Nikki POV
"Well, lead the way," I sighed, standing back up.
Sam wasn't in such a hurry this time, he walked at a normal pace, pulling his backpack up his shoulder and fixing his jacket against the light rain. About five minutes later, we walked out of the park, and Sam stopped on the sidewalk.
"What?" I asked, getting on my tiptoes to follow his gaze.
"The-Uh-The window, on the white house," Sam mumbled, not really paying attention. "The kid's room."
I saw a young brunette woman carrying an umbrella and pushing a stroller walking up the driveway. "What about her?" I asked, nodding towards her.
"Yeah," Sam mumbled, putting a hand on the small of my back, pushing me across the street. "Just-Just play along." He said in my ear.
"Hi," Sam said, keeping his arm on my waist, smiling at the woman who was struggling to keep a hold on the stroller, holding an adorable baby girl, and close her umbrella.
"Here, uh, let me hold that for you." He said, giving my waist a squeeze before holding the edge of the stroller for the woman. Even through my jacket and thermal shirt, my skin felt hot and tingly where Sam's fingers had pressed into my side when he'd given my hips a squeeze.
"Thank you," the woman said, smiling at us.
"She's gorgeous." I said, leaning down slightly to see the baby girl in the stroller. "She yours?" I asked, glancing up.
"Yeah," the woman said proudly.
"Wow...Hi," Sam said, trying awkwardly to baby-talk. I lightly elbowed him in the ribs.
"Rude," I muttered, making him chuckle and the proud mom smile.
"I'm sorry," Sam said, rolling his eyes. "I'm Sam, this is Nikki," he said, affectionately nudging me. "We just moved in up the block."
"Oh," she said happily. "Hey, I'm Monica." She said, smiling. "And this is Rosie," she added, looking down at the baby girl.
"Rosie," Sam repeated, smiling down at the baby.
"Hi Rosie," I said, leaning down again, internally sad that I had to break out of Sam's warm, strong grip.
"So, welcome to the neighborhood," Monica said, smiling at us.
"Thank you," Sam said politely.
"So, first place?" Monica asked us.
"Huh?" I asked, looking up from the innocent baby that a demon was going to come for.
"You two, your first place?" She asked me, my eyes widened a bit, but Sam just nodded, obviously not paying attention.
"Uh, y-yeah," I lied, going with what Sam had already confirmed.
"Just got married?" She guessed, my eyes widened more.
"Uh-" Sam said, realizing where the conversation had gone.
"Yeah, four months," I jumped in, saving Monica from the stuttering of Sam. "Saw the house last week and thought it was the perfect first place, right sweetie?" I asked, glancing up at Sam, batting my eyelashes.
"Yeah," Sam instantly agreed. "Babe," he added, like an afterthought. It sounded so awkward when he said it, but it still did still made my stomach do backflips.
Monica smiled at us. "I've been married for a little over a year." She said, still smiling.
"She's such a good baby," he pointed out, glancing at Rosie, who was tugging on the pink fleece hood pulled over her head covered in wispy brown hairs. I sighed in relief when the conversation shifted from us, back to the baby.
"Yeah," Monica said in agreement, beaming. "I mean, she never cries. She just stares at everybody. Sometimes she looks at you, and I swear it's-" She paused, thinking. "It's like she's reading your mind."
I smiled. I'd seen a lot of new parents like her, proud to the point of exaggeration of their kid. My smile changed from happy to forced, briefly thinking about how I was never the kid parents were beaming about.
"So, have you lived here long?" I asked, realizing neither Sam nor Monica had spoken.
"My husband and I bought our place just before Rosie was born." She said, looking happily at her white house. It was the epitome of normal, all that was missing was the picket fence.
"How old is Rosie?" Sam asked.
Please don't say six months. Please don't say six months. Please don't say-
"Six months today," she said proudly. "That's big, right?" She asked, excited. "She's already growing like a weed."
I tried to smile like she was, but it just wasn't coming. "Yeah," I got out, nodding in agreement. I felt Sam grabbing the material of my jacket at the small of my back in a fist. I had a hand on my backpack strap, which was now white knuckle.
"I-Uh-I bet it's hard to believe she's already six months old," I said, trying not to sound panicked.
"You have no idea," Monica said, lovingly stroking a few feathery hairs out of Rosie's eyes. She must have seen me looking at her in envy. Not because I wanted a kid, but because I never had that; someone who brushed hair out of my eyes.
"Are you two planning a family yet?" She asked, going off my gaze. Sam seemed to choke on air, but covered it with a cough, while I just stared at her, wide eyed.
"Uh...W-Well," I started, unsure of what to say. I glanced at Sam, who was stuttering as much as I am.
"Sorry," Monica said suddenly, eyes wide in embarrassment. "That's a pretty personal question to ask newlyweds you just met." She laughed awkwardly.
"Uh, Monica?" Sam asked, getting over the baby-making question quicker than me. She looked at Sam expectantly, but he didn't say anything else. "Uh, just...Just take care of yourself, ok?" He asked, trying to smile.
"Yeah, you too Sam," Monica said, missing his tone entirely. "And Nikki, I'm so happy there's another wife on this block under forty-We have to do lunch sometime." She said, smiling.
"We'll see you 'round," she said, leaning down to gently take Rosie's arm, making her wave at us. I gave Rosie my best 'little kid' face and waved back.
As me and Sam walked back across the street, I heard Monica tell Rosie that 'daddy' was home. I looked over my shoulder and say a red van pull into the driveway, and a man get out to kiss Monica on the cheek.
I didn't notice until he let out a pained groan, but Sam had his eyes pinched shut again, one hand holding his forehead. "Sam?" I asked, reaching out to touch his arm, but hesitated. It burned last time I touched him when he was like this. I just waited until he opened his eyes again, looking up at him with concerned eyes.
"Hey," I said softly, lightly touching his arm, trying to get him to look at me. It didn't hurt, which was good.
"Hey, Sam," I said again, a little louder. He looked at me, his brow still furrowed in pain. "How about we go to the motel?" I prompted softly.
He nodded, looking at the sidewalk before he put an arm around my shoulder, giving me a tight squeeze. "Yeah." He said, dropping his arm quickly. "Yeah, let's-let's do that."