three hearts in one home (l.s.)

four months later

I wake up from a small, chubby hand in my face, moving up to my hair and down to my cheek again.

I open an eye slightly and see Noa laying next to me, just waking up. It’s one of the first nights in months that I was actually able to sleep through, it seems like she’s finally starting to sleep better.

I turn around to her, laying between Louis and me, when I see her big hazel eyes staring into mine. Her hair is slightly curly on top of her head and she keeps moving her hand through my hair slowly.

“Hi, baby. Such a cute little baby, aren’t you? Slept so well last night, Papa could finally get some rest.”

I bend down to kiss her nose and it makes her smile a little. Hearing her giggle for the first time ever might have been one of the best things ever. Now I can’t stop trying to make her laugh.

I sit up so I’m looking down on her and poke her nose with my finger softly. “Hi, Noa.”

I lean down and kiss all over her tummy and there it is again, that little small giggle, coming straight out of her belly, bubbling with happiness.

“Hi”, I say again and tickle her. I feel Louis waking up besides us, smiling when he hears Noa giggle. “Hi, babies. So happy already?”

“She slept the whole night”, I say, “Of course I’m happy.”
He laughs and opens his eyes, sitting up to kiss me quickly before falling back down onto the bed again.

The last four months have been a lot. We finally moved just three weeks ago and the whole house still looks like a mess. It’s amazing though, having a whole house with big rooms and a garden all for ourselves.

Jonah is meeting in the garden with Milan and Betty everyday and he’s so happy he can finally play football without having to walk to a playground.

He’s very happy I’m general. Caring for his sister like that’s all he ever wanted, barely getting jealous. We’re both so beyond proud of how wonderful he is.

Noa is wonderful too. Laughing and giggling and, well, screaming too, but being a sunshine most of the time. The adoption process is finally over and we’re so relieved to be able to call her our daughter legally too now.

We’re still working on Jonah’s adoption process, but we’ll get over with that soon as well. All in all, everything is wonderful except for maybe that me and Louis barely get to spend any time with each other anymore.

I knew it’d be like this, at least the first year. I just didn’t know how hard it’d be. From the mornings that begin with  her to the evenings on the couch that are interrupted by Noa not being able to fall asleep, we don’t really find any time for anything any more.

When our baby is asleep, we try to spend as much time as possible with Jonah, even though he’s getting a bit independent right now, so there’s no time left for us, ever.

I bend down to kiss Louis again. “Know what today is?”

He nods. “Yeah. Happy second anniversary, my baby. I love you so much, still. I’ll tell you that this evening though. Got a table reserved at a nice restaurant.”

“And J and Noa?”

“J’s gonna sleep over at Betty’s, Liam and Zayn will take No. They need practice anyways, apparently. They’ll be here so she’s in her usual surroundings and the restaurant is five minutes away by car. We’ll get her into bed and hope she doesn’t wake up. If it doesn’t work, we’ll stay home, so no need to worry, Haz.”

I smile softly and try not to squeeze Noa when laying my head down on his chest carefully. “How are you so perfect?”

He doesn’t answer but carefully wraps two hands around Noa’s belly and lifts her up, throwing her up into the air just two centimetres, but it still makes my heart jump.

“Hello, baby girl. Good morning you pretty baby. Slept well?”
She just giggles when lays her down, her tummy on his chest, reaching her small hands out for Louis’ face. She sighs and babbles a bit.

“What are you saying, honey? Telling your dads good morning, yeah?”

I carefully wipe a strand of hair out of her forehead and smile softly.
“Already talking to us. Such a cutie.”

Louis nods agreeing and sits up. “Gonna change her diaper and prepare the food. Want to try and sleep again, babe?”

I shake my head. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Once Louis’ and Noa are gone, I close my eyes for a bit, trying not too feel too tired. Someone pushes down the handle of the door and Jonah pokes his head in.

“Hi, Papa. You all alone?”

“Yeah, they left me”, I say and pout, “Isn’t that unfair?”

He laughs and nods before climbing onto the bed and cuddling closer, his head laying down on my shoulder. “Good morning”, he mumbles and closes his eyes for a bit when I start brushing through his hair. I smile softly as I watch him calm down, nearly falling asleep again.

“So, having a sleepover today, big boy?”

He rolls his eyes and nods. “Yeah. Don’t call me big boy, you know I’m not that tall or old or big. I’m only nine after all, Papa, don’t act like I’ll move out any time soon.”

I laugh and kiss the top of his hair. “I’d hate that so much.”

“Me too. Quite like being here with you.”

“Yeah? Still feeling good about the new house and the new family member?”

“’Course I do. Love the house so much. Sometimes I miss our flat a little because I liked it too, but I like my big room and the garden and that No will have her own room once she’s grown up too.”

“Always thinking of her too, huh? You know you’re the best bother she could’ve wished for, don’t you?”

He shrugs. “I’m trying.”

“Doing very well with that, honey. But you don’t have to be big bother always. Most times you’re supposed to be Jonah who’s playing football with Milan or training Theo with Betty.”

He nods. “You worry too much, Papa. I know all of that. Already told you I’m not that grown up yet.”

I kiss his forehead. “My smart baby. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

~~~

“Thank you, baby”, I mumble and wrap an warm around Louis’ waist while we’re  walking out of the restaurant, “Meant a lot. I missed you.”

He stops walking and nods, turning so he’s facing me. “I know. I missed you too. Love spending time with the two little ones, but I just missed this.”

I nod and wrap my arms around him to pull him in. He tiptoes and tangles his fingers up in my hair while kissing me softly. He leans his head against my shoulder and we stay wrapped up in each other’s arms for a bit in the middle of the dark parking lot of the restaurant.

“How about we sit down in the garden for a bit, watch the stars? Like our first date, remember?”

I nod with a smile and interlace our fingers with each other while we walk home slowly.

“I love you”, I say into the dark, “I love you so much, Louis. Can’t believe it’s been two years since we married. You make me the happiest person, you and our kids. You know that, don’t you?”

He stops walking and turns to face me again, taking both of my hands into his. “You’re just everything, Haz. Makes me as nervous as always when you tell me things like that. Still can’t comprehend the fact that I have such a wonderful husband.”

I bend down to peck his lips twice and feel him smiling in the darkness.

Once we arrived back home, hands still interlaced, and Liam and Zayn left, we grab a few blankets and sit down on the sofa in our new garden.

I snuggle closer to Louis, rolling up into a little ball, placing my head in his lap carefully. He smiles softly and brushes through my curls while looking up into the clear sky.

“This is perfect”, he whispers, “The most perfect second anniversary I ever could’ve dreamt of.”

~~~

thanks for reading<3