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"Can I feed her?" Layne asked softly as he and his wife, Jussi sat on the living room couch in their home.
Jussi had their 6 month old daughter situated in her arms, a warm bottle on the coffee table.
"Layne..." Jussi groaned lightly, dragging his name out. "You always feed her! Let me do it this time babe!"
Layne furrowed his brows and pouted. "But I love feeding her...I love taking care of her..."
Layne leaned over, lightly rubbing the infant's head and placing a kiss to it. He smiled up at his wife, leaning over and grabbing the bottle, handing it to her. Jussi smiled as she held the bottle out to the hungry toddler who instantly took the nipple of the bottle into her mouth and started sucking away, hungry for nourishment.
"I know you do Layne, but I'm the stay at home mom...you're taking my job away!" Jussi joked.
"No I'm not." Layne smiled softly, leaning in and pressing his lips to her's in a soft kiss.
He pulled away, pressing his temple against hers as they both looked down at Veronica as she ate. Veronica's big, bright blue eyes bore up into theirs as she looked around curiously, little hands on the bottle, squirming around as she was being fed.
"She looks just like you babe. So beautiful...I love both of my girls, my beautiful girls..." Layne smiled.
Jussi couldn't wipe the shit eating grin off of her face. At first she was a little terrified of having a daughter. She had not really had a mother in her life. The only mother she knew was a crippling drug addict who died shortly before she had went to rehab. She didn't really know the woman, so not a tear was shed. The only tears she had shed were the tears of sorrow she had for herself having to grow up the way she did. She at first, felt like she would not have what it takes to raise a girl, but once her beautiful baby came into the world, all of those fears were wiped away.
She was going to do a great job. Veronica was going to be a strong girl.
Layne and Jussi watched Veronica as she fed. Eventually, when the bottle started getting low, the infant became fussy, spitting the nipple out.
"Oh sweetie...have you had enough?" Jussi cooed, trying to put the bottle back into the infant's mouth but the infant cried, spitting it out and turning her head slightly.
"I think she's done babe." Layne replied.
"I guess she is." Jussi smiled, leaning over and setting the bottle back on the table.
"Let me burp her at least." Layne begged softly, giving Jussi the most pathetic look he could must.
Jussi rolled her eyes as she picked the baby up by her armpits.
"Fine. Daddy always has to do everything. He hogs you from mommy!" She cooed as she held Veronica up, looking into her little eyes and smiling.
Veronica smiled as she studied her mom's eyes, drool coming out of her mouth. She was handed to daddy, and Layne took the child in his arms, wiping her drool with the bib that was around her neck, that said "Daddy's Girl."
Jussi looked on as Layne held the baby against his shoulder, bouncing her lightly in his arm and lightly slapping her back with his hand. He smiled as he kissed Veronica's cheek, looking over at Jussi and smiling.
Within a few minutes, the baby burped and Layne cooed, "There we go! Baby's ready for a nap now!"
Layne smiled, handing the baby back over to Jussi. Jussi got up, taking the baby to her pack-n-play crib, laying her in there gently on her back and pulling her blanket over her. Veronica's eyes were tired as she lay there. Jussi smiled, leaning down and kissing her cheek before walking back over and joining Layne on the couch.
She didn't even notice that Layne had laid his hand where she was sitting. She didn't look as she sat down and she sat down on his hand. She shrieked when she felt his fingers wiggling against her ass, jumping back up.
"Layne!" She giggled, crossing her arms.
Layne wiggled his eyebrows, tongue hanging out as he wiggled his fingers. He moved his hand and Jussi sat down, pulling him to her, their lips meeting.
"You're so silly babe." Jussi smiled against Layne's lips.
Layne chuckled as they began to kiss, soft lips brushing together. Layne wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling away for a second.
"Why'd you have to wear those fucking sweat pants? We could pull a quickie right now..." He breathed as he moved his lips to her neck.
Jussi tilted her head and sighed as Layne sucked on the tender flesh of her neck. she held onto his arms.
"Babe...the baby's right over there..." Jussi sighed.
"So...she's too young to know what's going on. God you are so fucking beautiful..." He breathed between kisses.
He kissed his way up her neck and back over to her lips, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Jussi gasped lightly as their tongues began to touch gently.
Layne had by now brought a hand down to the hem of Jussi's shirt. He ran his hand under the thin fabric, feeling soft skin, rubbing around. He moved his hand up under her shirt and up to one of her boobs.
He furrowed his brows as they still french kissed, really getting into it. His hand was over her breast, getting ready to squeeze. Jussi sighed, tilting her head back, Layne's lips sliding down her chin. He licked down to her throat where he sucked. He started to squeeze her breast, when suddenly they heard a familiar voice.
"Daddy!"
Layne quickly pulled away from Jussi, lips kiss swollen, face tinged red, chest rising and falling. She smirked at him, wiping her mouth off and straightening her shirt. They heard the pitter patter of little feet rushing down the stairs.
"Sweetie don't run! Be careful!" Jussi looked back and called and then looked over at Layne, smirking again.
Layne cleared his throat, sitting back on the couch, running his hand through his curls. Their son Junior ran into the living room, plopping on the couch between his parents.
"Is Veronica asleep!?" Junior exclaimed excitedly looking from mom to dad.
"Yeah sweetie. She just ate and now she's tired." Jussi smiled, standing up and grabbing the bottle.
Junior frowned.
"She's boring. All she does is sleep. When is she going to be able to talk and play?" Junior asked, kicking his legs back and forth.
Jussi giggled, shaking her head as she walked off into the kitchen to clean the bottle.
"She's a baby bud. That's what babies do. You were a boring baby once too ya know. You didn't do anything but burp, eat, sleep and poop!" Layne smiled, reaching over and tickling Junior.
Junior giggled as Layne's fingers wiggled against Junior's stomach. He backed away from Layne, smiling. He was laying against the couch now, his feet on Layne's thigh.
"What happened to your cartoons?" Layne asked, grabbing Junior's ankle and squeezing lightly.
Junior shrugged as he laid there, twirling one of his curls around his little finger.
They had recently put a television in Junior's room, with restricted channels of course. Layne figured it would keep the kid more distracted while he and Jussi spent time in the bedroom.
Layne leaned over, grabbing the remote to the living room TV, turning it on and turning the volume down, turning it to the news.
Jussi came back into the living room by now, finished with cleaning the bottles. She walked over to the pack-n-play to check on Veronica, who was still sleeping.
"Daddy?" Junior asked, getting up and sliding close to Layne.
"Yeah bud?" Layne smiled.
"Can I get a pet?" Junior asked quietly.
Layne glanced down at Junior, brow raised.
"What?" He asked.
"A pet. Can I get a pet daddy?" Junior asked again.
"A pet? What kind of pet?" Layne asked, looking back at the television.
"A kitty." Junior replied, pouting at Layne.
"No bud. We can't get a pet right now." Layne replied.
By now Jussi had sat on the couch, sitting back and looking over at the two.
"But why?" Junior asked softly, pouting.
"Because Bud. It's not the right time." Layne replied quickly.
"But daddy, I'll take care of the kitty. I promise!" Junior begged.
"No bud. No pets right now." Layne sighed, sitting back on the couch and idly looking at the tv.
"But daddy...Oscar and Issac have a kitty! Why can't I have a kitty!?" Junior exclaimed.
"I don't care what your cousins have. You're not your cousins. We're not getting a cat and that's final." Layne said a little irritably, glancing at Junior and then back at the television.
Junior sat there, arms crossed, a frown on his face. They all sat there in silence, and then they started hearing little sniffling noises.
Layne glanced over to see Junior crying, his hands over his face.
"Sweetie..." Jussi sighed, about to lean over.
"Junior! Stop that crying! It's not gonna work. We ain't getting no cat! Stop this. You're too young for a pet and plus, we have your sister right now. She's too little. I ain't having no cat scratching her or something." Layne frowned, trying to pull Junior's hands from his face.
Junior sobbed loudly, ripping away from Layne's grip.
"Mommy!" He cried loudly, looking at Jussi.
Jussi hugged Junior, kissing his head. Junior held onto mom, looking up at her as his lip trembled, hot tears pouring down his face.
"Mommy can I have a kitty?" Junior asked.
Jussi was about to open her mouth to speak but Layne spoke up.
"Junior! I said no! Don't even try your mother. We are not getting a cat, or any other type of pet for that matter! We just aren't getting any pets right now! Now calm down, your sister's sleeping over there!" Layne exclaimed.
"Layne!" Jussi frowned slightly.
Junior sobbed loudly, standing up, his little fists balled up at his sides. Layne looked at his 6 year old son, brows furrowed. Jussi looked on too.
Suddenly out of nowhere, Junior screamed at Layne, a frown on his little face.
"I hate you daddy! I hate you so much you are so mean!" He screamed at Layne before turning and running away up the stairs, sobbing loudly.
Layne sat there, brows furrowed, still staring at the spot that Junior had been standing in, mouth slightly agape. He jumped and winced when he heard a door closed.
"What the fuck? Oh my god..." Jussi mumbled, sighing loudly.
Layne sat there, processing the strong words that came out of his son's mouth. He put his head in his hands. He could feel his chest burning with a heartache feeling.
His sweet little boy had just yelled at him for the first time. His sweet little boy who usually adored him had just, for the first time, said that he "hated him."
Layne was in shock. Junior had never acted like this before. Junior was usually so nice. Junior loved him. Layne could feel his eyes pooling with tears.
Jussi was surprised that all the noise hadn't woken the baby up. She sat beside Layne, putting her hands on his shoulders. She could see how visibly shook up he was from Junior's outburst.
"Layne babe...Layne are you alright?" Jussi asked, brows furrowed, lips pursed as she rubbed her husband's shoulders.
"What was that....where did that even come from? What the fuck?" Layne said softly, voice cracking.
He cleared his throat, sighing shakily, feeling like there was a weight on his chest and a lump in his throat.
"Layne...Layne don't take this personally babe. I'm going to go talk to him...he was just really angry. I actually read an article about this the other day on the internet...he's still learning how to express his anger...I bet he learned those words from his bad ass cousins. You know he doesn't hate you babe. He loves you." Jussi sighed, kissing Layne's cheek.
Layne tried to swallow the burning lump that was in his throat, but he just couldn't. He sighed as he looked down, sniffling as he blinked tears out. Jussi sighed, brushing her fingers through Layne's hair.
"Babe I'll talk to him okay?" Jussi sighed.
"I can't believe he said that to me...oh my god it hurts so much...I love him so much and he said he hates me...fuck..." Layne said softly, voice quivering, tears falling.
"C'mon babe...cheer up. I told you he doesn't hate you. In a few hours he'll be hugging you again like nothing happened. It's gonna be alright Layne." Jussi smiled.
Layne sniffled, wiping his eyes and nodded.
"Go talk to him. He shouldn't be saying that to me...I love him more then I fucking love myself. I'd do anything for him...I just...he's so young...I can't believe he said that to me...." Layne rambled.
The pet situation was long forgotten. Jussi pulled Layne's face to her, kissing his lips gently.
"I understand how you're feeling Layne...you're taking it too personally babe. I'm going to talk to him right now..." Jussi said softly.
She stood up. Layne reached up, grabbing her velvet sweatpants covered hip and squeezing lightly, smiling up at her lightly before she turned to walk off, disappearing up the stairs.
Layne shut the TV off, sighing and sniffling, wiping his eyes. He had never heard Junior's voice get in that pitch before. Junior was starting to break his heart; he was growing up now, that's for sure.
Layne sat there for a few minutes and finally got up, going over to the pack-n-play. Veronica was awake and shimmying around, looking up at the ceiling and the toys that hang over her head from the structure she was in. She looked up at Layne when Layne walked over, smiling at him.
He smiled, reaching his hand down, sticking his finger out. She grabbed it with her little hands, smiling at him.
"Oh come here baby girl, you don't hate me do you? You love me." Layne cooed, picking her up carefully and holding her in his arms.
He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. She grabbed at his shirt, smiling up at him and squirming around in his arms. Layne walked upstairs with her.
He couldn't help but stop at Junior's room, bouncing the baby lightly, eavesdropping. He glanced inside the cracked door.
Jussi was laying on Junior's bed, Junior in front of her. She was stroking Junior's hair and they were talking.
Layne stood against the wall outside of the door, bouncing the baby lightly and eavesdropping. Every now and then he would kiss Veronica's cheek.
"But mommy, I want a kitty. Oscar and Issac have one. I'll take care of it I swear!" Junior begged.
"I know you would honey...but everything you wouldn't be able to do...not yet...I'll tell you what. I'll talk to daddy and I'll try to get him to say yes. You know he's very funny about cats. He use to have a cat you know, before you were born." Jussi cooed.
"Really?" Junior asked.
"Yeah." Jussi said softly. "Her name was Sadie. She passed away shortly after you were born. Daddy was upset. Daddy really loved Sadie. I don't think Daddy really got over her passing honey. I think that's why he's so hesitant in getting a kitty. I'll try and talk with him okay?"
"Okay." Junior sniffled.
Meanwhile Layne sighed, feeling his heart sink when Jussi mentioned Sadie. Sadie was a good cat. She was the best. Most of what Jussi said was right. Sadie was irreplaceable. Layne had loved that cat so fucking much that he just couldn't love another cat. Sadie had seen Layne go through some shit. Layne closed his eyes and sighed as he continued to bounce the baby.
"You were feeling very angry a while ago when Daddy told you no you couldn't get a kitty weren't you?" Jussi said softly.
"MMM HMM." Junior nodded.
"Sweetie...when you told Daddy that you hated him, you didn't really mean that did you?" Jussi asked.
Junior shrugged, but Layne didn't hear a response outside of the door. He could feel his eyes pool with tears again.
"Sweetie...when you're feeling angry...there are better ways to express how you're feeling instead of saying you hate us. You heard Oscar or Issac say that to Aunt Liz or Uncle Greg didn't you?" She smiled.
Junior pouted and nodded.
Layne still bounced the baby, sniffling lightly as the tears fell down his face. He could just hear Junior's little voice replaying in his mind as he screamed at him.
Suddenly Veronica's face winced and she started to whine. Layne gasped lightly, quickly walking away from Junior's door, taking the baby to her room.
She had soiled her diaper and Layne preceded to change her diaper.
Meanwhile, Jussi continued to talk to Junior.
"When you're angry, it's better to tell us honey. Do you understand? Instead of telling Daddy you hate him, you could have said 'daddy you make me angry because you won't let me have a kitty.' Sweetie, daddy's really upset at what you said. Would you feel upset if Daddy said he hated you?"
Junior's bottom lip quivered as he stared down at his comforter. He nodded as his eyes pooled with tears.
"You are such a sweet little boy and you have two very bad cousins that you always try and emulate. Just be yourself honey..." Jussi smiled.
Junior sobbed lightly, rubbing his eye.
"Does daddy hate me now since I was mean to him?" Junior sobbed.
"No honey...god no. Daddy loves you so much. He'll always love you. But I do think you should apologize to him sweetie. It's going to be okay." Jussi cooed, kissing Junior's temple.
She sighed and preceded to make Junior repeat the lesson that he was supposed to have learned, just to make sure he was understanding how to communicate his feelings to them.
Meanwhile, Layne had finished changing Veronica's diaper. He went ahead and gave her a quick wipe down before dressing her and then putting her in her crib. She was falling asleep again. He adjusted her baby monitor and gave her one last look before leaving her bedroom door on a crack and walking out. Layne sulked back to the bedroom he shared with Jussi.
He slipped out of his clothes and took a shower.
* * *
Later that night, Layne was laying around in bed, playing games on his smart phone. Jussi was finishing up tending to Veronica, who had to eat again. As Layne was laying there, he heard the bedroom door creak. He looked up from his smart phone to see Junior walking in slowly, clutching a stuffed animal.
"Hey bud." Layne said softly as he felt Junior climb into the bed.
Layne shut the game off and put his phone on his nightstand. He smiled as Junior laid beside him, cuddling up to him.
"You doing ok?" Layne asked softly as Junior laid on his outstretched arm.
Junior nodded quietly. They laid there in silence for a moment and then Junior spoke.
"Daddy?" He asked softly.
"Yeah bud?" Layne asked.
"I'm sorry I said I hate you. Mommy says I shouldn't say that she says I should tell you when I'm angry." Junior said quietly, not looking Layne in the face.
Junior clutched his stuffed animal, pouting. Layne smiled and sighed, reaching over and ruffling Junior's hair.
"Ah I know you don't hate me bud. And I'm so glad you apologized to me...lets me know you didn't mean it." Layne smiled.
"Do you still love me daddy?" Junior asked, pouting.
Layne furrowed his brows.
"Of course I do bud. I love you so much. You're my best friend!" Layne smiled.
Junior smiled and sighed, nuzzling his face into dad's shoulder. They laid there for a second and Layne started to tickle Junior, causing Junior to laugh and giggle and squeal loudly.
During their tickle fight, Jussi had finished up with the baby, putting her back to sleep. She came up to her bedroom and heard loud giggles and squeals. She smiled, brows furrowed as she pushed the door to her bedroom open, to see her husband and her son in some sort of tickle match.
She walked in with her hands on her hips, a playful smirk on her face.
"Uh oh! Mom's here! We gotta behave now!" Layne laughed, ceasing the tickling.
Junior rolled over, nearly out of breath, giggling as he looked over at Jussi.
"Time for bed young man. Get to your room now please." She smiled.
"Okay mommy." Junior smiled.
Junior grabbed his stuffed animal and walked out of the room. Layne jumped up and followed him to tuck him in.
Minutes later when he returned, Jussi was laying in bed. Layne closed their door, turning off the lights and getting under the covers with her, spooning her. He was just about to fall asleep after a while when he heard Jussi call him.
"Babe?"
"Huh?" Layne mumbled, half sleep.
He sighed when he felt the bed shift and Jussi turned her lamp on, turning around and facing Layne. Layne opened his tired eyes, looking at her.
"What?" He asked as he yawned.
"Listen...why don't we let Junior get a pet? We don't have to get a cat. There are plenty of other things out there." Jussi smiled.
Layne sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Babe...I don't want any kind of reptile...rodent...cat...I mean maybe a cat someday...but not right now." Layne sighed.
Jussi furrowed her brows.
"Layne why are you being so difficult about this? Junior's old enough. He wants a pet. This could be a good learning experience for him too...teach him responsiblity." Jussi sighed.
"Babe...Veronica's so young right now. We're so busy with her. Do you really think it's the right time to have a messy creature walking around that we have to clean up after?" He sighed.
"Layne babe...we can handle it. C'mon let your son have a pet." Jussi begged. "Issac is a little bit older then Junior and
his parents let his hyperactive little tale have a pet." Jussi replied.
"Justine...Liz and Greg also do all the work caring for the fucking animals...those boys don't do anything. I know how it is with kids...they want these pets but then they get bored with them and stop paying attention to them...leaving the responsibility to fall on the parents! It's not the right time. Junior's too young!" Layne frowned.
Jussi frowned back at Layne.
"Layne. I think you are being very stupid about this. I think a pet would be a nice addition to our family. Maybe Junior's not the only one who wants a pet. Babe why can't you just see that this will be good for us? For your son?"
Layne sighed frustratedly, turning around in the bed not facing her.
"I'm not discussing this anymore. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. Good night. Please turn the light off." Layne replied in a tone.
Jussi scoffed, sucking her teeth and rolling her eyes. She turned her lamp off and laid down, not facing him.
She furrowed her brows as she stared into the darkness. Layne was going to let them get a pet. He was gonna give in. She'd see to that.
Jussi had trouble going to sleep as she thought about how she would manipulate her husband into letting them get a pet. She was startled when she felt the bed moving as Layne moved, nearly an hour after he wanted to stop talking about the issue.
She smirked to herself as she felt Layne sigh, moving back close to her, throwing an arm over her waist.
She was going to work her husband until he let them get a pet for their family.