Mrs Jones (GxG)

3. {Set sail}

AN//  Surprise!!! Double upload today. Have fun!

We woke up at seven like every other morning. Only, it was now that day. The day when we would be leaving for our cruise. It was scheduled to depart at four pm but before that, we had to fly to Miami for departure. Our flight would be leaving at eleven, which meant it was a hectic morning. We did our morning runs together. The sun was warm, but still, it was very chilly. We took Alex with us and had to have him in a sweater and then cocooned beneath a blanket for added warmth. Although it was early out, he didn't mind us getting him out of bed to run along with us. He would sit peacefully quiet the whole time, sucking his Binkie and watching the oh-so-colourful world rush past him.

I glanced over at him as Drea pushed him along, seeing his brows furrowed, and his eyes darting about in wonder as we jogged back towards our house. The rhythmic pounding of our footsteps served as a counterpoint to the conflicting thoughts in my mind. The promise of uninterrupted time with Drea, a chance to rekindle the flame that sometimes flickered amid the demands of parenthood, filled me with warmth. Yet, beneath that excitement, an undercurrent of anxiety tugged at my heart. The thought of leaving our little one for six days stirred a potent blend of uncertainty and guilt. Would he be okay without us? Would he miss the familiarity of his mama's presence or her soothing voice that sang lullabies to him each night?

Drea found my hand and squeezed it, a silent reassurance that echoed louder than words. I managed a smile in return, trying to push the worry to the back of my mind. This cruise was meant to be a celebration, a much-needed escape from the responsibilities that had intertwined with our identities as new parents, and I was going to enjoy it.

The sight of our house came back into view, the reddish brown bricks peeking from between layers of evergreen trees on the hilly lot. We ran up the sloping driveway. The automatic garage door opened at our approach, revealing my blue Volkswagen parked next to her silver Jeep. Steps in synced, we ran right in and the doors closed behind us again with a rattle. We halted in the space between both cars with heavy pants.

I turned to Drea with my hands on my hips and my breaths rushing out too harshly for me to speak. Hunched over Alex's stroller handle, she was dressed in a burnt orange and dark grey tracksuit that clung to every dip and curve of her body, paired with black running shoes. Her hair was up in a ponytail but loose strands around her nape and temples were sticking to her skin. She peered down at Alex as she tried desperately to catch her breath, reaching into his stroller to stroke his cheek.

"You got him, babe?" I asked, walking backwards towards the door leading into the rest of the house while glancing at my watch. 7:48. "I'm going to hop into the shower."

She gave me a thumbs up and I left for our bathroom. I was out of my sweat-soaked clothes before I even got there, so when I did, I stepped right into the shower. My shower lasted only ten minutes and the moment I stepped out, we were running around like headless chickens trying to get ourselves put together so we could get to the airport by the latest, 10 am.

We made breakfast together. It's something we've recently got into the habit of doing, but unlike our usual mornings, there was no banter and teasing each other with ingredients. We didn't have the time. Instead, we found ourselves rushing so much we barely even tasted the flavour of our coffees, and even eating straight from the cookware without truthfully sharing ourselves a plate.

Drea cleaned up while I breastfed Alex. He should've had his first nap at 9 am but he refused to go down for it, resulting in him being extra fussy and clingy. I suspected he just sensed we were leaving and wouldn't be taking him with us, but seeing him cry, especially for me, killed me on the inside. Even more so since that never happens. He never cries for me.