Seasons (Ari AU)

Chapter 7

  Waking up with Jeremy next to me for three days in a row feels like I'm in a dream world. No, he wasn't gone the full month, but we'd never really been apart aside from our work schedules not coinciding at the same time with one another. 

  He'd gone back to the station, even offered to pick up a shift or two for Ari so he could spend some time with Lissy. "How are you encouraging that? She cheated on him."

  "That was five years ago, Holly. I'm sure she's not the same person she was then. I mean, I'm not, and Ari definitely  isn't. I can't really attest to you because I didn't know you then, but I'm sure you're not the same either."

  "Contrary to what you might think, I pretty much am," I admit honestly.

  I'm not wrong. Five years ago I wanted growth in my nursing skills, so I got them. I wanted to make sure I wasn't dormant in my career so I was constantly learning new things and keeping my skills fresh. I believe it's ultimately what led to me being the one hired for my dream job in L & D here in Boston. 

  I still had most of the same friends, kept in touch with them even though we were hundreds of miles apart, and managed to secure new friendships here. I treated none of them differently from one another, making sure that they all felt like a part of my family.

  I've always been a firm believer in treating someone the way I wanted to be treated. Rarely have I ever been ugly towards someone, always wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt even when my sense of discernment was yelling something differently. 

  "You're telling me, that if I met you five years ago, you'd be the exact same as you are today? That I'd have fallen in love with you at first sight just like I did six months ago?" he asks over breakfast on his first day home.

  "I mean, other than the fact that my hair was shorter, yeah."

  Jeremy slams his fork down on the plate. "Nope. See, that's what I mean. I can't believe it. You just proved my point. I wouldn't have fallen in love with you that first day if I'd have met you five years ago."

  I am utterly perplexed and shocked by his behavior. "I'm sorry, what?"

  "The short hair. Not a fan."

  My face drops, completely emotionless as I stare back at the man who has a smug grin on his face. I pick up a grape from my fruit bowl and toss it at his head, landing it smack between his eyes. "You're so mean to me."

  He laughs heartily, scooping up a bite of eggs before he's flinging it off the fork at my face. "You did not just do that!" I squeal, getting my own scoop of grits on my spoon now. 

  His expression changes as I giggle while he backs up from the table. "That's a lot messier than a grape or eggs, Holl. Come on. Put the grits down." I shake my head as I stalk closer to him. "Holly," he says sternly, biting back his own laugh. 

  I chuck the warm sloppy food at him, landing right into his hair. He shakes his head at me, his hands out and ready to scoop me up just as soon as I give him a chance to get close. "No, no, no!" I squeal as he tosses me over his shoulder, running to the back of the house until he reaches out bathroom. 

  He flips the shower on before plopping me right under the stream of cold water. I cry out in surprise of the temperature but also the fact that my husband is climbing in right behind me.  "We seem to have a bit of a problem here," he husks as the water begins to turn warm.

  "Guess you should fix it then."

  And fix it he did. We spent that entire first day in bed, enjoying all the marital bliss one can have, making up for loss time.