Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all. Thanks so much for the great feedback on the last one, it means the world to me, I appreciate it so much. I hope you like this one as well, and I can't wait to hear what you think.
I hope you all have a great week. Stay safe, everyone.
Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen
Casey laid on his side in their large king-sized bed with his palm resting against his head, his arm bent at the elbow as he watched his wife sleep peacefully beside him. It was early, not even six as the winter sun was nowhere close to rising yet, the small light in the bathroom being the only source of illumination in their entire room as he saw her chest move up and down steadily with each quiet breath she took. He hadn't been up for too long, Matt having woken up maybe fifteen minutes ago to use the bathroom, but when he got back to bed, for some reason he wasn't able to fall back asleep, so he'd opted to take this quiet moment to simply admire the woman in bed next to him.
It was often he had the time to do this, not with two little girls running around, demanding all their attention most hours of the day, though he wouldn't change that for anything in the world. But still, the time he and Gabby had alone was few and far between, so it was nice to have these moments with just Gabby, even if she wasn't awake for it. Even though Matt knew he should still be asleep, as well.
He had nothing to wake up early for, as today wasn't a work day for them. And with Caitlyn out of school as Christmas was only a few days away, there truly was nothing that had them needing to be up at any certain time today. But with their girls in the house, he knew how early they woke up in the morning, so for himself alone, he knew he should be trying to get more rest.
But, for whatever reason, he didn't feel so tired anymore. So he'd opted to just lie here instead, his eyes staying focused on the woman he loved more than anything in the world. And moments like this were something he'd never get tired of, as seeing Gabby this relaxed and peaceful filled him with a strong sense of contentment.
She was facing towards him, her head resting gently on top of her pillow as her hair was sprawled out around her. And her face was about all he could see, Gabby having the covers pulled up to just beneath her chin, her body close to his as he could feel the heat radiating off of her. If not for the fact he didn't want to wake her, he'd probably pulled her back into his arms, as they'd separated from each other at some point during the night. But this was enough for now, Matt not wanting to risk disturbing her rest as he wanted at least one of them to get some sleep.
But when Gabby began to shift around after a few minutes, Matt was wondering if she was as deep into unconsciousness as he thought. He stayed quiet, his eyebrows raising slightly as her nose scrunched up while she shifted to lie completely on her side. For a second, he thought she was waking up, but when her breathing evened out once more, he figured she'd fallen back asleep, Matt smiling softly as his eyes never left her.
"How long are you gonna stare at me?"
His grin grew as the muffled words left her lips, Gabby never opening her eyes as she sighed, Matt reaching his free hand up to rest over her waist as she cuddled more into her pillow.
"You're up." He commented, Matt keeping his voice low as he wasn't sure how alert she truly was, Gabby leaning into his touch as he continued to rub over her side.
"So are you." She replied, a slight yawn escaping her lips before she reached out to stretch her arms, the covers falling down off of her a bit as she moved. Once she was done, her hands fell back down to the bed, Gabby finally opening her eyes as she immediately saw her husband's eyes on her, the small smile on his face causing her to grin as well. "What time is it?" She asked as she shifted a little closer to him, Matt slid his palm around to her back as she placed her hand over his chest.
"Close to six, I think… It's early." He told her, Gabby nodding once more. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."
"You didn't… Though I could feel you staring at me." She answered him, not missing the sheepish look that covered his face.
"Well, you're just so beautiful, how could I not?" Casey replied without missing a beat, Gabby scoffing lightly before she patted his chest.
"Mhmm… But really, why are you up so early?" She questioned, another yawn escaping her lips as Matt moved his underneath the covers before returning it to her side, a soft smile forming over her face at the movement.
"Couldn't go back to sleep." He told her simply, Gabby nodding as her eyes fell closed once more, Matt continuing to rub over her body as he knew how soothing she found it.
They laid in silence for a few moments, Matt not entirely sure Gabby wasn't close to falling back asleep as she relaxed down into their mattress, so he said nothing, as he was all for her getting more rest before they would be woken up by one of their girls. But when her eyes opened once more, he was realizing she wasn't as close to sleep as he expected, Gabby shuffling closer towards him before she lifted herself up to rest on her elbow.
His eyebrows raised a bit, Gabby smiling gently as she was now eye-level with him, before she closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a quick, soft kiss. He smiled against her, Matt tightening his hold around her back before reciprocating the gesture, Gabby sliding her hand up to his neck as they moved together. There was a surprising amount of passion behind her actions, Matt not entirely expecting it as she'd just woken up, but he certainly wasn't complaining as she stroked her thumb over his jaw.
They finally pulled back once air became a necessity, Gabby suppressing a laugh when she saw the slightly stunned look on his face. And even in her tired haze, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride, Gabby glad to know she could still elicit that reaction from him after all this time.
"What was that for?" He breathed out, his large hand gripping the back of her shirt as she continued to rub her hand over his neck, her fingers feeling a bit of stubble as he hadn't shaved since the day before yesterday.
"Just saying good morning." She replied with a gleam in her eye, Matt raising his eyebrows challengingly before he quickly adjusted both of their positions, a soft squeak escaping her lips as she was now on her back with him hovering over her. The feeling of his body weight pressing into hers flooded her with warmth, as he easily settled on top of her, her thighs resting on either side of his waist as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Is that so?" He questioned, his voice barely audible as Gabby's bottom lip tucked between her teeth.
"Yeah." She murmured just as quietly, Matt grinning softly before he leaned down to kiss her once more, Gabby responding with just as much force as she held onto any part of him that she could.
He still wasn't sure what had gotten into her this early in the morning, but that was quickly moving farther and farther from his mind as he was focused on nothing but her, his hands roaming her body as well as the intensity of their movements continued to pick up. Gabby pulled back first, the woman sucking in air as Matt moved his lips along her jaw down to her neck, her breathing soon normalizing as she had a second to compose herself, though it was a little hard with her husband's mouth on her.
But for as hot and heavy as their movements started out as, Matt not wasting the opportunity to focus on whatever part of her that he could, he went from biting and sucking, to nipping gently at her skin, before peppering her neck and jaw with soft, sweet kisses. The abrupt change in his actions was almost amusing, Gabby laughing softly as he kissed all the skin he could find.
"Matt." She laughed, her hand lifting up to run through his hair as his own palm was running along her side.
"...Yeah?" He asked in between kisses, Matt nibbling at her skin as she squirmed slightly, the man tickling her as another laugh left her lips.
"What are you doing?" She questioned lightly, his teeth gently grazing over her skin before he lifted his head up to meet her gaze, Gabby soon seeing the goofy grin on his face as she scratched the side of his head.
"I'm just… saying good morning, too." He repeated her words, his proud grin growing as she laughed once more, his heart nearly bursting in his chest before he leaned down to kiss her again, this one much more tame as he pulled back after just a few seconds.
Their eyes locked on each other, Matt smiling softly as he stroked the back of his hand over her cheek, the action causing her to match his look as they relished in this moment together.
"So…" He spoke up again after a few seconds, Gabby's head tilting to the side as she rested against the pillow. "While this definitely is a good morning, and I want to continue this and make it a great morning, I was wondering if you had any plans for today?" He asked, her tongue running over the inside of her cheek as she thought over his words.
She wasn't entirely sure where the question came from, as they hadn't planned on doing anything today other than staying home, Gabby simply shrugging before shaking her head. "Not much, that I know of." She replied, Matt nodding slightly as she ran her hand along the side of his head. "Why, is there something you wanna do?" She pressed, the look on his face immediately giving her an answer as his tongue poked out between his lips. "...What is it?"
"Well, I was actually hoping you wouldn't mind if I took Caitlyn out for a little bit today?" He questioned, Matt seeing the immediate surprise and slight confusion that covered her face. But she shook her head regardless.
"I don't mind." She responded softly, Matt giving her a nod. "Where are you two going?"
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shaking his head slightly, Gabby's confusion only growing as her eyes narrowed playfully. "That's top secret information." He replied, a soft scoff escaping her lips as Matt rubbed the side of her head.
"Uh huh… And this 'top secret' daddy-daughter trip wouldn't have anything to do with that present you won't tell me about, does it?" She pushed further, Matt's face immediately giving him away as he was a terrible liar, at least in situations like this. But he tried to save it anyway, the man soon shaking his head once more.
"Nope." He replied, his one word not at all convincing as a low chuckle escaped his wife's lips.
"Mhmm, I'm sure… Well, whatever you two are doing, I know you'll have a good time. And Caitlyn's gonna be so excited to get some one on one time with you." She responded, Matt's smile returning to his lips before he nodded.
"Yeah, she likes getting one on one time with both of us." He corrected softly, both parents knowing how true his words were. Though Caitlyn loved spending time with all of them, and she loved being around her baby sister, she also needed time with just them sometimes. Like any kid would, she needed one on one time with her parents, so they were working on trying to balance that. "But I need to go run a few errands, so I figured I'd take her with me… Let you and Sof have an day at home." He continued, Gabby pausing for a moment before she nodded.
"Sounds good to me, babe." She responded, Matt smiling softly before he leaned down to capture her lips in another quick kiss. "Sof and I will get some stuff done around the house today." She added once they pulled back.
"So we're both gonna have a busy day, sounds like." He replied teasingly, Gabby fighting off the urge to roll her eyes before she tapped the side of his head lightly.
But she didn't get a chance to respond to him before he captured her lips in another kiss, Gabby smiling softly before she began to kiss him back, the intensity between them beginning to feel a lot like it had moments ago as she felt a little more desire coming from him. And it was a feeling that was more than welcome as they gradually picked up the pace.
With every moment that passed, they continued to get more and more lost in each other, Matt's hands roaming her body as he swallowed the moans he elicited from her. Though their girls were still asleep, they knew they still needed to be relatively quiet as they didn't want to risk waking either of them.
But that didn't mean they weren't going to make the most of the time they did have together, their pajamas gradually coming off as they stayed as connected as possible, Matt pulling the sheets up to cover them as the couple continued to completely dedicate themselves to each other and this moment.
Casey zipped up his coat as he stood on the road, snow falling down around them as he stepped to the back seat. He glanced at the street, Matt making sure there wasn't too much traffic before he pulled the door open, the father immediately met by the sight of his smiling daughter. She had gotten herself unbuckled already, as she knew she was allowed to do once he got out, Caitlyn sitting on the edge of her car seat as her beanie was securely on her head.
"Hi Daddy." She greeted, like they hadn't been talking throughout the entire car ride here as Matt grinned down at her.
"Hi baby." He replied before he squatted down by the car, Matt helping his little girl get her winter coat and gloves on before he lifted her out of the car and placed her down on the snow-covered ground. "Keep a hand on the car, sweetheart." He reminded her as he didn't want her being too close to the cars passing by them, Caitlyn nodding in understanding as she stood by the back tire, her hand resting against the taillight as she looked around at the buzzing street in front of them. "Alright, you ready?" He asked as he shut the back door, Matt locking up the car before reaching his hand down towards his daughter.
"Mhmm." She hummed as she easily grabbed his hand, Matt offering her a soft smile before they carefully began to walk around the car to the sidewalk, Caitlyn's intrigued eyes continuing to bounce around as her and her dad kept walking. Caitlyn stayed as close to his side as she could, Matt keeping a firm hold on her hand as he made sure she was walking a slight step ahead of him as the snow crunched beneath their feet. "Why are Sof and Mommy not with us?" She questioned suddenly, Casey sparing a quick glance down at his daughter, seeing her completely focused on the world ahead of her. "Where are we going?"
When Matt had told Caitlyn of his plans to take her out for some daddy-daughter time today, she'd been so excited she didn't really question anything about it, as the second she found out she all but ran back upstairs to get ready. But because of her enthusiasm, she hadn't thought to ask him any of what they were doing. And apparently, it was just now occurring to her.
"Well, Mommy and Sof aren't with us because I wanted to spend some time with you." He spoke, Caitlyn's smile widening as she looked up at him. "And there's a few things I want to do today, but first I thought you and I could have some breakfast." He told her, her eyes lighting up before she nodded, Caitlyn soon recognizing the diner that they'd come too frequently as they got closer. Even though it was closer to lunch time, he knew it had been a few hours since Caitlyn ate anything, and a nice little brunch with the two of them couldn't hurt anything.
"I want french toast!" She cheered as they got to the door, Matt chuckling softly before he pulled it open, the dad letting Caitlyn walk in first before he followed behind her.
"You can have whatever you want to eat, honey." He replied, the five year old bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement as they continued inside.
It only took them a few seconds to be seated, the small restaurant not too crowded as they were placed at a table by the window. And, as she normally did, Caitlyn slid in first, the girl sitting up on her shins as she moved over enough to give her dad room to sit down. But before doing so, Matt took off his coat and placed it on the empty side of the booth across from them, before he reached down to help Caitlyn out of hers as well, Matt placing the much smaller piece of clothing down on top of his before he sat down next to his daughter.
As they got situated, Matt placed the kid's menu and crayons in front of Caitlyn, the five year old soon moving over until she was nestled up against his side as she reached for the writing utensils. A soft smile formed over Matt's face as he felt Caitlyn lean her head against his arm, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she began to determinedly color one of the many pictures in front of her.
"So you want french toast, baby?" He asked as he picked up the menu, though he didn't really need to look it over as he knew exactly what he wanted.
"Yes please." She spoke, Caitlyn tearing her eyes away from her task as she looked up to her dad, her eyebrows furrowed deep in thought before she spoke up once more. "And eggs." She added, Matt nodding just as a soft gasp left her lips. "And chocolate milk!"
Casey chuckled softly, his daughter's excitement over the simplest things never getting old as a bright grin appeared over her face, Matt nodding once more before he leaned down to press a kiss to her beanie-covered head. "I'll get you some chocolate milk."
"Thank you Daddy." She responded gratefully, the little girl pressing a soft kiss of her own against his before she went back to her drawing, Matt unable to stop his smile from growing at the action.
Over the next few minutes, Caitlyn continued to work on her drawings as Matt ordered both their breakfasts, the father getting Caitlyn her french toast and eggs, while he got some pancakes and bacon for himself, knowing well enough that he and his daughter would likely end up sharing their food anyway.
With their order being small and simple, it didn't take long for their food to arrive, the five year old having just finished her second drawing when they came over with the plates of food, her eyes growing wide in eagerness as their breakfast was put in front of them.
"Don't touch the plate honey, it's hot." He warned her as he pushed it away from her slightly, Matt thanking their waitress while Caitlyn nodded, the child opting to reach for her glass of chocolate milk instead as she carefully took a sip of it. While she gradually drank her milk, Matt began cutting up her food, the father getting her french toast into much more manageable pieces for her.
She put her cup down just as Matt completed his task, Caitlyn saying another thank you before taking the fork from him, while Casey kept the knife to use for his own food. Once he'd finished, they were able to quietly enjoy their breakfast, Caitlyn more preoccupied with getting her french toast in her mouth than anything else as Matt kept a close eye on her to make sure she wasn't making a mess.
As she took another bite, Caitlyn placed her fork down before looking towards her dad, Matt raising his eyebrows when he felt her staring at him. But when he turned to look, her gaze had moved down towards his plate, a soft laugh escaping his lips as he recognized that look in her eye.
"The pancakes look yummy." She commented with a sly grin, Matt's smile growing before he put a small piece of his breakfast on his fork.
"You wanna try some?" He asked as he moved his fork towards her mouth, Caitlyn nodding enthusiastically before she ate the food, Matt chuckling once more as he watched her reaction.
"That is yummy!" She replied before getting another bite of french toast on her fork before lifting it up towards her dad. "We can share!" She added with a genuinely happy grin, Matt matching her look before he took the food she'd offered him.
"Yeah, we can." He responded after swallowing, Caitlyn smiling proudly as they went back to their food.
True to her words, the father and daughter continued to share their meal with one another as they enjoyed this peaceful time together, the snow starting to pick up outside as Caitlyn would occasionally become distracted by it. But despite her wandering mind, they were able to have a nice brunch, Caitlyn eating just as much of Matt's food as she did hers.
"Where are we going, Daddy?" She asked out of the blue as he took a bite of his bacon, Matt glancing back down towards her before he held the piece of food out to her, Caitlyn taking a small bite of it. From her few words alone, he knew exactly what she was asking, Matt well aware he still hadn't filled her in on what they were doing today as he ate the last bit of bacon in his hand.
"Well, after we finish eating, I was thinking you and I could go and get Mommy's Christmas present." He told her, Caitlyn's eyes widening as her lips parted slightly, a mix of enthusiasm and surprise covering her face.
"A present for Mommy?" She asked, her voice soft as Matt nodded in response. But before he could answer, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, Caitlyn clearly deep in thought before she spoke up once more. "Does Santa not bring it?" She questioned, Matt smiling gently at her innocence as he bit down on his tongue.
"He brings some presents," He answered, Matt knowing he needed to be careful as to how he answered this as Caitlyn was so into the idea of Santa. "But we also give each other presents, too." He explained to her, Matt not sure of just how much she knew regarding the holiday, as she likely didn't remember much, if anything, from her last Christmas. Aside from the fact that her dad was with her.
From what all Tina had told them about Caitlyn's past, they knew her father hadn't passed away until shortly after last Christmas, meaning the man had been around to celebrate the holiday with his daughter. But considering Caitlyn was still so young, and she'd been through so much in the past year, they really had no idea what all she remembered from that time. Meaning they had no idea what all she knew about Christmas, or what it entailed; aside from Santa.
"So you get Mommy presents, too? And Santa does?"
"Mhmm." He told her, Caitlyn smiling softly before she nodded. "Everyone's gonna get their presents from Santa, but we all have some more presents from each other, too." He continued to explain, her eyes widening happily. "Like you know how when we met Santa, we bought presents for some of our friends? It's like that." He told her, Matt seeing when it all started to click in her little mind.
"More presents!" She cheered, Matt chuckling softly before he nodded.
"Yeah, more presents."
"I wanna get Mommy a present!" She spoke, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly.
With Christmas only a few days away, Casey had already gotten gifts for Gabby from both the girls, the husband having completed that task weeks ago. But if Caitlyn wanted to pick out something for her mom on her own, he'd never say no to that request, Matt knowing they could add another stop to their outing today.
"And Sof! And you!" She added, Matt watching her in amusement as her eyes narrowed slightly. "But you can't look! It's a surprise." She chastised, the father unable to stop himself from laughing softly as Caitlyn was already adamant about this gift, even though she didn't know what she was getting him yet.
"I won't look, baby." He promised her, her features softening before she nodded. "But we can go and let you get Mommy a present, that's fine… We can go and do that before we go and get my present for your Momma." He told her, Caitlyn nodding understandingly before she took another bite of her food. "Once we finish our breakfast, we'll go find something." Matt finished, the little girl offering him a small smile in response.
"Okay Daddy."
Gabby sat on the large couch in their living room, her body relaxed down into the cushions while her feet were up on the coffee table, Sofia sitting on her waist with her little legs on either side of her stomach, the baby holding onto her hands as they enjoyed this quiet time together.
It had been an easy afternoon in the Casey household, Gabby finding it much easier to get things done around the house with only one kid to look after, though she certainly missed her other little girl, as well as her husband. But with just her baby, it had given her time to catch up on a lot of things that needed to be done while Sofia played and watched cartoons, like laundry, cleaning up the kitchen, as well as tidying the girls rooms and cleaning their bathroom. Though for all she got done, she hadn't gotten all the way through her list as it got to a point where it was clear Sofia was wanting to spend time with her. So she stopped working on chores and went to her daughter, Gabby knowing everything else could wait as she gave her little girl the attention she needed.
Sofia was fine, but it was clear to Dawson that she was feeling a little clingy, probably because her sister and father had been gone for so long. But whatever the reason, Gabby was more than happy to spend these moments with her baby, as it wasn't often they got time for just the two of them.
"Mama." She spoke once more as she waved her hand around, Sofia's free hand smacking Gabby's chest lightly as she bounced up and down on her stomach.
"Hi baby." She cooed, Sofia moving happily before she fell down against her mom's chest, Gabby laughing lightly as the little girl did what she could to crawl up towards her, before giving her mom kisses. "Oh, thank you Sof." She responded, Gabby giving her another kiss before she began peppering them all over the sixteen month old's face.
Loud giggles escaped her lips, little Sofia gripping onto her mother's shirt as Gabby kept kissing all over her face. They continued on with this little game for a while, as every time Gabby would pull back, the baby would grab her face and bring her back towards her, Sofia clearly loving the attention. So she continued to give it to her, Gabby alternating between kisses and lightly tickling her, while also keeping the little girl balanced on her chest and stomach so she wouldn't fall.
When Gabby heard the faint sound of the garage door going up, she stopped her movements, the mother looking across their home towards the hallway that led to the garage, knowing her husband and oldest daughter would likely be walking in any minute. "Oh, Sof I think your Daddy and Caitlyn are home." She spoke, the baby's ears perking up as she registered a few of the words.
"Kay-Kay." She repeated, Gabby suppressing an amused chuckle as Sofia picked her sister over her father.
"Yeah, Kay-Kay." She agreed, the baby's grin widening before she fell back down against her mother's chest, Sofia snuggling against her as she showed no desire to move. Though, Gabby figured when she actually saw her dad and her sister, that would change.
It only took a few minutes, but soon enough the door opened, Gabby waiting for them to come into view as she rubbed Sofia's back.
"Mommy, don't look!" Caitlyn all but yelled before Gabby could even see her, the tone in her voice causing Dawson to grin. "I have a present!" She added, a soft chuckle escaping her lips just as her daughter came into view, Matt a step behind her as a small smile was already covering his face.
It was clear to Gabby that Caitlyn was hiding something behind her back, but not wanting to ruin the excitement of whatever it was, the mother looked away, while Sofia lifted herself up when she heard the other voices. "Okay baby, I won't." She promised.
"Caity, why don't you go and put that up in your room? And I'll help you with it later." Matt suggested, Gabby biting back her smirk as she heard the little girl agree before taking off up the steps, a soft laugh escaping Casey's lips before he continued further into their home. "She wasn't supposed to tell you that." He added after Caitlyn had gone upstairs, Matt noticing the amused look on her face as he got closer to the couch, a soft laugh escaping Gabby's lips as she shook her head.
"It's fine. Whatever it is, I'll act like I didn't know about… How was your day?" She asked as her husband came to sit beside her, Sofia looking around until she laid eyes on her dad, a happy grin forming across her face as she immediately began reaching for him.
"It was good. What about things here?" He questioned before his attention moved towards Sofia, the baby almost face-planting onto the couch as she was desperate to get to her dad, but luckily Gabby had been able to catch her. "Hi, my sweet girl." He murmured, soon lifting her into his arms. "I missed you so much."
"Dada."
"Hi princess." He greeted her once more, Matt pressing a few kisses to her head before she nuzzled herself into his chest, Sofia's head tucked into his neck as she clung to her father.
"Things here were good." Gabby answered his question once Sofia had settled, the sight of her husband and daughter flooding her chest with warmth. "Sof and I had a nice, easy day."
"I'm glad." He replied as he adjusted the baby in his arms, Matt pressing another kiss to the side of her curly-haired head before glancing back towards his wife, his eyes widening slightly when he saw her watching him with a narrow look. "What?"
"So you're just gonna come home, and act like you weren't out on some mystery trip all day?" She questioned, though her words were more rhetorical as a sheepish look covered his face. "You're really not gonna tell me where you were all afternoon?"
"I will, actually." He answered simply, Gabby's eyebrows raising as she hadn't expected that answer from him. "Well, I'll show you anyway." He added as they heard Caitlyn hurrying back down the stairs, Matt looking over as she all but ran towards them.
"I'm back!" She announced, though there was no need to as her presence was impossible to miss. "Hi Mommy!"
"Hi sweetheart." Gabby replied, putting her questions on hold for a moment as she spoke to her daughter, Dawson not missing how the five year old was practically shaking with excitement as she came to stand beside Matt's legs. "Did you have a fun day with your Daddy?"
"Yeah!" She answered without hesitation, Caitlyn's eyes widening slightly before she looked up to Matt, the little girl leaning towards him. "I hid Mommy's present under my bed." She whispered to her father, but her voice was basically the same volume she always was as Gabby suppressed a laugh, the woman pretending she didn't hear her as Matt spared a quick glance at his wife. "But your present and Sof's present are there too, so you can't look."
"I won't, I promise." He assured her even though he already knew exactly what she'd gotten for him, as he was the one who paid for it. But he'd never ruin that for her, Caitlyn smiling happily before looking back towards her mom, Gabby immediately noticing just how excited she was. And the mother couldn't help but assume that at least partially had to do with wherever they'd been the last few hours.
"So, you said you had something to show me?" Gabby questioned as she tried to get their conversation back on track, Matt smirking softly before he nodded.
"I do." He answered. "And Caitlyn wants to show you, too."
"Will you not tell me what it is, Caity?" Gabby tried, the five year old shaking her head quickly as she leaned against Matt's leg.
"I can't tell! It's a secret!" She spoke confidently, Gabby cocking her head to the side as she noticed the proud look that flashed in her husband's eyes.
"Well, alright then… What do you have to show me?" She asked, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he shifted closer to the edge of the couch.
"Put your jacket on." He told her before he stood up, Caitlyn moving back out of the way to give him room as he kept a firm grip on Sofia.
"What?" She questioned, Gabby tossing the blanket over her legs to the side of the couch before sitting up straight, Matt grinning from ear to ear as he looked down at her.
"Just do it, babe." He replied, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, the woman getting up before they began to prepare to go outside.
With as cold and snowy as it was, layers were a necessity, but since Caitlyn and Matt were still bundled up in their coats, all they had to do was get their boots back on. But before that, Casey made sure to get Sofia ready while Gabby took care of herself, the father putting Sofia's thick winter coat on over her onesie, making sure it was snug to her body before helping Caitlyn. The entire process took them maybe ten minutes, as little girls weren't always the most cooperative, but eventually they were all ready to head outside, Gabby standing impatiently by the door to the garage as she was becoming more and more eager to see what Matt had done.
Though she'd been wracking her brain for most of the day, she hadn't been able to come up with any ideas as to what Matt was getting her, or at least not any reasonable ones. So she was still completely in the dark about this, which she was sure he was happy about. But at least here shortly she'd finally know what this was about, Gabby watching her family with a soft smile as Matt and the girls walked towards her. Before even saying a word, Gabby couldn't help but notice how Caitlyn seemed even more excited than she had been moments prior, like she was just as happy as Matt was for her to see whatever he hadn't brought into the house.
With Sofia in one arm, Matt walked up to the door, the man gently nudging Gabby to the side so he had room to open it. But after barely opening it to the point where Caitlyn couldn't even fit through, he stopped himself, Matt turning towards Gabby with a sly grin on his face.
"I want you to close your eyes." He told her, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly as she looked between her family.
"Matt…"
"Please?" He requested, the woman releasing a soft sigh before she nodded, that proud smirk returning to his features as he held out his free arm towards her.
"Fine." She gave in, Gabby unable to stop herself from smiling when she saw the look on his face, before she reached for his arm and closed her eyes. "But if you let me fall, I swear to God."
"You know I'd never." He was quick to answer, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as Matt guided her back a bit before opening the door the rest of the way, the woman shivering slightly as the change in temperature hit her.
Caitlyn was the first Casey to leave the house, the little girl all but jumping down one step at a time before her feet landed on solid ground, her eyes moving back towards her parents just as Matt began leading Gabby down the stairs. Telling her each time she needed to take a step, Matt was able to get both Gabby and Sofia down the stairs safely, Gabby's eyes staying closed no matter how much she wanted to open them right now. But the desire to not ruin her husband's surprise outweighed that feeling, as she knew this was something he was excited about.
"Mommy, no peeking!" Caitlyn warned as she grabbed ahold of Gabby's free hand, the mother scoffing lightly before shaking her head.
"I'm not looking, I promise." She replied as Matt guided her further into the garage. She really had no idea where he was taking her, or what direction they were going, but he only moved her maybe a few feet before he stopped, Gabby still feeling Caitlyn's hand clasped in hers as they stood in the cold garage. "But can I look soon?" She questioned, Gabby hearing her husband laugh as she gave his arm a squeeze.
"Yeah, just give me a second." He replied, Matt glancing forward with a wide smile on his face before he looked back towards Caitlyn, the little girl grinning happily as well before he gave her a nod. "Go ahead, Caity." He prompted her, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing before Caitlyn spoke up.
"Open your eyes, Mommy!"
Slowly, Gabby opened her eyes, the woman unsure of what to expect in front of her as she'd tried to prepare for anything. But what she saw was something she hadn't planned for at all, as she was standing in front of a dark grey SUV that certainly hadn't been here earlier today.
She was stunned, to put it lightly, Gabby's mouth parting in shock as she took a step closer to the vehicle, the four-door SUV much bigger than their previous car as she did all she could to take it in. As her mind was trying to process this, Gabby soon realized this was the exact car her and Matt had been looking at a few months ago, the one he knew she loved but they'd decided to wait on; though apparently, Matt took the opposite approach and went ahead and got it.
"I… I don't know what to say." She breathed out, Gabby rarely ever stunned to silence as she looked back towards Matt, seeing that same bright grin on his face. "You got us this car?"
"I got you this car." He clarified, Gabby's own smile growing as pure elation covered her face. "Though, technically it is for the family, so yeah, it's for all of us… But I know how much you wanted it. So I wanted to do this for you." He added, Gabby feeling a few tears well in her eyes as she was overcome with a few different emotions.
"I- Babe, you didn't have to do this for me." She stuttered out, her brain still trying to catch up as Matt walked towards her.
"I know I didn't, but I wanted to." He answered simply, Gabby's smile growing as she looked back at the vehicle. "And I think it was a worthy investment… It's something we need. And with the girls, it'll be a lot easier on us, so we're not bent down into the car all the time." He continued to explain with a soft smile on his face. "And it'll give the kids more room, too, which'll be better as they get older."
"Matt… This is too much." She breathed out, Casey shaking his head lightly as he came to stand beside her, the husband not at all surprised by her words. She never liked to buy things for herself, not expensive things like this, especially not with the kids. But she deserved this, and he wanted to make sure she didn't feel guilty for having it.
"No, it's not." He replied gently, Matt pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as he reached out to rub her back, Caitlyn coming to stand on the opposite side of Gabby as well. "I traded in your car, which is what we talked about doing when the time came, and I got a good deal." He told her, Gabby unsure of what to say as she was still trying to process this. And Matt could still see her slight hesitance, the man rubbing her back once more as he got her to look at him.
"I appreciate this so much, of course I do, but I thought we were talking about replacing your truck…" She spoke, Matt shrugging softly.
"We will, at some point… But this is important. You deserve this baby, and I want you to have it." He told her, his sincere words causing more tears to form in her eyes, Matt not missing them as he scratched his hand over her waist. "And I wanted to surprise you with it… You do so much for us, for this entire family, you always have. And I wanted to do this for you." He spoke, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as their eyes were locked on one another, nothing but love shining in their gazes as his smile widened. "You deserve this, and so much more… Merry Christmas, baby-"
Matt could barely get the words out before she had her lips on his, Gabby kissing him passionately as she put everything she couldn't say into her actions, her head still trying to catch up with this amazing thing he'd done for her and their family. But while she couldn't tell him everything she wanted to right now, she sure could show him, Matt smiling into the movement before he kissed her back, his grin widening against her lips as his hold on the back of her jacket tightened.
"Thank you." She murmured against him, Matt's smile never faltering before he kissed her again quickly. "I love it so much… I love you."
"I love you, too." He responded, the two sharing another kiss before they eventually separated, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she looked back towards their new car.
"God, this is even prettier than I thought it was." She spoke, Casey smirking proudly as Gabby moved to open the driver's side door.
"It's a great car… Has all the safety features and everything we were wanting, too." He told her, just as the sight of Caitlyn jumping up and down caught both of their attention, the little girl nearly bursting with joy as she hurried towards Gabby.
"Mommy, guess what?" She asked as she grabbed onto her hand, Gabby turning away from looking at the car to focus on her daughter.
"What, sweetheart?" She asked, Caitlyn bouncing happily as she glanced back towards her dad.
"I didn't tell you the secret!" She responded proudly, Gabby and Matt both laughing as she looked up at her mom. "I kept the surprise!"
"You did baby, thank you." She replied as she reached up to rub Caitlyn's head, the girl wrapping her arms around Gabby's waist as she gave her a tight hug. "I love it so much, thank you for helping Daddy get it for me."
"You're welcome! Merry Christmas, Mommy!" Caitlyn spoke, her words slightly muffled by Gabby's jacket as she held onto her mom as tightly as she could, Gabby grinning happily before she leaned down to press a kiss to her head.
"Thank you, Caity." She murmured, kissing her head once more before the little girl pulled away, her brown eyes wide.
"Can I show you it?" She asked excitedly. "There's a TV!"
Gabby chuckled at her enthusiasm as Caitlyn spoke of the monitor in the back where they could play movies for the kids, the mother nodding immediately as she wanted to get a closer look at the SUV herself. And what better way to do that than to have Caitlyn help her.
"Of course you can, I can't wait to see it."
"And once we're done, we can go for a drive!" She continued on brightly, Caitlyn clearly too excited for her own good as her mind was moving quickly.
But it was nothing neither parent would ever want to change, as they too were both excited about today, Gabby unable to wait any longer as she climbed into the driver's seat of the car and began to look everything over. While keeping Sofia secure in his arm, Matt used his free hand to help lift Caitlyn up into the vehicle so she could be with her mom, the five year old settling onto Gabby's lap as they continued checking it all out.
And while they were preoccupied, Matt allowed himself a moment to take a step back and look at his family, the sight of them bringing the biggest smile to his face as he knew how happy all of them were in the moment. And it was something that brought him a lot of joy as well, the husband and father wanting nothing more than to see his girls this happy and content every day, as nothing mattered more to him than them.
And nothing ever would.