Meredith
I'm in the kitchen the next morning before anyone. I didn't manage to get back to sleep last night after leaving the wolf in the woods. The memories of my parents are too painful, it makes it hard to close your eyes and relax. I didn't want to dream of them again. Even the good memories are painful.
Chase is the first person that appears in the kitchen and he seems surprised to see me.
"Good morning little lady. You're up early." Chase greets as he kisses my cheek.
I slide a cup of coffee across the table towards him. He thanks me and takes a sip. I made it fresh just before he came down. I figured making them all coffee in the morning is the least I can do.
"I had a little trouble sleeping."
"You OK?" He asks frowning as he places his cup on the table.
"I'm fine. I promise."
"If it's that piece of shit scumbag fu-" I cut him off before he can curse Jack out some more.
"Chase, it wasn't him. Honestly, I'm OK. I just need to get used to being somewhere new." I giggle as he grumbles like a child under his breath until Emily strolls in.
"Good morning my handsome hunk.." Emily smiles brightly before kissing him soundly on the lips. "... and the beautiful mummy-to-be." She finishes as she kisses my cheek and pats my baby bump.
"Morning Emily. You're happy today."
Emily hums in reply as she skips around the kitchen like a child on a sugar rush. I've never really seen her in her own home and acting herself. She's always been happy and upbeat but never to this extreme. It's actually quite nice to see after spending all my mornings in a house with strict Jack.
Her little nicknames for us are also amusing. Handsome hunk? I can't help the laugh that escapes my lips every time I hear that phrase repeat in my head. Chase doesn't even seem to notice, that or she's called him handsome hunk a hundred times before and he's used to it. He probably even likes the nickname.
"Hey babe. There's fresh coffee here, Meredith made it." I pass her a cup and smile as she kisses my cheek once again in thanks.
"Do you guys want breakfast?" I ask them both.
Emily has barely put her bum on the seat next to me before she's jumping up again and flying around the kitchen.
"Oh no, I will do breakfast. You can sit there and relax."
"I can make breakfast Emily, I just want to do something for you guys to say thank you for helping me."
"You don't need to thank us. Just keep your pregnant booty on that chair."
Chase chokes on his coffee from laughing and I roll my eyes. I watch Chase in amusement as he roughly puts his cup down and begins banging his chest with his fist to relieve his airways. His whole face is red and tears are in his eyes.
"Pregnant w-what?!" He coughs at Emily who simply smiles sweetly and returns to cooking.
"What are you guys laughing about?" A tired voice asks from the entrance of the kitchen.
Eliot is leaning against the door frame in nothing but a loose pair of grey pyjama bottoms and rubbing his eyes tiredly as he squints at us all.
"Her pregnant booty.. booty, booty, booty." Emily sings while dancing towards him and shaking her bum.
I giggle and cover my mouth with my hand. Eliot is just standing there with complete and utter confusion on his face. His eyes meet mine and twinkle with emotion. I'm not sure what the emotion is, it's difficult to tell but as he stares deeply into my eyes, I sense protection and care... maybe even love? I blink as soon as that word enters my mind. I shake my head in attempts of forgetting it causing Eliot to furrow his brows in question. Biting my lip as I feel the heat slowly crawl up my neck, I turn away from him and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Babe, don't shake your sexy arse in front of him." I hear Chase grumble and just like that the tension I'm feeling evaporates.
I turn back around in my seat just in time to see Chase grabbing Emily around the waist and pulling her into his chest. She kisses him before wriggling out of his hold and dancing back over to the cooker. From the corner of my eye, I see Eliot sit down beside me and pour himself some coffee. I sneak a peek at him to find him already staring at me smirking. I blush as he winks at me. He knows how much he affects me.
"Here you are mummy-to-be." Emily says as she sets down a plate of food in front of me.
"Thank you, Em."
"Where's mine?" Chase demands playfully, the pretend horrified look on his face giving it away.
"Mer is eating for two so you can wait, Mister."
I stick my tongue out at him childishly and he gasps in horror. I giggle and pick up a piece of toast, biting into it with deliberation. Chase sticks his tongue out back at me and steals a slice of toast from my plate. I pout dropping half of my toast and frown at him to the point where tears fill my eyes.
"Emmy!" I whine.
Chase's eyes widen and I nearly laugh at the expression on his face. He actually thinks I'm going to cry. It's almost comical as he hushes me and tries to give me the toast back. Eliot snorts with laughter beside me and that's all it takes for me to burst into a fit of laughter.
"You- y-you should s-s-see your fa...face!" I breathe between each gasp of laughter.
Chase glares daggers at me as I laugh like a hyena. Eliot has to hold onto me because I nearly slip off my chair from laughing so hard.
"Ca-can't breathe!"
I clutch Eliot's arm as I bend over myself laughing. My forehead is almost touching my knee as I giggle towards the floor below me. Eliot chuckles softly and tries to get me sitting up straight again.
"Not funny little lady." I take a deep breath and sit up to face him with a semi-straight face. Seconds later I'm laughing again. He huffs and rolls his eyes.
"Yes, it was! You thought I was going to cry. I'm not that hormonal."
Emily sets a plate of food down in front of both of the boys so I straighten myself out and go back to eating my toast. Every now and then I'll giggle causing Chase to huff which in turn will have me giggling again. It's a vicious cycle.
"Eat your food missy." Emily demands as she sits down next to Chase with her own food.
I salute at her and dig in. There's small talk as we all eat breakfast and I find myself smiling. I haven't been here a full twenty-four hours yet and already it's beginning to feel like home. I've finished my food so I watch them all interacting together. They're smiling and joking, it isn't quiet and controlled. Jack was controlling with everything, even breakfast. Ever since I got pregnant, he would cook breakfast to make sure I was eating the right things and that I was eating the right amount. He was serious all the time and when it's that kind of atmosphere all the time, it becomes rigid and tense. It's not fun.
"Mer sweetie, you OK?" Emily's soft voice breaks me from my thoughts and I look over at her.
"Yeah, I'm good." My voice comes out cracked and hoarse causing me to frown.
"You're crying." Eliot murmurs softly as he wipes his thumb over my cheek gently.
I didn't even realise I was crying. I wipe my face feeling slightly embarrassed as I sniff quietly.
"No, I'm good. It's just really nice here you know. This is the funniest breakfast I've ever had. It sounds stupid but everything has always been so controlled and it feels good to relax, even just for breakfast."
Eliot rubs my back comfortingly as Emily smiles in sympathy. She reaches across the table to grab my hand and squeezes it softly.
"And here I thought you weren't that hormonal." Chase interrupts grinning wickedly.
I pick up my fork and throw it at him as everyone laughs. And just like that my tears stop.
It's nice to have people around you that can dry your tears and keep you laughing.
Even if it is just for breakfast.
[ Hey everyone! I'm sorry for such the long wait. I've been so busy with finishing college and applying to uni but no excuses, I promise to update more frequently now. This chapter is just a little fun and a filler but nevertheless, I hope you enjoy and I'll update soon :) ]