You, Me, Tomorrow
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Oh, God, turn it off!" Miranda groaned shoving her fiancé. "Turn it off."
"That's yours, baby," Ben said in a low, raspy voice.
"No."
"Huh?"
"No," she said again.
The sound silenced itself. A few minutes later it blared again. "Miranda."
"What?"
"Your alarm, woman," Ben yawned. He rolled over to her and pulled her into his arms.
"My alarm?" She asked turning to look at him. He nodded. Finally. She smiled and picked up his hand kissing the back of it.
"Yes."
She kissed his cheek a few times. "Can you turn it off for me?"
"Do it yourself. I don't have to be up for another four hours."
"Please, fiancé."
Ben grinned, reached over her body and dismissed the alarm. "Only because I love the way that sounds." He put his head on her stomach. "How'd you sleep?"
"Beautifully. Thanks for what you said last night." Miranda stroked his head.
"Anytime."
She smiled. "It meant a lot. I guess I didn't know I had so much, um, anxiety toward us moving in; that it was eating at me like that."
He nodded. "Thank you for trusting me."
"And I feel really good," she told him.
"Me, too, baby."
"In fact, there is something I want to ask you."
"Anything," Ben said becoming alert.
"Could you go and get Tuck up? Please. I just need five more minutes." Miranda asked, pouting, putting her hand on his chest, showing off her ring.
He kicked the covers off of the bed and grumbled: "Before you couldn't sleep and now you don't want to get up. Typical."
"Quit complaining, man."
"You're annoying."
"Love you, Ben Warren."
"I love you, Miranda Bailey."
"I love you, too." It had taken them so long to say 'I love you,' and now it was second nature. It just rolled off their tongues and it made her heart skip a little every time they said it to each other.
Ben shook his head, put on his robe and left the room. Miranda hugged her pillow and smiled widely. She didn't know what kind of love voodoo Ben had put on her, but she felt so good, well-rested and contented. "I got the boy up; can I get back in the bed?"
"Your fiancée can't get breakfast?"
"No," he said falling into the bed. "I made you breakfast the other day."
She shoved him. Ben caught her arms. And pulled her on top of him. "What if Tuck—"
"Shhh! I'm just gonna kiss you for ten seconds. He won't be in here before then." He put his lips on hers, moving them slowly.
"So, uh, how'd you sleep?" She asked into his mouth.
"Fine. Keep the kisses coming." They started to kiss again. Tuck knocked on the door. "C'mon in, son," Ben said. Miranda's mouth dropped open. Ben had never called Tuck his son before, even in a friendly way. She wouldn't put him on the spot, but she was overjoyed. "What's up?"
"Breakfast, please?" Her son giggled. He was so goofy.
"I'm coming," Miranda said. "What do you want to eat?"
"I know what I want to eat," Ben said rolling over.
"What?" Tuck asked Ben, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Miranda cut her eyes and shook her head at Ben. "C-cereal, of course."
"Come on, I'll make you some. Let's let mommy get dressed." Ben ushered the boy out of the room leaving Miranda by herself. She showered and got ready for the day. After getting Tuck on the bus, Miranda had a cup of coffee and checked her emails with Ben sitting across from her doing the same. "So, you're not going to ask me about it?"
"About what, hon?"
"Me calling Tuck 'son'. I know you heard it. I know you're wondering."
"No, what?" She said trying her best to lie. Sometimes she was a terrible liar.
"You did," he said raising his eyebrows. She shook her head. "Fine," Ben said making a move to stand up.
"Okay, okay. So…?"
He sat back in his chair and played with the handle of his coffee cup. It was his favorite one. It was a brown and bumpy cup that Tuck had made at school and had given it to Ben for his birthday. "I love him."
"I know that."
"Like he's my own, Miranda. It's no secret."
A lump formed in her throat. "Yeah."
"And I'm not trying to step on Tucker's toes or anything like that. I just… I just love him."
Miranda walked around the table and hugged Ben's neck, kissing his cheek. "You are amazing."
"And charming. Don't forget charming."
"Yes, and charming. Has anyone ever told you that?"
"My fiancée told me once," he said spinning around and kissing her.
"Ugh, you make me so happy," she said.
He walked with her to the door. "It's my job." The sun was squeezing through the windows on their doors and hitting their brown eyes. Miranda reached her left hand up and touched his face, staring at him a little longer than she'd meant to. There was so much she wanted to tell him. But they had forever. There would be years and arguments and more happiness and tears and she couldn't wait for any of it. Their future together, was so bright. She'd never been a fan of Valentine's Day, even before she'd gotten married the first time, it just never seemed like the romantic holiday everyone tried to make it out to be, but Miranda could honestly say that within just a few days, her entire opinion had changed. Maybe because she was finally getting the happy ending, or beginning, that she deserved. Or maybe because she'd finally found someone who complemented her perfectly; someone who knew how to make her feel absolutely special. Miranda knew that she and Ben were on the same page and that his heart matched her own. Not only was he all-in with her, he was all-in with Tuck. Ben touched her hair, bringing her back to the present. Miranda kissed him deeply. When they pulled away, she put her forehead against his. "This is all going to work out," he told her.
"I know," she said quietly. And maybe, somewhere down the line, they'd continue to grow their family and continue to be happy. She didn't know about all of that, but she did know that Ben would always be there tomorrow and all the days after. He'd always have her back and that was all Miranda needed.
