open the bedroom door, made his way down the corridor and into the dimly lit room that she was sat in.
Max leaned on the door frame and simply watched, marvelled at her as she sat crossed legged on the small sofa, their son cradled in her arms as she fed him.
The little boy was the best thing that had ever happened to them that was for sure. Max knew he was in love before he was born but Jake had just made everything 100 times stronger. Not only did he love his son more than he ever thought he could but it had made him love Rosie even more. Watching her carry him for 9 long months, seeing his small body on the screens in the hospital, his heart beat pulsing, looking after Rosie when she was sick, when she ached, when she'd decided enough was enough and Max would have to wait on her hand and foot for the last few weeks until he was born. Max never denied that he loved every second of it.
And now at nearly four months old Jake had completed the little family they'd both always wanted. Everyone had said how he looked like his father, Max brushed it off, all he knew was that Jake was as perfect as Rosie was in every single way.
The baby suckled against her breast, Max never tired of watching. Rosie was such a natural, he liked to think he hadn't done too badly himself but it was clear that Rosie took it in her stride.
Rosie looked up to him, "You don't have to stand there and watch you know" She whispered
"I quite like it" he smiled back at her
"Max you got in like 2 hours ago, go back to sleep, I'm fine with him" she gestured to Jake.
Max ignored her and came to sit next to her instead. It was true, he was back to working pretty much full time with only two or three nights off a week. Jake wasn't the best sleeper so when he slept it was often interrupted but not even Rosie's persuasion would stop him from pulling his weight and being a proper dad.
"How has he been?" He whispered resting his chin on her shoulder
"Okay" she replied stroking the small tuft of hair on Jake's head, "This is only the second time he's been up since about half eight"
"Good for him" Max smiled watching the baby.
After a while Jake had decided enough was enough, he was full of milk and he didn't want to sleep either. His eyes peeled open as he let out a cry, Max chuckled as Rosie rocked him.
"He's just like you" she commented holding him up to her shoulder and rubbing his back
"Go back to sleep Jake" Max said softly, planting a kiss on his head "just for mummy and daddy"
His words didn't work, Jake wailed louder.
"Jake" Rosie sighed exhausted
Max took him from Rosie's grip and walked round the room with him, bouncing him gently until his cries finally died down and he was lulled back to sleep. Max sat back down next to his wife and let Jake sleep on his chest. Rosie cuddled up next to him and closed her eyes too.
"Happy wedding anniversary by the way" Max whispered to her
"You too" She murmured
Max leant over and kissed the top of her head.
"Mmm don't leave me" she mumbled into his side in response.
"Why would I do that?" Max asked puzzled
"I don't know" she whispered "too much responsibility, cranky baby, cranky wife"
"You think after seven years I don't know that already?" He joked
"Oi" Rosie nudged his side
"You asked for it" he murmured, smiling down on her.
"Seven years, god time flies" she sighed
"We waited long enough for this little man" Max said looking back to Jake
"I guess I just didn't want to have to share you" she admitted as she dozed off.
Max wrapped his spare arm around Rosie's waist and held her as she joined their son and fell asleep buried in the love that the three of them shared.
