Chapter 1: Dream Job

Tired from a day of work at the Indianapolis Star, Nancy walked into her home prepared to be tackled by her daughter and her husband but the house was uncharacteristically quiet. She went into her office and dropped off her briefcase and plopped into her chair in exhaustion.

She spun her chair around and looked at the bookcase she kept behind the desk. Stacks of books and framed pictures neatly filled the space. She stopped at one picture in particular. It was of Steve with her and their daughter Ruth at Ruth's 3rd birthday. Steve and Ruth had cake all over their faces from Ruth sticking her little fingers in the cake and shoving it in her and her daddy's face.

Nancy smiled at the memory and hurriedly finished replenishing her briefcase supplies for Monday and went to go find her crazy little family.

She left the office and called out for Steve but got no response.

She was going to check Ruth's bedroom but she could hear low sounds coming from the TV in the living room.

When she opened the door there they were. Steve lying in the recliner with Ruth tucked under his right arm half laying on top of him. She had one of her little arms as far around Steves middle as she could get it and her other arm tucked under her chin with her thumb in her mouth. They were both fast asleep with the worn out Cinderella VHS playing on the TV.

Nancy had to hold in a laugh because Steve's hair had a bunch of Ruth's little clips and hair ties in it. She had taken a liking to doing everyone's hair for them when they came over but Steve's was by far her favorite to do. Nancy couldn't blame the kid, it was some great hair.

Nancy tiptoed out of the room to get a camera. She snapped a picture and decided to wake them up since it was almost 6:30. Ruth would never sleep tonight if she napped any longer.

She just stared at them for a minute longer with a stupid smile on her face. Her little family brought her more happiness than she ever thought possible. When she was younger having kids never seemed important to her but Steve felt the opposite way and she's so thankful for Ruth.

Steve loves being a dad. Even the things everyone hates like waking up in the middle of the night, the tantrums, and cleaning up all the messes. He adored Ruth and Nancy couldn't help but compare him to her own father. He couldn't be more different and she knew Ruth would never feel neglected, or like she didn't matter to him. She would never have to wonder if father truly loves her like she does or like Steve does for that matter.

Nancy assumes family wasn't important to her when she was younger because of her father and his relationship or lack there of with her mother. She loved her mother dearly but becoming her mother was Nancy's greatest fear in life.

She no longer worries about that. She loves Steve and the life they built together. They were truly partners and could work together at more than just killing monsters.

When Nancy had Ruth Steve decided he wanted to stay home with her. He never found his dream job and was working as a janitor for Hawkins Middle right before Nancy had Ruth. He liked it just fine but it wasn't that important to him and at that point Nancy made more than enough money to support their family.

Nancy worried that Steve would regret quitting his job. It wasn't exactly common for men to stay at home with the kid while the Mom went to work but Steve never expected or wanted her to quit her job. He knew her career was important to her and he doesn't care what people might say about him behind his back. Still, Nancy used to worry about him sometimes.

Nancy stopped worrying when Steve told her that she had her dream job so she should let him have his. It was the sweetest thing he's ever and she never doubted his decision again.

Steve began lightly snoring as Nancy knelt down to brush her daughters light brown hair out of her face. One thing Nancy will never get used to is the fact that a mini her existed. Ruth was basically a clone of Nancy in every way except one. Ruth no doubt got her hair from her father. Let's just say hair volume was never something Ruth would have to worry about.

"Hey sweetheart. Come on time to get up." Nancy said softly running her hand through Ruth's messy hair.

"Mommy, hi. I don't wanna wake up yet." Ruth said rubbing her eyes and turning her head into her fathers side away from Nancy.

"Five more minutes hun." Steve said sleepily without opening his eyes.

Nancy huffed out a laugh. "What am I going to do with you two?"

"Join us." Steve said cracking one eye open grabbing Nancy's hand and pulling her onto the recliner with them.

Nancy tucked herself into Steve's left side and he nuzzled his face into her hair taking a deep breath.

"It is comfortable here." She smiled with her head on Steve's chest.

"Mmmmhmmm." Steve mumbled in agreement.

"I love what you've done to your hair by the way." Nancy said reaching up and flicking a hair clip.

"Hey, watch it, don't mess up my hair." Steve said more alert now.

"Mommy do you like Daddy's hair? I did it myself." Ruth said completely awake now that they were talking about her hair styling.

"I love it! I don't think Daddy has ever looked so pretty." Nancy said excitedly to the three year old.

Steve squeezed her side at her teasing and Nancy giggled.

"Okay, okay come on Princess it's time to get up." Steve said sitting up and closing the recliner.

Ruth hopped off the seat and ran to her toy chest. Steve and Nancy remained on the chair with Nancy still seated on Steve's lap with her head on his chest.

"How was work?" Steve asked mindlessly running his hand through her hair and massaging her neck.

"Good. I'm all yours for the weekend." Nancy said kissing his neck.

"Only for the weekend?" Steve teased.

"And the next day, and the next day, and the…." Steve stopped her with a kiss.

"Love you." He whispered to her.

"Love you too."

"Mommy can I do your hair now?" Ruth pouted at her.

"I don't know baby, I think you used all your clips in Daddy's hair." Nancy said subtlety trying to get out of it.

"Daddy is okay with sharing. We could take some out of my hair and put it in Mommy's." Steve suggested to Ruth and gave Nancy a you're not getting out of this look.

"Yay!" Ruth yelled and ran up to Steve and started taking some clips from his hair.

Once they had enough clips Nancy sat on the floor and Ruth stood up behind her to reach Nancy's hair.

"I'm gonna leave you two to it and start dinner.. I can't wait to see how pretty mommy looks later." Steve said with a shit eating grin.

Nancy rolled her eyes at him but she didn't really mind. She worked long days a lot so she always looked forward to the times she got to play with Ruth.

"Mommy? Can we go in the pool tomorrow?" Ruth asked as she began working on Nancy's hair.

"Sure baby as long as it doesn't rain."

"Me and Daddy went shopping today and he got me a new tube for the pool. It looks like a little fishy. I can't wait to use it!" Ruth looked like she just remembered something and got very quiet.

"I'm not s'pose to say that to you. It was a secret between me and Daddy." Ruth whispered to her.

Nancy had to hold back a laugh. Steve could never say no to Ruth and if they were in a store and Ruth saw something she liked 99 out of 100 times it was coming home with them. Nancy didn't want him to spoil her but it was hard to resist her cute little face and Steve liked to remind Nancy how unfair it is that Ruth looks like her so it was twice as hard for him to say no.

"I promise I won't tell him you told me." Nancy whispered back and kissed Ruth's chubby cheek.

"You can use my tube too if you want. We can share it. I think Daddy is too big to fit in it so it could just be for us."

"Thanks baby. Sharing sounds like fun."

"All done Mommy!" Ruth shouted clapping her hands at her finished work.

Nancy got up and looked at herself in the mirror. "Oh my goodness it looks even better than Daddy's. What do you think?" She asked Ruth.

"Better than Daddy's." Ruth nodded in agreement then looked towards the doorway. "Don't tell Daddy though he might get sad." Ruth whispered to her.

Nancy laughed. "We'll keep that between you and me."