Mary's pov:
"Are you sure you want to stay up, it's getting pretty late?" Mom asked wiping her hands.
I smiled a nodded, David was coming back tonight after spending 4 days at the office. I just was to feel his touch before I go to sleep.
"I'll be fine mom, just go sleep you've been working a lot. Get some rest." I told her as I slowly pushed her up the stairs.
"Just make sure you don't stay up to late." She added, "okay Ma." I replied.
After making sure Mom was tucked in bed, I went back downstairs. The house was quiet, the kind of quiet that feels almost too loud when you're waiting for someone. The clock on the wall ticked softly, the only sound breaking the stillness.
I wandered into the living room and sat on the couch, wrapping myself in the soft throw blanket. I glanced at my phone, hoping to see a message from David saying he was on his way, but the screen was blank. A part of me was worried—four days was a long time, and though I knew how demanding the project was, I couldn't help but feel the distance between us grow.
I tried to distract myself by flipping through the channels on TV, but nothing held my attention. My mind kept drifting back to David, wondering if he was okay, if he was thinking about me too.
The minutes dragged by, and I found myself dozing off, my eyes heavy with sleep. But I didn't want to give in, not yet. I wanted to be awake when he walked through the door, to see his smile and feel his arms around me again.
Finally, I heard the faint sound of a car pulling into the driveway. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly sat up, the fatigue melting away as anticipation took its place. I listened closely as the front door opened, and the familiar sound of his footsteps echoed through the hallway.
"David?" I called out softly, standing up as he walked into the living room. The moment I saw him, all my worries seemed to disappear. He looked tired, his hair a bit disheveled, but he was here, and that was all that mattered.
"Baby," he said with a small smile, grabbing my waist and pulled me in for a kiss.
I melted into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. The stress of the long day, the waiting, and the uncertainty all vanished in an instant. His kiss was gentle, yet filled with the kind of longing that only comes after being apart for too long.
"I missed you," I whispered against his lips, my voice barely more than a breath. I could feel the tension in his muscles, the exhaustion in the way he held me just a little tighter, as if afraid I might slip away.
"I missed you too," he murmured, his forehead resting against mine. "More than you know."
We stood there for a moment, holding each other in the quiet of the house, the outside world fading away. It was just the two of us, wrapped in the comfort of each other's presence.
"Let's sit down," he finally said, his voice low and tired. "I've had a long day."
I nodded, leading him to the couch. As we sat down, I nestled into his side, my head resting on his shoulder. His arm draped around me, holding me close. We didn't need to talk; the silence between us was filled with understanding, a shared sense of peace that words could never capture.
He let out a deep sigh, his hand gently running through my hair. "I'm sorry this happened so suddenly, problems came up with the project." he said softly, a hint of guilt in his tone.
"It's okay," I assured him, tilting my head to look up at him. "You're here now, and that's all that matters."
He smiled down at me, his eyes softening. "You always know just what to say." He kissed my forehead, a tender, lingering touch that made my heart swell with love.
We stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, as the night slowly crept on.
—————————————
The next morning when Felix woke up, Steph was peacefully sleeping soundly. He kiss her forehead before running his fingers through his hair and grabbing his phone.
He slid into his slippers heading into the bathroom as he called someone.
"Felix, this is surprise. I never thought this day will come when you call me first." A male voice said as he answered the call.
"I see your still dramatic as ever Alan." Felix replied letting out a chuckle.
"So what can I do for you on this rare occasion," Alan asked.
"I'm calling to tell you that Stephanie won't be coming in for two weeks, she's taking a sick day off." Felix informed.
"Wait, wait, I know you know she's my assistant right." Alan added.
Felix smiled and nodded even though Alan couldn't see him, "aren't we friends Alan, I hope you understand that my baby needs some rest and a break."
"You can't just take my assistant at anytime you want, I'm currently working on huge spring clothes set right now and I need her to be in the office." Alan explained.
"If I fail this project David will be on my ass, so maybe just this week and I'll let her take her leave." He complained.
"Don't worry about David, just get someone to handle the Job Steph had and I'll handle our little friend." Felix said.
Alan let out a sigh, "there's no saying no to you is there?"
"No, sorry bud. But right now my girl needs to be stress free." Felix replied.
Alan chuckled. "Alright, alright. You've got me. I'll figure something out. But you owe me one, Felix."
"Deal," Felix said with a grin. "I appreciate it, Alan. And I'll make sure Stephanie gets a full two weeks to recharge."
"Good. Just make sure she comes back ready to tackle everything," Alan said before hanging up.
Felix slid his phone in his pocket brushed his teeth and washed his face. After a few minutes Felix turned off the bathroom light and walked back into the bedroom. He glanced at Stephanie, still asleep, and felt a wave of relief.
He headed downstairs where he found Jay in his chair eating breakfast, "good morning little guy." He smiled rubbing his head and kissed his forehead.
"Morning daddy." Jay smiled, "are you enjoying your food?" He asked.
Jay smiled and nodded. Felix smiled patting his back and headed into the kitchen where he found the Nanny making breakfast.
"Good morning sir." She greeted him, "morning Talia, coffee please." He said.
Talia smiled and nodded, "thank you so much for coming in today, I think you will be needed for the next nine months." He told her.
Talia paused, a surprised look crossing her face as she turned to face Felix. "Nine months, sir? Is Mrs. Stephanie—?"
Felix nodded, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
"Yes, Talia. I just found out today. It's still early, but I want to make sure she's well taken care of."
Talia beamed, her excitement evident. "Congratulations, Mr. Felix! This is wonderful news! You can count on me to help with whatever you need."
"Thank you, Talia," Felix said, accepting the cup of coffee she handed him. "We're going to need your help to keep things running smoothly around here, especially with Stephanie needing more rest."
"Of course, sir. I'll take care of everything," Talia assured him.
Felix sipped his coffee, glancing out the kitchen window at the garden bathed in morning sunlight.
20 minutes later as Felix sat in the living rooms playing with Jay, Steph came downstairs looking a little bit more relaxed more then she had ever.
"Good morning mommy!" Jay smiled as he spotted her, He ran up to her and hugged her.
"Good morning sweetheart, did you eat breakfast?" She asked.
"Yeah, Nanny Talia cooked for me." He replied.
Stephanie smiled at him kissing his forehead, she turned to Felix and her smile slightly dropped.
"Why didn't you wake me up, I'm late for work." She said softly.
"Don't worry, I called Alan and told him you wouldn't make it today."
Stephanie looked at Felix, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. "You did? Felix, I can't just miss work like that. Alan's working on a big project."
Felix stood up, walking over to her and gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know, but you need to take it easy, Steph. I told Alan you'd be out for two weeks. He understands."
"Two weeks?" she echoed, her eyes widening. "Felix, I appreciate the thought, but I can't just—"
"You can, and you will," Felix interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. "You've been running yourself ragged, and it's not good for you or... our little ones."
TBC