a place we know| ✓

fifty

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
.
.
February 1st
11:01 AM
New York
- - - - - - - - - -

A burn flared up in Audrey's chest.

It originated in her stomach then blossomed like a fresh garden would in the spring, but as winter wind dried the grass and leaves, churned her insides.

Audrey vomited the last of her breakfast then flushed the toilet. She should have expected the pregnancy symptoms to hit hard, which they did, but this case of chills and pain felt different.

There was an ache in her lower spine and her heart was racing wildly, two things she never experienced when she carried Leah. Her first child hadn't been much of a struggle. She had been good to her in the womb, but it was becoming clear that Gavin (or Olivia) might just give her a harder time.

She tried to think nothing of it and elevated herself on unsteady legs, nauseous from how quickly the bathroom was spinning. If she hadn't stumbled forward and clutched the edges of the ceramic sink, would have toppled right over.

Audrey turned on the tap and cold water gushed out of the faucet. It was cooling and refreshing, some of her previous strength returned. She quickly brushed her teeth and combed the hair out of her eyes. It had grown far too long for her linking, but at least her hazels caught the dull light and gleamed. She was regaining some of her lost shine; they smiled just a bit more as she scrutinized her reflection.

She shut off the tap, dried her face and hands, and headed out of the bathroom. Her room was mayhem, a whirlwind of children's giggles and echoing footsteps as they ran all about. Tucker lounged comfortably on the unmade bed, back against the headboard with his eyes following the twins in every direction they scurried.

"Hey, slow down. You're inside." His brown hair was tousled from his tossing and turning during sleep, a light scruff growing on his jaw and cheeks that, recently, tickled Audrey whenever he leaned in to kiss her.

"Hi," she said, a meek greeting.

Tucker placed her voice amidst the noise and shifted his gaze to her figure approaching his bedside. He smiled–she has come to recognize it as one he reserved solely for her. It was tender and compassionate, spreading from the curve of his lips to the brown of his eyes, amiable.

"Well, hi to you too, beautiful," he tugged on her hand and pulled her onto his lap. "Nice to see you finally decided to join me."

Her legs straddled his hips and willowy arms encircled his neck. The contours of his body could be felt under his clothes, firm and definite, warmth emanating from him like the perfect embrace. Muscles relaxed, she succumbed to his touch and breathed him in.

"You look happy," Tucker noted. "Something change?"

"Someone." She hadn't felt so many positive emotions in the past two months as she did in this moment.

Audrey, wholly struck by compassion, marked his throat with a delicate kisses and worked her way up to his awaiting lips. Her hands caressed the sides of his face, temperature rising as blood crowded his cheeks.

"Are you blushing?" she teased.

Tucker averted his gaze elsewhere and shook his head. "I'm a grown man. Little girls don't make me blush."

"Not until this little girl tells you she's so happy you're here."

Their young children had long since melded into the background, forgotten when their joint laughter was the only music playing in their ears.