I Could Rest Beneath Your Smile

Max yawned, fumbling with his keys as he tried to find the right one that would open the front door of his house. It was nearly three in the morning, and he was just getting home from Atlanta. All he wanted to do right now was go straight to his bedroom and fall asleep with his arms wrapped around Brooklyn. He finally got the key in the lock, and he was surprised to see Brooklyn curled up on the couch, her head on the armrest. He smiled to himself as he realized she had tried to stay up for him even after he had told her not to.

He set his bags on the floor, making his way over to Brooklyn. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked, lying there in an old Penguins t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants. He picked her up bridal style, kissing her forehead as she began to stir. She turned her head and opened her eyes slightly, looking up at him. “Max?” she asked, sleep evident in her voice.

“Yeah,” he said with a small laugh, wondering who else would be carrying her to the bedroom at three in the morning. “Go back to sleep,” he said gently.

“I’ve missed you, Max,” she told him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he told her, kissing her softly before laying her down on the bed. He quickly shed his clothes, getting in bed next to her wearing just his boxers. Putting his arms around her, he whispered, “Now go to sleep.” Brooklyn nodded as he kissed the top of her head that was buried in his chest as they both immediately fell asleep in the comfort of each other’s arms.

Max woke up the next morning to the smell of food wafting through the house from the kitchen. He threw on a pair of sweatpants before making his way down the hall. When he saw his family in the kitchen, he just stood in the doorway, taking in the scene before him. Noah and Elise were in their highchairs and Brooklyn was feeding them their breakfast, which consisted of mashed oatmeal and bananas. She was laughing at the faces they were making.

She looked up to see Max leaning against the doorframe, and she set the bottle of food on the table, standing up and making her way over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. “Mr. Talbot, do you know how sexy you look when you first wake up?” she asked him, kissing him more intensely. Max reluctantly pulled away and Brooklyn looked up at him curiously.

“Not in front of the kids,” he explained, and Brooklyn laughed as she walked back to the table, picking up the jar of food again.

“My, how times have changed,” Brooklyn joked. “A year ago, you wouldn’t have been able to keep your hands off of me,” she said, putting the food-filled spoon into Noah’s mouth.

“Believe me, it’s taking all of my will power now,” he replied seriously, looking her up and down. “Maybe I can convince one of the guys to look after the twins tonight,” he said, a grin on his face.

“We’ll see,” Brooklyn smiled as she winked at him. “Meanwhile, why don’t you take a seat and get something to eat?” she suggested.

“Have I told you how much I love you lately?” Max asked, leaning down and kissing the side of her head.

***

Max had convinced Ruslan Fedotenko and his wife to watch Noah and Elise for the evening, and now he and Brooklyn were currently cuddled on the couch, watching a random movie on television. Max moved a piece of hair that had fallen in Brooklyn’s face, tucking it behind her ear. “So, you want to talk about what Eve said?” he asked softly.

Brooklyn shook her head. “No,” she said. “But, I know you want to. I already told you what she said to me.”

“Have you talked to her since then?” he questioned as Brooklyn resituated herself so she was now sitting cross-legged, facing Max.

“No,” she admitted. “And I don’t want to. I just want her to go back home, and I can’t figure out why she’s still here,” Brooklyn said, and Max could see the tears in her eyes.

“Brook, you know everything she said to you was a lie, right?” he asked. “You are a wonderful mother,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“It still hurts to hear her say it,” Brooklyn admitted, burying her head into his shoulder, letting his shirt soak up her tears. Max’s phone started ringing, but Max chose to ignore it, worrying more about Brooklyn. She snatched his phone, looking at the caller id. “It’s your mom,” she said, giving the phone back to him. He glanced at her, making sure it was okay to take the call, and Brooklyn nodded her head with a smile.

“Maman?” Brooklyn heard him answer, and then he spoke a bunch of French that she couldn’t understand. She smiled to herself when she heard Max start laughing at something his mother said. She wished her mother was like Max’s. Max and his mother, Lucie, had always had a great relationship, and Lucie had been the first to congratulate them when they had gotten married, welcoming Brooklyn into the family. Brooklyn heard her name, and she looked up at Max curiously, wondering what he was saying. He smiled at her, kissing her temple. “Au revoir, maman. Je t’aime,” Max said, hanging up the phone.

“So, what was that all about?” Brooklyn asked, stretching out on the couch, putting her feet in Max’s lap.

“Well,” he began. “My family wanted to make a trip down here to stay for a few days starting Saturday. They knew I was going to be home for a while, and they haven’t seen the twins since they were born. But, I told her that I wanted to talk to your first, especially with Eve still being here.”

“Max, of course I want your family to come!” Brooklyn exclaimed. “Is it just going to be your mom and dad or who else?”

“My parents and my brothers.”

“Well, call her back and tell her or course I want them to come,” Brooklyn ordered. “But, warn her about my mom,” she added as Max picked up his phone and dialed his mom’s number. She listened to him speak in his native language for a few minutes before hanging up the phone. “So?” she asked.

“They’re coming Saturday,” Max confirmed.

“And, you warned them about my mom?” she asked.

Max nodded his head. “My parents already know how Eve acts towards both you and me. They know she’s going to be here, and I told them to behave,” he assured her, knowing that there was a possibility that his parents could set Eve straight.

“You know,” Brooklyn said. “I don’t think I’d actually mind if they said anything to my mom. It’s not like she listens to anything I say. Maybe if she heard it from an outside source, it’d actually sink in with her.”

“Brook, I hate to disappoint you, but Eve’s going to be a bitch no matter what anyone says to her. That’s just who she is. But, believe me, I’m not going to let her talk to you like that again. If she says one bad word to you, I’m not going to sit there silently,” Max promised her.

“And, that’s why I love you,” Brooklyn said, sitting on her knees and leaning over and kissing Max. “You know,” she said when she broke the kiss. “We have this whole house to ourselves. No kids or anything to think about right now,” she pointed out.

“I like the way you think,” Max said, putting his hand behind her head and pulling her close until their lips were attached once again.

“Max, maybe we should go to the bedroom,” Brooklyn said against his lips as things started to intensify between the two of them.

“Why?” Max questioned. “You said yourself that we have the whole house to ourselves. And, I haven’t seen you in a week. And, we haven’t been alone together in I don’t know how long. Don’t worry, we’ll get to the bedroom. But, I plan on using every room in this house while we have it to ourselves, too,” he assured her, pressing his lips to hers once again.

“I like the way you think,” Brooklyn smirked, using Max’s words from earlier.