Jack laid out a blanket and took Aubrey out of her carrier, setting her on top. She cooed before crawling across determinedly to get into the green grass.
She looked down, her expression uncertain, as if she wasn't sure she had the right. "Oh.. I suppose."
His expression was impossible to read. “Do what you want, Avice,” he said flatly. “Stop trying to act like you’re a deer in the headlights.”
He leaned back, closing his eyes as the sun hit his face. His face was still tense and closed to Avice, but Aubrey quickly crawled over like it was routine and curled up in his arms.
It took him a long time, but Jack gradually fell asleep, the warmth of the sun acting as a natural blanket. His face relaxed and his lips parted slightly. His curly hair flopped over his forehead and he suddenly looked just as he had the day she left. Calm. Warm. Content.
The circles around his eyes were darker, but his freckles still gave him a youthful look. Aubrey played with his hair as he slept and he shifted but didn't wake up.
Her voice was soft and quiet. She hoped he would remain asleep. "I'm sorry, Jack. I'm here for you, too. I'm so sorry."
He shifted again, but did not wake, wrapping his arms around Aubrey protectively as the baby gurgled, pulling his hair.
He watched her for a moment before looking down at Aubrey. “Mama loves oranges,” he told her quietly. “Did you know?”
