He had been so close. Again. Just fingertips away, really. But like Money in the Bank was Braun's night, last Smackdown had been Rusev's night. Losing two opportunities back to back like that leaves Mike frustrated, floundering. He exhales hard and looks up as AJ walks up to him, Sara padding around on a blanket in the grass behind her. "Hey, sweetheart," he greets her tiredly.
She lightly strokes his neck and leans up to kiss him, a small smile on her face. "C'mere." She leads him over to sit with their daughter and Mike makes faces as her as she babbles and talks, the amount of actual words slowly overcoming the rabble she usually entertains herself with.
He smiles and hoists her up, hugging her. "How's my Sara? Huh?" She squeals and waves her arms as he lifts her up over his head and presses raspberries against her tummy, bringing her back in to bounce her lightly against his knee.
AJ chuckles, holding a bottle of water out to him as he looks up at her with a soft smile on his face. "Seems someone is happy that you're home," she says. "So am I." Leaning against his shoulder, she wiggles her fingers at Sara, who coos and hums as she grasps at a sippy cup and waves it around, sloshing the apple juice around with a happy look on her face.
He closes his eyes, absorbing the feel of the sun against his skin, his girls happy and whole and silly, and smiles. "I'm happy to be home too," he murmurs, kissing the side of AJ's face.
"So," she says, casting a quick glance at their daughter, who is busy staring at a squirming caterpillar nearby. "I was thinking about what we sort of talked about before you left, and... I think we should. I mean, it's not like it's going to happen immediately, Sara took some time herself. We can try for awhile, and see what happens. Right?"
Mike feels a weight fall off of his shoulders. He'd been thinking about it off and on since leaving home, and now... to have an option spelled out before him, how calm and assured AJ seems in it... "Yeah, sweetheart, that sounds perfect," he breathes out, cupping her face and kissing her slowly. They chuckle and glance over at their daughter before sharing another kiss. "How about some ice cream? On the beach? Wanna?"
AJ laughs. "Yes, I do. Come on." She picks Sara up and takes her husband's hand. "Let's do it."
Mike is relieved to have a couple of quiet days at home, only needing to excuse himself a couple of times for quick interviews over the phone. He's just about to leave for the weekend events when Ricardo calls. He listens for only a moment before putting Ricardo on speaker phone, AJ looking up curiously from her most recent interview about mental health awareness. "Mind repeating that, man?"
"Of course. Heath and Maryse are here with Monroe Skye, and... well, they both just proposed to each other." He laughs. "It looks like we might actually be doing the double wedding gimmick after all."
AJ's brows raise as Mike chuckles. "What do you know," he says fondly. "We just survived Morrison's wedding, and now it's time for another. When did you say? September something-or-other?"
"September 21st," Ricardo confirms. "We tried to make it as easy as possible for everyone to be involved. There's no WWE PPV that weekend at least."
"Yeah, that's a good thing," Mike nods, checking his schedule and making a note of it. "I will do all I can to be there, I promise."
"Congratulate Maryse and Heath for us!" AJ calls over to them, Mike smiling at her.
"I will!" Ricardo promises. "But anyway, just wanted to let you guys knows. I should get back to the grill and stuff. Talk to you guys later."
"Have fun," Mike says, realizing that he misses them- the month that Ricardo and Alicia had been in California had been fun, and now with Maryse and Heath gone as well, ... he loves Morrison and Taya but they're both so busy and when they're free, he's usually on the road with WWE, and... He makes a face as AJ comes over and leans against him.
"Kind of lonely with everyone in Texas, huh?" she asks softly, lifting his hand and kissing it.
"A bit," he admits with a sigh. "If not for all of the opportunities, I'd suggest we move there too, but..."
"I don't think I'd be a very good Texas girl," AJ says, nose crinkling as Mike laughs softly at her, kissing it.
"Me neither, I don't think." They fall quiet, staring down at their interlaced fingers, and Mike smirks. "I can think of one way we could feel less lonely..."
She laughs at him, a challenge in her eyes. "Oh yeah? What's that?" She squeaks as he hoists her up and carries her bridal style down the hall to their room, already pressing warm, wet kisses down her throat.