Always Us

evening stroll

Some light chaos and a little fluff for the good episode tonight  🥹
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"So I told her she better watch herself."

Spencer chuckled to himself. As he walked alongside Olivia, his hands gripped firmly onto the handle of the expensive double stroller that his wife never touched, and neither of his overambitious toddlers ever cared to sit in. They either wanted to walk or be carried, and even knowing that, Olivia always insisted on bringing the damn thing along on their family walks anyways.

Today was a walking day.

Assisted by his mom and oldest sister, Caleb trotted along with his family on their pre-dinner stroll while Gianna waddled alongside Spencer, wanting absolutely no help whatsoever.

"Daddy, look at me!"

As Spencer looked up to catch his six-year-old zig-zagging down the street on his bicycle, a smile spread across his face. These were the evenings he had dreamed about. "I see you, buddy."

"Some women just have absolutely no respect."

Spencer chuckled again. He would never call his wife disrespectful, but he'd be lying to say that she's never had her moments.

To be clear, moments that he had absolutely zero complaints about.

"I just don't—"

A loud shriek interrupted Olivia's thought process, and both parents whipped their heads to Spencer's right. Except, Gianna wasn't there. Faster than any of their other kids could react, they spun around.

Behind them, Gianna was stopped two feet away, eyes red and chest heaving.

"What's wrong, mama?" Spencer kneeled down in front of her. The split second of panic had faded. In their gated community where houses were separated by gates of their own, cars were rare, and there was hardly a cause for worry. It was safe for the kids to roam around on their own. That was why he and Olivia loved the neighborhood so much.

Gianna whimpered, arms outstretched. "Up, daddy."

"Come here," Spencer cooed.

For a split second, Olivia frowned.

"You wanted to walk, remember?" Spencer asked gently as he stood up and took his spot next to his wife. "Why are you crying?"

"GiGi ti-uh."

Spencer squeezed the soft thigh in his arm, kissed her forehead, then looked up to meet his pouting wife's eyes.

Another chuckle.

For the past two years, he's been living in a never-ending guessing game. The first half of the pregnancy with the twins, she had been inexplicably mad at him. Hated him, actually. The second half, no one was allowed to look at him but her. A sentiment that was clearly still lingering since she was in the midst of going off on a woman who had allegedly blinked a little too hard in his direction.

He leaned forward and pecked her lips.

She smiled. "Anyways, I was saying who comes after a man with four kids."

"I don't think she was coming after me, Liv."

Olivia's head whipped over at him, and he was pretty sure he felt the dagger in his chest.

"She was," she stated matter-of-factly.

The husband shrugged. He wasn't about to argue with her on this one. Especially not in her possessive era. "Go off, then."

"It's just... the audacity! I was standing right there. With two of these"—she nodded towards her baby girl—"on my hips. And still, she was blinking up at you like her eyelashes—which by the way, someone needs to teach her how to put on—were just going to take off and flap her into your arms."