Simon's Point of View:
"How am I going to have a spa day when I don't even know where I'm going?" Kiera asked, sitting on a chair in our bathroom as she applied lotion to her face. Evie and Jacob were still asleep from their mid-day nap after full stomachs from breakfast, sleeping like a rock in our bed after we had all eventually fallen back to sleep.
"Because if I would've told you where you're going, you'd want to stay home."
"Simon, you're scaring me." She raised her brow, her face caked white with her face mask, and I couldn't help but chuckle as I stood up from the edge of the bed, making my way into our shared bathroom to stand behind her, my hands massaging her shoulders gently before I reached to grasp the comb that sat on the counter, starting at her ends and working my way up to her roots. Combing Kiera's hair was always a task, mainly because her hair was so thick and layered that I had to separate it just to comb it thoroughly.
"I don't mean to scare you, love. I just know that if I would've told you what you'll be doing today, you would've denied it and not let me treat you."
"Can I at least have a hint?"
"Wear comfortable clothes and sandals."
"I-I can't wear sandals, Simon. My nail polish is chipping off!"
"Nobody will notice, love. Just trust me for once in your life, yeah?" I teased, leaning down to kiss the top of her head while I finished combing her hair.
"I do trust you, Simon."
"Okay, then quit asking questions," I chuckled. "Johnny and I talked about this yesterday, and he's going to be taking you and Teeter today. Don't worry, love. You're not the only one taking a spa day."
"So, it's me and Teeter?"
"With Johnny as your chauffeur. No kids, just you and Teeter having a day together and getting pampered, even I wouldn't say no to that."
"How come you didn't decide you wanted to take us?"
"I drive you crazy enough as it is. Figured you deserved some time without having to worry about me being glued to your side. I've got the kids, love."
"They'll behave for you, at least." She frowned.
"Hey, it'll be alright," I whispered, pressing another kiss to the top of her head and holding eye contact with her through the mirror. "All of this will blow over and things will be just fine. What you have to worry about right now is having this day to yourself."
"Do... Do you want me to stay away from you today?..." She guessed, and oh, was my angel wrong. Those hormones and negative thoughts were eating away at her again, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that I planned a spa day for her to help with her mental health. She didn't let herself go, but she couldn't do things on her own due to the life growing inside of her. I always painted her toenails for her, shaved her legs when she couldn't reach south of her knees, as well as her intimate areas. She just physically couldn't do it, and I helped her to the best of my ability, but she deserved to be pampered by a professional, to have a massage and facial without having to do it herself, to have her nails painted without getting some polish on the skin around her nails. She deserved this and more, and this was only a start.
"Of course, I want you to stay with me every waking second, but you deserve a day like today, but don't think for a second that it's because I don't want you here, because it's not true," I assured her with another kiss to the top of her head. "Now, what were you thinking of wearing? One of my t-shirts with your favorite leggings?"
"That's... exactly what I was thinking, Simon."
"I know just the sandals you'd love to wear, then," I smirked. "Were you thinking of wearing my grey t-shirt?"
"It's my favorite one, but I was honestly thinking about your hoodie... It's starting to get cold out."
"I know which one you're talking about," I smirked. "Well, it's technically yours – you bought it for me."
"What can I say?" She giggled, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm a sucker for a nice Carhartt hoodie."
"It'll keep you warm, that's for sure. I'll go get your clothes and shoes. Stay put, yeah?"
"Can't really go anywhere with urgency, babe."
I shook my head, smirking as I exited the bathroom, finding her favorite pair of leggings and my navy blue Carhartt hoodie, strands of her long blonde hair still lingering on it from where she liked to wear it. With her folded clothes draped over my forearm, I then picked up the shoebox with the new sandals I had gotten for her a few weeks ago – a pair of Croc Getaway sandals.
Crocs were her shoe of choice for the last few months, wearing out the sandals she had eventually gotten because she wore them so much, so I took it upon myself to buy her a new pair in the color that she regretted getting the first time – white.
She waddled into the bedroom, her eyes widening in surprise when she recognized the shoebox in my hand. "I'll help you get dressed, love."
"Simon, you didn't—"
"I did. What do you think about some new tread for those worn-out sandals you got the first time?" I teased, opening the box to let her view her gift.
"Oh, come on, I at least have a few thousand miles left on mine!" She laughed in exaggeration.
"Not good enough for me. Can't have you falling when a drop of rain hits the ground, love," I sighed. "Let me help you get changed."
She nodded, looking back behind her to make sure the twins were still sleeping before she let me help her take off her sleep shorts, kneeling down to help her slide her feet through the sleeves of the leggings, letting her use my shoulders to stabilize herself before she took off her – my – baggy t-shirt, that baby belly glowing with a thick, dark line coming up from her pubic bone and towards her sternum.
Once I pulled her maternity leggings over her belly, I couldn't help but press a kiss to the skin I was about to cover before helping her slide my hoodie over her head and arms.
"This baby is going to be huge," She frowned. "This hoodie is usually baggy on me, even when I was pregnant with the twins! Now, it's too tight. I-I gained weight or something, Simon."
"You don't look like you have, love. Your body is adjusting. Want me to get you a different one?"
"No, I'll get over it—"
"Stop. I'll get you a different one. Let me help you take this off."
God, she was so beautiful, even when those bloody hormones let her down. When she wasn't pregnant, it was rather easy to reassure her because I always meant it, but when she was hormonal, they refused to let her believe that I was telling her the truth.
I returned with a bigger hoodie – just a size bigger than my usual XXL. She was right – her belly was huge, and I was beginning to wonder if there were two in there, but by what Rachel had shown us, it was only one. This was going to be a big baby, perhaps even a boy as I've heard (and researched) that most babies big in size in the womb wound up to be boys.
That thought made me excited for another son – another man in the family to protect our lovely ladies of the house – another reason to keep the Riley bloodline going.
"How does this one feel?"
"Better, although I hate that I feel comfortable in a XXXL when I used to wear a large." She frowned.
"Stop seeing yourself like that, love. You're still tiny, you just have a big baby growing inside of you. How are you feeling?"
"Like I'm about to pop."
"You definitely look like you're ready."
"I'm dreading it, but I'm excited. I just hope this one doesn't hate me, too."
"Hey, L.T.! Chauffer MacTavish is here!" I heard Johnny shout from downstairs. Bloody hell.
"None of our kids hate you, sweetheart. Please, get that out of your head. Let's get your shoes on your feet and start your spa day."
"Thank you, Simon. Really." She looked at me, reaching up to cup my face while my hands instinctively rested on her hips.
"I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, babe. Thank you."
"No need to thank me, love. You deserve this."
"I don't think I do, but I don't want to ruin today by arguing." She smiled at me.
I escorted her down the stairs, getting her purse from the dresser in our room on our way out of the bedroom, keeping it in my grasp until we reached the bottom of the stairs, except I replaced her wallet with my credit card while she wasn't looking, knowing that she wouldn't let me pay for it if she knew.
"Johnny, remember what I said: you have precious cargo. No funny business, no speeding, no harsh turns—"
"I got it, L.T.," Johnny held up his hand. "I'm a grown man. I know better than to drive reckless with my wife in the car—"
"And you better drive even better with my wife in the car." I warned, arching my brow at him.
"I got it, Simon. I'll get her home safe. Don't you worry."
"I'll worry until you all get back. Until then, keep my warning in the front of your mind, yeah?"
"I will. You ready, K?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders and reaching for her purse that I was still holding. I let her have it, leaning down to kiss her lips before she walked out the door. I desperately wanted to escort her to the car, to ensure she was safe, but she and I both knew that I couldn't leave the kids alone upstairs for too long, even if they were sleeping.
Sincerely, I hoped that she would get a confidence boost after today. Johnny had the list of appointments I had planned for her. She was going to get her hair touched up and trimmed, her nails done, a pedicure, and a massage specially designed for the needs of pregnant women, and even a chiropractic adjustment as I knew she needed it.
Her lower back was as tight as a drum, her shoulders were always aching, and her ankles and hips were in need of a release, and I hoped that she would feel much better after today.
Like I said, she deserved this and even more.
And by more, she would have a new pregnancy pillow waiting on her when she got back, a new heated blanket, her favorite take-out, a box of new bath bombs that were on her Amazon wish list, and a new body scrub that I picked out for her, hoping that she would like it.
My angel was going to be spoiled today, and every day after that.
I was going to make sure of it.