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earthtoharlow · 5 months ago

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Don’t Like The Lights

Sequel to Flashing Lights series, must read Flashing Lights first to understand

Series Masterlist

18. Eastern Parkway

warning: so much fluff and some smut sprinkled in between

Jack was the first one dressed. He had Noah and London dressed and ready to go as well, feeling pretty proud of himself for getting everything in order while Maryse finished up. They had gotten a late start getting ready that morning because they were both up most of the night with Noah, who always seemed to have trouble sleeping some nights. Between rocking him and feeding him, they barely got more than a couple of hours of sleep.

As he held London in his arms, he talked to her in that soft, playful voice he always used with her. “Alright, little princess, we’re all set. You ready to go watch Daddy’s big show? You gotta look out for me, okay?”

London gazed up at him, blinking with her wide eyes, and just as he leaned in to kiss her tiny forehead, she let out a little burp — followed by a stream of spit-up all over his fresh shirt.

“Ah, come on!” he groaned, laughing despite himself. He held her out at arm’s length for a second, looking at the mess on his outfit. “London, you just had to do me like that, huh?”

Maryse walked into the room just in time to see the scene, biting her lip to hold back a laugh. “Oh no, not the outfit!”

Jack shook his head, still grinning as he gently handed London over to Maryse. “Yeah, well, I guess it’s a sign I needed a wardrobe change. She wasn’t feeling it.”

Maryse smirked, bouncing London softly in her arms. “You better go change quick before Noah decides to add to the chaos.”

Jack gave her a mock glare before heading back to the closet. “I was looking forward to wearing that! Alright, round two.” He disappeared into the bedroom, muttering to himself about “kids keeping him humble.”

As Jack disappeared into the bedroom to change, Maryse looked down at London in her arms and whispered with a smirk, “Good job, baby girl. I hated that outfit.”

London blinked up at her, wide-eyed and innocent, as if she had no idea the little victory she’d just handed her mom. Maryse smiled, rocking her gently. “You’ve got good taste already.”

A moment later, Jack came back out, now dressed in an all white outfit. “Alright, round two. This one better pass inspection,” he said, holding his arms out and giving a playful spin.

Maryse raised an eyebrow, pretending to assess his new look. “Much better,” she teased. “London approves this one.”

Jack chuckled, leaning over to kiss Maryse on the cheek before giving London a playful poke. “Traitor. You two are already teaming up on me, huh?”

Maryse laughed softly. “Get used to it.”

She then handed Jack, London so she could grab the diaper bags, and to triple check that they had everything they needed for the long day ahead of them.

Jack scooped up both babies, holding them like footballs under each arm. Maryse watched him in disbelief and burst out laughing. “You’re going to hurt them!” she teased, shaking her head.

Jack grinned back, completely unbothered. “Nah, they love it!” He glanced down at the babies, and sure enough, both Noah and London were smiling wide, letting out little giggles as they bounced gently in his grip.

Maryse couldn’t help but laugh harder. “I swear, only you would think carrying them like that is a good idea.”

“You’re no fun!” Jack said and handed London back to her.

Jack held Noah, who was looking around with curious eyes, and gently rested him against his chest. “Alright, buddy, time to head out,” he said softly, adjusting Noah’s little baseball cap.

Maryse followed with London in her arms, making sure she was comfortable as they headed to the door. As they stepped outside, the car was already waiting to take them to the festival.

“Let’s go, family,” Jack said, flashing a smile as he opened the door for Maryse, who slid in carefully with London. He secured Noah into his car seat, making sure everything was perfect before sitting beside them.

As the car pulled away, he glanced over at Maryse. “You ready for this?” he asked, giving her a playful nudge.

Maryse smiled, a mix of excitement and nerves in her eyes. “As long as I have my three people with me, I’m good.”

Jack leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Always.”

As they settled into the backseat of the car, Maryse leaned back with a soft smile, watching Noah and London. The twins, only a few months old, were lying beside each other, babbling in their little baby language. It was like they were trying to communicate, their tiny hands occasionally reaching out toward one another.

“They’re already best friends,” Jack said quietly from beside her, noticing the same thing.

Maryse nodded, her heart melting. “It’s like they have their own little secret world already.”

As Jack was going to respond his phone buzzed, and he took a quick call, going over some last-minute details. His voice was calm, yet focused, as he sorted out logistics with the event team. When he hung up, he sighed and leaned back in the seat, glancing at Maryse.

She smiled softly at him. “I know this is a lot, but you’ve handled everything so well. I’m really proud of you.”

Jack’s eyes softened as he looked at her. “Thanks, babe. That means a lot.” He glanced at the twins, who were babbling in their car seats, then back at Maryse. “None of this would feel as good without you and them.”

“You’re doing something huge,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I know how much this festival means to you.”

He smiled, that signature smirk she loved. “Yeah, but you three are still my priority. Always.”

Maryse squeezed his hand gently and smiled at him. “Don’t worry too much about us today, okay? Just make sure this day is special for you. You’ve worked so hard for this, and you deserve to enjoy it.”

Jack looked at her, his eyes softening with appreciation. “You sure?”

“Yes. We’ll be fine. Your parents are watching the babies, and I’ll be right here cheering you on. Just focus on making this festival everything you dreamed it would be.”

He nodded, still holding her hand. “Alright, I’ll try.” Then, with a playful grin, he added, “But I’ll still sneak away so we can have a quickie.”

Maryse rolled her eyes, laughing. “You’re impossible.”

***

Day 1 of Gazebo Fest was in full swing, Maryse stood backstage with Clay watching the crowd enjoy the festival. The music was loud, the sun was blazing, and she was feeling both proud and a little overwhelmed by the excitement of the day. She bounced on her heels, and swayed to the music.

Clay turned to her with a teasing grin. “So, where’s the man of the hour? And where’s my niece and nephew? You lose them already?”

Maryse chuckled, shaking her head. “I’m not sure, honestly. He said he was going to check on a few things, but now… who knows where he’s gone off to?”

Clay pulled out his phone, scanning the crowd. Then, he smiled and nudged her. “Actually, I just found him.”

Curious, Maryse followed his gaze. When she looked, she burst into laughter. There, in the distance, was Jack cruising around in a golf cart with London sitting comfortably in his lap, her tiny sunglasses on, looking like she was enjoying the ride. Beside him, Urban sat with Noah, holding him securely, as if they were just casually taking a spin around the festival.

“Oh my god,” Maryse muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “Of course he’s in a golf cart.”

Clay laughed. “He’s really out here living the dad life, huh?”

Maryse smiled, her heart swelling with love. “Yeah, he really is. And it’s somehow adorable and ridiculous at the same time.”

They watched as Jack drove closer, finally spotting them by the stage. He gave a goofy grin, clearly proud of himself. He pulled the golf cart to a stop and hopped out, carefully handing London over to Maryse.

“Hi baby girl, did daddy and uncle Urban take you on a joyride?”

Urban got out of the cart with Noah in his arms, grinning ear to ear. “Man, this is the life!”

Maryse rolled her eyes. “I swear, you guys are like big kids.”

Jack smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Gotta keep it fun, right?”

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky I didn’t see you before. I would’ve been too worried about them bouncing around,” she teased.

Jack leaned down to London, who was sucking on her tiny fist. “You had fun, didn’t you, little one?”

London let out a small giggle as if on cue, making everyone laugh.

“She’s showing her personality now,” Clay said, smiling at the little family. “Y’all make this parent thing look too easy.”

Maryse smiled softly, leaning into Jack as the sun shone down. “It’s definitely not easy, but we’re figuring it out.” She kissed London’s cheek and glanced up at Jack. “Even if he does like to stress me out”

***

As the festival buzzed around them, Jack’s parents took over watching the babies, giving him and Maryse a rare moment to themselves. He gently pulled her aside, away from the crowd and noise, until they found a quiet corner near the backstage area.

Maryse noticed the serious look on his face and raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So, I just got word that they’re predicting a storm tomorrow. Like, a big one.” He paused, looking at her for a reaction.

Maryse's eyes widened slightly. “A storm? But—”

“Yeah, and I don’t want to cancel the second day of the festival,” he interrupted, clearly torn. “We’ve put so much into this, and I don’t want to let everyone down. But at the same time, I don’t want to risk anything if it’s as bad as they’re saying it could be.”

Maryse nodded slowly, understanding his frustration. “I get it. But you know safety has to come first, right? What are the options?”

Jack rubbed his jaw, clearly frustrated. “They’re saying we could push it back, maybe even delay it a couple of hours to see how things go. But there’s no guarantee the storm will pass by then. It’s just… it sucks. We’ve worked so hard for this.”

She reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “I know. But no one’s going to be upset if you have to delay it for safety reasons. Everyone understands that weather can’t be controlled. You don’t want to risk something bad happening.”

He leaned against the wall, sighing again. “I just hate feeling like I’m letting people down. Especially for something we’ve been planning for so long.”

Maryse stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re not letting anyone down. Everyone’s having a great time today, and even if the second day gets pushed back, it’ll be worth the wait. Trust me, people will appreciate you looking out for them.”

Jack exhaled, his shoulders relaxing a little. “I know you’re right… I just hate the idea of it getting messed up, you know?”

“I know,” she said, resting her head on his chest. “But you’re doing amazing. This festival is incredible. You’ve got two beautiful babies, and we’re all safe. That’s what matters most.”

Jack smiled down at her, his mood softening. “You always know what to say, huh?”

Maryse grinned. “That’s my job.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Alright, I’ll talk to the team and see what we can figure out. Maybe it won’t even be as bad as they’re saying.”

“Whatever happens, it’ll be okay,” she said, squeezing his hand. “We’ll make it work.”

With that, Jack seemed to regain some of his usual confidence. “You’re right. I’ll let you know what the plan is as soon as we know for sure.” He paused, looking around for a moment before grinning. “But for now, how about we go check on our little troublemakers?”

Maryse smiled back at him. “Lead the way.”

As the sun began to set and the crowd’s energy buzzed under the warm sky, Jack and Maryse stood backstage, each holding one of their 3-month-old twins, both babies sporting tiny headphones to protect their ears from the loud music. London was in Jack’s arms, her little hands occasionally grabbing at his shirt, while Noah rested contentedly against Maryse's chest, his eyes getting heavy as the music played.

Jack looked out over the sea of people, feeling a surge of pride and accomplishment. This was his dream coming to life, but the worries about the weather tomorrow still hung in the back of his mind.

Sensing his tension, Maryse leaned into him slightly and whispered, “No matter what happens tomorrow, you should be really proud of yourself. Look at all of this, Jack. You made it happen.”

He glanced at her, his expression softening as her words hit him. “You think so?” he asked, a bit of his vulnerability showing beneath his usual calm.

She nodded, giving him a gentle smile. “Absolutely. No one else could’ve pulled this off like you did.”

Jack looked back at the stage, then down at London, who was starting to doze off in his arms. The sight of her tiny frame bundled up, safe and sound, warmed his heart. He glanced over at Noah, snuggled into Maryse, and the feeling only grew stronger. “Yeah… I guess I did,” he murmured, almost to himself, as the sounds of SZA’s voice echoed through the night.

***

Jack sat on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his hair, he had just put out a statement canceling the second day. The storm had damaged the site and more rain was expected later that night. Maryse walked over, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s not your fault, Jack,” she said softly. “You did everything you could.”

He let out a long sigh, looking at her. “I know, but it sucks. People came out for this, and now it’s over because of some storm.”

Maryse gave him a small smile, thinking for a moment before an idea sparked. “What if… instead of letting the day go to waste, we invited the artists to do something fun? Like, I don’t know, take them all to the bowling alley or something. It’s indoors, we could still hang out and enjoy the day.”

Jack raised his eyebrows, considering the suggestion. “Bowling?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Something low-key and fun. It doesn’t have to be the festival, but at least you all can unwind together. It’ll show them you care about them having a good time, even if things didn’t go as planned.”

He looked at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You know what? That’s not a bad idea.” He stood up, his mood already lifting. “Alright, let’s do it. I’ll start making some calls.”

Maryse grinned, watching him grab his phone, already moving on from his frustration. She knew how much this meant to him, and she was glad to see him bouncing back. “And who knows, maybe you can redeem yourself from the last time we went bowling,” she teased.

Jack shot her a playful look. “Oh, you’re on. Just wait.”

Later that night Jack was able to get a few artists to come to the local bowling alley to make the most of the weekend. He had been pretty down about the second day of the festival getting canceled, but seeing everyone having fun, laughing, and bowling helped lift his mood.

Maryse glanced over at him, noticing his smile growing wider as he watched Omar Apollo celebrate after knocking down a strike. He seemed more at ease, the tension from the past few days finally fading away.

“You feeling better?” she asked softly, nudging him as they sat near the lane, holding their bowling shoes.

He nodded, his eyes still on the group. “Yeah, actually. It sucks we couldn’t go through with the show, but… seeing everyone like this, still vibing, it’s cool. I needed this.”

Maryse smiled, leaning into him. “You did a great job. People are having fun regardless. That’s what matters.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a squeeze. “Thanks for suggesting this. It was a good call.”

She looked around at the artists, laughing and enjoying themselves, and nodded. “They deserved to have some fun too.”

Maryse stood and grabbed his hands pulling him to his feet. “C’mon, I came here to whoop your ass in bowling not to watch you just sit here!”

Jack laughed. “You’ve never whooped my ass in bowling a day in your life!”

All she could do was roll her eyes “Today might be the day.”

“You’re a dreamer. You dream a lot.”

***

A few days after the festival, Jack’s parents showed up unexpectedly at their house. Jack opened the door, surprised to see them standing there with determined expressions.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Jack asked, stepping aside to let them in.

Maggie gave him a knowing smile. “We’re here to give you both a break.”

Maryse, who had been sitting on the couch with Noah in her lap, glanced over. “A break?” she asked, confused but intrigued.

Brian nodded. “Yep. You two need to have a life outside of the babies. We’ve already made plans—we’re watching them for the entire weekend.”

Jack blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, the whole weekend? Are you sure?”

His mom laughed, waving off his concern. “Of course! You two need time for just yourselves. You’ve been incredible parents, but it’s important to enjoy some alone time too.”

Maryse looked over at Jack, who seemed just as surprised as she was. “I don’t know… I mean, Noah still has his nights where he won’t sleep—”

“And London’s just starting to settle into her routine,” Jack added, sounding hesitant.

His mom shook her head, smiling warmly. “We’ve raised kids before, remember? We can handle it. You two need to go out, relax, and enjoy being just the two of you for a bit.”

Maryse felt a wave of nerves hit her. It had been so long since it was just her and Jack without the babies. “Are you sure? I mean, we don’t want to—”

“Yes, we’re sure,” his dad interrupted gently. “Trust us. You need this. You’ve done so much for the twins, and now it’s time to take care of yourselves too.”

Jack finally cracked a smile, glancing over at Maryse. “Maybe they’re right. We could use a little break.”

Maryse hesitated, glancing down at Noah, but then sighed. “Okay… but if anything happens, you’ll call us immediately.”

His mom grinned. “Of course. Now go plan something fun before we change our minds!”

Maryse looked over at Jack who was already pulling out his phone, probably looking up restaurants or something to do. For the first time in what felt like forever, they were about to have a whole weekend just for the two of them.

Jack booked them a hotel downtown, something nice and quiet to get away from everything for the weekend. Before they left, though, they spent what felt like hours saying goodbye to the twins. Both Maryse and Jack gave Noah and London big, long kisses, and they went over everything with his parents one more time.

“Okay, so Noah really likes being rocked, but not too fast,” Maryse explained, glancing at his mom. “And London—if she starts fussing, humming helps her calm down.”

Jack added, “Oh, and Noah hates the green pacifier—only the blue one works. London’s more flexible, but that one is non-negotiable for him.”

His parents smiled patiently, nodding along as if they hadn’t heard the same instructions a few times already. Brian chuckled, “We’ve got it. Go enjoy yourselves, we’ll take good care of them.”

“Are you sure?” Maryse asked, looking over at the twins again, her heart tugging at the thought of leaving them.

His mom laughed and waved them toward the door. “Go! You need this. We’ll call if anything happens.”

Finally, with a gentle push, they were ushered out the door and into the car. As they buckled up and started driving away, Maryse looked over at Jack, who was sitting unusually quiet in the driver seat. His eyes were a little red, and she could see him subtly wiping the corner of his eye.

She raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Are you crying?”

He immediately denied it, shaking his head quickly. “Nah, I’m not crying. There’s just… something in my eye.”

Maryse couldn’t help but laugh softly, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “It’s okay if you are. I’m kind of emotional too.”

Jack sighed, finally giving in. “I mean, it’s the first time we’re leaving them. Feels weird, you know?”

She nodded, leaning her head back against the seat. “Yeah, it does. But it’s good for us. They’ll be okay… and so will we.”

Jack glanced over at her with a soft smile, wiping away the last trace of his tears. “You’re right. We’ll survive… barely.”

When they finally arrived at the hotel, they stepped into the room and were greeted by an almost eerie quiet. No baby cries, no sound machine, just silence. For the first time in what felt like forever, they weren’t on high alert for a diaper change or a feeding.

Jack tossed his bag onto the couch and stretched out, taking in the peace. Maryse wandered over to the window, gazing out at the city lights, and let out a long, relaxed sigh.

After a moment, she turned to him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Is it selfish that I’m kind of loving how quiet it is right now?”

Jack grinned, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “Not at all. I was about to say the same thing. It’s weird… but nice.”

She leaned back against him, closing her eyes. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this. Just… breathing, without having to worry about anything.”

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, resting his chin on her shoulder. “But I give it a couple of hours before we start missing the chaos.”

Maryse laughed softly, knowing he was right. “Probably. But for now… I’m going to enjoy every second of this.”

“Me too.” Jack said as he started to walk her backwards towards the bed.

“I love you, M” He whispered, as they were now sitting on the bed. Jack leaned closer to Maryse, with the intention of kissing her. Maryse never let it happen, instead choosing to push his shoulders until he fell back onto the bed.

“Yuck.” Maryse said with a wicked smile, climbing onto his lap and kissing him deeply, his hands running over her body in a way she knew that they wouldn’t be making the dinner reservations. And she was okay with that.

Jack, always liking to be in control, flipped Maryse over on her back and swiftly pulled her skirt along with her underwear down her legs and kicked off his pants.

Maryse spread her legs as wide apart as she could, looking up at Jack. He looked like he was a starving man and she was a hot meal. She would be lying if she didn’t want him to devour her. Jack pushed her back, leaning down between her legs and breathing over her clit, the cool heat hitting her just right.

She gasped loudly, unable to shove his head down there as his hands came up to pin her arms down on the bed, his mouth on her pussy. Maryse moaned loudly, tilting her head back, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.

“You’re so wet for me, baby.”

Maryse was wet as soon as started kissing, she couldn’t deny it. They had a very healthy sex life, but ever since having kids, they don’t have sex as often as they would like to now.

Jack pulled away slightly, moving to kiss her knee before softly biting on the inside of her thighs, going back to breathe her in before moving away to kiss and bite her other leg. Maryse moaned again, raising her hips only to have Jack wrap his hands around her waist and pin her down. She wanted to cry, she needed him.

“Please,” She practically whined, quickly pulling her shirt over her head and unhooking her bra and tossing it aside so she could cup her breasts. “Jack please.”

Jack smirked, pulling away completely and sitting up on his knees. He shook his head as he watched her play with her nipples.

“Why the rush? We have all the time in the world.”

Maryse groaned, loving and hating when he teased her. “Please! I need you now…”

“I love taking my time with you, M.” Jack moved his hands up her body, pushing her hands away so he could pinch her nipples.

Jack then cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his index finger and staring down at her before leaning down to kiss her, their tongues fighting one another.

When Maryse finally felt breathless from all the kissing, Jack finally pulled away. He moved down to tease her breasts and nipples and then eventually made his way down.

Jack kept her on edge, fingering her and nibbling on her clit, alternating the nibbles with flat licks of his tongue & then flicks of the tip, and every time she was about to reach her orgasm he would stop, only to wait until she came back down so he could start the process all over again. Maryse was beginning to think he hated her.

At one point Maryse found herself actually sobbing, her hands clawing at Jack’s arms that were pinning her down, begging for him to please, please let her cum. He just laughed, “I love you.” and pressed a kiss to her clit and carried on as before.

Her thighs were shaking and her body was coated in sweat when Jack finally put her out of her misery and licked at her clit, two fingers stuffed into her pussy and his thumb pressing against her asshole.

Maryse came with a shout, her voice hoarse from all the begging and pleading and Jack sat up between her legs, a wild look on his face and his chin dripping with all of her juices. He let go of her hands and she surged forward, kissing him and tasting herself.

Jack fucked her mouth with his tongue, rubbing their tongues together so she would taste herself and pinching her nipples. He pulled away eventually and stroked himself a few times, watching Maryse.

“Get down.” he mumbled, turning her around and shoving her head down so he could enter her in one swift motion. Her back arched beautifully and he spanked her left cheek before moving to do the same to the right, alternating between grabbing and spanking at her cheeks.

Maryse was moaning loudly, pressing her ass back with each stroke and matching Jack’s movements, her pussy hot and tight and just perfect in this position. Jack gripped the back of her hips tightly, fucking into her. She was sure that she would have bruises in the morning.

“I could be inside you forever.” Jack groaned, burying himself further inside her.

“You’re the love of my life.” Jack found himself repeating sweet nothings as he kept the pace lost in the moment. His hands roamed over Maryse's back, but something tugged at him. He paused for a second, then gently flipped her over so he could see her face. He needed to see her—her beautiful, familiar expression that always left him breathless.

“Open your eyes.”

As their eyes met, a rush of emotions hit him. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed being with her like this, without any distractions or exhaustion. “I missed you,” he murmured softly, as he entered inside her again, his voice low but full of meaning, as if those three words carried all the weight of the past months.

Maryse moaned and smiled up at him, her eyes a little glossy, and reached up to touch his cheek. “I missed you too,” she whispered back, her thumb brushing over his skin.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips, savoring the closeness they’d been craving for so long. Maryse’s legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his shoulders, gripping tight as he gave her slow, deep strokes.

“Oh my god,” Maryse whimpered as they came at the same time and as Jack emptied himself inside her.

Afterward, Jack collapsed on top of her, both of them breathless. He started to move, but Maryse quickly wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer.

“Stay,” she whispered, her arms tightening around his back. She loved the feeling of his weight on her, grounding her in the moment, no matter how heavy he was. There was something about it that made her feel safe, connected.

Jack smiled against her neck, pressing a kiss to her skin. “I’m crushing you,” he teased softly, but he didn’t make any effort to move, knowing she wanted him to stay right there.

“I don’t care,” she murmured, her voice sleepy and full of contentment. “I like it.”

With a low chuckle, he shifted just enough to get more comfortable but stayed close, holding her until the two of them drifted off to sleep.

They were only asleep for about thirty minutes when Jack stirred, feeling the urge to use the bathroom. He groaned softly, not wanting to move, especially with Maryse still clinging to him. Slowly, he tried to untangle himself from her legs without waking her, but as soon as he moved, she mumbled something and tightened her grip.

“Babe, I gotta go,” he whispered, pushing her curls out her face. Maryse let out a small, sleepy protest before loosening her legs and letting him slip away.

“Hurry back,” she muttered, barely awake.

Jack smiled as he got up, walking to the bathroom. He glanced back at her, curled up in the sheets, and thought about how peaceful she looked. Even though it had only been a short nap, it felt like the best rest he’d had in a while.

When he walked back out the restroom, Maryse was now sitting up in the bed with the sheets tangled around her.

Jack leaned against the doorframe, putting on a mock-serious expression.

“So… when am I gonna see you again?” he teased, pretending like it was a one-night stand.

Maryse raised an eyebrow and smirked, playing along. “I don’t usually do second dates, you know,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “But maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you take me out sometime.”

Jack grinned, walking back over to the bed and flopping down beside her. “Well, in that case, I better make it count.” He leaned in, brushing a kiss against her cheek, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him.

“Just don’t be late next time,” she added with a chuckle. “I’ve got high standards.”

He winked, pulling her closer. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Maryse let out a sigh of contentment. She stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts wandering. The silence was peaceful but strange after weeks of constant baby sounds. She shifted a little, looking over at Jack, who was lightly tracing patterns on her arm.

“I’ve been thinking,” she began softly, “about this new chapter of our lives… everything’s changing so fast, and I kinda feel like I want a change too, you know? Like maybe I should do something different… maybe get blonde streaks in my curls or something.”

Jack raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her with a teasing smirk. “Blonde streaks, huh? You know you just got that curl treatment not too long ago ’cause you were freaking out about losing them after the babies were born.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes at him. “I know, I know. But it’s just… I don’t know, I feel like I need to mark this new era somehow. Something fresh.”

He playfully tugged on one of her curls. “Babe, your curls are already perfect. But if blonde streaks are what you want, do it. Just don’t blame me when you miss your natural look in two weeks.”

Maryse smiled, feeling comforted by his support but also amused by his teasing. “You’d miss my wild curls too,” she teased back, poking his chest lightly.

“Absolutely,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “But I’m down for whatever makes you feel like yourself. Just don’t go too crazy,” he added with a chuckle.

She sighed contentedly, resting her head on his chest. “I don’t know, maybe I just want something that feels like… me again. After everything—pregnancy, the twins, life moving so fast—sometimes it’s hard to remember what that is.”

Jack watched her closely, sensing there was more behind her words than just hair. He knew her better than that. “You know it’s not the hair, right?” he said, shifting closer to her on the bed. “You don’t need blonde streaks to feel like yourself.”

She frowned slightly, turning her eyes to him. “What do you mean?”

“I think what you’re really missing is the music,” he said, his tone gentle. “That’s where you feel like you. Not in some hair color. You’ve been talking about wanting to get back in the studio, and I think that’s what you need.”

Maryse sighed, her hand falling to her side. She hadn’t admitted it fully to herself, but she knew he was right. Since giving birth, there had been so much focus on the twins that she hadn’t made time for her own creative outlet. She felt a pang of guilt, wondering if it was selfish to even think about it.

“You think I should?” she asked, her voice quieter now.

“I know you should,” Jack reassured her, brushing his fingers across her cheek. “The music’s always been your way of finding yourself again. And it’s been way too long.”

She gave him a small smile, appreciating how well he understood her. “Maybe you’re right… it’s time.”

He grinned. “Of course I’m right. But if you still want to go blonde, I won’t stop you.”

She laughed softly, leaning into his touch. “Ok good because I still want to do it.”

***

The next morning, as they were lounging in bed, enjoying the last few moments of peace before the day started, Maryse reached for her phone. “I’m gonna FaceTime your mom, just to check on the babies,” she said, already dialing.

Jack stretched out beside her, eyes still half-closed. “They’re fine,” he mumbled. “Mom’s got them.”

“I know, but I miss them,” she replied, the call already ringing. A moment later, his mom’s face appeared on the screen, and she gave them a warm smile.

“Good morning! Look who’s up early,” his mom said with a laugh. Then she turned the camera toward the twins, who were lying on a blanket, kicking their little legs.

“Hi, my babies!” Maryse cooed into the phone, her voice softening as she watched Noah and London. “Mommy and Daddy miss you so much.”

Jack leaned in, half-smiling at the screen. “They behaving?”

Maggie nodded. “Oh, they’ve been angels. Just had their bottles and are already playing. But you two, stop worrying about them. Enjoy your time together!”

Maryse smiled but couldn’t help asking, “Noah slept okay? He didn’t wake up too much last night, did he?”

His mom waved off her concern. “He did great. Didn’t wake up until early this morning. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

Jack chuckled, kissing Maryse on the shoulder. “See? Told you. They’re in good hands.”

Maryse sighed, giving the twins one last look. “Okay, okay. We’ll see you later, then. Love you guys.”

“Love you too,” his mom said before hanging up.

Maryse put the phone down and turned back to Jack, who grinned at her. “Feel better?”

She nodded, smiling softly. “Yeah… but I still miss them.”

They stayed locked up in the hotel room all day only leaving to grab lunch. When they got back to the hotel, Maryse collapsed onto the bed, letting out a deep sigh. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before rolling over to look at Jack, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone.

“You know,” she began softly, “I was thinking… do you think it’d be okay if we went home early? I miss them already.”

Jack paused, setting his phone aside. He looked at her with a small smile. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said, clearly relieved. “I’ve been missing them too.”

Maryse smiled, feeling her heart warm at his words. She had enjoyed their alone time, but something about being away from their babies felt incomplete. “Let’s go home,” she said quietly.

Jack stood up, grabbing his jacket. “Let’s do it,” he said, his voice lighter now that they’d both admitted what they were feeling.

They packed up their things quickly, eager to be back with their twins. As they headed out of the hotel, Maryse couldn’t help but laugh. “We didn’t even last 24 hours away from them.”

Jack grinned, shrugging. “I’m okay with that.”

Within minutes, they were on their way home, excitement bubbling up in both of them at the thought of seeing their babies again.

When they walked through the door, Maggie raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed with a teasing smile. “What are you two doing back already? Didn’t you have a whole weekend planned?”

Maryse and Jack exchanged sheepish grins, walking straight toward the twins, who were lying on a play mat. “We missed the babies too much,” Maryse admitted, bending down to scoop up London.

Jack chuckled, picking up Noah and immediately showering him with kisses. “Yeah, we didn’t last,” he added, pressing his lips to Noah’s chubby cheeks. “We couldn’t help it.”

His mom laughed, shaking her head. “You two are hopeless. It’s only been a day!”

But Maryse and Jack were too busy covering their babies with kisses, making soft cooing sounds as the twins giggled in response. “Did you miss us?” Maryse whispered to London, her eyes soft as the baby girl gurgled.

Jack gave Noah one last kiss on the forehead before looking over at Maryse. “Next time, we’ll try to last longer,” he joked, glancing at his mom. “Maybe.”

Maggie rolled her eyes playfully. “I’ll be here when you’re ready to try again.”

After a few moments of smothering their babies with affection, Maryse looked over at Jack and smiled. “Let’s swap,” she said softly.

Jack grinned and nodded. “Deal.” He carefully passed Noah to Maryse and reached out to take London from her arms. They cradled their new little ones, and Maryse immediately kissed Noah’s forehead, holding him close. “Hey, big guy. Did you miss me?” she whispered, gently bouncing him as he cooed in response.

Meanwhile, Jack held London with the same care, pressing his lips to her tiny hands. “Your brother got all the attention for a second, but now it’s your turn,” he murmured, smiling down at her. London looked up at him with wide eyes, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, Daddy missed you too.”

They both took turns doting on the twins, alternating between soft kisses and playful chatter, completely wrapped up in the moment. Maggie and Brian stood back with a slight shake of their heads watching with amused smiles as Maryse and Jack showered their grandchildren with love.

Turning to his parents, they smiled gratefully. “Thank you so much for watching them,” Maryse said, her voice full of sincerity. “We really needed that time together… even if we couldn’t last the whole weekend.”

Jack chuckled, still holding London tightly. “Yeah, we tried. But we missed them too much,” he added, looking down at his parents. “Seriously though, we appreciate you stepping in. It was nice to have some quiet, even if it was just for a bit.”

His mom waved them off, smiling knowingly. “We get it. But don’t worry about cutting it short—you two deserved the break.”

His dad chimed in, “And you know we’re always here to help. Anytime you need us.”

Maryse and Jack exchanged a glance, both grateful to have such supportive family around them.

***

an: this was super duper long but I feel like it was needed 🤭 and since this was so long I need everyone to tell me what their favorite part(s) were!! Thx for reading 🥰

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