A/N: It's not much, but it's something a little happier after the last chapter. I hope you can all enjoy it! xx Mariah
Ages:
Jim - 38
Melinda - 34 (pregnant with Mackenzie)
Katie - 9
Aaron - 5
The weight of Jim's head against her swollen belly was extra but welcome. His dark hair grazed the patch of bare skin on her stomach where the material of her shirt didn't quite stretch to the beginning hem of her pants. It tickled, but knowing it was him there, her body didn't react the same.
His hand still rested lightly on her knee, his sleeping fingers twitching every so often. The corner of his mouth curled slightly. She wondered what he was dreaming of. His tired sigh of content sent a ripple of warmth to the spot where he rested.
She didn't want to wake him. Being as gentle as she could, she slipped a soft lock of his hair in between her fingers. It's getting longer these days. She should cut it again soon- he liked it when she did that. The black strand twirls over and over at her fingertips. This moment- this fleeting minute of quiet and serenity- she wanted to capture it. Live in it forever.
"Thank you, Jim," she whispered to his sleeping form. She knew he couldn't hear her, but she continued anyway. "You've given me so much- God, you've given me everything and you're so much better than I will ever be at everything."
A tear dripped from her cheek to his soft one. Melinda hadn't even realized she'd been crying. The things this man did to her. She continued the ministrations of her hand through his hair, running the tips of her fingers along his scalp and slipping off the ends of the strands.
"That's not true," he spoke, but she didn't even see his lips move and was startled at his sudden words. "We've never been even, Mel," he continued, sitting up in front of her, obviously having heard everything she'd just said. Her hands reluctantly slipped out of his hair as he held them, kissing them. "You've always been above me. You mean the world to me." He chuckled slightly at this. Her heart nearly burst. "That's why, when you told me that you were finally ready, I knew it was you speaking- not me, or anyone else. You gave us Katie and Aaron, they are so beautiful and perfect in every way, just like this child will be too. And that makes everything so much better."
His blue eyes met hers and the truth was heavy within them. She could never deny this man anything. He's given her the world already.
Her eyes were brimming with tears now, and he brought his large hand up to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed away the tears. Seconds later, so do his lips.