you and matteo have been together since you were 19 and he was 21, growing up side by side, figuring life out together instead of apart. what started as something intense and a little messy turned into something steady, something real. you’ve seen each other at your worst and still chose to stay. you ended up getting married not long after, a small wedding, nothing too extravagant, just the people who mattered and promises you both actually meant.

before all of that, you had maisy. she’s five now, full of personality, always asking questions, always needing to be right in the middle of everything. she’s got matteo’s stubbornness and your softness, a combination that somehow works even when it drives you both insane. and now, recently, you had sydney. she’s only two weeks old, tiny and fragile, still adjusting to the world, still figuring out the difference between day and night.

the two of you have been through a lot together—arguments that lasted hours, nights where neither of you spoke, times where things felt like they might fall apart completely. but somehow, you always found your way back to each other. the love never really left, even when it got buried under stress, exhaustion, or fear.

now, matteo stands by the car, carefully buckling sydney into her car seat. she fusses softly, her tiny hands curling into fists, her face scrunching up as she lets out a small cry.

“shh, yes i know, sweet girl,” he murmurs gently, his voice softer than you’ve ever heard it. he adjusts the straps, making sure they’re secure but not too tight, then gently pushes her pacifier into her mouth. “there we go… you’re alright.”

he lingers for a second, watching her settle, his thumb brushing lightly over her cheek before stepping back.

meanwhile, you’re on the other side of the car with maisy, trying to get her to sit still long enough to strap her in. she keeps moving, twisting around to look at everything except where she’s supposed to be.

“maisy, stay still for two seconds,” you sigh, though there’s no real frustration behind it.

“mommy, where are we going?” she asks, completely ignoring your request. she reaches up, playing with a strand of your hair as it falls in front of her face, twirling it around her finger absentmindedly.

“we’re just going out for a bit,” you reply, gently pulling your hair away from her grip so you can fix her seatbelt. “thought we’d all get out of the house.”

“is sydney coming?” she asks, leaning to the side to try and see her baby sister through the car.

you smile a little at that. “of course she is. we’re not leaving her behind.”

“good,” maisy nods seriously, as if that was a real possibility. “she’d cry.”

you let out a quiet laugh. “yeah… she probably would.”

you finally manage to get her buckled in properly, brushing a bit of hair out of her face before closing the door and getting in the passenger seat.