You Gave Me Love

I peered into the finance books with a lighthearted groan. Not in the mood for budgeting this week but Danielle had done it for the last month while I tried to get everything in order again.

Jackson babbled to himself on the mat next to me. His small hands reached out for toys to grab onto, his blue eyes lighting up in excitement when he grabbed onto something. I smiled and ran my hand over his head before turning back to the books and flipping open to the empty page for the new month.

I spent as long as I could, spiraling through fees and rents and the upkeep. Last week a mat had ripped and the week before that two toilets had broken. The fridge needed to be replaced and a couple of the rooms needed upgrades on music systems.

Danielle wanted new costumes for her junior girls and my senior boys wanted to choose their own this time. We also needed to get starter packs for the new season coming and start promoting the company. Last time we had volunteers from the senior dancers and I made a note to ask them to promote and help out on the open day again. I also needed to find people who were willing to showcase some of the dances they had learned this past season. As well as make sure the trophy case was clean and presentable.

I sighed at my long list. This was just all extra on top of the normal budgeting and bill paying that I had to do anyway.

I smiled at the gurgling next to me and mumbled back to Jackson, encouraging him to talk while I made another note on my notepad. I needed to make sure the cold water tap on the second level was working, I had heard someone complaining about it the other day.

Jackson was getting louder next to me, I was glad someone was having fun. I needed to check that Danielle had already did the paperwork for the three newcomers that had signed up last week. I reached for my phone that was on the floor next to me but couldn’t feel it. I frowned and glanced over and around me. It had been sitting right next to my bum, on the ground.

Jackson gurgled and I looked over at him, he was off the mat and my phone was in his hands. My eyes widened and my jaw fell open. He crawled, he must have crawled.

“Holy freaking shit.” I hissed, crawling over to Jackson to grab my phone from his slobbery hand, he smiled up at me and slapped the ground where lay.

“Did you do what I think you did?” I picked him up underneath his armpit and he let out a loud squeal followed by spit bubbles. I grinned and pressed a large kiss to his cheek. “My smart, smart boy. Do you want to do it again?”

Paperwork long forgotten, I placed Jackson on his stomach and moved myself across the room. I called his name and clapped my hands but he wouldn’t even look my way. Instead he focused on the rattle toy that was just out of his reach. His little arm reaching as far as possible.

I walked over and grabbed the rattle before taking careful steps away from Jackson, making sure he could see the rattle in my hand, before I stopped and dropped to my knees. I shook the rattle and Jackson’s eyebrows came together in a small frown before both his arms and legs kicked about for a moment.

He gurgled, his face now, hilariously, grumpy. I smiled at him and called his name, rattling the rattle more while he kept trying to kick, his little stomach pushing off the ground.

“C’mon Jacky. You can do it. Come get the rattle.” I shook it more and he moved an inch forward. “Come on, show Mummy, show me what you did.”

My smile was hurting the sides of my cheeks as Jackson slapped the floor and pushed his back legs out like a frog, he moved forward again. He did it again, and again and again. I rattled and cheered while his face remained serious.

A few more wriggles and he was almost in arms reach. I laughed and clapped waiting for him to move his feet that few more times before I reached down to scoop him up, cheering loudly and smacking kisses all over his body.

“Good boy! Yeah, whose going to be the smartest boy.” I cheered, settling him into my lap and handing him his prize.

He squealed loudly, wrapping his tiny fists around the handle and waving it wildly around his head. Smacking my nose in the process. I flinched back and rubbed it.

“Wait till Daddy finds out what he missed.” I pressed a kiss to Jackson’s small blond curls before smoothing them over. He smelt of baby powder and strawberry bath gel. I grinned and pulled him closer, setting my arms around his small body and cooing every time he energetically swung the rattle.

-

“Guess what, guess what!” I met Harry at the door. Waving Jackson in his face. He took his son from my arms and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

“What has you so excited?

“We crawled today!” I squealed, making Jackson startle in Harry’s arms. “Well I mean he crawled. I crawled too, but him crawling is more impressive.”

Harry let out a snort, shaking his head at my ramble before turning to his little boy.

“Is she telling the truth my little man? Didya really crawl?” Harry murmured into Jacksons’ cheek, nudging their noses together, while Jackson reached up to grab a fist fall of Harry’s hair.

I laughed at Harry’s grimace while he tried to pull the attached child away from his locks.

“You think you would have learned your lesson by now.” I scolded Harry, reaching up to pull Jackson’s tightly clasped fists away from Harry’s hair. It didn’t stop the small little hairs that remained in Jackson’s clasp though.

“Come on, I’ll show you how he crawls.” I said impatiently, grabbing Jackson from Harry and tugging on Harry’s arm with my other hand. Pulling him into the back living room where all my paperwork still lay spread out and untouched since Jackson started crawling.

“Watch.” I placed Jackson on the ground and took a few steps away, before pulling his favourite rattle out of my back pocket. I moved it to get Jackson’s attention and called his name.

“C’mon bub, crawl to me.” I called softly, moving the rattle enticingly. After the practice runs we had been doing before Harry got home, Jackson had grown better. His arms no longer slapping ineffectually at the floor but actually helping in pulling him along. Though his back legs still did most of the work and it was only a wiggle here and there that was slow going. But he still stayed determine, eyes on the rattle like always.

I laughed at how eager he was and once again picked him up and swung him up into the air to give him kisses when he reached me. I stood up and turned to Harry who was smiling warmly at the both of us. His bright eyes shining.

“I love you, you know that.” Harry said softly, coming over to place his hands on my hips while Jackson happily flung his rattle around between us.

I looked at the tears in his eyes confused. Jackson had crawled, I was excited not emotional.

“Shouldn’t you be praising Jackson with love?”

Harry shook his head, pulling my waist closer to him. Jackson ignored the both of us.

“I love you for giving me him. For giving me all three of them.” Harry explained. “You’ve given me everything.”

Harry took another step forward and pressed his lips gently against mine. I let him line our lips how he wanted. Pressing softly and slowly applying more pressure, his fingers digging into my hips while my own tightened their hold on Jackson.

Harry’s nose nudged mine before he pressed closer, the kiss beginning to go deeper when Harry bit my lip. I flinched and pulled back only to have Jackson topple forward.

In the few confusing seconds both Harry and I grabbed onto Jackson and I tapped my bleeding lip with my tongue. It was only a small cut.

“I’m sorry.” Harry moaned from where he was trying to get Jackson’s hands out of his hair, again. “He grabbed on and tugged hard. I wasn’t expecting it.”

I laughed brightly. Pressing a kiss to both Harry and Jackson’s cheeks before helping Jackson’s fists out of Harry’s hair. Letting his delighted laughter fill me up.

Notes

Also it is ohboybands birthday too so Happy Birthday to you and I hope you enjoy another chapter as well love! :)