Forever and Always (Sequel to It's You and Me)

3

"Today was exhausting. I don't even wanna cook." I say kissing the back of his neck.

"I know. I just wanna go lay down with you, but I know if we don't start cooking tonight, we're going to both be really rushed tomorrow." Max says and I nod laying my head against his back as he starts prepping a casserole.

"I know." I say rubbing his sides up and down before I pull away and start helping him cook. It seems like hours before we finally finish two casseroles, two pans of stuffing, and a big tray of baked Mac n cheese. All we have to do tomorrow is a turkey, ham, and smaller sides that won't take long. Once we're done cooking, it's around 12:30 am, and Max and I are now finishing cleaning up the kitchen when we here Ezra start to cry in the baby monitor.

"You've got to be kidding me." I groan out slightly throwing my head back.

"I'll go get him. You go up to bed baby. You're tired." Max says kissing my temple and I nod thankfully.

"Thank you." I whisper out before we both walk upstairs. Max goes to Ezra's room while I go to ours. I quickly change into one of Max's long sleeve shirts, before I go to the bathroom to do my night routine. I then go to the bed and lay down when I hear Zara start to cry.

"Oh my god." I let out completely exhausted. I then roll out of the bed and exit the room before walking down the hall to Zara's. I passed Ezra's room and I briefly see Max trying to calm Ezra down by rocking him. I make it to Zara's room and when she sees me, she lets out a louder cry while reaching for me.

"What's wrong princess? You're supposed to be sleeping." I say picking her up and holding her against my chest as she sobs. I feel her body to make sure she doesn't have a temperature or anything and she seems fine so I start rocking her myself while quietly singing. "Zara please go to sleep." I hopelessly ask after ten minutes of non stop crying.

"Baby, I just got Ezra back to sleep. Is she okay?" I hear Max ask, so I turn to the door to see him standing there looking worried.

"She won't sleep. I don't know why." I say with tears in my eyes because of how tired I am.

"Alright, you go to bed. I'll take her." He says walking up to me and taking Zara out of my arms but she cries louder and starts reaching for me.

"No! Mama! Mama!" She cries out as her face starts turning red with tears streaming down her cheeks. I sigh and take her back into my arms before sitting down in the rocking chair.

"Come on baby girl." I whisper while rubbing her back up and down. "Can you grab me her blanket baby?" I ask Max and he nods and grabs her blanket that I knitted for her for her first birthday. Max then comes up next to me and bends down slightly as hands me her blanket. I wrap it around her as Max grabs her hand and rubs slightly. I start singing once again, but nothing seems to work. "Zara, do you wanna go lay with mommy and daddy tonight?" I ask after another ten minutes after completely giving up.

"Ya." She whispers out as she rubs her eyes and I sigh and stand up and Max and I walk out of her room before walking into ours.

"You need to go to sleep then princess, okay?" I say and I feel her nod against me. I lay down in the bed with Zara laying on top of me while Max goes to the bathroom to do his night routine. I rub her back and sing quietly while I repeatedly kiss her head to try and get her to sleep. She stops crying after a couple minutes which I'm thankful for, but she still hasn't fallen asleep as she just lays there and plays with her blanket. Max soon makes his way out of the bathroom and he strips down to his boxers before getting into bed and he immediately wraps his arms around me.

"She needs to go to sleep." I say after another five minutes.

"I know baby. At least she isn't crying anymore though." Max says kissing the top of my head.