Baby Love

Chapter 21

Word Count: 1633

Taylor's POV

It took a while but eventually, she was all cried out. I continued to hold her close as if the longer I held her, the better she would feel. I looked at Joe to try and decide if now was the right time to talk to her. He seemed to get the signal as he started the conversation again.

"Nugget, Mm-Taylor, and I are sorry that we weren't home this morning. We didn't mean to upset you," Joe apologizes. Averie hums an incoherent reply again.

"Averie, Joe is right we are so so sorry and we want to make it up to you," I rest my chin on her head as I silently hope she accepts my apology.

"What do you want to do today, we can do anything in the world. It'll just be Averie, Taylor, and Daddy if you want," Joe continues. Averie answers by wiping her runny nose on my shirt. Well, I guess that's still a response.

"We could go get yogurt or go to the children's museum or the park, or anything you want, Nugget," Joe tries to get her excited but she clings to me as her tiny nails dig into my arm.

She continues to ignore us as she nuzzles her face into my neck. I sigh out of frustration and disappointment. Maybe she needs some time to process it.

"Joe?" I cut him off.

"Yeah," he answers me instantly not sure where I'm going with this.

"Let's give her another moment to process then we can start dreaming the perfect afternoon and evening," I tell him.

"Okay," he concedes. Averie continues to squirm in my arms as she tries to her more comfortable. I loosen my grip to give her some space.

Joe's mom calls him down to the kitchen leaving just us girls alone. "Averie, darling I'm right here," I tell her because she keeps trying to be closer to me despite her every body part already touching me.

She seems to understand as she stops moving as much. She starts to tap my arm rhythmically. It takes a little before I recognize the three taps.

"What's on your mind?" I ask eager to know what she wants to say.

"Hmm," she mumbles into my shoulder.

"Do you want to talk or cuddle first?" I ask trying to narrow down her options. I offer cuddles because I'm starting to believe they really do help her feel better. I mean that makes me feel better so I would assume most kids are the same.

"Cuddwle," she finally answers loud enough so I can hear her.

"Okay, do you want Daddy to come cuddle with us?" She shakes her head yes.

"Okay, we're gonna have to go get him. We'll go quick," I get off the bed and head downstairs where I hear him and Elizabeth talking,

"She's awake?" Elizabeth asks once I enter the room.

"Barely, she's requesting cuddles from both of us?" I ask Joe, hoping I'm not interrupting anything.

"We can talk later, go cuddle your daughter," Elizabeth answers before Joe can even speak. He didn't seem like he wanted to object so I just went with it.

We headed back upstairs to his room together. I kicked off my shoes and climbed into bed with Averie still wrapped around me. She seems to have retreated into herself. I can hear her making soft sucking noises but I'm not sure what she's sucking on. It's possibly Piglet's ear, which would make sense as that ear is pretty messed up.

Joe smiles at us as he takes off his shoes and closes the door. He joins us in bed and Averie shifts herself to lay her top half on me and her bottom half across Joe. I hold back a giggle as I see her butt right in his face. She nuzzles her head into my neck while kneeing Joe in the face.