Happy Tuesday friends! Thanks as always for the love and sweet words you have for this story. I'm so grateful for your kindness. Here is the next chapter and it's another that I really loved writing. I hope you like the new chapter & the little teaser banner I made for it on tumblr. Enjoy and I'll see ya next week for chapter 20!
The song referenced in this chapter is called "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King if you wanna give it a listen.
The next few days pass in the same state of blissed out contentment just like the first day at the cabin.
The sun burns high in the sky with not a cloud in sight each day and Hailey, Jay, and Avery spend most of their time during the day outside in the water or on the pebble stoned beach of Lake Michigan. Then after the sun goes down and they've eaten dinner, Jay will start a fire in the pit out back and the three of them sit around, making melted messes of s'mores for dessert and watching the moon shine down over the water out in front of them.
The time away from the bustling streets of Chicago at Jay's family cabin has been the perfect barrage of rest and relaxation he had hoped it would be for Hailey and Avery, their smiles and laughter over the last few days enough evidence of the fact.
He and Hailey continue sharing his bed in the master suite and she curls into him each night, kissing the side of his neck before she dozes and holding onto him with a vice like grip even long after she falls asleep.
Jay wakes Sunday morning, their last full day at the lake with someone kicking him beneath the covers. He blinks his eyes against the sunlight streaming in through the window, quickly recognizing the sounds coming from Hailey beside him and turns in the bed to face her. She begins thrashing against him even though her hands still grip tightly to his shirt and he reaches an arm across her waist to pull her closer to him.
"Hailey," he whispers above her ear. He squeezes her waist with his hand and presses his lips to the side of her head, holding her tight against him. "Wake up. You're okay."
She kicks at him again, her head jostling from side to side against her pillow now as she lets go of his shirt, but he just squeezes her once more.
"Hailey?" He calls out to her before pressing another kiss to the side of her head and whispers again, "You're okay. You're safe."
"No…" Hailey cries out, her head jostling from side to side again. "No, please! Don't…no…"
Jay lifts her head carefully and slides his arm underneath it, then pulls her against his chest so she's lying half on top of him. He wraps her in a tight hug with an arm around her back and the other hand cradling her head, shushing her gently and placing soft kisses to her forehead.
"It's okay. You're safe baby," he whispers, the term of endearment slipping from his lips as he holds her and tries to comfort her as best he can through her nightmare. "I got you."
She finally settles in his arms a few moments later, her eyes blinking open and her chest heaving against him as she breathes too quickly.
"Jay?" She whimpers into his neck.
"Yeah, it's me. I got you," he tells her again before dropping another kiss to her forehead.
She moves her hands between them to grip the front of his shirt again and seconds later he feels her tears soaking through the fabric covering his chest. She cries against him, but he keeps holding her, shushing her over and over, pressing sweet and soft kisses to the side of her head and her forehead and her hairline until she relaxes completely in his arms.
"I'm sorry," Hailey whispers, sniffling through the tears that still fall as she continues to cling to him.
He shakes his head above her and squeezes her once more. "It's okay. You have nothing to be sorry for. You're safe baby."
She whimpers again as she turns her head and buries her face into his neck, her hot tears falling against his skin and her hands gripping him tighter.
"I got you," he tells her again.
Her breaths start to even out as her heart finally begins to slow, the realization hitting her that she is safe and she's with Jay, and that it was just another nightmare. She pulls her head from his neck and looks up to meet his eyes, finding the same softness and concern she always finds there.
"You're safe," he says again quietly as he loosens his arms from around her and brings a hand to her face. He swipes the back of his pointer finger under each of her eyes to wipe away the tears that fall, then holds her cheek in his palm.
"Another nightmare," she breathes out as she stares up at him.
He nods slowly, cradling her face in his hand. "Hailey – "
"I know," she sighs. "I know I need to deal with it or – or it's just gonna get worse."
"When we get home, I think you should see someone," he says carefully, brushing his thumb over her cheek slowly and not missing the look of terror that flashes through her eyes. "At least think about it, okay?"
She sighs deeply again, but nods her head nonetheless because she knows he's right. He smiles softly at her as he drops his hand from her face and squeezes his other arm around her.
"Why don't you rest for a little longer and I'll go make some coffee? Maybe get some breakfast started, hmmm?"
She nods again as she removes her hands from him and he presses one last kiss to her forehead before he pulls himself out of the bed. He pulls the blanket over her, then slips out of the bedroom and closes the door quietly behind him so he doesn't wake Avery in the next room.
He heads into the kitchen and starts a pot of coffee, running a hand over the back of his head as he leans against the island. The click of a door has him turning around a moment later and he smiles instantly at the sight of Avery shuffling toward him with her teddy bear under an arm and her other hand rubbing at her eyes.
"Good morning bug," Jay calls over to her.
"Morning daddy," she mumbles before letting out a yawn.
He squats down as the little girl approaches him and steps into his open arms. He holds her against his chest and stands to his feet, securing his arms tight around her as she drops her head to his shoulder.
"You're up early. Did you sleep okay?" He asks before he drops a kiss to the side of Avery's head and squeezes her against him.
"Mhmmm," she nods.
"Okay," he says, squeezing his arms around her again. "You wanna help daddy make some breakfast for mama?"
"Yeah!" She says excitedly, lifting her head from his shoulder and grinning at him.
He smiles back at her and nods, pressing his lips to the little girl's forehead. "Alright, let's get started then. Can we put teddy down for a bit?"
Avery nods, handing her bear to Jay and he sets it on one of the stools at the island before carrying the little girl to the sink. They wash their hands together and then Jay sets her down on the counter.
"I'm thinking we make something from scratch. Maybe pancakes or French toast? What do you think bug?"
The little girl tilts her head as if in deep thought and then grins up at him. "Pancakes!"
"That's what I was thinking!" He smiles back at her, bopping her on the nose with the tip of his finger.
Avery giggles and Jay steps away from her to pull things from the fridge and cabinets, and then they start on breakfast. The little girl hangs on every word as he tells her what to do with the flour and eggs and milk, how much here and how much there, and then she helps him mix it all together in a large ceramic bowl.
"Do you know if mama likes blueberries in her pancakes?" Jay asks her as he pulls a plastic container of the fruit from the fridge.
Avery shrugs at him. "She likes them in yogurt."
"Then we'll try them out, okay?" Jay chuckles, nodding his head at her. "Can you hold your hands out and cup them together, like this?"
He cups his hands together to show her and she nods, doing as he says before he pours some blueberries into her hands, then nods to the bowl beside her.
"Ok, toss 'em in the bowl, bug," he tells her and she holds her hands over the bowl, dropping them into the batter.
He lets her help with pouring some batter onto the sizzling griddle, holding her in his arms and telling her to be slow and careful so she doesn't burn herself and she does as she's told once again. He sets her back down on the counter afterward, standing close by and waiting for the pancakes to cook through and when he notices the bubbles in them on the griddle he glances back to Avery.
"I gotta turn around and flip the pancakes. No swinging the legs, ok? I don't want you falling."
"I won't swing 'em. I'll sit very still," she tells him, placing her hands in her lap and not moving her legs.
"That's my girl," he says, dropping a kiss to the top of her head before he turns his back to her and stands in front of the stove.
"Daddy?" Avery calls over to him as he flips the pancakes.
"Yeah baby?"
"Can I ask you somethin'?"
"You can ask me anything," he tells her, setting the spatula down once he's done and moving to stand in front of her again.
He quickly notices the slight look of hesitation on the little girl's face and the way her eyes don't quite meet his yet, as if she's trying to find the right words to say.
He smiles at her and waits patiently, giving her the time she needs to think of a way to say whatever it is that could possibly be ailing the mind of a four year old, and then she tilts her head and lifts her eyes to meet his.
"Is that bad guy ever gonna come back?" She asks quietly.
He keeps the smile on his face, but there's a twinge of sadness to it as he reaches for one of Avery's hands and squeezes it gently between his, then he shakes his head. "No, he's not gonna come near you or mama ever again. I promise."
"Good," she sighs. "I don't like him. He didn't follow mama's rules."
"About the mean marks?"
She nods, her bottom lip beginning to quiver and he lets go of her hand to lift her into his arms.
"Is that why you were up early this morning? Did you have a bad dream baby?" Jay asks her, holding her in one arm and using his other hand to brush some stray strands of hair out of her eyes.
"Yeah," Avery nearly whispers. "I dreamed he was yelling at mama and he wouldn't stop and she was sad and crying a lot."
"I'm sorry you had a bad dream, bug. That must have been really scary," Jay says, leaning his head down and kissing the little girl's forehead once more. "If you have another bad dream, you just have to call for me, okay? I'll come and keep you safe, I promise."
Avery rests her head on his shoulder and nods against him, murmuring quietly, "Love you daddy."
"I love you too, Avery," Jay tells her before he drops another kiss to the top of her head. He squeezes her against him, then gestures to the stove with his free hand. "I think the pancakes are ready. You still hungry?"
"Yeah," she says, but she doesn't lift her head from his shoulder.
He's pretty sure the only place the little girl wants to be at the moment is in his arms so he meanders through the kitchen doing what he needs to with one hand, keeping. his other arm holding tight to Avery. He grabs some plates from a cabinet, some silverware from a drawer in the island, and then the syrup.
As he works on preparing one plate of pancakes at a time for the three of them, Avery suddenly lifts her head from his shoulder, a peculiar look on her face as she stares at him.
"Can we bring mama her breakfast?"
Jay quirks an eyebrow at her, then smiles in realization. "You mean while she's still in bed?"
"Yeah, like they do in movies sometimes," Avery says.
He nods, grinning widely at her. "I think that's a great idea. I'm sure mama would love that."
Avery smiles back at him, then drops her head to his shoulder again until a few minutes later when the bedroom door opens and she sees her mother step out into the living room.
"Daddy!" Avery gasps, lifting her head from Jay's shoulder again. "Let me down please!"
He chuckles as he sets her down to the floor and watches as she runs off toward Hailey, shaking her head at her as she goes.
"No mama! You gotta go back to bed!" Avery tells her. She stands in front of Hailey and holds her hands up to her stomach, not letting her mother walk any further into the room.
"What? Why?" Hailey asks, looking between her daughter and Jay, and then back down to Avery.
"Because we're making a surprise for you! Go!" Avery says, trying to turn her mother around.
"But – "
"No mama! You gotta go back to bed! Please?" The little girl begs, smiling sweetly up at Hailey and still blocking her path as much as she can with her small body.
Hailey looks back over at Jay, scrunching her eyebrows together, but he just shakes his head at her and points to the bedroom behind her. She looks back down at Avery and smiles at the little girl, then nods.
"When can I come out?" Hailey asks.
"I'll let you know," Avery grins, trying to turn her mother around again. "Please go mama! You can't see the surprise yet!"
"Okay, okay! I'm going," Hailey laughs, taking a step back.
She goes back into the bedroom and closes the door behind her, and Avery turns around to scurry over to Jay again.
"That was close daddy," the little girl sighs dramatically, looking up at him. "Are they ready yet?"
"Yep," Jay tells her as he turns off the stove and plates the last of the pancakes. "Are we gonna eat with mama or should we let her enjoy the morning in bed by herself?"
Avery tilts her head, her eyebrows wrinkling together. "Will she be sad if she's by herself? I don't want mama to be sad."
"I don't want her to be sad either," Jay tells her, then grins down at her. "What do you say we all eat breakfast together? We can have a lazy morning and eat some pancakes in bed. What do you think?"
"I like that idea," Avery nods excitedly.
"Me too," he smiles at her.
He somehow maneuvers three plates of pancakes, two mugs of coffee, and a cup of orange juice onto a carrying tray that he didn't even know he had until he found it in a cabinet at the island, and then nods down to Avery.
"Alright bug. Let's go surprise mama," he tells her as he picks up the tray.
Avery grins up at him, then grabs her teddy bear and runs ahead of him to the bedroom. He follows after her, chuckling at the way she stares at him and bounces excitedly as she stands outside the bedroom door waiting for him.
When Jay comes up behind her, the little girl knocks on the door and a few seconds later comes Hailey's voice saying to come in. Avery turns the handle and pushes open the door, the same big grin still plastered across her face as she enters the bedroom, Jay right behind her.
"Surprise mama!" Avery calls out, running over to the bed and trying to pull herself up.
"Hi baby," Hailey laughs, reaching her arms out to the little girl and lifting her up to the bed. She looks over at Jay and her eyes go wide as she catches sight of the tray in his hands, then looks back at Avery. "You wanted to bring me breakfast in bed? Is that the surprise?"
"Yeah," Avery smiles, nodding quickly as she crawls toward Hailey and sits beside her. "Me and daddy made pancakes for breakfast and we're gonna eat in bed together!"
Hailey reaches out a hand to the back of her daughter's head and leans over to drop a kiss into her hair. She grins down at her when she pulls away, then looks over at Jay as tears begin to fill her eyes.
"No! Don't cry mama," Avery says, lifting herself to her knees and setting her hands on Hailey's cheeks. "Please don't be sad."
"I'm not sad baby. These are happy tears, I promise. This is the best surprise," Hailey tells her as she rests her hands over top of Avery's. She pulls the little girl's hands from her face and squeezes them between her own, nodding at her daughter. "Come on, let's eat before it gets cold."
Avery nods and sits back down to snuggle next to her mother as Jay walks to the side of the bed and sets the tray down over Hailey's legs. She smiles at him when she catches his eyes as he sits down on the other side of Avery and he winks over at her.
They eat their breakfast and spend a bit of their Sunday morning being lazy in bed together. They talk about their plans for the day and Jay makes Avery giggle to the high heavens when he tickles her as she lies between him and Hailey in the bed.
An hour goes by, then another of quality cuddling time until Avery asks if she can go play. Hailey nods at her while Jay smiles and helps her down from the bed, and the two of them watch her scurry out of the bedroom.
"She's got good timing. I should probably clean up," Jay says, glancing at the watch on his wrist. "It's already after ten and I'm sure our little fish is gonna wanna go in the water as soon as she can."
Hailey snickers beside him as she sits up against the headboard and nods at him. "That is one hundred percent all your doing."
"Yeah, yeah," he huffs playfully, waving her off with a grin as he pulls himself from the bed, then nods over at her. "You need anything before I head out?"
"You already spoiled me with breakfast. I'm good, thank you," she says with nod and a soft smile.
"Oh no," he shakes his head, tilting it toward the door. "Breakfast was all Ave's idea. She wanted to surprise you."
"Yeah and I wonder where she learned that from," Hailey smirks, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"I have no idea," he shrugs nonchalantly, but there's a teasing grin that peeks out at one corner of his mouth.
"Mhmmmm, sure ya don't."
He chuckles at her as he leans down over her to drop a kiss to the top of her head. He reaches for the tray and their dishes when he pulls away from her, and then heads out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Hailey sighs heavily, a deep breath of contentment, and then pulls herself from the bed a few minutes after he leaves the room to take a quick shower. She dresses for the day in a pair of shorts and a tank top, glancing at the bruises around her neck that are a shade of green now instead of the ugly purple they were the week before. She slips into her sandals, then heads out of the bedroom.
She finds Jay in the kitchen, a radio playing at a low volume at the end of the counter as he cleans up from breakfast. She glances around her, not finding Avery, and nods over to Jay behind the counter when he looks up at her.
"She's in her bedroom. Wanted to color for a bit while I clean up," he tells her before she can ask.
"Ah, gotcha," Hailey smiles, moving around the island.
She grabs a hand towel to start drying the dishes as he washes them and he shoots a look over at her.
"Hailey – "
"No!" She laughs, shaking her head and grabbing the clean plate from his hands. "I am perfectly capable of helping with the dishes, so shush."
He sighs, but doesn't say a word as they stand side by side at the sink, washing and drying the rest of the breakfast dishes as a new song starts playing on the radio.
"An oldie, but definitely a goodie," Hailey comments with a fond smile as they finish the dishes.
"My mom loved this song," Jay says, turning his head and smiling over at her.
She quirks an eyebrow at him, the gears turning in her head. "It's 'Stand by Me,' right?"
He nods. "She used to play it all the time when me and Will were growing up. She couldn't get enough of it. Pretty sure I was singing it in my sleep when I was a kid."
Hailey lets out a light laugh, shaking her head as she passes the towel to Jay and he dries off his hands. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, staring up at him with a tiny smirk, and when he catches her stare he raises his eyebrows at her.
"You good?"
She nods, but takes a step forward and pulls the towel from his hands and tosses it to the counter next to the sink. She reaches for one of his hands and walks backwards, leading him to the open space between the kitchen and the living room, and turning up the volume on the radio as they pass by the counter.
"Dance with me," Hailey says softly.
"What?" He asks once more.
"Dance with me," she says again, squeezing his hand in hers.
"You should know I'm not a very good dancer."
"So then sway with me," she laughs softly, pulling him toward her as the song plays throughout the room.
Hailey drops his hand only to lift her arms around Jay's neck and he sets his hands loosely on her waist.
"How's this?" He asks, keeping a bit of space between them as they begin to sway to the music.
"It's okay," Hailey tells him before she steps toward him and closes the space between them. She tightens her arms around him and leans her head against his shoulder, whispering, "This is better though."
He smiles, sliding his hands from her waist around to her back and holding her close to him. They hold onto one another, dancing slowly as the song continues and Jay leans his head over Hailey's, humming softly against her hair before the words of the song leave his lips.
"And darlin', darlin'…stand by me, oh, stand by me," he says along with the music and Hailey grins as she slides a hand to the back of his neck.
"Jay Halstead, a romantic? Who would have thought?" She mumbles into his chest.
He snickers over her head, squeezing her gently against him. "Don't tell anyone. I have a rough and tumble Chicago cop reputation to uphold."
"Our little secret," she says quietly.
They keep swaying even as the song ends and another begins, and Jay pulls his arms from her to take a step back. Hailey looks up at him with a curious stare, but he just shakes his head and reaches for one of her hands. She gives one to him without hesitation and he gives her a twirl, spinning her once, then twice, making her laugh loudly and happily as she stumbles a bit and ends up right back in his arms again.
He leans his head over her shoulder and drops a kiss to the side of her head, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist and holding her against him once more.
They sway to a song neither of them recognizes, but the air around them is light and fun and sweet, neither wanting the moment to end as they hold onto one another as the music keeps playing. They move along to the music that plays, getting lost in the simplicity of dancing with one another and enjoying the bit of alone time together.
It's just another Sunday, a warm summer morning with a breeze blowing in from the lake through an open kitchen window Jay had opened before he and Avery had started breakfast, but it's perfect.
Another song begins as a bedroom door opens and Avery comes out, tilting her head at the sight of Jay and Hailey with a smile on her face. Jay smiles at her over Hailey's shoulder, lifting a hand from her back and waving the little girl over to them.
"Can I dance with you too?" She asks hopefully, smiling up at them.
Hailey lifts her head, turning halfway in Jay's arms to look down at Avery and nods, a grin on her face as she says, "Sure you can. Come here baby."
Avery walks over to them and Jay pulls his arms from Hailey to reach for the little girl. He lifts her up and settles her on his hip, holding her with one arm and she drops her head to his shoulder.
He reaches for Hailey with his other hand and pulls her in against his chest, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she snakes one of hers around his waist and lifts her other hand to Avery. She moves her hand up and down the little girl's back and rests her head against Jay's other shoulder, staring at her daughter's sweet, smiling face.
She and Jay start to sway once again, holding onto each other and Avery, the three of them in their own little cocoon of bliss as they dance together in the kitchen.
"You look happy mama," Avery says out of the blue in the middle of their dance.
Hailey smiles over at her as she moves a hand to the back of the little girl's head and rakes her fingers through her hair. "I am baby. You and daddy make mama so happy."
Avery smiles, then asks, "Did you like your surprise?"
"I loved it! And those pancakes were so good. You did such a great job."
"I wanted to do something for you like daddy does," the little girl tells her.
"What do you mean baby?" Hailey asks, quirking an eyebrow at her.
Avery stretches out a hand and brushes her fingers against her mother's bruised cheek gently. "He helps with the mean marks and takes care of you when you're sad. I wanna take care of you too."
"Yeah," Hailey nods, beaming at her as a batch of tears fill her eyes and she squeezes her arm around Jay's waist. "Your daddy takes really good care of mama."
"Daddy's the best," Avery says with a grin and a quick nod.
"And so are you," Hailey tells her, leaning her head in and pressing a kiss against the little girl's cheek. "I love you so much Avery."
"Love you too mama," she says with a sweet smile.
Hailey brushes her thumb across Avery's cheek then moves her fingers through her daughter's hair again, sighing contently when Jay drops a kiss to the top of her head, and then Avery's too.
"And I love daddy too," Avery says, tilting her head to look up at Jay with that same sweet little smile on her face.
"I love you too, bug," he grins back at her, squeezing his arms around her and Hailey. "I love you both so much. You two are the most important thing to daddy. You're my girls."
Avery smiles at him, relaxing against his shoulder as Hailey tightens her arm around his waist, gripping the hem of his t-shirt tightly in her hand.
The music continues and they keep swaying and holding onto each other until Avery lifts her head again a few minutes later and looks up at Jay once more.
"Can we go swimming again today?" She asks him.
He chuckles, nodding at her. "Sure, we can. You wanna go get your suit on?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright," Jay says, pulling his arm from around Hailey to set Avery down. "You go ahead to your room and I'll be in, in a few minutes to help you, okay?"
"Okay!" She squeals excitedly as she runs off toward the bedroom.
Jay turns to look at Hailey just as she swipes her thumbs under her eyes and smiles almost shyly at him when she realizes she's been caught.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, you both are just – you're something else," she breathes out, letting out a quiet chuckle through her still teary eyes as she reaches for one of his hands, and then comes a whisper, "I love you, Jay."
He smiles softly at her, squeezing her hand tightly in his as he leans down and presses his lips to her forehead. He pulls back just slightly, his lips ghosting over her skin as he whispers back, "Love you."
"Daddy! Are you coming?"
Hailey laughs, pulling her head away from him and dropping his hand. "Tired of it yet?"
"Definitely not," Jay says quickly, shaking his head and grinning at her. He kisses her forehead once more, and then steps away from her, gesturing to the backyard. "Meet you out back?"
Hailey nods. "I'll grab some towels and a few bottles of water. Don't forget the sunscreen!"
He nods back, shooting her a wink as he turns and heads for the bedroom to help Avery.
The three of them meet outside in the backyard shortly later and somehow Jay convinces Hailey to let him take Avery out on the lake in one of the kayaks. She agrees begrudgingly, unable to say no to the pout this time that Avery uses with her. She puts a lifejacket on the little girl and passes her to Jay and he gets her settled between his legs in the boat. He tells Avery that she has to keep herself in the middle, that she can't lean too much to one side and she nods, telling him she understands. They wave goodbye to Hailey, and then Jay pushes them off from the shoreline and paddles them out to the water.
Hailey makes her way down the dock and sits down, dangling her feet over the edge as she watches them glide across the lake. The grin on Avery's face and her squeals of excitement over being in a boat of any kind for the first time puts a smile on Hailey's face, settling her nerves almost instantly. She keeps her eyes on Avery and Jay, her heart swelling and bursting all at once at the sight of them together.
The two of them stay out in the kayak for a while longer and then Hailey notices the gloomy grey that settles in the sky as the sun disappears behind the clouds. A slight bout of panic rushes through her as she stands to her feet on the dock, staring out at Jay and Avery nervously, but as always her partner is right there on the same page as her. He's already turning the vessel and paddling them back toward shore, and Hailey smiles at them from the water's edge as the kayak glides up onto the beach.
"Go to mama, baby," Jay says as he lifts Avery and sets her down in the few inches of water outside the kayak. He nods up at Hailey, pointing to the boat and the paddle. "I'm gonna put this stuff back in the shed, then I'll meet you guys inside."
Hailey nods back at him with a smile, reaching for one of Avery's hands and leads her up the beach and through the backyard.
Jay gets out of the kayak and pulls it up out of the water, then leans down to grab one of the handles, but something catches his eye on the ground. He stares at it for just a few seconds and looks up at Hailey and Avery walking up to the house, a smile spreading out over his face as he watches them slip inside through the back doors.
He looks back to the ground, scoops up what caught his eye and stuffs it into a pocket of his swim trunks, then reaches for the kayak and paddle again. He brings the equipment to the shed, makes sure the doors are shut tight and locked up for the night, and then heads inside the house.
He walks over to the open doorway of Avery's room and crosses his arms in front of him as he leans against the doorframe. Another smile stretches out over his face as he watches the little girl and Hailey together, the thought he was hit with outside just moments before hitting him again in the chest.
"Hey. You okay?" Hailey calls over to him when she notices him in the doorway.
"Yeah, I'm okay," he says softly, shooting her a wink.
He pushes himself off the doorframe and heads into his and Hailey's room. He pulls the little object from his pocket, staring at it for a moment before he finds a safe spot for it in a small zipper compartment of his duffle. He grins again as he stares down at the bag, shaking his head in near disbelief before he grabs a change of clothes and goes to the bathroom to jump in the shower.
The three of them eat some lunch a short while later and spend the rest of the afternoon inside, playing some Go Fish and cuddling on the couch to watch a movie. It's lazy and slow and simple, the best way to spend their last day at the cabin before returning to the city and real life.
A little after five, Jay whips up an early dinner for the three of them when he notices Avery getting sleepy on the couch. Not long after they eat the little girl is yawning heavily and dragging her feet as she moves so Hailey gets her into some pajamas, and then her and Jay tuck her into bed. The little girl nods off and falls asleep within minutes, and they leave her be, closing the door quietly behind them.
They make their way into the living room and Jay leads her to the couch, telling her to relax while he cleans up from dinner, leaving no room for argument or for her to offer to help him.
"It's our last night here. Enjoy it," Jay tells her softly with a kiss to the top of her head.
Hailey nods at him with a small smile and watches him walk away to the kitchen, sighing quietly to herself, and then something catches her eye through the windows. She heads for the double doors to the backyard and steps outside, leaving one of doors open and makes her way to the porch swing.
She takes a seat on it and brings her legs up under her, staring out at the too dark sky as the wind picks up around her. She takes a few deep breaths, inhaling the familiar smell of an impending storm and smiling fondly at the happier memories of her childhood that flash through her mind.
She's not surprised when she hears footsteps on the floorboards sometime later and turns her head to see Jay walking toward her, a soft half smile on his somewhat sleepy face.
She notices the mug between his hands and quirks an eyebrow at him. "Wouldn't have pegged you for a tea type of guy."
He shakes his head as he passes it to her. "It's for you. It's peppermint. Google said it was good for headaches and muscle aches. Thought it might help make you feel better, maybe get a good night's sleep."
"You Googled for me?" Hailey asks as she takes the tea from him and holds the mug between her hands carefully.
"I did, and what of it?" He asks with a smirk.
Her grin widens as she brings the mug to her lips and takes a slow sip, then says, "Thanks for this."
Jay nods over at her then turns his head and the two stare out at the hauntingly beautiful sight of grey clouds and dark skies that loom over the lake. Silence settles around them for a short while until a rumble of thunder rolls through the air, followed by a crack of lightning in the sky, and then the rain comes pouring down quickly after.
"My grandparents had a swing like this at their lake house in Michigan," Hailey says over the pitter-patter of rain, keeping her eyes straight ahead as she stares out in front of her. "My family and I would go and visit them for a week almost every summer when we were kids and I would just sit out on that swing for hours. Stare out at the water and the people, but my favorite thing was this…watching the storms roll in on the lake."
Jay looks over at her, smiling a soft grin as she tells him about her childhood, one of the few stories she's shared with him, and listens intently as she speaks.
"My brothers always complained when it was raining because they couldn't play outside, but I loved it. The rain and the thunder and the purple streaks of lightning. It was mesmerizing. I would always hope for at least one big storm when we visited just so I could watch the show the sky put on. It was my favorite part of summer," she tells him, breathing deeply before she takes a sip of her tea, then turns her head to meet his eyes. "Thank you again for bringing us here. It's – it's a perfect ending to a perfect trip."
There's a smile on her face, one that matches the softness on his as he looks back at her and he nods slowly. They sit on the swing for a while enjoying the show the sky puts on for them as Hailey sips away at her tea and Jay rocks them back and forth slowly with his foot on the floor beneath them.
"I didn't like the rain much either when I was a kid," Jay says quietly sometime later. "My dad didn't care either way, but mom would always keep us inside. It was fine when Will and I were little, we were close back then, but when we were teenagers we fought constantly. Everything was always a competition and one-upping the other."
Hailey turns her head to look at him briefly again and smiles again. "Sounds like me and my brothers."
He nods, chuckling, then quietly says, "Ya know, I don't think you've ever said anything about your family until now."
The smile fades from her face and she shrugs her shoulders, looks back out at the water as she says, "Every family has its problems."
She takes another few sips from the mug in her hands and finishes the rest of her tea, then sets the empty cup on the floor beneath the swing.
"The uh – the mean marks that Avery told you about? What she calls my injuries?" Hailey sighs, turning her head to look at him again. "My uh – my dad drank, a lot, and he, uh…"
"Hailey, you don't have to do this," Jay tells her, shaking his head. "I wasn't – you don't need to tell me anything."
"It's okay. It's not like it's some secret, I just…I just never really talk about it anymore," she says as she readjusts her legs beneath her and sets her hands in her lap. She takes a quick, deep breath, then tells him, "When my dad wasn't working, he was drinking. And when he drank he – he was mean, like he was another person entirely. He started hitting my mom when I was little and when she stopped fighting back he started coming after me and my brothers.
It was always when he was drinking and he was such a sloppy drunk. Could barely stand sometimes so he would just use whatever was within reach…an extension cord or his belt, a broom handle. I think my brothers got the worst of it though. They'd always run in when he started yelling, they'd grab me and tell me to go hide upstairs, so I did."
"That day I picked up Ave from daycare? She told me your only rule was no mean marks," Jay says, his tone quiet and knowing.
"Yeah," Hailey sighs once more, nodding slowly. "I never – I didn't really ever see myself having kids, and then Avery came along and I – I couldn't not have her, and you know why, but no mean marks was always the one rule. The only rule. As frustrated as she can make me sometimes with her tantrums and her attitude, I've never once yelled at her or even had the thought to spank her or – or anything else. It wasn't always bad when I was a kid, but it wasn't always happy either. It was mostly just scary a lot of the time, not knowing which version of my dad I would get each day. I just never wanted Avery to have the kind of childhood I did."
"She won't. She's gonna have the happiest childhood, the best childhood. I can promise you that," Jay tells her as he reaches out an arm between them and grabs onto one of her hands. He weaves their fingers together and squeezes her hand tightly with his, then says softly, "Thank you for telling me."
Hailey smiles over at him with tears in her eyes as she breathes out another deep sigh, and then a crack of thunder rips through around them, followed by another streak of lightning in the sky as the rain continues pouring down.
Jay tilts his head at her, that same softness on his face as he smiles fondly at her, then pulls his hand from hers. He leans over and kisses the side of her head before he stands from the swing and she looks up at him, quirking an eyebrow.
"I'm gonna head in and give you some time to yourself," he answers her unspoken question, nodding to the storm in front of them and patting a hand over her knee. "You enjoy the show."
Hailey nods back, smiling gratefully at him, and then he makes his way to the door. His hand barely touches the handle before she stands from the swing and takes a step toward him.
"Jay?" She calls out, making him pause and turn back around to face her.
"Yeah?"
She looks nervous all of the sudden as she stares over at him, taking a quick deep breath as she walks the few steps toward him to close the distance between them.
"What is it?" He asks carefully, his eyes filling with concern as he looks down at her.
"I just, um…" she starts, then shakes her head and lets out a breathy laugh as she reaches for him and snakes her arms around his waist.
She takes one more deep breath then swallows hard before she leans up on the toes of her bare feet and presses her lips against his. He's taken aback by the feel of her lips on his, really on his for the first time since that night on his couch, a night that seems like it was a lifetime ago now.
It's a tenacious brush of her lips over his, but it's sweet and slow and familiar. He responds a second later and kisses her back with the same softness, lifting his hands to the sides of her face and cupping her cheeks in his palms. There's no flinching or hesitation or tension that fills her when he touches her and it has him smiling into their kiss.
When they eventually pull away, both breathing quicker than they were just moments before, there are sweet, shy smiles stretched out over both their faces.
"What was that for?" Jay finds himself asking her with a quirk of an eyebrow.
Hailey swallows hard again as she stares up at him. "Because I wanted to. I – is…is that okay?"
"Yeah," he breathes out, grinning at her and brushing a thumb over her cheek. "Yeah, it's more than okay. You never have to worry about me not wanting to kiss you, Hailey Anne Upton."
Her soft smile turns shy again as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth for a single moment before she tilts her head up at him and presses her lips against his once more. He kisses her back, holding the side of her face with one hand as he moves the other to the back of her head and loses his fingers in her hair.
He lets Hailey set the pace, surprise coming over him again when she brushes the tip of her tongue over his bottom lip, but he opens his mouth to her and returns the kiss with the same fervor she offers him. He kisses her slowly and with purpose, making sure she knows that all of this, them, it's all on her terms despite the fact that he's already told her as much.
She pulls an arm from his waist to slide a hand between them and up his chest, gripping the front of his shirt tightly in a closed fist. The tiniest whimper of elation escapes her as they continue their little dance with their mouths, kissing one another like two nervous, curious teenagers, like it's their very first time touching one another.
"God, I've missed that," Hailey breathes out heavily when they separate and Jay leans down to rest his forehead against hers.
"Me too," he tells her, squeezing his arm around her.
"I – I don't know when I'll…" she says quietly, sighing heavily as she pulls her head back just slightly to look up into his eyes. "I know you'd never pressure me into anything. You're being so sweet and careful and letting me call the shots here and I'm – I love you even more for it. But kissing you and being in your arms like this…those are things I'll never not wanna do with you."
"I don't know," Hailey sighs again before he can say a word, laughing nervously and shrugging her shoulders. "I guess I – I just wanted to show you more than just tell you, ya know?"
He nods slowly and dropping his hand from her face to her waist as he smiles down at her. "I meant what I said before. We have plenty of time for everything else. I'm not going anywhere, Hailey. The jaws of life couldn't pry me away from the two of you at this point."
She snickers quietly, a smile spreading out over her face as she nods back. She pecks his lips once more, then asks, "Will you sit out here with me for a bit?"
"You sure? It's okay if you want some alone time."
She shakes her head then reaches for one of his hands, pulling it from her waist and tugging him along as she takes a step back and quietly says, "I'm sure."
Jay follows after her and they sit back down on the swing. She scoots closer to him and tucks her legs up underneath her, then leans into his side and he lifts his arm around her shoulders. He holds her against him, drops a quick kiss to the top of her head, and then they look out across the backyard.
They stare out at the waves that ripple over the lake and the dark clouds that fill the sky, enjoying the breeze that rolls through as the rain continues to fall. They sit out on the swing for a while in a comfortable silence as Jay rocks them back and forth once again with his foot on the floor.
It's nearly midnight when they end up back inside, the glowing green digits on the microwave telling them as much as they close the windows and lock up for the night, then creep into their bedroom quietly, hand in hand.
Hailey grabs some pajama and disappears into the bathroom while Jay pulls back the covers and slides into the bed. She joins him a short while later after changing and doing her nightly routine, and slips in beside him beneath the covers.
She curls into his side and rests her head on his chest as she drapes an arm across his stomach, gripping his shirt tightly in her hand and pressing a kiss against his neck just below his jawline. His arms find their way around her as if by muscle memory alone and he brushes his lips over her forehead.
It's her other nightly routine, her favorite and the one she loves most. One that has her breathing out a deep sigh of contentment and falling asleep easily.
The next morning comes with no nightmares or thrashing, but it's their last day waking up in the cabin and there's a bittersweet feeling that fills the air.
The little family of three eat a quick breakfast of Eggo waffles together and afterwards they pack up their things. Jay loads up the Jeep with their bags while Hailey cleans up in the kitchen and takes the trash outside. They head out of the cabin a few minutes past noon and Jay locks up the house behind them while Hailey gets Avery buckled in the backseat, then jumps in the front passenger seat.
Jay gets in on the driver's side and starts the engine and just as he turns the Jeep around in the cul-de-sac driveway he hears Avery's sweet voice from the backseat.
"Daddy?"
"What's up kiddo?" He calls back to her, glancing at her through the rearview as he heads down the gravel driveway.
"Can we come back here again?" She asks with a sad, but hopeful voice and when he glances at her through the mirror again he sees her staring out the window as they drive past the lake.
"Yeah, baby. We'll come back, I promise," Jay tells her.
He glances over at Hailey and finds her smiling softly at him, and then she reaches out a hand to him over the cup holders and console between them.
He smiles back at her, shooting her a wink as he sets his hand in hers and she weaves their fingers together. She squeezes tightly and he squeezes back just the same as he pulls the car onto the main road and starts the drive home.