. everything now

[jada carson]

She gives him a look of judgement when he mentions throwing Oliver in the pool, knowing he won't but still on edge about about potential clumsiness. She can't control the crazed smile on her face as the baby grabs a handful of finger, his hands not even fitting the width. "I don't think it's that he doesn't know how, it's just that he'd prefer not to," she crosses her legs and leans forward to be a little closer. "We met another baby the other day on our walk, a three month old. I know they're babies and you're not supposed to judge, but you could tell Ollie was miles ahead of Topher."

[Deleted]

Though he had thought it would be less powerful than before, becoming a father for the second time had left him elated. The night Oliver was born had left him too high to sleep, the effect more intense, more mind-altering than any substance he had ever encountered. It was still so incredible that they could have produced this, a whole other person, a person who carried a mix of his characteristics and Jada's... he wondered why they hadn't done this sooner, if they had they would have lost interest in drugs a whole lot sooner. It was a purer high. "No, it's a developmental thing. They learn to grasp before they learn to let go, isn't that weird?" He listens to her story, beaming with pride-- though really he doubted it was true. He and Sienna had believed exactly the same thing of Savannah, and he suspected Topher's mother had made just the same observation of her own child. "Maybe we have a genius on our hands."

[jada carson]

Jada has a permanent smile playing on her mauve lips as she looks at Finn and Ollie. She'd been worried that this wouldn't turn out, as she was aware of how bat shit insane the proposal had been. Now that the baby was here, it didn't seem any less crazy. Her mother - though she fell back in love with Finn near the end of her stay - had expressed concern over the future. She had said they couldn't live in wonderland forever, and eventually reality would hit. Jada waited the the impending doom, her stomach sick with the possibility of hurt and betrayal. "Well, you know he is us. He's bound to me Einstein," she jokes and raises herself back out of the sun. It's been two minutes and she already can't stand being so far away, so she stands right next to Finn. "You know.. gaining weight, being constantly sweaty, swollen ankles and horrible labour... I'd definitely do it all again," she smiles and reaches to stroke his peach fuzz head.

[Deleted]

It seemed insane that the woman he had once cheated on his wife with was now his ex-wife, mother of his son. He wondered what former Finn would have thought of it if he had known, if the Finn having sex with Jada in a back room at a gala would have felt more guilty or somehow vindicated, knowing he hadn't ruined his marriage for nothing. With Ollie in his arms and Jada by his side he felt everything had worked out just as it should have, though the quirk of them also being divorced was one he'd have rather missed out. Still, if they hadn't divorced this wouldn't be where they would be now, and that made it all worth it too. Looking up at her as she stands beside him, he tilts his head. "Really?"  He was surprised. Pregnancy looked like extremely hard work and Sienna had sworn never to do it again mere seconds after giving birth, a promise she had so far kept. He knows she's aching for Ollie so he gets up too, passing the precious cargo back into her arms carefully, readjusting his babygro as Jada took him. "Let's be really obnoxious and take loads of pictures for Facebook today." He leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head, hiding a grin, "then we can go about getting you pregnant again. Want a beer?"

[jada carson]

He shows surprise and she laughs a little. Pregnancy had not treated her well and she was definitely not one of those beautiful glowing women with a petite bump. She was pretty positive those types of pregnant women only existed in fiction. She had been constantly miserable, and the last two months of it she did very little but lay grumpy in a chair with Finn cracking jokes that she found very unfunny. "Definitely, look how worth it it was," she pouts down his little face, her thumb resting on his chubby cheek. She takes the baby back and hugs his tiny body in her arms, her green eyes taking him in. "Do you think you're photoshoot ready, Ollie? I haven't taught him out to pose but I think he's a natural," she had so far done what she told everyone she wasn't going to do - and that was post a ton of baby pictures on Facebook. It was a rule about modern motherhood.. or at least, she convinced herself it was. "Oh yes, I'll get you in the bathroom with Pornhub, a cup and a syringe for myself," she rolls her eyes at him. "Gin and tonic, please. Stirred and extra lime, bartender."

[Deleted]

He puts a hand on her back as they both stare down at the baby in her arms, a parody of a family pose. In truth he had been right there with Sienna when she said she didn't want another, and it was something he had not expected to change his mind about. His dad made much of having another boy in the family but truthfully, looking down on little Ollie, he knew he would have been just as smitten with another daughter. "Maybe for you, I was the one who had to deal with the mood swings..." he joked, another of his very unfunny ones. "He's photogenic as fuck. Definitely gets if from his mama." Both their phones were filled with picture after picture of the baby, identical to everyone but them. Even his dad had told him enough was enough, and he was delighted that Finn had taken another foray into fatherhood. He laughs as he wanders into the kitchen, fixing her drink to order and getting himself another beer, condensation on the glass within seconds of it being removed from the fridge. Emerging, he put the drinks down on the table, pulling a chair out into the sun. "There are easier ways, y'know."

[jada carson]

"And I'm the only who had to put up with your bad jokes. Sav and I would quote you whenever either of us were delivered a dad joke," she says with another eye-roll. Savannah had just sent one yesterday, something about Finn eating fish and chips and conveying his excitement with a 'holy mackerel'. Jada pulls the chair partially into the shade, enough so that her legs are feeling the warmth but the baby is protected by the sun umbrella. "You don't give yourself enough credit. Look at him, he's a perfect blend of our best features," she stares into the baby's perfect aqua eyes, her face glowing with pride. She babbles at Oliver when Finn goes back into the house. Baby talk was another thing she promised herself she wouldn't do, but here she was making faces and voices at her two month old child. "There are?" she cocks her head to the side and takes the drink from him, her lips taking a sip before she sets it back down. "I think I'll disagree. Syringing your load sounds less invasive and less messy. I could put a disco ball and pump up the jams if it makes it more fun for you?"

[Deleted]

He holds a hand to his heart, as though wounded. The idea of her and Savannah exchanges his bad jokes pleases him, both because he wants them to reach a wider audience and because he loved how much his daughter loved Jada. "People would pay good money to have 24/7 access to a comedian," he says, inwardly vowing to double down on the dad jokes. What else was fatherhood for? He does as he's told, looking at Oliver and trying to discern similarities between himself and the baby. It's too early to tell but Savannah's said he looks like him, and since he wants it to be true, he agreed. Stretching his legs out though they were cocooned in sweatpants, he lets the LA sunshine beat down on his skin for a few minutes. "Honestly Jada," he starts, taking a sip of beer, "if you did want another I'd want to do it the old school way. Not just because you're still the sexiest woman I've ever met, but it just feels weird to me. If you wanted to have another test tube baby with someone else I'd understand."

[jada carson]

Jada considers his words by taking a sip of her drink and fidgeting. Her bare fingernails pull at the wicker chair and she picks a stick loose from it's nest. It's these conversations that make her feel incredibly guilty and ungrateful. She's plagued herself as a big tease, even though she does very little to dangle herself. "Well," she pausing again, sorting out the words in her mind but not knowing if they hold any truth or not. It'd be easy to give in and it'd make so much sense to, but she's holding back like their relationship is a bad habit. "I'll think about it over the next year. If you asked me now, I'd look for someone else."

[Deleted]

It was an awkward conversation to be having at the best of times, but sat by the pool on a beautiful sunny day, the perfect product of their unconventional path to conception sitting with them... it wasn't entirely comfortable. But Finn knew he had to say it, he wanted the record straight before she got her heart set on doing the same thing again. When she eventually speak he nods. It's not the answer he wants, of course, but it's not one that surprises him, either. He puts a hand on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's not an ultimatum. The ball's in your court, I just wanted you to know where I stood on the issue." He looks at her, blue eyes squinting against the sun. "Besides, wait 'til he's old enough to talk back. You'll probably want a hysterectomy."

[jada carson]

There had been so much changed not only within the past year, but within the past few years. Not only change of circumstance, as she had quit her bad habits entirely and divorced Finn in order to seek this change. But there was also change of character. Jada had winded down, become more thoughtful and less chaotic, she'd sought a life that was slower and more organic. Finn had as well, although he didn't announce it as loud as she had, she'd noted that his demure had quieted and he was more wholesome. "I do love you and I do love this," she looks from Oliver to him, her hand reaching for his and holding on for a moment. "I don't want to ruin it," she drops his hand and laughs a little, "I don't think he would, he's too pure."

[Deleted]

"I love you too," he agreed, feeling guilty for even broaching the subject now. He really didn't mean it as an ultimatum, he wasn't even trying to get back together with her... he regretted bringing the subject up, though it had been Jada who mentioned getting pregnant again. He hadn't needed to make it about his grievances. He squeezed her hand back, trying to convey to her that there was no bitterness at all. "Nothing could ruin this. It's perfect, I wouldn't change a thing," he said, and it wasn't until he said it that he knew it was true. Truthfully, he wouldn't have even wanted to be together - their relationship would have vied with their love for Ollie, and he liked them being distinct. "I'll quote you someday."

[jada carson]

She's reassured and she looks back with a faint smile. Oliver has fallen back asleep but she knows it's a temporarily moment of silence, as he'll need to be changed anytime. With her free hand she lifts the gin and takes a small sip. "It will change though. We'll change and we'll need to make sure to prepare for that," she thinks about future career changes and relationships. Changes that she'd like to push far away but know that it's inevitable they will come. "You'll do as your mother says and no lip from you," she grins down at the baby, his chest raising as he breathes softly.

[Deleted]

He brushes his fingertips against the baby's head affectionately, his hair so soft it's almost air. "Pfft, stop worrying. Things change, we'll change with them, we don't need to brace ourselves," he said, though this was at odds with his personality usually. He was an anxious person at heart, someone who thought long and hard before acting. He was easily stressed and this was why he had decided to let fate take the reigns-- it was absolution from major responsibility. Plus, he knew from experience that you could never prepare yourself for the challenges parenthood threw at you, they'd only evolve to betray your plans. He finishes his beer, smiling as she mock scolds the baby. "You need to relax. I know that's hard, but try not to worry, focus on this time. It flies by."

[jada carson]

Jada bites her lip and looks into the blue of the pool. There's leaves swimming with the chlorine, their edges brown from the heat of the summer. She makes a note to call the pool guy to clean it this week and another note to remind herself to pull the cover over it this evening. "Okay," she's brief, her legs stretching out before she raises herself off the chair. "I'm going to change him and lay down for a little while. There's leftovers in the fridge if you'd like, I think there's still McDonalds from this morning as well. Those should be good for an eternity. "