8 months later…
It had been eight months since things had all came out in the open between Punk, AJ and Jamie, who was thankfully now nothing more than AJ's ex husband. The divorce was settled responsibly, and even though she was made to be looked at for the cause of the divorce, she was just so happy that it all went according to plan, and she didn't have to deal with it anymore.
She and Punk had been living contently with each other ever since. She couldn't believe it was nearly a year since they began this rickety journey. Although the eight months seemed to have flown by, she had enjoyed every moment with her boyfriend.
It was a different experience being with Phil. He actually paid attention. He took her on dates, twice if not once a week, depending on their work schedules. If they didn't go out, he'd cook for them. He'd make her breakfast in bed, even if he was going out to work. He would give in to letting her watch her own programmes. He'd even take interest in her job, and stayed up to all hours making up fun games and lessons with her. She knew he secretly loved it.
She had never been more in love in her entire life. Everything was just perfect. She couldn't wait to spend this Christmas with him, unlike her last Christmas, which was spent forcing a smile with Jamie's family.
They had something special. She only wished she met him sooner, but she had him now, and that was all that mattered to her. She'd made a mistake with cheating on her husband, which she knew was wrong, but she done it because of the love she had for Phil, a man she didn't know existed no more than a year ago, but now was somehow her everything. Instant love.
Punk felt the same if not even better than AJ. He hadn't been a relationship for so long. He had no idea it would feel like this. Just simple things like coming home and just spotting her lying on his couch, it made his stomach do somersaults. Just having her here meant the world to him.
They started off on a complicated note, but once AJ had gotten through the divorce, things began to settle down, and they began to live their lives together with all their expectations coming to a reality. He had never thought that he would actually find this with a girl. He loved her. It was just that simple. He hated to be without her. He hated to see her sick or upset. He hated to fight with her. It was just symptoms of love.
He had been introduced to her friends, as was she to his. Both their friends were sort of similar in a way that they both weren't sure of their relationship. He guessed that they both assumed because of the way they started off, with an affair, that it was bound to be a recipe for disaster. But they couldn't be more wrong. Nevertheless, both sides of friends got on just fine. Sasha and Paige preferred Punk much more than they ever did with Jamie. He was everything AJ described to them. And Seth and Dean were completely cool with AJ, despite warning Punk at the beginning. Things were playing out just the way he wanted them to.
Their relationship wasn't going too quick, but also not too slow. They were taking their time. Their love was steady and sturdy. Unbreakable.
"So what do we do when we get to a cross road, kids?" Punk sat on a small stool with a class full of seven and eight year olds, staring intently at him with awe. The little boys stared at his side arm and handcuffs hooked on to his belt, whilst the little girls smiled to him with innocence with the fear of him handcuffing them for no apparent reason.
AJ had asked him if he would mind taking a trip into her class to give a safety talk to the kids. Being a police officer, they were bound to listen to him more than her, and they looked like they were enjoying themselves.
"Wait and look because cars don't always stop." A little girl said as Punk nodded.
"Right, exactly." Punk nodded.
His speciality wasn't children. Those close to him had established that, but he enjoyed doing this favour for AJ, and the kids were good and well behaved. It wasn't a problem.
"Ok, you guys. It's nearly lunch time." AJ said, walking slightly forward to close the talk for this morning, "What do you guys say to Phil?" She said as they all drowsy and roboticly announced their thanks in a choir like tone, causing Punk to laugh.
"It was no problem." Punk nodded whilst he stood up.
"You guys go get your lunch boxes. I'll be out in a minute." She told them as they all scattered out of the class to collect their lunch, "Thank you for that." She turned to Punk with a smile as all the kids cleared out the class.
"It's alright. I had nothing else to do." He shrugged, "Things are pretty quiet down at the station right now." He explained as she nodded.
"When are you home tonight?" She asked, playing with the buttons on his shirt with a smile, a smile he had grown to desire to see everyday.
"When do you want me home?" He played with her as she chuckled.
"As soon as possible." She smiled, "All joking aside, my mom is visiting tomorrow, so I want to be ready. She's laid back and just compliments everything." She said.
"Then why do we need to tidy for her coming?"
"Because I want you to make a good first impression for her. She sounded really mad with me on the phone that I'd split with Jamie." She sighed, "I don't want her to think..."
"Listen to me, April. I'm just gonna be me. You don't have to worry." He interrupted her, "It'll be fine."
She really had no idea why she was worrying. Her mother was a sweetheart, and she knew Punk would win her over with his sweet boyish charm. She didn't know why she was worrying. She supposed it was just the normal feeling to feel when introducing a new man to your mother.
"I'm on to five tonight. I won't be home that late." He told her whilst heading for the classroom door.
"Ok. Well I'll see you when I get home." She smiled, leaning up and kissing his cheek as he smiled.
"See you later." He told her as he headed out of the classroom, saying his final goodbye to the kids as AJ watched with a smile. This was what she was missing out on her whole life. This sense of relaxation. This type of love that was laid back and so worth living for. Getting butterflies just when asking him when he was going to be home told her everything. She loved this. She loved their relationship. She loved him. And she was sure when her mom came to visit the next day, she'd love him too.
The next day, Punk had taken the day off, in fact, he'd taken the full weekend off to be at home with AJ and her arriving mother. Although joking about it, he did want to make a good impression with her mother. He wanted her mom to know that AJ was the first girl he had loved, and he wasn't just messing around with her like everyone thought they were, just from the way they started off. This was as real as it was going to get. And if there was one person that needed to know that, it was her mother.
"Oh, April… it's so wonderful to see you, sweetheart." Janine, a still fairly young lady, dressed for the winter in her hat and scarf said, wrapping her arms around AJ, her youngest daughter, still her baby in her eyes, "Oh, it's freezing outside." She shivered, shuffling into the warm house whilst still keeping hold of AJ, who she had missed enormous amounts.
"I've missed you so much, mom." AJ sighed. Nothing felt better than the hugs her mother gave. She was nervous for her mom to be over to visit, but she had no idea why. She had nothing to worry about. Punk was respectful, sweet, very handsome and charming. What would she have to complain about him? Besides the fact he slept with her whilst she was still married.
"It's lovely and warm in here." Janine smiled to her daughter, stripping her coat off to hand to her extended hand, "Wouldn't be surprised if it began to snow soon." She admitted whilst walking into the living room.
"I know. It'll come soon." AJ announced whilst placing her mothers coat over the radiator in the living room, turning around as Punk entered from the kitchen, putting on his finest smile and extending his hand to her mother politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Mendez." Punk smiled whislt Janine shook his tattoo'd hand with a smile.
"Oh, please. Call me Janine." Janine insisted as Punk nodded, "You must be Phil, right?" She said as Punk nodded.
"I am indeed." Punk nodded. He could only assume that Janine had AJ and her sister at a young age. She didn't look phased by older age. She looked just as beautiful as AJ.
"Keeping my daughter safe, are we?" She looked on at him as he nodded whilst AJ rolled her eyes from behind.
"Mom, why don't I show you around the house? Phil is keeping an eye on dinner, aren't you?" She said as Punk nodded.
"I have high expectations, Phil. I hope my daughter has been teaching you some old recipes of mine." She said as Punk laughed.
"She has actually. I couldn't do them justice. It'll be ready in about half an hour." He said as Janine nodded with a smile.
"C'mon, mom." AJ said, dragging her mother away into the hall to show her around their small but open house, having missed her a lot, glad that her and Punk had got off to a good start.
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