HAVEN STYLES
Five Years Later
While Frank Sinatra's Christmas album battles to be heard over the Packers and the Patriots game, I'm still also conscious of the sound of my children screaming outside as well as Sugar's barking as he chases after them. But right now, my hand is up a turkey's ass per my mother's instructions and that has the majority of my focus.
"This is really disgusting," I make a face as I pull my stuffing-ridden hand out. "No wonder Harry's a pescatarian."
"It might be gross now, but you'll thank me once we're eating it," my mom winks as I wash my hands with scalding hot water and I know she's right about that.
"Don't touch me you little freak!" Lily suddenly yells through the open kitchen window. I'm assuming she's talking to her brother. They've been calling each other that a lot lately.
"Can you–"
"Yes," my mom chuckles and dries her hands before playfully yelling out the window that she's coming to get all of them and cook them for our Thanksgiving appetizers. Now they're all screaming.
I smile at the sight of her acting like a drill sergeant, and the sight of them coming to attention with their little fingers on their foreheads. That includes little Sav and she looks adorable doing it in her puffer coat and rosy cheeks.
To my left, a familiar hand drops a bag of pecans, four cans of cranberry sauce, and two bottles of Dom Perignon. I smile before I turn to see my husband standing behind me.
"Don't say I never did anything for you," he breaks character to laugh as I pop up on my toes and hug his neck.
"Never," I kiss him. "Was Whole Foods a zoo?" I kiss him again.
"Mhm," he kisses me back. "Completely," and again.
"I might have to try to think of a way to thank you," I start laughing as his brows raise and his hands slide around to my lower back, then down to my ass in his favorite pair of jeans on me. They're the jeans I was wearing when we met—a fact he loves to remind me of.
"I can think of about five different things but the catch is that they need to happen right now–"
"Daddy! Daddy!" Savannah comes bolting in through the backyard with a deep frown on her face.
He gasps to match her fear and releases me to catch her as soon as she jumps in the air for him to do so. "What is it?"
"Lily said you're gonna cook me with Mr. Turkey!"
"Oh my God," I cover my mouth to stifle my laugh, but Harry freely lets his out. I'll have to scold my mom for putting that idea in their heads later.
"She said that?"
"Mhm," she pouts and starts playing with the ends of his hair. "Please don't cook me, Daddy."
"We're not gonna cook you, baby," he's still laughing as he kisses her forehead. "Where's baby Maggie?"
"Watching football with Uncle Jeff," she hugs his neck and rests her head on his shoulder, keeping her little pout even as he starts rubbing her back to comfort her.
Now, Harry adores Lily, obviously. She was his first baby girl and he still treats her like that, and then Margaret, our youngest at 3 years old, is often the object of his affection because she's still so dependent on him, but the man has had the softest spot in his heart for Savannah ever since she was born. When I was privately asking my parents why that is, they said they think it's because she looks so much like me while the other two girls look much more like himself. That's true, but I don't know if that's the full reason. It could be because he wanted that third baby for years before I was ready to give it to him, so maybe he cherishes her because of that.
"I'm gonna help Mum finish dinner so why don't you go ask Grandpa what the score is, yeah?"
"Okay, Dada," she kisses his cheek before he lets her slide down to the floor so she can go do what he asked.
He turns to me with narrowed eyes and raises his hands to cup my face. "Is this where we left off?"
I laugh as he tilts his head to kiss me slower this time, which takes me back to the way he was kissing me this morning before we heard Maggie crying down the hall. I was so looking forward to staying in bed a bit longer with him before the day got too crazy and everyone started coming over, but it's rare that we get to wake up and be lazy in bed together anymore. We only really get to do that when we take our annual trip to Greece during our wedding anniversary week.
"We could probably sneak upstairs for a second, can't we?" He mumbles my thoughts aloud as I smile and turn away from him.
"No, but nice try," I try to focus on the recipe for the green bean casserole on the counter in front of me, but all I'm seeing is gibberish on paper as I feel his hands on my hips and his lips on my neck.
"These fucking jeans, Hay," he squeezes my hipbones just to make me squirm against him. "Fucking ridiculous."
I gasp as he squeezes and smacks my ass like a horny teenager before grabbing the champagne bottles by the neck to put them in the fridge. I wish he'd grab me by the neck as I watch him remove his North Face jacket in preparation to help me with the last two recipes that need to go in the oven. My mom is supposed to be helping as well, but I think she's helping by letting me and Harry do something alone.
"God, that's a lot of sugar," I murmur as I pour in two out of the three cups we need for the sweet potato casserole.
"Hay, you're doing it all wrong," he rolls his eyes and comes to stand behind me, practically pinning my hips to the counter with his own.
"Harry!" I laugh as he holds my right hand in his to scoop the cup inside the container of sugar so we can do it together. "This is exactly what I just did."
"No, it's not," he holds my left hand and guides my pointer finger to level out the excess sugar before we dump it in the bowl. "That was much better."
I smile and turn my head up to see him. "You're kind of a flirt."
"Oh, you have no idea, baby," he squeezes my waist again and I love that it still makes my heart race out of control. He still makes that happen just by walking into the room, by making eye contact with me when we're both having separate conversations. It still doesn't take much for me.
After about two hours of subtle touches and taste testing in the kitchen, everything is finished and the house smells incredible. Even Katie and Ben's four-year-old, the pickiest eater in the universe, is eyeing the turkey with hearts for pupils like one of those Loony Toons episodes. The men have complied to turn the football game off so we can all sit around the grand dining room table as friends and family without any further distractions.
"This looks incredible, Hay," my dad says as he takes the seat next to my mom.
"Thanks. Mom and Harry helped," I make sure every dish has a serving utensil and finally retrieve the wine and champagne to place on the table while Harry and Katie work on getting beverages in plastic cups for all the kids.
"Aunt Hay?" Lizzie speaks in the softest, cutest voice.
"Yes, baby?" I laugh and bend over to focus on her.
"Can I has some chocolate milk?"
"Oh my goodness, of course, you can have some chocolate milk, sweetheart," I kiss her forehead and remind Katie that she can have whatever she wants in the fridge.
Now that everyone has a drink, I sit down on Harry's left as he sits at the head of the table. Maggie is between us on her booster seat, already picking at the food we cut up for her, but our three other children are sitting with Lizzie at the opposite end of the table.
"Okay, who wants to start?" I look down the table at Glenne, Jeff, Katie, Ben, and my parents. Last year we had Tom and Jenny as well as Anne, Gemma, and Michal, but they're coming for Christmas this year so we'll see them soon.
"I'll start," Katie shrugs. "The last two years haven't been the easiest for reasons you all know, but I'm grateful to have been able to work and I'm extra grateful for my first Oscar."
We all laugh as she wiggles excitedly in her seat, and I remind her that it's the first of many. After she had a miscarriage last year and was basically told it wouldn't be safe for her to have any more children, that award was well-deserved and somewhat of a nice apology from the universe for breaking her heart the year before. Not that she should need an award to know how amazing she was, but it's an absolutely incredible acknowledgment of her talent. We're all beyond proud of her.
"No, but really, I'm so grateful for my family, for all of you, for everything we're fortunate to have while not everyone can say as much," she finishes.
"I second that," Ben goes next. "I'm grateful for my talented wife, for our beautiful daughter, for friends like all of you who welcomed me into your tight group all those years ago with no questions asked...except for Hay. She asked some questions."
"I was just doing my job," I laugh with everyone else and sip my champagne.
"Well, I'm grateful to be here with all of you," Glenne starts. "I'm grateful for my stunning and adorable nieces and nephew, my job that I love, my husband that I love more, and having the opportunity to be so close to you all."
"What about you, Lily?" I ask. "What are you grateful for?"
"Um..." She smiles at all the eyes on her. "I'm grateful for my toys and my friends."
"I'm grateful for my toys, my friends, Lily, Sav, baby Maggie, and Mummy," Jack says.
"What about me?" Harry scoffs, making Jack laugh with his head thrown back. He was trying to be silly. "And Daddy."
"Your turn, sweetheart," I smile at Savannah as she rolls her lips together to hide her smile. "Help her, Jack."
As sweetly as ever, Jack leans over to feed her the words by whispering in her ear.
"I grateful...for my mommy...and my daddy...and Sugar...and Nana...and Grandpa...and my brother and sisters...and my toys."
"Good job, baby," Harry chuckles as she sinks in her chair to try and hide with pink cheeks.
Katie helps Lizzie to say that she's grateful for everyone at the table, including me for making the dinner, as well as her grandparents on both her mom and dad's side.
"Well, I'm grateful to be here with all of you, I'm grateful for my wife, our unofficial nieces, and nephew, to be so close to Hay and H, and to be able to keep working with my best friend after all these years."
"Thanks, mate," Harry raises his glass to that.
"Oh goodness, where to start," my mom sighs. "I am so grateful for my grandbabies and that Harry and Haven have been living in California with us so I can see my grandbabies all the time. I'm grateful for my hardworking husband for bein' so good to me and always going out of his way to make me smile. I love you all and my heart is just overflowing."
"I agree," my dad chuckles and rubs her back as she wipes her tears away. "I'm grateful to have my daughter so close and I'm grateful that I can see my grandchildren whenever I want. I'm grateful that Haven married someone so kind and generous so I don't have to worry about her as much as I otherwise would. I'm grateful for my job, but mostly my family."
Harry thanks him for the compliment and says, "I feel pretty overwhelmed with gratitude for this year as well. It was great getting to tour for ten years of Fine Line with our family this summer and Pleasing has been doing incredibly well thanks to our designer," he smirks at me through side eyes as I shrug with a smile of my own. "I'm also grateful for my children and my amazing wife. She makes all our worlds go around and I'd be lost without her."
"Thank you," I pout and nudge his leg under the table. "I have a million things to be grateful for, but the first one is always my husband and our babies, and my actual dream house. I'm grateful for this time we've been able to spend together at home while he's been on a break from writing again, and I'm grateful to be so close to my friends and family. I love my life so much because of all of you, so thank you for being here."
"Cheers," Katie raises her glass and we all follow suit before drinking our wine and champagne, and the kids drink their chocolate milk and apple juice.
The sound of everyone talking and laughing over the Christmas music still playing is my favorite. I love hearing my children giggling while making a mess of their dinner, I love hearing my parents playfully argue with each other as they tell stories about past holidays, I love hearing my unofficial niece calling my best friend "Mommy" from down the table, and I love hearing Harry talk to my dad about sports, about music, about our lives together. After all this time, I still love hearing him say my name.
"Okay, so you know I have to ask every year," Glenne starts. "Is this still your forever home?"
"Yes," I chuckle as I finish my first glass of champagne. "This is one hundred percent our forever home."
"Good, because it's gorgeous," she says for the millionth time. "That view is just insane."
I turn to see the sun setting clear over the cliffs and down into the ocean, vaguely agreeing as I'm once again struck with the emotion I feel every single time I look out to see that same view. Nobody else but Harry knows about my dream and how he modeled this home after my subconscious thoughts because that feels like a special intimate detail that I want to keep for just the two of us. I still don't think he understands just how grateful I am that he did this for me, regardless of how many times I tell him.
"So when are we gonna get another grandchild, sugar?" My mom asks me.
"Nuh-uh," I smile and shake my head. "I'm done popping them out."
"We're not," Harry mumbles with a wrinkled nose, shaking his head on my behalf.
"Yes, we are!" I giggle and playfully flick his arm. "I'm done, I'm done, I'm done. Maggie was our last."
Harry rolls his eyes. "She always says that."
At this point, I know he's just trying to make me laugh and get me worked up more than anything else. I'm 35 now, about to be 36, so we've come to terms with the idea that Maggie is our last baby and he was okay with it.
"I was expecting at least three more," my dad says.
My eyes pop out and Harry almost chokes on his food while laughing. "Three?! Are you out of your mind?!"
"See, I was thinking four, but I can settle for three," Harry smirks as he sits back in his chair.
"You're all on drugs," I scoff. "I've paid my dues, I've given my body away, it's mine to keep now for the rest of my life."
"Yeah, I'd say the same thing if I had your ass," Glenne mumbles.
Lily gasps. "Aunt Glenne said a bad word!"
"I did not!" Glenne drops her jaw with a smile. "And how did you even hear me?"
"She hears everything," Harry narrows his eyes at her across the table, so she does the same thing back to him. They're like twins.
After we make it through the remainder of our curse-free dinner, I hurry to put the cherry and apple pies I made last night into the oven just to warm them up while the dinner table is cleared and the leftovers are put away. The kids are chanting for dessert and I'm just tipsy enough to find it to be hilarious even though I would usually correct my own children and tell them to say please if they would like anything from me. Overall, they're incredibly polite and well-behaved kids.
"Okay, you little vultures," I slice them up their preferred slivers of pie, instructing them all to wait for it to cool while Harry scoops the vanilla ice cream for everyone.
Once again, we're all sitting down to enjoy our dessert before we'll all undoubtedly go into our food comas. My dad is already talking about how he needs to take a nap and Jeff has loosened one notch on his belt. I can't stop smiling as a result of the champagne and tart cherry pie that I worked so hard on...as well as Harry's ankle constantly rubbing up against mine under the table. He's on another level today.
"Well, this has been incredible," Katie yawns. "Thanks so much for dinner, Hay. And H."
"You're welcome, babe," I finish my glass and stack my dessert plate with Harry's.
"Are we still on for shopping next weekend?"
"Now, why on earth would you go shopping after Black Friday and all the good deals are out?" My mom frowns.
"Because our baby daddies are rich, Mrs. McQueen," Katie smugly answers. "And so is yours."
My dad gets a good laugh out of that, as do I, and I know Harry is biting his tongue to agree. One of his kinks is absolutely spending money on me, we've known that for years now.
"Come with us, Mom," I offer. "Harry and Ben can watch the kids. I want a new Birkin and a Bentley."
"Jesus," Harry coughs a laugh. "That's enough alcohol for you."
"If Haven's getting a Bentley, I want one," Glenne says to Jeff.
He scoffs in return. "You can want one all you want, sweetheart. It's not in the books for this year."
I drop my head back to laugh as Glenne looks at us all with a slackened jaw and a saddened look on her face. "Harry wouldn't buy me a Bentley either, don't worry."
"Yes, I would," he retorts. "We'll go get one right now if you want it."
"Okay, I think that's enough alcohol for everyone," my mom cuts in. "I don't know what a Bentley is, but I can imagine it ain't cheap."
"And that's only one of the billion reasons why I married you," my dad kisses her cheek and turns to Harry. "Should have married someone who doesn't know a Bentley from a Volkswagen."
"He should have married someone who wasn't spoiled by her daddy her whole life," I argue, to which my dad raises his hand in defense.
"I'm pretty happy with my choice in marriage," Harry smirks softer at me, and my mom coos along with Katie and Glenne. "For now."
I scrunch my nose with a laugh and lean in to kiss him quickly three times. "You're hilarious."
While the girls help me clear the table and finish cleaning the kitchen, the men look after the kids in the backyard and sip their post-dessert scotch and whiskeys. I think we all prefer it this way so we can have some peace and quiet without our children screeching for no apparent reason, but my mom is holding Maggie to keep her happy in the living room.
"So you and Harry seem to be in a great place," Katie smirks. "Better than you were a few months ago?"
I confess with a heavy nod. It's not like we were in a bad place, necessarily, but we felt a bit...stuck. The problem, I think, was that we weren't going on dates and we weren't doing anything to keep our marriage exciting. It was mundane and I was convinced he was bored of me. He was convinced I was bored of him. We fought a bit, but it turns out, the fights might have saved us. It showed that we still cared.
"We've been making up for lost time for sure," I clear my throat and try to hide my smile.
"Do we wanna know what that means?" Glenne shares a hesitant look with Katie.
I laugh with a knowing nod. "I'll just say we've been super intimate every chance we get...which is a lot more than you'd think, considering we have four children."
"Ooh, spill," Katie claps her hands. She's tipsy.
I look over my shoulder to make sure my mom isn't listening and the men are all occupied with their own conversation outside. They don't need to hear this.
"Just last week when Maggie was napping, we put on a movie for the other kids in the theater and he tried to get a quickie out of me in the kitchen while they were just down the hall. I mean, any one of them could have run right in and he had his hand inside of my jeans like a frat guy."
"Oh my God!" Glenne laughs with her hands over her eyes while Katie gasps.
"Did you do it?"
"No!" I crack up with them. "But we did run up to the bedroom and I swear we broke a record. It was like eight minutes and three orgasms—two for me, one for him. Then we went all night, and he's just been so touchy ever since."
"Maybe he's ovulating," Katie teases just to make us laugh again.
"I guess so," I chuckle and dry my hands after finishing the dishes. "Anyway, thank you guys for coming. I'm so happy to see you both as often as I get to."
They both agree with me as we have a three-way hug, but it's getting late and I know Katie and Ben have a pretty strict bedtime routine for Lizzie most nights. That's more than I can say for mine and Harry's children, but we're working on it...still.
In our driveway, I hug Ben and Jeff goodbye before embracing my parents and wishing them a safe drive back to Calabasas. Our kids wave them off, including Maggie as she stands in front of me and blows a kiss, and we head inside to start our disorganized bedtime routine.
"Hey, so, Daddy?" Lily starts. "I was thinking Jack and I could stay up later since it's a holiday."
Harry laughs. "You were thinking that?"
"Mhm," she smiles. "We just wanna watch a movie, that's all."
"I'll tell you what," he groans as he picks her up to hold her on his hip. "How about you brush your teeth and get in your pajamas with no fuss, and you two can have a sleepover in the theater."
Lily gasps and looks at me. "Can we, Mummy?"
I don't love letting them sleep in the theater just because I don't ever want them to get used to sleeping with the TV on, but she's right about it being a holiday. I don't see them harm.
"Sure, but you have to stay in the theater. No wandering around the house or getting into the pantry after your teeth are brushed, alright?"
"Thanks, Mum!" Jack follows Lily's lead to run upstairs and get ready for bed.
"Wha 'bout me, Daddy?" Savannah pouts with wild chocolate waves sticking up in every direction after playing outside.
"What about you, baby?" He picks her up and kisses her cheek before she rests her head on his shoulder. "Can I has a sleepover?"
He laughs at her sickly sweet tone. "No, my darling, you're going to sleep in your bed tonight and so is Maggie."
"Hm," she grunts in disdain, but the poor thing is already passing out as we carry them up the stairs. It's past Maggie's bedtime as well, and she still needs a bath.
Per usual, Harry gets Sav ready for bed while I give Maggie a quick bath in her own ensuite. She giggles and splashes the water with her toys, obeying well enough when I tell her it's time to get out. She lets me wrap her up in a little pink towel and I carry her to her bedroom to change her into an all-white onesie.
"Let's go say goodnight to Daddy and your sister and brother, yeah?" I set her on the floor and she goes toddling down the hallway to Savannah's room next door.
"You're all clean, Maggie!" Lily smiles as she comes in to hug her. "I love you so much."
"Love you," Maggie echoes, but her Ls sound like Ws.
"Love you, Sav," Lily kisses her next and Jack follows suit to do the same.
"Night, Savy," he squeezes her and lifts her off the ground. "Night, Mags."
"Nigh-nigh," Maggie wraps her arms around him.
"Right to bed, I mean it," I point at Jack before hugging him and kissing the top of his head.
"I know," he releases me so Lily can hug me before they bolt out of the room and say goodnight to Harry in passing.
"Look at my pretty girls," Harry laughs as Maggie and Savannah lie down on the same bed. They smile at him. They adore him the same way he adores them. "Ready for bed?"
"Read us a story, Daddy," Savannah sweetly requests, and Harry doesn't think twice before picking out a book from the shelf in her room.
To help set the mood, I turn off the overhead light and switch on the dim lamp instead, kissing both girls goodnight before heading down the stairs to make sure Jack and Lily are all set up in the theater. They have their blankets and pillows from their room and they're both stretched out on the deep couch in the windowless room with some Pixar movie playing on the big screen. I silently close the door to leave them alone and start making my rounds to make sure each and every door is locked on the first floor. I also say goodnight to Sugar and grab one of the unopened bottles of Dom Perignon to take upstairs with me.
I end up meeting Harry in the hallway and he follows me around the corner to our bedroom after explaining that he put Maggie to bed in her room after they both quickly fell asleep. It's almost ten o'clock at this point, but the rest of the night is ours.
"Are we celebrating something?" He laughs as I carefully uncork the champagne.
"No, but I was thinking we could take a bath?" I smile suggestively to make him laugh. "If you want to?"
"I want to," he mumbles over my lips before kissing them, and my heart drops to my stomach when I feel him pop the button of my jeans open just to tease me.
"Take your clothes off," I kiss him back and turn to walk into our ensuite...which is almost as big as our bedroom was in the Hollywood house.
Our glass shower could easily fit about ten people and has two benches as well as two rain shower heads, but we also have a massive stone double vanity to fit all my hair, makeup, and skincare products. The main attraction, however, is the glass wall that looks directly out to the ocean where the extra large clawfoot bathtub is.
We have a balcony off our bedroom so we're far enough back that no one can see us in here if they're down in the backyard, but we also don't have any neighbors behind our house. That's why I feel safe enough for both of us to be naked as we lower ourselves down into the hot sudsy water.
"You know what I love about this room?" I sink lower until the water almost reaches my collarbones, facing Harry across from me.
"The color of the walls," he knowingly answers.
"It's so cozy," I groan in appreciation and look around at the deep green, almost grey, color all around us. The spotlights in the ceiling are currently dim to leave us in a more intimate glow, but the color is stunning in the natural sunlight during the day too.
"You know me so well," I sip directly from the bottle and hand it over to him, but he grabs my wrist instead and pulls me in until I have no choice but to straddle his waist. Some of the water splashes onto the floor in the process, but we don't care.
"Of course I know you so well, you're my wife," he looks up at me as I push my fingers through his silky hair to wet the strands. It's a bit on the shorter side right now, which always makes him look a little younger, but if I'm being completely honest...he might be the sexiest version of himself at 35 so far. He's aging so perfectly.
"I am your wife," I agree and tilt my head to kiss him, holding the bottle by the neck behind his back as he sits forward to keep me snug in his lap.
"Speaking of my wife," he mumbles, "I've been wanting her all day."
"Hm," I smile and tease him until he's chasing my lips. "Well, I'm here now and I'm all yours."
As I let him kiss me, he keeps pushing forward until I spill some of the champagne into the tub and on the floor, but his mission is to get my back against the smooth porcelain edge of the bath with his body between mine. I part my lips to let his tongue in, feeling completely intoxicated as I blindly set the champagne down on the ledge by the window and wrap my thighs around him.
"You know something?" He easily holds the edge of the tub on either side of me to keep himself propped up while I shamelessly drag my hands down his broad and toned chest to feel his muscles.
"You love me?"
"I love you," he shakes his head. "More than yesterday."
Now it's my turn to kiss him, grunting with the effort it takes to get him to sit back so I can settle in his lap again. He's hard and it feels good between my thighs as I hold his face and kiss him slower, deeper.
"I love my life with you," I reply. "I used to think I was as happy as I could possibly get, but every day is better than the one before."
He nods in agreement, opening his mouth to meet me halfway for the tongue-filled kiss I give him. "You still make me feel like a horny teenager."
I stop kissing him to crack up laughing. "So much for sentiment."
"What are you talking about?" He beams. "That's as sentimental as it gets. I was in my prime as a horny teenager."
"You were in your prime as a horny 23-year-old...who I'm very grateful I got to experience."
"Yeah, you did," he mutters in agreement before I shut him up with another kiss, and the water splashes as he slides his hands up my back to feel more of my skin.
I swear that I've been thinking this every day for the last five years, but I've never been happier than I am right now in this moment. We spent the whole day eating and spending time with our family and friends, our beautiful, healthy, incredible children are all sleeping soundly under our custom roof, my husband still can't get enough of me, and I have every single thing I've ever dreamed of wanting. And that's just today.
I can't even fathom how many more potential happy moments like this are waiting for us in the future, and I can't even begin to imagine where we'll be in five more years. If I'm lucky, we'll be right here, laughing between kisses and making a mess of each other just as we've been doing our whole relationship. If this is all my life ever amounts to for as long as I live, that'll be fine. More than fine. That would be perfect.
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I think they're really my favorite couple I've ever written and I'll miss them so so so so much <3