Stay

I watched Lauren dance around the kitchen in my shirt cooking us breakfast. Her phone was playing some Luke Bryan song as she flipped the pancakes. She sang along with it quietly. Her hair was a beautiful mess as she ran her hands through it before putting it up on top of her head with a hair tie.

"You don't have to do this," I reminded her as she dug through the freezer.

"Who the hell shops for the food in this house?! How do you not have bacon?" I chuckled at words.

"I ate the last of the bacon yesterday," I shrugged as her face scrunched up in distaste.

"I really wanted bacon this morning," she pouted as she plated the food she made, turn the stove off and put our plates on the table. She sat down at the chair across from me and looked at her food then pouted before beginning to eat the short stack of pancakes covered in whip cream, pure maple syrup and fresh strawberries.

"Will it make you feel better if I told you I was thinking about you as I ate the bacon?" Her eyes grew wide and an adorable little smile made it's way to her lips.

"Maybe a little," she giggled softly as she stabbed her knife into the pancakes and cut a piece for her to eat. Without thinking, I pulled her plate across the table and next to mine. She quietly scurried over to my chair and sat on my lap. My arm wrapped around her waist as we proceeded to eat our delicious food she made.

"Thank you for the breakfast baby, it was very good." I kissed her cheek before she got up to take our plates to the dishwasher. "Baby, you don't have to..." I watched as she turned around and her beautiful blue eyes looked at me. They saw right through me.

"You're welcome Jordan," a small smile was on her lips as she set the dishes into the dishwasher and then promptly began putting the dirty dishes from the sink into it also. I sighed knowing no matter how much I begged her that she wouldn't stop. My beautiful girl had a tad bit of OCD, but it made her perfect. It makes her who she is. I heard the front door open as Jared walked in with a smile on his face. He was drenched in sweat, or was it water?

"'Morning bud," I acknowledged my baby, okay not so baby anymore, brother walk into the kitchen and head straight to our fridge.

"Jared, here." Lauren immediately tossed him a huge bottle of his favorite Gatorade. "It's really hot out there, really cold Gatorade isn't gonna help ya." She knew his routine, she knew that he would always make the mistake of chugging really cold Gatorade and then not feel well. "Remember, sips silly boy." She walked by him, slapped his bare shoulder then pranced on over into my arms.

"Thanks Lar," he smiled happily at her before unscrewing the cap and making sure not to chug the red Gatorade. All of us Staals appreciated Lauren, more so than others. Our fingers wound together as we walked to the stairs. Her tiny fingers were nestled between my own. Her hand felt like it was made for holding my hand. Before she had a chance to walk up the stairs, I stopped. She looked up at him with a curious look on her face.

"Thank you for doing the dishes and for making me breakfast, beautiful." The hand that wasn't holding hers went to her cheek and pulled her closer to me. Her eyes were smiling, matching the smile that was etched onto her lips. My smiling lips covered hers in a soft, caring kiss. Sometimes my words never truly showed how much I appreciated all she did for me.