Kenna is quickly overwhelmed by the new addition to the household. Robin keeps her up all night and she forces Bash back to sleep before tending to the baby herself and more or less dragging herself back to bed or falling asleep on the floor by the crib.

Bash then suggests to keep their newborn in their bedroom and he takes over tending to Robin but Kenna insists on breastfeeding for as long as possible, Mary giving her tips and saying how good it is for brain development and it makes a bond between mother and baby.

But suffice to say, the joy and bond Kenna felt when her son was first born no longer makes itself present. She stares down at her feeding baby and feels... nothing.

She doesn't say anything, thinking it's just the restlessness and the lack of sleep but she finds herself picking fights with Bash more often than not and even the least annoying thing he does is suddenly annoying to her, sets her off and triggers an explosion of raised voices and baby hushing against chests with apologies.

"What do you want to eat?"

Kenna runs a hand through her matted hair as Robin feeds. "I don't know. You decide."

"I've decided for the past three months," Bash mutters, scanning the contents on the cupboards. Soup isn't a meal for July. Spaghetti or any other type of pasta is overdone. Rice is boring.

He grabs his phone and orders sushi since they've not had it since she first revealed she was pregnant.

"It will be here in twenty," he mumbles, slumping down onto the other sofa.

"Takeaways aren't healthy," Kenna chides.

"Well, if someone was more vocal in what we eat then I wouldn't have to order out," Bash snaps.

She glares at him. "I'm not hungry, Bash."

"You need to eat-"

"Don't tell me what to do!" She cries out, groaning when Robin latches off and starts wailing. "You know what? Take him."

She does her bra up and hands Robin to Bash, the baby immediately quietening down. She scoffs in disbelief, heading upstairs to shut herself in the bedroom on the bed and bring her knees up to her chest.

"Kenna-"

"I'm an awful mother," she croaks out tearfully. "I can't do it, Bash. I thought I could but I can't handle it and-"

He kneels by her side of the bed, forcing her legs down so he kneels between her legs as he shifts her to look at him. "I think you should see someone."

Kenna frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, eyes wide.

"Dr Narcisse," he quickly says, cupping her cheek. "Mary went through the same thing with Anne, remember? This could be a case of baby blues."

"Or postnatal depression," she whispers fearfully. "No, they'll take him away-"

"Anne is still with Mary and Francis, Kenna," Bash gently reminds her. "No one is taking our son away from you."

She lets out a sob and buries herself into his chest, feeling the comfort she craved for months since giving birth to Robin. She's pushed him away, she knows that but he wouldn't understand. He'll think awful of her and she never wants him to do so. They've already been through enough, she can't handle more stress.

He rubs her back comfortingly. "You're going to be okay," he promises with a kiss on the side of her head. "And I'll be here whenever you need me."

...

Over the month, Kenna feels better. She sees Narcisse twice a week - Mondays and Fridays. They even stop seeing him for their marital woes because there is none to talk about and he is happy with their progress to release them from their couples' therapy. That doesn't mean they stop seeing him solo and Kenna thanks Bash for his support by cooking dinner for the first time in a good while when he gets back from his parents' house when they give him more stuff for Robin.

It's their wedding anniversary. Six years of marriage and she fears he's forgotten about it when his eyes land on the candlelit dinner in confusion.

"Okay..." She drawls, sighing heavily and crossing her arms.

Then he surprises her by laughing. "I told a little white lie," he starts, coming to cup her cheeks. "I didn't go to my parents'... I was setting up our anniversary dinner and Francis is outside waiting to take Robin and-"

"Oh my God," Kenna says, blushing as she laughs too. "What are we going to do with this?" She gestures to everything she's made.

Bash goes back to the front door and lets Francis inside. "You and Mary haven't started dinner have you?"

"No, we haven't-"

"Take it all," Kenna says, starting to grab Pyrex dishes as Francis's brows raise at the amount of food she's made. "You'll love dessert. Baked Alaska."

Francis gapes. "Wow, thanks!" He breathes out. "And this is just for taking your kid off you for the night? You're too kind."

Kenna laughs as Bash helps her take the dishes to Francis's car. "If he needs anything-"

"Bash has already given me the lowdown," he assures her, going to the playmat to retrieve his nephew. "Hey, baby boy. You're going to spend time with me, your Aunt Mary and your big cousins. Mama and Papa need a night off, don't you think?"

Kenna's anxiety increases and she reaches out for Robin only to be spun away by Bash, her back to her baby. "Bash-"

"One night. We can survive one night to enjoy our anniversary and then we'll get him," he promises her with a kiss and gestures for his brother to leave before she can run to their son again.

When she hears the door close, tears spring to her eyes and he kisses the fallen ones away.

"We're going to be alright," he coos, hugging her tightly.

...

"I can't believe it's going so well," Kenna says, looking at the foundation of their future home proud and laid.

"By next summer, we'll move in just in time to run the clubs from Winter break," Bash informs her. "I'm sorting out all the licenses and getting all the health checks. All above board."

Kenna leans forward to meet his lips in a long, loving kiss. "Thank you. You've been so patient, I don't deserve you."

Bash sighs, pulling her to his side. "I shouldn't have been picking fights with you."

"I started them," she reminds him. They barely talk about their difficulties as new parents so she's relieved they're airing it out in the open so they can start afresh on their anniversary. "God, we've bickered for six years."

"I'm sure it's far longer than that," her husband teases her. "Nine years. Even our first date had an argument."

Kenna snorts, covering her face. "I know you were trying to be helpful!" She laughs.

"Glad I learnt which type of sanitary pads you prefer quickly after that," he replies, taking a sip from his apple juice. She can't drink, she's breastfeeding so he's going to suffer with her.

Kenna bows her head, blushing furiously. "God, I question myself every day why you're still with me. After everything."

"I love you," Bash says simply. "And I always will." He lifts a chocolate piece from the plate and places it on her waiting tongue before kissing her and slipping his tongue into her mouth to taste the chocolate.

She deepens the kiss, shifting so she straddles his hips and moans into his mouth. It's been a long while, she wasn't fond of sex by the time her third trimester came around and the doctors had given her a safe time for when they could have sex again but with all the stress she was under, she still didn't want sex.

Bash pulls away, breathing heavily. "We don't have to."

"I want to," she says softly, brushing her thumb over his bottom lip. "I've missed you so much."

He kisses her forehead, then her nose before he shifts her dress up her thighs. They're on private lands and nobody goes around these parts, most since there is a barrier gate blocking the only entrance and exit to the place. Still, it's kind of cold this time in the night so they don't fully strip and Kenna raises herself to undo his belt.

"I love you," she breathes out against his lips, her arms around his neck tightly as his lips kiss her collarbone over and over again. "I love you..."

Instead of holding her moans in, she lets go. Sue them, they're technically in the privacy of their own home even if it's on a blanket laid on a patch of field.

It feels like coming home all over again and Bash lays on his back as she slumps against his chest, breathing heavily.

"So beautiful," he whispers, his fingers entwining in her hair as her eyes close.

"Hmm," she hums tiredly. "Not really."

Bash kisses the top of her head, knowing how self-conscious she's got during her pregnancy and post-pregnancy body. It took a little bit longer than expected to lose the baby weight and she's still a bit chunky on her hips but he loves her body regardless, running his other hand over her back.

"You're so beautiful," he says firmly. "And I love you."

She smiles before drifting off to sleep.

...

"I'm proud of you," Bash tells his wife when she informs him that she's just had her last appointment with Narcisse.

"It's a work in progress but I think I'm well enough to not need therapy," she tells him. "I just need to talk if I need to and to not get angry or upset. People just want to help but I swear if Catherine comes over one more time..."

Bash laughs and nods. "I'll call her and gently ask that she gives you some space."

"Thank you," Kenna says happily. "I know she means well and I know she too went through the same thing but... I don't want to feel suffocated because as much as she thinks she's helping, she's actually making me feel shit that Robin and I aren't bonding that well."

Bash sighs, pulling her down to sit on his lap. "You care about him," he says, nuzzling his nose against her neck as she rolls her eyes a little. "He knows that. It takes a while but you love him and everyone can see that."

"I do, I really do," she croaks out tearfully, wiping her eyes as he wraps his arms around her. "I thought I was getting better."

"You are," Bash swears. "It's not an instant thing remember? You're doing so well, you are such a great mother. Robin is lucky and I would have no one but you to parent my children."

Kenna turns to him. "Children?"

"I know you joked a little about it after having Robin," he starts nervously. "But I do want more than one. We were surrounded by siblings, I thought Robin could be too. At least just one sibling for him to have. I didn't want to bring it up because you're still delicate regarding your situation but-"

"Ask me in two years," she says, kissing him. "I want the same for Robin but right now, I don't think I could..."

He quickly silences her with a kiss. "I know, baby. You're so strong and wonderful. Remember that."

Kenna nods, snuggling into his chest. "I will," she promises before they hear Robin start to cry. "I'll-"

"Stay here," Bash says, shifting her onto the seat beside him and changing the TV channel to something she loves. "Put your feet up, I'll be back with the foot massager, your favourite snacks and I'll handle Robin."

Kenna sniffles as he stands up, her hand going to clutch his. "What would I do without you?"

"You will never find out," her husband says, kissing her before heading upstairs.

Kenna sighs happily, she truly is the luckiest wife in the world. She wonders how he could be so wonderful after all he's gone through and she promises to make sure he knows how much she values him.