Playing House

Several hours later, I was dozing in and out of consciousness. This had to be the longest day of my life. Not that I wasn’t having fun, but I was just about ready to pass out. I was a little nervous about how it was all going to go down though.

After everyone left, what were my parents doing? And then, once I actually got into bed, how long before one of the triplets wakes me or Ben up and makes things tense again?

I glanced over at Leah and Patrick, who were sitting very close on the loveseat. They both had huge smiles on their faces as they talked, and I would notice them both blush slightly whenever their hands grazed or something.

Ben had disappeared five minutes previous to this, and he still hadn’t come back. He told me he had to ‘step outside’, but for what I wasn’t sure. I figured maybe he meant he was going to go let the dogs out, but either way I couldn’t find the energy to get up and look for him. I was quite comfortable on the couch, Maddie asleep in my arms and Beau’s head in my lap as he slept as well. Tomas Kopecky was holding Mason, Andrew Ladd was holding Ben Jr., and Emma was being held by Jonathan Toews. I was hoping the three Hawks would tire the babies out and they’d sleep through the night, but I knew that was highly unlikely.

“Hey, do you want me to start kicking people out?” Adam Burish asked as he sat down softly next to me. “You look like you’ve about had it.” I smiled over at him with tired eyes.

“You guys know you can stay as long as you want or need,” I told him. “I’m just waiting for Ben. And I’m waiting to see what my parents are doing.”

“I’m pretty sure I heard your mom say they were spending the night and then they have to go sort out their nixed Italy plans tomorrow,” he provided. I nodded and glanced over at my parents, who coincidentally, were making their way towards me.

“Amalia, we’re going to turn in,” my dad announced. “But I wanted to thank you for throwing this all together. It was a real treat.”

“No problem,” I smiled. “Go get some rest.”

“Don’t stay awake too long,” my mom advised, giving me that authoritative yet joking look. I just nodded and they began to walk away.

“Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. Williams,” I suddenly heard Ben’s voice say.

“Goodnight Ben!” They both chirped as they headed toward the staircase.

“Where have you been?” I asked him as he nudged Adam away and took his spot next to me. Adam just glared and moved to the arm of the couch.

“I was taking care of something outside,” Ben said. “Parking issues.”

“Parking issues?”

“Yeah,” Ben nodded. “People are going to want to leave pretty soon and some cars are blocked by others.”

“So, you went and moved them all?” I asked, raising an ‘I know you did not move all those cars’ eyebrow.

“Something like that,” he replied vaguely. I didn’t get a chance to question him further, because people began approaching us and telling us they were going to head out. Tomas, Andrew, and Jonathan all put the dozing triplets upstairs before leaving shortly after. Adam grabbed Beau and Maddie off of me and carried them up to their room to go put them to sleep, and Ben pulled me to stand up.

“Thanks for inviting me tonight, Amalia,” Leah said to me as she gave me a hug.

“Oh it was nothing,” I told her, slightly disappointed that I didn’t get to see anything good happen between her and Sharpie. But I guess it was still early. They had plenty of time. After I said goodbye to Leah she had walked out the front door, and Sharpie came over to bid me goodnight after patting Ben on the back. Ben leaned against the wall by the stairs, while Patrick and I stood near the front door.

“I’ll talk to you guys later, alright?” He said, kissing me on the cheek.

“I hope you asked her out on a date,” I told him, completely disregarding his statement.

“I’ll get there,” he chuckled. I was about to respond when Leah came back in through the front door. We all looked at her oddly, and I went to stand next to Ben.

“What’s up, Leah?” Ben asked casually.

“My car is blocked,” she said, laughing.

“But everyone is gone,” I pointed out.

“Not Adam,” she denied. “His big truck is behind my tiny sedan.”

I went to open my mouth and argue, saying that was impossible because when Adam arrived I distinctly remembered seeing his truck parked next to Leah and not behind her, but Ben suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist and yanked me to his side tightly.

“I’m just going to wait for him to come back down, I guess,” Leah continued. I looked to my left and saw Adam coming down the stairs, but he was invisible to Patrick and Leah since they couldn’t see around the wall.

“Actually, he’s staying the night,” Ben said, shoving Adam at exactly the right moment to keep him out of sight. Adam stumbled backwards, catching himself in a seated position on the stairs.

“Oh,” Leah trailed off. “Well, I guess I’ll have to also, if that’s okay with you guys?”

“Of course it is,” I nodded, before shooting Patrick a look. He locked eyes with me, but didn’t understand the message. He shook his head, telling me he didn’t get it. Finally, with one last look from him to Leah and back to him, I saw it click in his head.

“Or, I could just drive you,” Patrick finally offered. I felt Ben relax next to me and his grip loosened.

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“It’s no problem, really,” he insisted.

“Great, it’s all settled. We’ll talk to you two later,” Ben announced, ushering them towards the door. After they were gone, Adam came into view.

“You almost broke my neck,” he said to Ben immediately.

“I did not, Drama Queen,” Ben waved off. The two began bickering, but I tuned them out as I watched Sharpie pull out of the driveway. Once I could no longer see his car, I told Adam he was free to go.

“All that and I don’t even get to actually stay?” He remarked.

“Goodnight, Adam,” I responded with a smile, pushing him towards the door.

“Alright, alright, I’m going,” he laughed. He turned and kissed my cheek before leaving, and I shut and locked the door behind him. I leaned my back against it and blew the hair out of my eyes as I faced Ben.

“Tired?” He asked me with a smirk.

“Don’t even,” I shook my head, laughing. I pushed myself away from the door and began turning off all the lights and making sure everything was shut tight. I checked on the dogs too, making sure they were alright before walking back toward the stairs. I saw Ben leaning on the wall, arms crossed, watching me. “What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he shrugged, standing upright and walking over to me. He suddenly picked me up bridal style before carrying me up the steps.

“I love when you just know when I need stuff like this,” I sighed contentedly, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I hate to burst your bubble, but I never know,” Ben confessed. “But how often can you go wrong by sweeping a girl off her feet and carrying her?”

“Touché,” I nodded, smiling softly to myself. Ben grinned down at me as he entered the bedroom quietly, both of us looking at the basinets to see if the babies were sleeping.

“Yes,” Ben celebrated to himself upon seeing their closed eyes.

“I hate to burst your bubble,” I started, causing Ben to groan. He laid me across the bed and collapsed next to me, nuzzling his face into my neck.

“Please, don’t even finish that sentence,” Ben pleaded.

“I have to change them,” I told him. “I know their diapers aren’t clean, and I can’t leave it or they’ll get a rash. But I mean, there’s always a possibility they won’t wake up.”

Ben gave me a pointed look, letting me know he wasn’t buying what I was selling. I wouldn’t have either, though. I let my fingers run through his short hair, letting out a small sigh.

“Why don’t you go ahead and sleep on the pullout bed in the living room,” I told him. “I’ll take care of the babies and you can get a good night’s rest.”

Ben pushed himself up to hover over me and furrowed his eyebrows.

“…What?” He blurted.

“What?” I defended.

“I just…I mean, you…I…they…”

“Ben,” I laughed. “Just go down there and sleep, okay?”

“I can’t do that,” he refused.

“Why not?”

“And just leave you to take care of them by yourself? No.”

“Ben, I’m not going to be mad, I promise. You have practice tomorrow, and you need to sleep,” I said.

“Practice isn’t until four tomorrow,” he shook his head. “So it shouldn’t be that bad. I can spare some sleep. Besides, you need your rest too.”

I grinned up at him, tugging on his shirt until his lips met mine in a short, sweet kiss.

“Help me change them, and then we’ll get you settled downstairs,” I said, ducking out from under him and getting up.

“But-”

“No buts, Benjamin. I’ll be home all day tomorrow and have plenty of time to nap. I want you to get some rest, so will you please, please just do this for me?”

“I’m supposed to be making up for getting upset with you about my lack of sleep, and instead you’re asking me to go sleep as a favor?” He smirked, peeling off his clothes. “Either this is a test, or you’re tricking me somehow.”

“Neither, I promise. I just feel bad,” I shrugged. He pulled on a pair of basketball shorts and looked up at me confused.

“Mal, you can’t feel bad. I know I was a jerk about it, but I’ll be fine, I promise. I hate that you feel guilty when I was such an ass,” he groaned as he ran a hand over his face.

“Change your son’s diaper,” I ordered, pointing to Mason. I was already almost done changing Emma and was about to move on to Ben Jr. We finished in silence, and he picked up Mason and Ben Jr. and began to rock them back to sleep. I picked up Emma and did the same, smiling softly at Ben.

“They’ve been sleeping practically the whole day,” Ben pointed out. “So they probably won’t be asleep for too long.”

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” I informed him, setting a sleeping Emma back in her crib. I walked over to the linen closet and pulled out some sheets and blankets, and grabbed a few pillows as well. Ben was suddenly behind me, having put Mason and Ben back down too. He pulled everything out of my hands and shot me a puppy dog look.

“Is this your subtle way of telling me you’re still mad and sending me to the doghouse by making me sleep on the couch?”

“Ben!” I laughed. “No. Come on.” I walked out of the room quietly and he followed as we made our way downstairs. He set the sheets and stuff down and pulled the bed out from the couch before helping me make the bed. When we finished, Ben grabbed me by the hips and pulled me to him.

“You promise you’re not mad?”

“I promise,” I nodded.

“Do you promise to come down and get me if you need something?”

“I promise.”

“Are you sure this is-”

“I’m sure,” I laughed, kissing him swiftly. “Go to sleep.”

“I don’t feel right about this,” Ben whined.

“Goodnight,” I called out, scampering away before he could protest. I heard him groan as I ascended the stairs, and I chuckled lightly. I tiptoed into the bedroom, careful not to wake the babies up any sooner than necessary. I went into the bathroom and got ready for sleep, and on the way back to the bed I peeled off my clothes. I was too lazy to change, so I figured sleeping in my underwear would be good enough.

I honestly didn’t remember much after getting under the covers, but I must have instantly passed out. I woke up sometime later, feeling something against my back. My eyes fluttered open and I leaned back, feeling a body. I shut my eyes and sighed, knowing it was Ben.

I turned around in his arms, which were wrapped around my waist, and glanced at the clock. I was shocked when I saw it was nearly five in the morning.

“Ben,” I shook him. He grunted and stirred, cracking an eye open to look at me.

“What time is it?” He asked in a raspy voice.

“Almost five,” I answered. “Speaking of which, I can’t believe the triplets have gone this long without-”

“I took care of them,” Ben said, pushing me to lay back down. “They’ve only woken up twice.”

“But…you’re supposed to be downstairs,” I bumbled.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said sheepishly. “I just got used to having you in bed next to me again, and I wasn’t comfortable without you.”

“You are so corny,” I smiled.

He smiled back and pressed his lips against mine slowly.

“You love it,” he mumbled against my neck after he broke the kiss.

“I do. But I wish you would have let me help you with the babies instead of doing it all yourself-”

Ben silenced me with a kiss before pulling away and wrapping me tighter in his arms.

“Goodnight,” he said, ending the conversation much like I had earlier. I chuckled and closed my eyes, not wanting to waste anymore rest time.

“Goodnight,” I replied, settling myself against him. He kissed my temple softly, and I quickly fell back asleep.