"Y/n" you heard a whisper from a kid that nudged you awake in the middle of the night. You opened your eyes to see that Jack was standing there next to your bed. "y/n, I frew up." his face looked like he was going to break down into tears. And suddenly, your maternal instincts came in.
It had been two weeks since you had put jack down for bed that first time and it had almost become a routine at this point. You had stayed over at Aaron almost every night because as the days grew closer to the impending gala, your brain sent your body into shock. And with it being this Saturday, it was just extra levels of stress.
Almost every night you weren't with Aaron you would wake up shaking, sweating, and screaming from nightmares or panic attacks. It was like Aaron was your muse, the only thing that could silence the rocky waters in your brain.
Jack had grown accustomed to you being there, and as each day passed, your heart for him grew. You almost felt like the grinch, it grew a few sizes. And each time you tucked him in, which was every night, you knew that you would do anything to protect him.
You looked over at the clock and saw that it read 5:45 am. "Okay buddy, do you want to wake daddy up, I think he should know too," you said as you sat up out of bed and scattered a bit. "No y/n, I want you, please," he said and you saw his eyes well up. You weren't sure if he was embarrassed, not feeling well, or a mix of both, but you agreed and followed him into his room.
There was vomit all over the floor. Thank god it was a hardwood floor you thought to yourself before the disgusting smell hit you. Now I remember why I don't like cleaning.
"I'm sorry," he said out loud and you saw a few tears stream down his face. "Hey don't say that buddy," you embraced him in a big hug, "it happens to the best of us, it's okay. Everyone gets sick sometimes," you said as you heard him sniffle into your shoulder and you rubbed his back.
"I can guarantee daddy has thrown up before, and you know what, daddy got to deal with me throwing up once too. So it's nothing to worry about bud." He pulled out of the hug and you rubbed his arms a bit to comfort him.
You had him out of his old pajamas into new ones that you gave him, had him re brush his teeth, and you gave him some ginger ale to help his stomach. "Go lay down daddy's bed and I'll bring a trash can in for you just in case you get sick again," you said as he nodded and ran into the room you and Aaron slept in.
And then the dreaded part came. You had to clean it all up. So you did, and you grabbed some gloves, paper towels, a mop, and a sponge and started to clean up jack's sickness. As you scrubbed hunched over on the hardwood floor of Jack's room, you felt a hand rub on your back.
"Hey, why didn't you wake me? I would've helped. I feel bad you are doing this." his voice was groggy and you leaned back sitting on the floor away from the vomit. Aaron sat down next to you. "He didn't want me to wake you up, I even asked if I could and he said no." you shrugged your shoulders. "I think he was embarrassed, he was crying."
"You should just move in at this point, I think he likes you more than he likes me," Aaron said quietly, almost mumble laughing at his own words, but you heard it loud and clear. Your heart started beating.
"What did you just say?" you smiled a bit, "did you just ask me to move in with you while I am sitting on the floor covered in vomit?" you laughed a bit yet winced at the thought. "Yeah I think I just did." he laughed back
"Now let me finish cleaning this up, go shower this off," Aaron said. There was practically nothing left on the floor as you had cleaned up most of it, but it wasn't like you were going to deny the help that Aaron offered. Plus, you really needed to shower.
When you stepped into the hot steamy water, you couldn't help but get lost in your thoughts. He asked me to move in with him. You felt your pulse speed as your body tingled. I didn't say yes, but I will. I mean I practically live here anyway. You thought to yourself as you ironically grabbed the bottle of your salon's shampoo. Aaron bought it for you because he felt bad that you had to use his 3-in-1 every time you showered there.
Your body was on autopilot and before you knew it you were clean and stepping out of the shower. You stuck your bathrobe on before you went back into Aaron's bedroom, grabbed some clothes, and changed into them in the bathroom.
When you were finished, Aaron was already out of Jack's room and back in his keeping an eye on Jack making sure he was okay. "Hey I'm gonna shower, but it's already 6 so I know I'm not going back to sleep, care to put on a pot of coffee?" he smiled with pleading eyes.
"I'll put a pot on for you but I hope you know, I'm going back to bed," you said with a grin as you walked downstairs and loaded up the coffee machine. You made a full pot for him as you assumed he would just work on case stuff in the meantime.
You cleaned up the rest of the kitchen, and then went back into Jack's room to figure out how to deal with the smell. As you pace around the child's room, all you thought was best was to open his windows and let the February air cleanse the room of the stench. You also lit a candle in hopes that it would be masked.
By the time you were finished, you heard the shower turn off and Aaron walked out of the bathroom in sweatpants and a v-necked shirt. "Hey, the coffee is done, I'm gonna check on Jack and go back to bed," you said turning away from Aaron and walking into his room. "I'll come with you. I'll tuck you in because nobody else wants me to."
You laughed at his joke, shaking your head a bit. "It's not my fault your kid likes me more." you both walked into Aaron's room. You rubbed jack's shoulder waking him up slightly. "Hey buddy, your room is all clean but stay in here cause it's a bit stinky. How are you feeling?"
His words were all muffled and groggy because he was barely awake. "I'm okay. My tummy still hurts a bit." you kept softly rubbing his shoulder while Aaron spoke. "Alright bud, go back to bed you should feel better when you wake up," Aaron said as he kissed Jack's forehead.
"night dad." Jack said as he turned over and shoved his face in the pillow, "night mom." his muffled voice ran out and you froze. You just stood there shocked. You were certain that you heard Aaron's breath hitch. The silence was the killer. You didn't know what to do so you just said goodnight and laid in the bed next to him.
You heard Aaron exit the room and go downstairs to work. You tried your hardest to fall asleep but you just couldn't. There was so much in your brain. Aaron asking you to move in coupled with Jack calling you mom. It was all so much.
Me... a mom... I-
After laying there for what felt like forever you realized it was only fifteen minutes. It was 6:30 and the sun had just barely already started to rise. You stepped out of bed and walked downstairs and decided to pour yourself a cup of coffee.
You wandered around for a second before you noticed Aaron huffing in his home office with paperwork. You set your coffee down and walked behind him, resting your hands on his shoulders. "You are always so tense" you rubbed his shoulder to relieve him of stress.
"Just a lot of paperwork," he said, being very dismissive of you. "Talk to me Aaron, I can't know what is wrong unless you talk to me," you said whilst still rubbing his shoulders. "We need to talk about it," he said and you knew exactly what he was talking about.
You stopped rubbing his shoulders as he turned his desk chair to you. He patted his lap a bit, gesturing for you to sit. You grabbed your coffee as you sat sideways across his lap while his arms wrapped around you holding you secure.
"I know what's on your mind, it's on mine too. What are you thinking?" you said as one of your hands locked in his hair and your thumb rubbed lightly on his cheek.
"Has he forgotten Haley?" your heart absolutely stopped beating, that was the last thing you expected him to say, and to be honest, you had no clue how to respond. "Aaron, you know that isn't true." that was all you said and you felt his arms wrap a bit tighter around you.
"I just, I love you and I love the fact that he had bonded so well to you," he paused as his eyes broke from yours and they wandered around the room pacelessly, "but I don't want him to forget her." he was clearly stressing.
"I love that he called me mom, but if that is not something we... uh... you don't want, then we can talk to him. He's just a kid, he'll understand." you were simply just trying to get him to calm down from the small panic that took over him.
"No princess, I-" his pointer finger laced small circles on your back where he gripped you like he was nervously trying to choose his words. "I love that he called you mom, I want him to call you mom."
"Okay, then what is it, Aaron. You need to talk to me, it's not healthy to keep it balled up inside you."
"I don't want you to be Haley's replacement. I promised that she wouldn't be forgotten." his words rang out and the silence after was disheartening as you chose your next words carefully.
"I want you to just think for a second. If you walk out of this room, god, if you even look in this room. Her heart is everywhere." Aaron pulled you in close, you could feel his breaths that were inconsistent and a bit sniffled. "Framed photos in his room, framed photos in your room and all over the house. You have her everywhere. He won't ever forget her. She is his mother, his actual mother. It's so clear that you loved her, and love like that can't be forgotten. He'll always love her, she is his mother no matter what. He'll never forget that, and I hope you know that."
You finished speaking, emotions ablaze, heart beating fast. Aaron held you close because he needed someone, and you were the someone that he forever needed. As much as he was your muse that seemed to tame the dangerous waters of your nightmares, you were just as much his. You were his love that he could hold close and be vulnerable with. A type of vulnerability he was never able to do when he was with Haley.
"We can talk to jack when he wakes up about what we want him to call me." you looked at Aaron before deciding to break the seriousness with a joke, "honestly, for all, I care he could call me a Weiner baby and I would be okay with it." you laughed and so did Aaron
"Where the hell did you get Weiner baby from?" he laughed again at just the word alone, "don't ask, my old nanny used to say it," you said as you stood up from his lap. "Alright c'mon let's make breakfast, I want pancakes."
"What are you four?" he laughed as you took his hand and dragged him out of his office and into the kitchen. "Jack will like them when he wakes up." you said with begging eyes, "Jack threw up 2 hours ago, he won't want pancakes, he needs toast."
"Can I give him hangover toast?"
"y/n he is eight, no you can't give him hangover toast. What even is that?"
"Remember the toast I ate with the peanut butter and honey when I puked my guts out. You were there." you tapped your head with your pointer finger, "remember?"
"Oh that morning you kicked me out?" he said with a mocking face
"Woah not cool, not cool," you said back to him. "Not cool?" he laugh-scoffed "You kicked me out. If anything you are not cool." he walked behind you laughing, getting closer to the coffee pot, while in the process poking you in the side. You squirmed at his touch.
"Speaking of that memorable morning, if I recall" he flicked his wrist up obnoxiously like he was looking at a watch that was not there, "today is February 13th, which makes tomorrow...." his voice trailed off because you knew what it meant and he wanted you to fill in the blanks.
"Ugh don't remind me. Just for that, you owe me pancakes." you nudge him closer to the cabinet that held the pancake batter mix. "Oh come on, it'll be fun. I still haven't seen your dress." his hands held your waist.
"And you won't, it's a surprise. It's the only thing I am looking forward to that night" You said with a sigh. "It might be fun for you, but having been to about nineteen of these, they get old, especially if you hate the people there." you sighed as you sat on one of the barstools at his tabletop island.
"I doubt you will even see your parents, and plus if you do, I'll just whapow and we can leave." he makes a nose while punching the air like he would punch someone. "As much as I would love to see you punch my dad in the face, god I would want to do it too, there will be reporters and people there with cameras. We can't act like that." you took a sip of your coffee.
"Okay so what do I get to do then?" he mocked acting like beating people up is his only job. "You get to be my handsome arm candy while we make an appearance, and you are gonna help me try my best to not get sick or have a panic attack in the process."
"Well then after we can..." his voice trailed off as he started to make sexual gestures and inappropriate innuendos in your direction. You rolled your eyes at him and laughed. You got up and walked over to where he was standing. "Hey I can't make any promises but." you stopped talking as you trailed a finger down the center of his chest, lower stomach, almost just barely hitting his member, you pulled away.
"Oh, you are such a teas-"
"Good Morning sleepyhead," you said out loud when you realized Jack had just emerged from his bedroom. You needed to make sure Aaron heard so he wouldn't say anything in front of Jack.
"Good morning y/n, good morning daddy," he said quietly. Okay cool, he called me y/n. Maybe he said mom as a mistake. I can breathe again.
"Daddy what are you making?" he asked as Aaron was shuffling through the kitchen. "Well Y/n wanted pancakes, but if you still aren't feeling well I'll make you special toast," Aaron said as he mixed the batter in the bowl.
"Or you can have some fruit, it'll help your tummy." you chimed in. "Can I have pancakes and fruit?" Jack asked as he sat in the barstool next to you. "Mom, are you having fruit too?"
And there was the word again.
As Aaron scooped out and flipped pancakes on the stove a plate of them was brought together with some cut-up strawberries, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Aaron sat the plate down in front of Jack and with careful words he decided to bring up the topic of the "M-word" to him.
"Jack, can we talk about something for a second?" Aaron asked begrudgingly as his sweet tone covered it up. "What about?" Jack shoved bites of pancake and fruit into his mouth. "When did you decide to start calling y/n mom?" he asked sweetly again to hide any hesitation in his voice.
"I dunno. She kind of lives here, she's kind of like my mom. Do you think mom sent her?" he said to Aaron and it was like every doubt in his mind was lifted. Those were the words he needed to hear. Just the mention of Haley and he was okay.
"I think your mommy up in heaven sent me to be here for you when she can't," you said taking over the conversation for Aaron's sake. "I like you, I think mommy would like you too. Can I eat my pancakes now?" He asked looking at you for permission, not Aaron.
"Of course buddy" you ruffled his hair a bit before your got up and pulled Aaron into his office so that you two could talk. "Was that what you wanted? I can ask him to not call me mom if you still want," you said while Aaron held your hand.
"No that was what I needed to hear. He is adjusting well. He even said he thought Hely would like you."
"I don't think Haly would like the things we do" you laughed as your fingers ran shapes on his toned bicep.
he laughed but changed the conversation, "Should I bring up to him that I asked you to move in with me?"
"Well I never said yes." you joked at him but his face dropped
"Oh my god, I'm kidding." you were quick to cover up your words, "but can you handle the amount of shoes I have? Because there are a lot." you laughed as he pulled you in for a kiss.
"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" he pecked your lips
"No you never do, I need to hear it, say it, party boy, say it." you joked acting bashful and needy. You draped your arm over your forehead like you were sick. And he laughed at your dramatics.
"It might shock you but I've already started cleaning things out for you. I kind of got the memo and a couple of nights ago when I realized you spent every night here."
"My poor neighbors probably think I'm dead."
"C'mon let's go tell jack." he took your hand and walked you out of the office.
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