serendipity

35: 'our second stop'

(ser's pov)

our second stop is the park our dad would take us to. it's also a chance for us to have a picnic altogether.

it's freezing outside so i pack extra blankets and jackets for us. we're gonna get some hot chocolate and some soup and mac and cheese before we go to the park. i would do sandwiches but it looks like it might snow and i don't want max to get frost bite.

i'm putting on my last few rings when ezra comes into the room. i look at him from the mirror and watch as comes up behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and rests his chin on top of my head.

"how are you feelin," he softly asks.

"sad," i simply say and he hums, prodding for more. "it hurts being in this house and not having him here but i want to remember the happy things about him, not his death."

he nods in understanding and says, "i'm proud of you." i feel his fingers start to trace circles on my stomach from inside my sweatshirt pocket.

"thank you." i lean my head against his shoulder and we look at each other into the mirror. i watch as the corners of his lips quirk up into a soft smile.

i scrunch my nose at him and he does it back. we stick our tongues out at each other before laughing and i turn around in his embrace.

i place a kiss on the base of his throat and then walk out of his embrace. i grab his hand and pull us out of the room and downstairs where everyone is waiting.

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we sit down on the mostly dead grass, with our hot chocolate and soup except for max and keaton who have mac and cheese.

max sits on my lap, he's been attached to my hip today. we both seek comfort from each other and i hope that never changes.

he hasn't been as talkative today, and it's understandable, but i hate seeing him sad.

i softly poke him in his side and he turns around in my lap while he continues to eat his mac and cheese. "when we get home, how about we do a siblings day, just the two of us."

his head pops up and all of his attention is on me now. "just us," he asks and i nod. his eyes go wide and a
beautiful, dimpled smile greets me. "yes!"

i chuckle and kiss his forehead while he goes back to eating.

i pull on ezra's sleeve and he turns to me from leo and keaton. "will you take a picture of max and i?"

"of course, my love." he stands up with us and i hand him my phone. max and i smile our dimpled smile with our cheeks pressed against each other, looking like twins.

he snaps the picture and my heart melts when i look at it. "please get the others and i'll find someone to take a group photo!" i exclaim and kiss his cheeks before walking with max.

i come across an old couple and ask the lady, "hello! would you please take a picture for us." i point to our group and she nods.

ezra hands her my phone and we get huddle together, smiling bright with red noses and cheeks.

i get my phone back and send the photo to our group chat.

when i look at it, we look like a family. a family that has been there since forever and that's what it feels like too.

max grabs my hand and pulls me to the playground. the man-babies go on the play scape and start tagging each other, giggling like two year olds.

i push max on the swing while leela and phoebe sit on the ones next to us.

"what's the status with you and leo?" i ask phoebe and leela leans in, curious.

"he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend yet so, on our next date, i'm gonna ask him." she nods, determined and leela and i laugh.

"as you should," leela says and i nod in agreement.

"you got a crush, max?" leela asks.

"no, you three and valentina are the only women in my life." he smiles and we awe at his cuteness.

"little girls have cooties, max. stay away from them," i say as i continue to push him gently. i don't want his precious heart getting broken.

i slow him down when he tells me to and he jumps off to start looking into the sky.

we all look up and see its started to snow. the guys come over and we put our hands out to catch snowflakes.

we run around in the falling snow for a little bit until it turns time to go.

i grab max and set him on my hip. "your freezing, my love," i say with concern dripping in my tone.

i wrap an extra blanket around him and head to the car with everyone.

when we all settle in, i start the car and hesitate to drive forward. ezra places his hand on my thigh from the passengers seat. i look over and he gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze with a soft smile. i take a deep breath and drive to cemetery.