#in which bryce gets daycared

[janosglove]

“thats so cold… its still cold.” 4.2.24

[timebegins-onopeningday]

October 2023 New Works Round Up

Happy Sunday, everybody! It’s our inaugural new works round-up post, a mere two days after the soft deadline. Let’s do a round up of all the works posted to the collection so far* 🥳

*by Saturday night, when I drafted and scheduled this post.

AO3 | All works | Ask box

New works, in no particular order (link in titles):

spit it out on three by pamlipsestic | Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants | Zack Gelof/Casey Schmitt

It was in the scouting report, and even if it hadn’t been, the neon yellow custom sliding mitt would've given it right away.

FIX ME A BLUE SKY by hualuo (baiyunli) | Philadelphia Phillies | Bryson Stott/Trea Turner

“Right,” says Trea, feeling like he missed several steps. You’re gonna be good,” promises Stott. “You’re Trea fucking Turner.” He squeezes Trea’s shoulder again, tips the bill of his cap down like he’s letting him in on a secret. His eyes brim with it, crescent moons shot through in hazel. “And call me Bryson, okay?” Trea Turner, on things (and people) he can't control.

our bodies to bargain by sorrellegiance | San Francisco Giants | Sean Manaea & Blake Sabol | neocities 

This is a comic about places and going to them!

step by step by glowfruit | New York Yankees | Aaron Judge/Anthony Rizzo

Aaron's simple request for Anthony to teach him how to cook is not as simple as he might think.

what you want, what you got by powderblu (bluspirits) | Philadelphia Phillies | Brandon Marsh/ Bryson Stott

So yeah, Bryson is a gift giver. That's about the only explanation he can come up with for what's in front of him. Or: courting rituals, daycare edition

we all end in the ocean by Anonymous | New York Mets | Francisco Alvarez/Brett Baty

“Why don’t you come over here for a second,” Eduardo frowned, cringing as he approached Brett. The injury must have horribly deformed him, or something. I’m fine, you don’t need to carry me, he’d wanted to complain, but it was like Brett weighed nothing at all, and no matter how much he kicked and squirmed, Eduardo didn’t falter, carrying him over to the sink. What the fuck? In the mirror, staring back at him, was an orange cat. Eduardo raised Brett’s arm and waved. The cat waved back. Brett let out an ear-splitting scream and the cat in the mirror screamed back, fur puffed up all over. animal transformation au: baseball magic is real and the rays are petty

Unbuttoned by powerblu (bluspirits) | Philadelphia Phillies | Bryce Harper/Trea Turner

Bryce had always told him he'd look good in a Phillies jersey. Now that Trea's on the team, it's time to prove he meant it.

all play no skips by powerblu (bluspirits) | Philadelphia Phillies | Garrett Stubbs/J.T. Realmuto

Some people would refer to what he has going on right now as 'intangibles'.

If I’m not my body by planesandtrainingwheels | Toronto Blue Jays | Danny Jansen/Jordan Romano

He catches sight of the beginnings of a bruise that promises to be ugly tomorrow morning stretching across Danny’s thigh. “You’re insane,” he says appreciatively. Something in him itches to put his hands on it, to brush across the tender purple skin with his fingers - which isn’t a thought he’s ever had before. Oh boy. Danny grins. “Anything for you, Romy.” Or, Jordan Romano, Danny Jansen, and the mortifying ordeal.

The next round-up post will be posted sometime on Sunday, November 12, so if you need a new deadline, aim for the North American morning of November 11.

Under the cut: October Challenges for readers and creators + 3 questions for creators (for your WIPs or completed works) and a bonus side quest for readers!

October Challenge for readers: Before the November post, comment on THREE works you haven’t commented on yet! If you’ve commented on them all already….king shit, because it’s been two days. Go get a boba to celebrate and watch some postseason baseball.

Bonus Readers Side Quest: If the creator of the work allows it, create a moodboard for one of the works you enjoyed and post it on Tumblr. Tag @timebegins-onopeningday so that I can reblog and of course make sure you link to the work and tell the author too!

October Challenge for creators: Every week until the November post (on the 12th), do the following:

Writers, add FIVE sentences to your work.

Artists, spend FIFTEEN MINUTES on your work. 

Podfic? Five minutes of editing or ten minutes of recording. Something else I’m not thinking of? Adjust accordingly to your medium.

Creator Questions: Answer in the notes, send an ask, or just post on your blog and tag @timebegins-onopeningday!

Which player in the work inspired you to put them in the boba shaker of baseball rpf and why?

What is one thing you want everyone to know about your work that didn’t (or won’t) make it into the final work?

Without spoiling anything, what part of your work are you most excited for people to experience?

That’s it for this month! I hope you all enjoy the works that have been posted - I’m still making my way through them, but I’m loving what I’ve read so far. Remember to leave comments if you read, and to treat yourself kindly as you create.

As always, ask box is open and anon is on. I can also be reached at rpfisfine@/gmail.com ��

[rookie-ramsey]

Eclipse, Chapter 3 (Ethan x MC)

Description: Five years after the birth of their unexpected twins, Ethan and Olivia are expecting their third child. Even if they planned the pregnancy this time around, they learn that not everything goes as planned.

Preview: “We know now that she’ll definitely need heart surgery. She has what’s called an atrioventricular septal defect. She’ll be okay for a couple of months, but then she’ll have symptoms of heart failure. The good news is that the surgery has a very high success rate,” Ethan explained.

Alan nodded softly. “Well, you know that whatever you need, I’m there. I’ll watch Zoey and Jonah anytime you need to be with the baby.”

Previous Chapter

At the end of the month, they left Boston for a trip to Alan’s house.

When Ethan pulled into the driveway, Zoey and Jonah clambered out of the backseat and rushed to the front door. Alan answered moments later and knelt down to hug his grandchildren.

“It’s about time you got here!”

They hugged him tightly. Jonah smiled widely. “What are you making for dinner?”

Alan chuckled. “I’m glad you asked. I’m making spaghetti and I need some taste testers for the sauce. I just don’t know who to ask.”

“We’ll do it!” Zoey volunteered.

“Sounds like I found the right people.” Alan ruffled their hair and stood up. The twins raced each other into the kitchen and Ethan and Olivia followed Alan inside.

“Something smells good,” Olivia noted.

Alan grinned. “It better! It was one of the first recipes Ethan learned how to make. His results back then weren’t nearly as good as they are now, but he learned fast.”

“Too bad that doesn’t apply to pancakes,” Olivia teased.

“Or dessert!” Jonah chimed in.

“He never did learn how to bake, did he?” Alan agreed,

“Nope. He always messes it up,” Zoey added.

Ethan rolled his eyes. “We’ve been here a minute and I’m already the topic of discussion?”

“Always.” Olivia squeezed his arm. A few minutes later, dinner was ready and everyone took a seat at the table.

“Jonah, Zoey, how’s kindergarten?” Alan addressed his grandkids.

Jonah smiled sheepishly, with the hints of pride in his eyes. “I got put in time-out today cause I woke someone up at naptime.”

Alan chuckled. “Has your daddy ever told you about his kindergarten time-outs? He had a few, if I remember correctly.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Alan confirmed. “One time he stole chocolate out of the teacher’s desk drawer. He even had an elaborate plan to get her to leave her desk.”

Olivia snickered, entertained. “That’s painfully adorable. How did he get caught?”

Ethan rolled his eyes, but his lips curled into an amused smile. “I wasted time trying to choose between the Hershey bar and the Snickers. When she turned around, I tried to get back to my seat but she caught me with a candy bar in each hand.”

“Such a shame. You could have gotten away with it.”

Ethan smirked. “Who says I didn’t? For all you know, I spent my time-out eating chocolate every time she turned her back to me. The plan wasn’t a complete failure.”

“Just when I thought the story couldn’t get cuter.” Olivia and the twins laughed out loud and resumed eating.

After dinner, they gathered in the living room. Alan gave the kids a photo album to look through, something they always wanted to do when they visited.

When they found the picture of Ethan as a child, his lips locked with the plush mouth of his teddy bear, Zoey giggled and held it up. “This one’s my favorite!”

Ethan cringed. “You remind me of that every time we’re here.”

Olivia grinned. “It’s a pretty fascinating picture. Little Ethan making out with a stuffed animal is pretty fascinating.”

“CPR.”

“Nuh uh, Daddy.” Zoey shook her head, tucking the picture back into the album. She and her twin continued flipping through the pages, amused with the pictures as if they didn’t look at the album every time they visited Alan’s house.

Jonah found Ethan’s basketball picture from middle school. “Daddy looks like a giant.”

Alan laughed. “He was the tallest kid in his class until his senior year of high school. Then he met someone taller than him and refused to learn the kid’s name.”

“How petty of him.” Olivia giggled. “I’m pretty sure these two are going to be skyscrapers, too.”

Once they’d looked through another album, Jonah and Zoey left the room to play in Ethan’s old bedroom, which now served as a room for them to stay in if they spent the night.

“We had another appointment yesterday to check on the baby,” Olivia announced.

“How did that go?” Alan asked curiously.

“We know now that she’ll definitely need heart surgery. She has what’s called an atrioventricular septal defect. She’ll be okay for a couple of months, but then she’ll have symptoms of heart failure. The good news is that the surgery has a very high success rate,” Ethan explained.

Alan nodded softly. “Well, you know that whatever you need, I’m there. I’ll watch Zoey and Jonah anytime you need to be with the baby.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

They stayed until the kids emerged from the bedroom, both visibly sleepy. Jonah tried to contain a yawn as he leaned against Ethan’s knee.

“Can we spend the night?”

Ethan shook his head and ruffled his son’s hair. “Not on a school night.”

“School is closed tomorrow!” Zoey tried.

“Nice try.”

Olivia stood up. “I think it’s time to start going home.”

The kids sighed but gave in and hugged Alan goodbye before they followed their parents to the car. Despite their insistence that they weren’t tired, they were both sound asleep before they’d made it out of Providence.

XXXXXX

Even though they spent most of their after-school time in the daycare for staff children, Zoey and Jonah knew the halls of Edenbrook just as well, if not better, than the employees.

When they  saw Bryce checking his schedule at the front desk, they rushed to the desk. “Uncle Bryce!”

Bryce grinned. “Hey, Double Trouble.”

Jonah pointed at the schedule on the wall. “Are you gonna cut anyone open today?”

“Two. I’m doing a kidney transplant. I cut the first guy open, take out his kidney, and then put it inside his brother.”

Zoey’s eyes widened. “Cool!”

Bryce laughed. “Sure is. What kind of trouble do you two have planned?”

Jonah glanced around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. “We’re gonna watch TV in the lounge. Don’t tell anybody.”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Bryce assured them. Satisfied, the kids waved at him before they left, sneaking in the direction of the lounge.

They poked their heads inside to make sure nobody was inside. Then they dashed into the lounge and started perusing the available snack options. Once they’d picked out something to eat, they sat on the plush couch as if they belonged there.

They’d only been in the lounge a few minutes when the door opened and a confused-looking handful of interns stuck their heads in the room. One of them sighed and shook his head.

“Nope. This is the lounge.”

Curious, Jonah stopped clicking through the channels on the television.  “What are you looking for?”

“Uh… Dr. Ramsey’s office?”

“Which Dr. Ramsey?”

The intern’s eyes widened. “There’s more than one?”

Zoey hopped off the couch and grinned. “Yup! Our mommy and daddy. But Mommy usually goes by her old last name so people don’t get confused.”

“Uh… this folder says E. Ramsey.”

“That’s Daddy,” Jonah confirmed. He finished his cookie and pointed at the door. “We’ll show you.”

Looking simultaneously grateful and awkward to be accepting directions from five-year-olds, the intern looked back at the little group and nodded. “Thanks? We just transferred from another hospital, so we don’t know where anything is.”

“C’mon.”

Zoey and Jonah led the interns through the halls, knowing the way to the diagnostics office by heart. When they reached it, Zoey pushed the door open. “There!”

Ethan looked up from his charts and arched a brow. “What are you two doing, and why do you have interns following you?”

“We’re helping them!” Jonah explained.

“I mean, why aren’t you-” Ethan stopped, dropping the subject. The twins managed to escape daycare regularly enough that he knew better than to interrogate, so he motioned for the puzzled interns to step inside.

Curious, Zoey and Jonah lingered in the doorway to watch. When they heard a voice behind them, they turned around and smiled. “Naveen!”

Naveen grinned. “I think I need to put you two on the payroll.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Don’t encourage them.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they get where they’re supposed to be.”

“I presume you’ll be taking them on a detour.”

Naveen chuckled. “Would I do that?” With a wink, he ushered the kids out of the office. “I’ll tell you what. I think we need to go check out the new ice cream machine in the cafeteria.”

Tags, part 1

@princess-geek / @lapisreviewsstuff / @silverlitskies / @paulfwesley / @dr-brianna-casey-valentine / @junehiratas / @choicesstanblog / @trappedinfandoms / @justanotherrookie / @bellcat2010 / @desmaranj / @lion-ess24 / @nooruleman / @caseyvalentineramsey / @xee-na / @edith-eggs1 / @oofchoices / @schnitzelbutterfingers​ / @tefigranger​ / @jlynn12273​ / @laceandlula / @crazy-loca-blog / @somegdchoices / @briefdreamlanddream / @forthebrokenheartedthings​ / @lilyvalentine​ / @parkerattano​ / @drramseysownsme​ / @misswhit12​ / @drethanfreakingramsey​ / @juneiswriting​ / @macy-ray85​ / @swimmingauthordreamerbonk​ / @myusualnerdyself​ / @siaramsey​ / @takemyopenheart​ / @queencarb​

[anotherbeingsworld]

Once Upon A Miracle

To: Dani // @lovealexhunt​ as I was your gifter for the choices potluck hosted by @homeformyheart​ 💖

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x F!MC (Olivia Hadley)

Warning: None, just... fluff!

A/N: Hii, I am back with a new fic and this is a fluff! I know, I haven’t been writing a while and I am soo sorry; things been rough and I hope this is good enough. I have a few to post hopefully before the year ends! But, this one is for my good friend Dani, she is a fighter and she will fight too! Ily and happy holidays Dani!! I hope I did Olivia justice! 💙💙💙💙 Happy holidays everyone , I hope all of you have an amazing one ! - Alya! 

MY MASTERLIST 

Holidays. Every year was a surprise for her, as the holidays were filled with miracles and it’s a mark for a new beginning. A new beginning to start over, yet… the hospital was filled with patients instead.  She was a believer on miracles, and there is going to be a miracle happening at the hospital today. 

She stood by the nurse station along with some nurses, as a 9-year-old boy displayed a sad expression on his face upon the presence of all the machines surrounding him. Olivia walked his way with his chart in her hand.

‘Hi Chris, how are you today?’ Her voice soft as the boy’s fears slowly rolled down.

‘I’m… scared. Do you know where my mommy is?’ His voice is still shaky despite the nerves has been controlled.

She smiled at him, an encouraging smile; the one where it could make your worries fly away in a certain amount of time.

As she was about to reply, a couple was spotted speeding into the room with a worried expression on their faces, which transitioned into a relief seeing their son in good condition.

Olivia took a few steps back giving the family their space, as the hugs were exchanged giving her a mental note to call her parents as it was one of the times where she didn’t celebrate the holidays with her family.

After a while, the father breaks away from the hug making his way to Olivia.

“Hi, Mr. Wheeler. My name is Dr. Olivia Hadley and I have your son’s result…” Her voice is soft, as the mother pulls the boy into a hug earning a smile from herself.

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Hadley, do you know what is wrong with Chris? We got a call from the hospital from his daycare and we hope it won’t be serious…”. Olivia knows that tone of voice all too well, as he was trying to disguise the fear with a calming demeanor.

“His results states that Chris has a fever along with the flu which is not serious at all. We will get his prescriptions ready but…we have to monitor Chris for the night to make sure nothing is serious for now.” She states earning a relief looked once again followed by a wide smile from Mr. Wheeler who looks much calmer than before.

“Is our boy going to be okay Dr. Hadley? It’s almost the holidays and it’s one of his favorite time of the year and we hope we could bring him home soon to his brothers and sisters at home…’ Her voice is soft, a glimmer of hope can be seen in her eyes hoping this nightmare would be over soon.

“I can’t promise anything Mr.s Wheeler, but I know we will do everything we can to get Chris better.”

…

…

…

She nods to the family while leaving the room to let the family reunite. The charts were placed at the nurses station , as she bumps into Bryce who somehow has a huge smile on his face upon her presence.

“Bryce, what a wonderful surprise.” She smiled at the sudden appearance who happens to be her boyfriend which is rare to see on the pediatrics floor.

“Well, I wanna see my girlfriend after a long 24-hour shift.” He placed a kiss on her cheek, as they walked together on the halls as their pages are silent for now.

They stopped in front of a familiar place which somehow their favorite place besides the on-call room. The NICU is  on the peds ward. Both of them stood behind the glass, as they observed the nurses handling the babies inside with care. There were small coos can be heard, as there were a few babies are asleep, and there are some who are wide awake.

“I see a new-comer!…” Liv exclaimed excitedly as Bryce’s eyes fall onto the view in front of them.

“Isaac Rivers.” He states after reading the chart from behind the glass.

Olivia’s eyes widen at an idea, as she pulled Bryce with her leading them both into the NICU which was met by one of Olivia’s closest colleagues, Miranda.

“Olivia hi! How can I help ya today?”

She gestures to the babies, with a wide smile along with her puppy-eyes to Miranda which she instantly understands the look on her face.

“Alright Liv, since the staff was short today; we need some extra hands today.” A smile appeared on her face, as both Bryce and Olivia went inside to help.

They get themselves sanitized before they handled the babies. The NICU was one of her favorite places in the hospital, it’s the start of growth where a human was brought into the world. And, she doesn’t want a kid to be alone especially during the holidays.

They shuffled places, as Olivia observes the little girl inside one of the cribs. She took a look on her chart, as a small smile appeared at the name that was written on the chart.

Olivia Renelle Johnson. 24th December 2020.

She took a seat, as she observed little Olivia who is cooing in her crib. Small coos can be heard somehow made her mesmerized by her little existence. So many moments have passed, as she found herself hooked to Olivia once again, after checking the other babies around her.

She was entranced at the moment that she didn’t realize a figure was standing behind her.

“Now I understand why you are hooked with her...” Bryce lets out a small laugh as he places his arms on her shoulders.

“She is an Olivia as well.” Her words came out as soft as silk, as the baby coos softly once more with a small smile appeared on her face.

“Well, all of the Olivia’s I known has left a mark in my life and I think this one did the same to you Liv.” His eyes fall onto baby Olivia as he scoots forward to take a closer look, as his thumb was captured by baby Olivia herself in the crib.

…

…

…

Liv excuses herself to meet with Miranda who is smiling at them both.

“What’s with the look Miranda?” She eyes her earning a nudge from her friend.

“The three of you looked like a family, and it’s such a calming sight. You are a natural Liv.” She states as both of their gazes fall onto Bryce who was still playing with baby Olivia.

“He is such a natural too, I honestly never expected that.” A smile was formed on her lips, everyday she learned something new about Bryce and, it has been an enjoyable process.

“So, when is your shift will end Liv?”

“Our shifts are done actually, we wanted to check in these cuties before going back… plus, with the holidays; I knew you might need some extra hands.”

Miranda shook her head while a smile lingers on her face,

“You know you deserve a break from this hospital once in a while right?”

“I know, I guess this is some part of me that can’t be erased know and I am happy with it.”

“Whatever you say Liv.”

Both of them stood in silence before she decided to bring up the question.

“Have the parents taken baby Olivia back yet since it’s almost been 24 hours since her birth?” Olivia asked earning a sad look from Miranda who shook her head sadly.

“Baby Olivia unfortunately were found pre-mature, as the mother has to go through an early c-section because of it.”

She felt her heart breaking slowly,

“Do you think she’ll make it?” Her voice filled with uncertainty which is replied with Miranda’s encouraging smile.

“She is a fighter, just like you Liv. We will monitor her for the night and who knows; maybe a miracle will happen. It’s the holidays after all.” She winks at her, making her calm down a little but can’t help by the pang of sadness inside her.

…

…

A sad expression falls onto Olivia’s features, somehow a part of her was already been flooded by sadness. It hurts her to see this sight, a child with no parents.

She makes her way back to Bryce, as she took a seat beside him. He notices the sadness on her face and asked.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Is Olivia okay?” He gestures to the baby Olivia who is sleeping soundly in her crib.

Liv nodded but a part of her feels down, somehow sadness has washed into her system.  

“There was complications during her birth. Miranda told me, they have to keep an eye on baby Olivia for the night.” The words felt heavy, as it escapes her lips earning as his smile falters a bit, his eyes fall onto baby Olivia who is sound asleep with a pang of sadness can be seen in his eyes.

Bryce nods, understanding as he pulled Liv into a hug and placed a kiss on top of her head. As they continue their task of accompanying baby Olivia for the night, with the addition of instrumental Christmas music playing in the background.

…

…

…

It was midnight and its officially Christmas as they sat in the NICU with one another with permission from Miranda; they are allowed to accompany baby Olivia and the other babies who haven’t been returned to their parents yet.

The room was dimmed as the occupying babies were sleeping softly with Olivia and Bryce to make their first Christmas less lonely.

After a while, Bryce brought back two cups of hot cocoa from the nearby office in an attempt to keep them both awake.

“So, what do you think about the holidays in the hospital?” Bryce asked as he has his arm around her after setting down the cup of hot cocoa down.

Olivia starts to think, as somehow it was a new tradition for her to celebrate the holidays anywhere other than her home.

“It’s been exciting and very very new.”

“But…?”

“But, the company is very much enjoyable.” She smiles at him, earning a wide smile from the man himself.

“Good answer.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, followed by small movement from baby Olivia herself.

…

…

…

As it hit the 24 hour mark, both Olivia and Bryce had wide smiles upon their faces as baby Olivia survives the night.

“She did it Bryce, she survives!” Olivia exclaimed quietly as they hugged once more, it was a long night but… it is worth it.

“It’s the season of miracles, and baby Olivia here is one of them.” His voice is slow, as his gaze falls upon the crib.

Olivia nods, a smile is not leaving her face as they stood there. Miracles indeed could happen during this time of the year, and it was indeed the best Christmas ever.

THE END.

Tags:  @bitchloveskcbaseball , @storyofmychoices , @mvalentine , @princess-geek , @lahellacute ,  @this-person-is-busy , @annekebbphotography , @mrsbhandari , @dcbbw , @choicessa , ,@fantasyoverreality98 , @baltersome , @ofpixelsandscribbles , @thundergom  @starrystarrytrouble,  @kelseaaa  ,@bratzlahela , @choicesficwriterscreations  , @lalizah , @drethanramslay , @aveeiro , @eleanorbloom , @openheartfanfics , @brycesgirl  ,  @freckles-spangledvampire , @agentnolastname , @robintora​ (comment if you want to be tagged or removed 💜💜)

[omgjasminesimone]

Can i request a rafael x bryce fic, in which they adopt a baby together and being amazing dads as we know they are gonna be ❤️.

“Alright buddy, are you sure you’re ready?” Bryce asks, again.

Noah nods, adjusting his small Paw Patrol backpack. “I’m ready daddy.”

“You can tell me if you’re not ready. We could do another year of Edenbrook daycare, and try preschool next year.” Bryce offers, unprompted.

“Babe.” Rafael warns, cutting Bryce as stern of a look as he’s capable of giving his husband.

Bryce sighs dramatically, getting up from where he was crouching on the sidewalk. “Fine.”

Rafael smiles at his son, ruffling his dark hair. “You’re going to have an amazing first day of preschool baby.”

“Papa! I’m not a baby! I’m a big boy now!” Noah insists, just a little petulantly.

Rafael raises his hands in surrender. “You’re right. You’re our big boy who can totally walk into school alone, right?”

Noah stares down at the sidewalk before tentatively looking back up at his dads.

Bryce offers his hand. “Big boys can definitely still get walked in to school by their dads.”

Noah grins, happily placing his small hand in his dad’s much larger one. He holds his other hand out to his other dad, who happily takes it.

Rafael turns to look at Bryce, mouthing ‘Don’t cry when we drop him off or I’m gonna cry too.’

[argylemnwrites]

Thicker Than Water

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x MC (Cassie Vanderfield)

Book: Open Heart (just under 5 years after the end of Book 1)

Word Count: ~1100

Rating: G

Summary: The stresses of new parenthood are made much worse when certain grandparents come to visit.

Author’s Note: Happy Valentine’s Day/Singles Awareness Day! This is the last week of Fluffy Fridays (for now). This one is a request of 15. Family Visit on the Domestic Fluff Prompt List as requested by both @jamesashtonisbae and @fortunatelywaywardsandwich​

Cassie’s head jolted up off the arm of the couch as the latch of the front door of the loft woke her up. She glanced down, breathing out a sigh of relief as she saw Kendall sleeping comfortably on her chest. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep with her. That could have turned out so badly.

Cassie couldn’t say that the exhaustion of motherhood was better or worse than the worst rotations on residency. It was just different. However, the last few days had probably been the most exhausting week of her life. 

Bryce’s parents had come out to meet Kendall. It was the first time they’d ever visited her and Bryce at the loft. To call it stressful was an understatement. Not only was she trying to socialize and be friendly with Bryce’s parents barely four weeks postpartum, but she also found herself frequently soothing Bryce.

Bryce had been great with taking care of Kendall and things around the loft since they’d come home from the hospital, but starting about 24 hours before his parents were due to land at Boston Logan, he’d been a wreck. Gone was affectionate, caring Bryce, replaced instead with a tense, defensive Bryce, clearly on edge about everything. 

Cassie had known that this visit was going to be a rough one for them. She obviously didn’t feel close to the Lahelas, given Bryce’s very strained relationship, and it’s not like they were coming out to Boston for regular visits or that she and Bryce ever spent the holidays in Hawaii. But when Bryce had tried to blow off his parent’s request to come out and meet their granddaughter, she’d practically forced him not to burn that bridge. It was one thing to have a cold connection with his parents. It was another thing entirely to basically bar them from meeting their grandchild.

Cassie knew she had made the right decision, even when Bryce’s father attempted to relegate her and Bryce to the couches in the living room, wanting to commandeer their bed for him and his wife instead of staying at a hotel. Even when Bryce’s mother had told Cassie that she was doing Kendall a disservice by supplementing breast milk with formula. Even when both of them had implied that she and Bryce were negligent parents for having reserved a spot for Kendall in daycare when Cassie’s maternity leave was over instead of hiring a nanny - his mother’s recommendation - or that Cassie should just become a stay at home mother - an idea from his father that nearly had both Bryce and her kicking them out.

Letting them at least meet Kendall was a necessity, though. Cassie knew that as a fact. She just hoped that Bryce could understand that. His initial tension with their arrival had grown, with him and his parents frequently snapping at each other starting by the afternoon of their second day in Boston, and Bryce acting very tense with Cassie herself by day three. The five days they’d been in town had worn everyone very thin and ragged. All Cassie could hope was that Bryce would be ready to move past the whole visit and that he wouldn’t choose to hang onto resentment about the whole thing.

Cassie blinked the last remnants of her impromptu nap from her eyes, watching Bryce drop his keys on the counter. He was back from taking his parents to the airport, and he looked exhausted and dejected, his shoulders slumped forward and his head thrown back as he let out a massive sigh. After a moment, he walked over slowly, flopping down on the other end of the couch.

“Well, at least that’s over with,” he said, rolling his head over to look Cassie in her eyes, his hand dropping down to her legs, massaging her calves gently. “Sorry you had to deal with all of… that.”

“How are you doing?” she asked, happy to see that Bryce at least appeared calmer than he had since his parents had stepped into the loft.

“Alright. A little drained. Possibly still in shock.”

“Well, you got through it.”

“Nah, we got through it. I know this had to be really stressful for you, too.”

Cassie nodded. He wasn’t wrong. 

He just watched her for a moment. He didn’t seem to be looking for reassurances that everything was fine or that it was no problem, which Cassie appreciated. “I’m sorry for the ways I inevitably added to that stress.”

“I know, Bryce. I know.”

“I think we deserve a break,” Bryce said after a moment. It was almost directed more to the universe than it was to Cassie.

“Well, a break might be about 18 years away,” Cassie quipped, nodding her chin towards the baby still resting on her chest.

“Or, we could take Danny and Sienna up on their babysitting offer.”

“I don’t know, Bryce. She’s still so little.” Cassie trusted Danny and Sienna completely, but it still felt wrong to think about letting someone else care for her daughter. She supposed she was going to have to get over that feeling before she went back to work, but Kendall was barely a month old. She just was nervous about not being right there with her.

“Do you know how many nieces and nephews Danny has?”

“No. I’m guessing a lot?”

“Nine, all of them under six years old. And obviously Sienna is one of the most caring, attentive people on the planet.”

“I get that. I’m still just anxious about you and me not being there.”

Bryce nodded slightly, “Okay, well how about they come over here? Maybe tomorrow afternoon for a few hours? We would be right here, just behind that door, but we’d actually get a little bit of uninterrupted sleep.”

The thought of being allowed to sleep for more than two hours in a row sounded better than anything had in Cassie’s life. She gave Bryce a little nod, because he was right. This was a great idea. “Is this to make up for me having to play mediator for you and your parents?”

Bryce smiled, a slightly embarrassed look settling onto his face, “Maybe a bit.”

“Well, I appreciate it. I know being with your family is far from pleasant for you as well.”

He shook his head. “Nah, my family’s right here,” he said, giving Cassie’s calf a little squeeze.

Permatag: @speedyoperarascalparty​ @mfackenthal​  @lilyofchoices​  @thequeenofcronuts​  @jamesashtonisbae​

Open Heart: @omgjasminesimone​  @octobereighth​

Bryce x MC only:  @thequeenchoices​   @feartheendlesssummer​  @tallulahshh​    @fortunatelywaywardsandwich​   @dreaming-of-movies​  @choicesarehard​   @universallypizzataco​  @srta-give-me-my-jax-rl​  @maria-soederberg​   @sunnyxdazed​

[singbox13-blog]

Philly Used to Be a Cat Town. Now It’s Gone to the Dogs.

Crankcase

Screw you, New Philly, and your schnauzer too.

Philly dogs have taken over our once cat-loving town. Photograph by Colin Lenton

When I moved to this city fresh out of college in 1978, I brought with me my cat, Julio, who’d been living (illicitly) in my dorm room. I rented a ground-floor apartment at 21st and Walnut — it cost $145 a month — and Julio and I settled in. The married couple in the apartment next door, Geoff and Danielle, had a couple of cats. Jimmy, the gay guy who lived above them, had a Persian, and Liz, the girl who lived above me, had a loud Siamese. This was a city of cats then; you’d walk down the block and see them sitting in windows, dozing or eyeing pigeons dubiously.

We had cats because cats were suited to the way we lived. We were homebodies; there were so few reasons not to be. The city had hardly any good restaurants — Steve Poses had opened Frög, the sword-tip of the renaissance vanguard, five years earlier. There was Bookbinder’s — well, there were two of them — where no one could afford to eat, and there were joints like Little Pete’s, where anybody could. A few years earlier, Chestnut Street had been closed to private vehicles to create a “transitway” for pedestrians and buses. The result was a bleak, empty canyon slicing through the city. Muggings were rampant. There wasn’t any nightlife except for a bunch of cheap bars — McGlinchey’s, McGillen’s, Dirty Franks — whose surly, sullen bartenders (cheers, Ruthie!) would have laughed in your face if you’d asked about the cocktail du jour.

Sounds awful, doesn’t it?

It was great. Did I mention the $145 rent? There wasn’t any traffic, because nobody could afford cars. It was so safe to bike in the streets that I was a bike messenger for a few years. There was no such thing as social media, so no one cared that there was no place to go. You’d have the neighbors over for beers, then cook up some burgers or chicken while cats wrapped around your ankles. Why go out? Where to?

None of us had dogs. Dogs were for suburban tract houses, out where there were fences and kids. It wouldn’t be right to have a dog here. It would be heartless to leave it cooped up in a tiny apartment all day.

But you could leave a cat with a litter box and a big bowl of dry food while you went to the Shore or the Poconos for a weekend. And you would go to the Shore or the Poconos on weekends, because the city was old and bleak and gray. You kept your head down when you walked those mean streets. You got where you were going. You didn’t linger. There weren’t marathons or pop-up bars or Restaurant Weeks or Roots Picnics. We weren’t sharers. We kept cats, and we kept to ourselves.

•

I don’t know when the changeover began. I’m not sure when I started to see them — the dog people — out on the sidewalks and in the parks, strutting and smiling and greeting people they didn’t even know. Oh, maybe there had been a poodle or two in Rittenhouse Square in the old days, walked by a butler or prim Chanel-suited matron. But the two veterinarians closest to my apartment were cats-only. I don’t remember any pooper-scooper laws; instead, there were occasional polite signs suggesting that you PLEASE CURB YOUR DOG, which, for the uninitiated, means have it defecate in the gutter instead of on the sidewalk. No one was asking you to pick up that poop. There literally weren’t enough dogs for anybody to care.

Maybe the switch dates from 1980, when the first Broad Street Run was held. That same year, the Phillies won the World Series and then the Eagles went to the Super Bowl, startling us all. Or maybe it was in 1984, when developer Willard Rouse III announced that he was raising One Liberty Place, busting through the longstanding “gentleman’s agreement” that no building in Center City would be taller than City Hall. (Such a rebel!) Or 1991, when Ed Rendell was elected mayor of a city on the brink of bankruptcy and vowed to turn it around.

Rendell was big and gruff and loud, a transplant from New York, where they’ve always had dogs, because New Yorkers don’t care about anybody else’s quality of life. He had dogs — a succession of golden retrievers (what else?), Mandy and Maggie and Ginger and Royal. When Maggie died, Rendell penned a tribute that read, in part: “I lived on this earth for over 73 years and as a trained lawyer, the most persuasive empirical evidence I have found about the existence of God is that someone must have done something to create that special bond between dog and human. It exists for us with virtually no other animal and I can’t believe it was just an accident.”

If you’re touched by that, you must be new around here. Philadelphians are cat people — private people — and private people don’t emote this way. We might whisper in Kitty’s ear while cuddling her in our lap, but we don’t shout it from rooftops. We’re tidy as a litter box. We don’t slobber. We don’t wag our tails. We have dignity.

You have to stay a little removed, after all, in a city of rowhomes. You have to pretend you don’t overhear the couple next door arguing in bed, or notice the booze bottles in their trash can, or see the underwear hung out to dry in their backyard. You have to remain aloof — like a cat, you know? You mind your own business, addressing a paw with your tongue while the bill collector knocks just across the street. That’s the way our moms and dads were. That’s how we were, back before Ed Rendell.

•

Once, this was a city of suspicious nocturnal predators. Today, it’s home to cheerful tail-waggers, and the difference is as startling as Dorothy’s transition from Kansas to Technicolor Oz. There are now dozens of dog parks in Philly. There are bakeries that will make your dog a custom birthday cake, and doggie haberdashers where you can get Sparky suited up for your wedding or a holiday. There’s puppy yoga at breweries and Yappy Hours at bars. As I head into work along South Street, I pass two doggie daycares as well as an Unleashed by Petco (which has a self-serve dog wash so you can scrub the city grime off Rocky) and an outpost of the chic local chain Doggie Style Pets. There are Philly folks who’ll perform acupuncture on your dogs, and tattoo artists who adorn human arms and legs with canine faces. It’s a rare cafe that doesn’t have a doggy water bowl beside the outdoor tables. You can even bring your pup with you to work, if your employer is Urban Outfitters HQ or Neff Associates or Petplan, the Philly-based pet insurance company started by two Wharton students. There are dog walkers galore, along with trainers and groomers and therapists and psychics and programs where kids read to dogs. I and my kitty kin sit at home and marvel at this canine industrial complex. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $72.13 billion on Fluffy and Squeaky and Tug last year, with the annual cost of cat ownership two-thirds that of a dog, at $988 vs. $1,549. That cat cost is wildly inflated, btw, since it budgets $30 annually for toys. You only buy toys for your cat the first few months you have her, until you figure out she doesn’t give a damn about toys; she just wants to chew your houseplants.

Dogs, if I can be frank, are the spawn of success and gentrification. The Inquirer said so two years ago in an article called “If It Seems As If Dogs Are Everywhere in Philly’s Gentrifying Neighborhoods, They Are.” It quoted a Villanova economics prof, David Fiorenza, who says millennials are having dogs before they have children. A third — a third! — of American millennials who buy houses cite wanting more space for their dogs — a motivating factor that outranks marriage or the birth of a child. A WHYY report last year on gentrification in Grays Ferry quoted a longtime resident, 83-year-old Theodore Jackson, on the subject of his new neighbors: “They love them dogs.” Hey, that wasn’t a cat mask Chris Long put on.

One consequence of the influx of pups has been an influx of poop. Those “Curb your dog” signs are gone, replaced by ones warning of $300 fines for not picking up after your pet. (By “pet,” we don’t mean cat. And by “picking up,” we don’t mean putting that shit in a plastic bag and depositing it on someone else’s stoop.) If you want to get Old Philadelphia going, start a conversation on this subject. Beneath our (cattily) inscrutable expressions, many of us are seething with resentment toward doggy doo. “I see it everywhere,” one co-worker who lives in Rittenhouse hisses. “I stepped in some this morning,” another bitches. Neighborhood blogs froth at the mouth about the excrement situation. In 2018, Beth Ann Dombkowski, a resident of Passyunk Square, mounted a gallery exhibit of photos she took of dogs as they were pooping. In 2012, a Tacony man was shot to death by the guy two doors down for not picking up after his Chihuahua. Which reminds me: Earlier this year, a South Philly dog owner died after being punched, allegedly by another dog owner whom he’d asked to leash his pet.

Cat people don’t kill each other. We have no reason to.

•

Last April, the City of Philadelphia’s verified Twitter account tweeted out:

ANNOUNCEMENT: After noticing that our top audience interest is DOGS, we have decided to become a dog and cat rating account. Reply with your dog and cat pictures and we’ll rate them.

The “and cat” was a sop; felines were nowhere on the accompanying chart, which showed the account’s audience interest in dogs at a staggering 100 percent, ahead of “weather,” tech news” and even politics. Granted, the tweet went out on April 1st. But even on April Fools’ Day, the joke worked because it rang true: Who doesn’t love dogs?

Once upon a time, Philadelphians didn’t. Back in the day, this city’s sports heroes were cat-like loners like Allen Iverson and Mike Schmidt. Now, New Philadelphia has rallied to goofy Cameroonian wolfhound Joel Embiid and bulldog Bryce Harper. The favored writers in my salad days were embittered sourpusses — Stu Bykofsky, Christine Flowers, Buzz Bissinger. In March, the Inquirer — the city’s newspaper of record — started a new Sunday section, “The UpSide,” that prints only good news. Yippee, puppies and rainbows all around!

This city you kids are making is a foreign place to us — bright and happy and colorful and buzzing with life. It has parklets and bike lanes and hammocks you can hang in. It’s got more City Council candidates than you can throw a stick for. It wins all kinds of awards — for new architecture, new recreational venues, new chefs. It’s been declared best place to visit and City of the Year. Its sports teams are in ascendance. Clearly, you newcomers think this relentless assault of excellence will pound down our native gloom and let the sun shine in. Haven’t we ever heard of cats’ bad habits — that they hang out with witches and suck the breath from babies? Don’t we want our faces licked?

Um, no. No, we don’t, thank you. We’re into pain; isn’t that obvious from the public officials we elect? We’re proud that Slate recently labeled cats “the world’s most uncooperative research subject,” and that a study in the journal Animal Cognition concluded that “the behavioral aspects of cats that cause their owners to become attached to them are still undetermined.” You dumb kids, we loved this place when it was a pit.

So go ahead and encourage us to adopt our very own bowwow buddies. Keep telling us how comforting a dog would be in our dotage. Go on saying: “You think you love that cat. Wait till you try a pup.” Sashay past us with that dachshund dolled up in a Rhys Hoskins jersey, or your chow chow with the lion cut, or that terrier with the tie-dyed hair. Woo us with research on how people who share their homes with canines are healthier, happier, and less likely to be visited by thieves. We’re Philadelphians. We know exactly what you’re up to. A new study from Penn Med says the number of olds who suffered bone fractures from walking their dogs more than doubled from 2004 to 2017. A full 17 percent of the total injuries were hip fractures, which just happen to give us a 30 percent chance of dying within a year. You kids may be yanking at the leash to take over this town. But Kitty and I will just wave from the window, thanks.

Published as “It’s a Dog-Eat-Cat World” in the June 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/06/15/philly-dogs-cats/

[beanofthetoe]

4.14.19

Ended up having a 4 day weekend due to hopefully, the last blizzard of the season. Daycare closed on Friday and I really needed a mental health day. But that's a different discussion. It was a good day on Friday, Tovi went down for all of her naps, she was easily entertained. By Sunday she was getting more fussy, but that's due to errands, getting off of schedule, and likely a cold and/or teething. Saturday we shopped a little as we had returns to make at Carter's, we ruled out buying his parents rental home, had lunch with his mom, and napped. Today, ran a few more errands. Bryce hung up a few things around the house. Tovi got a few more sippy cups, 2 with straws. Cute little forks and spoons.

I'm always in awe when I watch her. Today she ate her body weight in broccoli, after only eating the green peppers off my pizza. I'll relish in these moments of her actually eating veggies. She still loves shoes, and socks. Constantly trying to put them on her feet. She's started to nod, which is adorable but bittersweet because it's just another sign she's getting older.

[argylemnwrites]

Hold On

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x MC (Cassie Vanderfield)

Book: Open Heart (just over 5 years after the end of Book 1)

Word Count: ~1100

Rating: PG (very brief language)

Summary: Being a two physician couple with a kid is a balancing act at the best of times.

Author’s Note: My second Friday Fluff drabble. This one combines two prompts which I got literally simultaneously - 19. Forgetting Something as requested by @srta-give-me-my-jax-rl​    and 26. Doctor Visits, which was an anonymous request.

Cassie darted around the loft, trying to find something she could use as a burp cloth while she mixed Kendall’s formula. Dr. Bilson had told them that Kendall’s reflux should be getting better by this point, but it felt like she still was spitting up with every feed. The designated burp cloths were always dirty. Rifling through the kitchen drawers, she couldn’t even find a clean dish towel they could use. Damn, they really needed to do laundry. Just one more thing to add to their never-ending to-do list. Laundry, renewing her DEA number, grocery shopping, and finally getting around to starting to introduce solids for Kendall, something Dr. Bilson had advised them to do before today’s appointment. Oh well.

Having a six month old, working as one of only two attendings on the diagnostics service, and having your husband be in the midst of fellowship interviews, it turns out, was a recipe for chaos. Cassie was the attending on service this week, so Bryce was supposed to take Kendall to her six month well child appointment, as he was currently working nights. That had been the plan - Bryce would take her to the 8:30 appointment, drop her off at daycare by 9:30, then come home and crash while Cassie rounded and saw the new consults. That was before Bryce got a last minute fellowship interview offer at Stanford. Clearly, another applicant had cancelled, but with how competitive surgical oncology was, he would be a fool to turn down any interview, even one that was wildly inconvenient for them. They just had to make it work.

Thankfully Puja, the resident currently on a diagnostics elective, was very accommodating. She was a med-peds resident, so she was very sympathetic to Cassie’s need to juggle her daughter’s needs with her professional obligations. Puja had readily agreed to carry the consult pager in the morning and to round in the afternoon. And Bryce had been able to cash in some favors from all the Christmas shifts he’d volunteered to cover over the years, so he had been able to trade away his shifts last night and tonight. However, the rapid change in plans had left them scattered and scrambling. It didn’t help that Bryce overslept this morning, no doubt a side effect of his disjointed sleep schedule this block. He currently was trying to spend a little time with Kendall while he worked on packing, but Cassie could hear her fussing in the bedroom, probably hungry for her bottle. It was just a morning of stress for everyone.

“Babe, have you seen my blue tie?” Bryce asked, stepping out of their bedroom, Kendall held in one of his arms, his garment bag in the other.

Cassie sighed heavily, walking over, handing Bryce the bottle and hanging his garment bag off a cabinet handle before she went into their bedroom and started digging through the dresser. “I have no idea where it is. Can’t you just wear the red one?”

“If I have to, I will. Some of the older docs act like it’s some wild color, but it’s probably not a huge deal.” Bryce called out.

“I think we’re at that point,” said Cassie as she came out of the bedroom, walking over to the couch where he was feeding Kendall. “Let me finish, you need to get showered and dressed now so you don’t miss your flight.”

Bryce shook his head, “I’m just going in my sweatpants. I’m going to want to shower anyway once I get to the hotel.”

“Shouldn’t you still be packing?”

Bryce grimaced slightly, “Any chance you could finish up for me? It’s just... I’m not going to see her for a couple of days and-”

Cassie held up her hand to cut him off. She wanted to make him do his own packing, but it was hard to deny him spending time with his kid, particularly when she would have to handle 100% of the parenting for the next two days. So she nodded gently and returned to the bedroom, making sure his suitcase was ready to go. 

When she came back out 15 minutes later, she was pleasantly surprised to see Bryce already snapping Kendall into her carrier. “I refilled her diaper bag, too,” he told her, looking back over his shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I know you’re on service, so if you need me to take her to the pediatrician, I can probably catch a red eye tonight and just-”

“We’ll be fine,” Cassie interrupted, “Go wow those Stanford surgeons.”

Bryce grinned at her, taking the suitcase from her hand, “They won’t know what hit ‘em. You grabbed my phone charger?”

“Yup. And you made her six ounce bottles, not five?”

“Yes. My padfolio’s in here?”

“Of course. You threw in a new pack of wipes?”

“I did. Did you get my dress socks?”

“Absolutely. And you checked that there’s enough triple paste?”

“Uh huh. Are we all set?”

“Maybe?” said Cassie with a laugh. It certainly seemed like they were as ready as they were going to be.

Cassie grabbed her work bag and the diaper bag and headed towards the door, but Bryce stopped her in her tracks.

“Uh Cassie, aren't you forgetting something?”

“What are you-” Cassie started to ask as she spun around, but stopped when she saw Bryce, holding out Kendall in her carrier. “Oops.”

“It is generally advised to bring the patient to the appointment, Dr. Vanderfield.”

Cassie just shook her head, grabbing the carrier handle and walking towards the door again, but as she was unlocking it, she realized Bryce was forgetting something too.

“Babe, don’t forget your suit!” she called out. She heard some mumbling that sounded suspiciously like “Shit,” and then the sound of a zipper, Bryce clearly attaching his garment bag to his suitcase.

Thinking they might both be in the clear, she opened the door, but Bryce called out one more time.

“Wait! One more thing!”

“What is it now, Bryce?” she asked as he jogged over to her.

“I love you,” he said before he kissed her deeply.

“I love you, too. Now, I need to go, and so do you.”

Bryce nodded, but took one more second to drop a kiss to Kendall’s forehead. Their life was a giant ball of crazy at the moment, but Cassie knew that both of them wouldn’t have it any other way.

Permatag: @speedyoperarascalparty​ @mfackenthal​  @lilyofchoices​  @thequeenofcronuts​  @jamesashtonisbae​ 

Open Heart: @omgjasminesimone​  @octobereighth​

Bryce x MC only: @thequeenchoices​   @feartheendlesssummer​  @tallulahshh​    @fortunatelywaywardsandwich​   @dreaming-of-movies​  @choicesarehard​   @universallypizzataco​  @srta-give-me-my-jax-rl​  @maria-soederberg​   @sunnyxdazed​

[rookie-ramsey]

“I’ve been excited to see you all day.” (Bryce X MC mini-fic 1)

Description: First mini-fic based on this prompt list for Bryce and MC. This is @fortunatelywaywardsandwich‘s prize for my 300 follower giveaway, and my first time writing for Bryce. As much as I stan Ethan, I had a lot of fun writing for my side man Bryce the sweet bean. The MC is Jenifer for @fortunatelywaywardsandwich‘s MC.

MC spends the last day of maternity leave snuggling with Bryce and their babies. 

Her maternity leave flew by.

It seemed that only yesterday, Jenifer had learned of her pregnancy. At first she had been terrified, convinced that she wasn’t ready for a baby. To her immense relief, Bryce was ecstatic, which took an enormous weight off her shoulders.

Learning that she was having not one, but two babies almost made her have a heart attack on the spot. She could barely keep a plant alive, so how was she supposed to keep two babies alive?

Not to her surprise, Bryce was amazingly supportive during her pregnancy. They had expected the months to crawl past them slowly.  Instead, they soared (for the most part). At times, Jenifer had felt that her pregnancy would never end, but at the same time, she felt as if her due date approached her faster than she could blink.

Three weeks before their due date, Alana and Jesse were delivered when Jenifer delivered preeclampsia. They were healthy enough to only need a short stay in the NICU, for which their parents would always be thankful.

Before her twelve week  maternity leave began, she had no idea how she would occupy her free time. It didn’t take long for her to realize that with two newborns, free time was a rare occurrence. The first month was a blur of sleepless nights and diapers as they tried to get the twins on a semi-regular sleeping pattern.

Bryce’s leave ended a few weeks before hers. That gave her four weeks to spend alone with their babies, who seemed to grow more every day. On the last day of her leave, she sat on the couch, feeding the twins while Netflix played in the background.

Once both twins were fed and happy, she cuddled them to her chest. Jesse  yawned lazily and closed his eyes. Alana remained awake, her fingers tightly grasping her mother’s shirt.

“Stubborn girl.” Jenifer shook her head in amusement. A few minutes later, she heard the lock click. The apartment door swung open as Bryce strolled in, carrying takeout bags and grinning at her.

“Delicious stuff has arrived,” he announced, setting the takeout on the coffee table. “Oh, and I brought food, too.”

She snorted in amusement, smiling when he leaned over the couch to kiss her. “We missed you.”

“I’ve been excited to see you all day.”

“You say that every day.”

“Because it’s true.” Bryce grinned as he sat next to her on the couch. “And it’s the last day I get to say it since you come back tomorrow.”

“I know they’ll be fine at daycare, but I’m gonna miss these little guys.”

“Me too. Give me one.” Bryce reached out.

Jenifer carefully deposited Alana into his waiting arms. “You get the stubborn one who doesn’t wanna sleep.” With her free hand, she began digging through the takeout bags.

“Stubborn, huh? Sounds like someone else I know,” Bryce teased, setting their daughter in one arm and leaning over to kiss his wife’s cheek.

She leaned into his side comfortably. “And they’re both getting cocky. You should’ve seen me trying to get your children to cooperate for bath time.”

That made him laugh, the sound never failing to make her swoon. “I wonder where they got the cockiness from.”

“Gee, I  wonder.” Jenifer laid her head on his shoulder. Bryce wrapped an arm around her and glanced at the TV.

“Have you been binge watching Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures again?”

“No!”

Bryce smiled and kissed her cheek again. “Hey, I think it’s adorable.” They were sitting close enough that the twins could nudge each other with their feet, which made both babies squirm.

“There they go again.”

Bryce tickled both infants. “I wouldn’t mind a couple more of these.”

That made her smile widely, dimples flashing. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Then let’s get our children to bed.” She gave him a suggestive smile. “So we can get started on the sibling process.”

My perma-tags are for Ethan stans. If you want to be tagged in Bryce fanfics, please let me know so I can tag you if I write any more in the future.