Hello everyone, I'm here with the next update for you guys. I know this was another short chapter, and I'm really sorry for that. I know you all enjoy those longer chapters, and so do I. But I wanted this one to follow up on the last chapter, and kind of close up that storyline with Matt. And it didn't feel right to throw another storyline into the mix. Along with that, this chapter also sort of serves as a stepping stone into the next part of this story, where we'll be following through the rest of Gabby's pregnancy. So it felt right to break things up here. But that caused this chapter to be pretty short.
Despite that, I still hope you all enjoy it. This update is solely a Casey family/Matt centered chapter, and I'm really glad with how it turned out. It's always fun to write those ones.
I think that's pretty much all I've got. Thank you all for your continued support on this story, it means the world to me. And I can't wait to go through the rest of Dawsey's journey with you all.
Happy reading, and I'll see you all next time.
Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Eight
"Alright Caity, there you go sweetheart." Gabby spoke as she finished lathering her daughter's body in lotion, the six year old smiling at her with her freshly washed hair laying down over her shoulders. "You wanna get your nightgown on for me, then we can go back downstairs and you can play."
"Okay Mommy." She replied before making her way over to the dresser, where her pajamas were laying out all ready for her. It took only a second or two for her to get dressed, Caitlyn pulling her damp hair out from underneath the material while Gabby slowly shifted her weight to the edge of her daughter's bed. "I'm ready to play."
Gabby matched the bright look on her face, giving the girl a nod before she began to stand herself up. But she hardly had a chance to move before Caitlyn was rushing over to her.
"Wait Mommy, I can help." She said, getting to her mom quickly before grabbing ahold of her hand, ready to assist however she could. And while she wasn't actually able to help all that much, and Gabby wasn't at the point of pregnancy where she needed help, she appreciated it regardless, the mother offering her a gentle smile before she sat up off of Caitlyn's bed.
"Thank you, baby." Dawson replied once her feet were solidly on the ground, Caity's beaming smile never faltering as she continued to hold onto her mom's hand, while reaching her empty palm out to rest over Gabby's gradually expanding belly.
"You're welcome Mommy, and baby." She said lightly, Gabby letting out a soft laugh as her oldest daughter leaned forward to press a kiss against her stomach. "Now can I play?"
The suddenness of her words made Dawson chuckle once more, before she nodded her head. "Yes honey, you can go and play." She replied, Caity smiling thankfully as she pushed herself up to give her mom a kiss before scurrying out of the room.
Watching her go, Gabby shook her head in amusement before following in the same path her daughter had taken. Though her steps were much slower, Dawson pausing to pick up Caity's towel before she walked out of the room. From the open gate on the steps, Gabby could tell Caitlyn had already made her way downstairs, the child wasting no time in getting back to the toys her parents had pulled her away from earlier in the evening. But with Matt having checked all the doors and locks before coming upstairs, Gabby didn't mind leaving her down there to play just for a few moments as she made her way to the girls' bathroom.
The closer she got, the more she could still hear the sounds coming from their youngest daughter, Matt evidently having not gotten her out of the bath yet. And when Dawson came around the corner into the doorway she understood why, the grin on her face widening as she saw her husband playing with their daughter while she sat in the bathtub.
The bubbles that were once in the tub were now mostly gone, bath toys floating all around Sofia while she slapped her hands around the water, loud giggles escaping her lips every time Matt reached out to tickle her. They were clearly off in their little world, playing this game for who knows how long, and for a moment Gabby didn't want to interrupt, as there was nothing better than seeing her family so happy and at peace together. Especially at the end of the night like this, while everyone was winding down.
This had become a ritual of sorts lately, Matt handling bath time before Gabby would help Caity get ready for bed, while he stayed back with Sofia. It was a rhythm they'd fallen into over the past few weeks instead of trading off like they normally would, and Gabby knew it had everything to do with the growing child inside of her.
Though she was only about halfway through her sixteenth week of pregnancy, Matt was insistent on taking as much of the workload around the house he could. Everything from helping the girls', to doing their laundry, and the cooking and cleaning up, he wanted to shoulder as much of that responsibility as possible. Even though he was still struggling a bit, that hadn't stopped him from being the same amazing, attentive husband and father he'd always been, as he wanted to take as much stress away from Gabby as he could.
And taking over bath time was just one part of that.
Gabby wasn't entirely sure it was necessary, in fact she'd pushed back on it a little at first, but Matt wouldn't budge. In his words, he didn't want her to have to sit on the uncomfortable floor too much, or have to keep getting up and down as they so often did during bath time. And he surely didn't want her to have to strain herself by lifting Sofia out of the tub. Even though she was feeling good, and hadn't really filled out all too much, Matt was insistent on taking this part of their routine over.
So Gabby let him. Not only because that's what Matt wanted, but because she also knew that getting as much time with their girls as he could was helping him feel better. That with everything going on in his head, and all he was dealing with, these simple moments with his family were some of the things that helped him the most.
And if the smile on his face right now was indication, tonight was no different, Matt and Sofia both laughing now as he sat on the short stool just beside the bathtub, the father and daughter continuing to play together while oblivious to Gabby's presence.
"Oh, Sof! You got me!" Matt spoke lightly as Sofia kept splashing around, the water occasionally making its way out of the tub and onto Casey. But from his tone, Gabby could tell he didn't care in the slightest. "You got me, baby."
"Get Dada!" Sofia got out between giggles, before splashing around once more, the joyous sound of her laughter only getting louder when Matt reached out to tickle her once more.
He had one hand wrapped around her back, making sure to keep her steady so she wouldn't fall back into the wall, while his other kept lightly tickling her stomach, Sofia clearly enjoying this time with her father as she continued to giggle.
"Daddy's gonna get Sof now!" Matt played along, those words causing an elated screech to leave their daughter's lips as they continue to play together, Sofia so beyond happy getting this time with her father.
And it was obvious that Matt was enjoying it just as much, as there were few things he loved more than spending time with his girls. Especially as of late, and how he'd been feeling these past few weeks, Gabby could see how hard he was trying to get as many moments with their children as he possibly could.
With as attentive and caring as he usually was, it was hard to even pinpoint it at first, as there had never been a time since Sofia was born that he had been anything less than completely involved. But lately, really ever since he opened himself up to her and explained what all he'd been feeling, Gabby could sense how Matt was giving even more of himself to her, and their girls'. Like he was living his every moment for them. More than he did before. Especially with Sofia, Matt was there for any and every little thing she might've needed.
And while that wasn't completely out of the ordinary for him, Gabby knew there was more driving his actions than just being a good father. That he was working through something, trying to get past a time in their lives that had been so traumatic for them. He was dealing with feelings he'd been suppressing for a long time, most of which went back to the indescribable guilt he was holding onto.
So while she wished he didn't feel like he needed to do even more than he had been since Sofia was born, she also understood it. She knew this was something he just had to work through. No amount of talking about it would completely take this away, there wasn't a simple fix; Matt just had to figure out how to get past all these feelings and regrets in his own time. And lean on his family in the meantime, that was all he could do.
Which he had been. No matter how hard some moments got, Matt hadn't shied away from letting his girls help him through this, whether they knew they were or not. In Gabby's case, she was the only one who knew exactly what was going on with him, and she had done everything in her power to be there for him as he got through this. Whether that was being a shoulder to lean on, or a sounding board to hear what all was going through his mind. Someone who was there to give him those words of encouragement he was looking for, or just as important, a person to merely hold him and give him that silent comfort; she was there for whatever it was he needed. She always had been, and she always would be.
But with their daughters, it was another story.
Though this started with Sofia, and the lingering resentment Matt felt towards himself for how he treated his family all those years ago, their toddler was far too young to understand any of what was going on with Matt. She didn't see her dad's pain, or hurt, all she saw was her father. Her father who she loved more than anything, Gabby seeing first hand how Sofia's constant admiration for her dad was one of the things helping him through this. Even though she wasn't loving him any differently than she ever had.
And then there was their sweet Caitlyn, who was very perceptive, as well as protective, when it came to her father.
She didn't know what was going on with him, but it's like she sensed something was off. She could tell he'd been sad, even when they never told her what was going on. And that feeling is what caused her to be even more loving and caring towards him than she usually was. She was just always there, making sure he knew how much she loved him, giving him extra strength and support without even realizing it, like deep down she knew that's exactly what her dad needed right now.
She was merely being their emotional, affectionate daughter, giving back all the love adoration she received from her father every day, and Gabby knew that was doing wonders for Matt, in allowing him to get through this. To have his girls- all his girls, by his side, just like they always were. That's what helped him the most now, while he navigated all these difficult feelings.
"Dada!"
Sofia's loud and joyful voice pulled Gabby from her thoughts, the smile returning to her face when she refocused on her husband and youngest daughter playing together, neither of them seeming to get sick of this game they'd made up as Sofia continued to laugh. And while the sight of them together, caught up in their own little world was something she would never tire of, Gabby knew it was time to make her presence known as she began to take a few small steps into the bathroom.
"Yeah, Daddy's getting you!" Matt repeated, his complete focus on Sofia while she wiggled around in the bath.
But her attention soon moved elsewhere when the two year old noticed her mom for the first time.
"Mama!" She spoke excitedly, reaching an arm out towards her with a bright smile on her face. One Gabby couldn't help but reciprocate.
"No, Sof- I'm Dada." Matt was quick to reply, Gabby having to bite back a laugh when her husband evidently still hadn't noticed her presence in the small room.
"Mama!" She repeated, bouncing her little body up and down as she couldn't contain her excitement. "Mama! Mama!"
"Hi baby." Gabby finally spoke up, Matt keeping a hand on their toddler as he glanced back with an already sheepish look covering his face. One Dawson couldn't help but be amused by as her husband cocked his head to the side.
"So Sof was right." He murmured, Gabby letting out a soft laugh as she came to stand beside him.
"She was." Gabby replied while reaching out to hang up Caitlyn's towel, before refocusing on Matt and Sofia. "I wasn't gonna interrupt cause you all were having so much fun, but I wanted to check in. See how you were doing."
"We're good, babe. Just been playing around… I was probably gonna get her out soon though. Get her ready to go to sleep." He told her, Gabby nodding understandingly as she rested her hand down on top of his shoulder. "Is Caity ready for bed?"
"She is, she's downstairs playing right now." She explained, Matt glancing out in the direction of the hallway before he looked back up at his wife.
"I must've missed her go by." He said lightly, pulling another laugh from his wife.
"Well, she's quick." She teased, Matt chuckling in agreement while he nodded. "And besides, you and Sof were having a lot of fun." Gabby added on, trailing her thumb over the side of his neck in a soothing motion.
"Yeah, we are." He murmured, absentmindedly rubbing his hand along Sofia's back while the girl was shifting closer to the edge of the tub, wanting to be closer to her parents. "Be careful, baby." He gently warned, moving his other hand out to steady her as he didn't want to risk her falling forward and hurting herself on the side of the bathtub. "I know, I know.. Momma got here and you're just so excited."
He continued talking to their daughter like she was the only one in the room, his words sending a rush of warmth through Gabby's system as she brought her hand up to run through his short hair.
"Want me to get Sof ready for bed?" She offered, Matt glancing back towards her with a soft smile before shaking his head.
"That's alright, I've got her babe." He replied, answering the way Gabby expected as she knew Matt was taking every opportunity he could to get time with his daughters. "I'm gonna get her out in a few minutes and get her ready, then we'll head downstairs and that'll give me some more time with Caity." He explained to her, his attention moving back and forth between Gabby and Sofia. "...I promised her three bedtime stories tonight."
She couldn't help but smile as he spoke, Gabby knowing that for as excited as Caitlyn would be to have that time with her dad tonight, this part of their nightly routine meant just as much to Matt, her husband having spent the last few days making sure that their lives were as unchanged as possible while he worked past what all was going on with him.
Especially where Caitlyn was concerned.
There was no denying how ever since Matt came to accept what had been bothering him, that he'd been devoting more of himself to Sofia. But with that, he made an extra effort to ensure that Caity didn't get lost in all this as well. That his need to be there for Sofia didn't take away anything from their oldest daughter. He was still the same loving and present father with her that he'd always been, Matt refusing to let things change for Caitlyn while he got through his past regrets.
From what he'd confided in his wife, he'd told her it wouldn't be fair for any of this to fall back on Caitlyn. Or for this to start affecting her; he wouldn't let it. So he promised himself that he wouldn't let this guilt change things for Caity, or the amount of time they got together.
But if you were to ask Gabby, that was never anything she'd worried about.
"Three, huh?" She asked back after a moment, Matt smirking a bit before he nodded.
"It's the only way I could get her to eat that asparagus at dinner." He quipped, pulling another laugh from her before she leaned down to kiss the top of his head. A movement Matt leaned into until they separated. "Here babe, why don't you sit." He added on somewhat suddenly, before reaching out to tap the closed toilet seat. "You've been standing too long."
She couldn't help but smile at his obvious attention to her wellbeing, Gabby shaking her head slightly as she moved to the seat. "I'm alright, baby." She told him, but she sat down regardless as he spread his legs a bit to get her room.
Matt kept one hand on Sofia, but with her now clutching onto the edge of the bathtub he was able to reach out towards his wife, Casey resting his palm on the inside of her knee while the three of them all sat together in the bathroom.
"Hi sweetheart." Gabby murmured when she saw Sofia watching her, the girl's smile never faltering as she reached her wet arms out towards her mom. "Did you have fun with Daddy?" She asked, running her hand through her hair while Sof grinned.
"She had fun splashing Daddy." Matt corrected her, the two sharing a knowing smile as Sofia lightly smacked her hand against the bathtub. "Didn't you, baby?"
The toddler only laughed, Gabby smirking in amusement while Matt shook his head. "Well, who could blame her?" Dawson played along, not missing the slight twinkle in his eye.
"Yeah, I'd be careful with that. She'll probably try and splash you here soon." He teased, Gabby tilting her head to the side before glancing towards Sofia.
"Oh, she'd never do that to her Momma, would you Sof?" Gabby spoke, the little girl giving her a bright grin before she started to bounce up and down in the water, effectively splashing it around all over the place. "...Okay, I think it's time to get her out."
Matt released a heavy laugh, Gabby scrunching her nose up as her husband slowly began to stand up from the stool. "You heard your Momma, baby. It's time to get out." He spoke as he grabbed Sofia's towel before turning back towards the toddler, who- with Gabby's assistance, was now standing up in the bath, clearly ready to get out herself. "Yeah, let's go get you ready for bed, huh?"
He continued speaking to her while he got her out of the tub, Matt placing her down on the rug and beginning to dry her off before he wrapped her up in her animal towel, the hood now covering her head making her look like a bear as Casey made sure she was entirely covered, as to not get cold.
"You got her?" Gabby checked one last time, standing up herself while Matt lifted their youngest up into his arms, securely holding his daughter as Sofia wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Yeah, we're good… We'll be down in a bit." He told her with a soft smile, Gabby matching his look as her hand rubbed over Sofia's back, the two sharing one last look before they went their separate ways, Matt taking Sof to her room while Gabby went back downstairs to be with Caitlyn.
And once she had, the rest of the night had gone rather smoothly. Matt got Sofia ready for bed, dressed in one of her favorite pajama sets before bringing her downstairs so the family could be together. The four of them had a nice, quiet rest of their evening, Sofia eventually breaking off to get some one on one time with her mom while Matt took to playing a few games with Caity, all of them enjoying their quality time before it was time to get the girls upstairs and into bed.
Sofia went down first, as expected, as not only did she have an earlier bedtime, but she was half asleep downstairs curled up on the couch with Gabby. So by the time Matt had carried her up to bed, she was already out, Casey not having to do much more than tuck her in and give her a kiss before quietly backing out of the room.
Caitlyn, on the other hand, was a bit of a different story, the six year old taking a little more convincing to go to bed. And when they finally got her upstairs, not only had she gotten all three of her stories that Matt promised, but she'd also managed to talk her way into getting him to read her a fourth. One that it took almost until the end of before she'd finally fallen asleep, the father spending nearly an hour in his oldest daughter's room trying to help her rest. But it had been well worth it, Matt giving his girl one last kiss goodnight before leaving her room and heading back downstairs.
And now that he and Gabby were, hopefully, in for the night, Matt checked out the locks and doors once last time before heading into their bedroom, where Gabby was already laying in bed.
She was dressed in just her underwear and one of his t-shirts while she was looking at something on her phone, Matt seeing her glance up at him with a gentle smile on her face. One he matched as he wordlessly walked over to her, coming around her side of the bed and resting a light hand over her stomach before leaning down to give her a kiss. He lingered there for a moment, feeling the warmth of her body underneath his touch until he slowly pulled away, Matt pausing to press a soft kiss against her stomach before he stepped away to get ready for bed.
He went through his usual routine, rinsing off in the shower and brushing his teeth, then finishing up by changing into a pair of pajama pants before he made his way back out into the bedroom, Matt flipping the light off while he saw Gabby exactly where he left her all those minutes ago. Except this time her phone was sitting on the nightstand, his wife stretched out on her side while she watched him come to bed. He gave her another smile, pulling the covers back before making himself comfortable, Matt lying down on his back while slowly shifting closer to Gabby in an effort to not make her move too much.
Neither of them said anything at first, Gabby reaching out to rest her hand over his chest while he placed his palm against her rounded stomach, her eyes tracing over his features before she finally spoke up.
"I heard Caity got you to read another book." She murmured, Matt's smile growing as he gave her a nod, figuring she'd been listening to them on the baby monitor.
"Yeah, she talked me into it… Kid can be pretty convincing when she wants to be." He replied just as softly, prompting his wife to laugh in response while rubbing over his chest.
"Oh, she definitely can. Especially with you." She told him, Matt ducking his head slightly while fighting off a smile. "But that's just part of what makes you such a great dad."
He looked back up at her, Gabby's eyes shining as he searched her face before she began to nod.
"It's what makes you the best dad. I hope you know that." She reiterated, shifting closer to him while he turned to lay on his side. "Cause you'll do anything for them, you always have."
Matt nodded slowly, letting her words sink in as his hand slid around her waist, feeling her breathing underneath his touch while her own hand moved up to cradle his cheek.
"I'd do anything for all of you." He spoke after a moment, her face softening at his words before she leaned forward to press a slow, gentle kiss to his lips. One he all but melted into while her thumb stroked over his face.
"I know you would." She whispered after they pulled back, Matt's eyes staying closed for a few long moments until he slowly opened them, finding Gabby already watching him with that loving look across her face.
Everything was quiet between them for a couple more seconds, Gabby's thumb continuing to move easily across his cheek, Matt turning his head to press a quick kiss to the inside of his palm before he eventually spoke up.
"I thought today was a nice day." He said rather suddenly, his voice soft as Gabby couldn't stop the smile that formed over her face, his simple words sending a rush of elation through her. With all he'd been working through, the good days like this were all she wanted for him.
"It was, it was a great day." She agreed, Matt nodding back at her while his hand continued moving over her side. "...And you're feeling okay?"
This had become a part of their nightly routine, ever since Matt opened up to her as Gabby would end their everyday checking in with him, making sure he was alright. And helping him through those times where he wasn't.
"I am." He verbalized, Gabby's smile widening at his genuine response before she mimicked his nod. "Getting to spend today with you and the girls, it was exactly what I needed… So I'm feeling good right now. It's been a good few days."
"Yeah, it has." She replied, the two sharing another smile before he moved to kiss her again.
There was more behind this one, Gabby able to feel everything Matt was as he gripped onto her t-shirt, hoping to keep her as close as possible. They stayed together until she needed to pause to take a breath, Gabby breathing in deeply while he leaned his forehead down against hers.
"And thank you." Matt spoke up, Gabby drawing in another breath before she opened her eyes the same time he pulled back, their gazes locking as he started to nod. "For everything you've done for me. For helping me, thank you."
Her smile grew almost instantly, her heart tightening in her chest before she nodded back at him, Gabby clutching onto his neck as she moved to kiss him once more.
"I love you." She spoke against his lips, Matt pulling their bodies together as tightly as he could while placing his lips back on hers.
"I love you, too." He murmured between kisses, the rest of the world drowning out around them as they focused on nothing but each other, and this time they had together. As it was one of the best feelings in the world.
And it always would be.
