18

                                    

                                          
L U K E 
                          
The next morning, I woke up with Carter on my chest, and alex snuggled into my side. 
                          
Carter woke up right after me, and looked up. He scooted further up, and buried his head in my neck. "Luh dada.." He whispered, and I smiled, rubbing his back slowly. "I love you too, Carter." 
                          
"Dada bottle." He said, and I sighed. I slowly stood up, holding him on my shoulder as I took my arm out from under alex. I didn't wanna wake her yet. 
                          
I walked Carter to the kitchen, and sat him down on the counter. I stood in front of him so he wouldn't fall, and prepared a sippy cup for him. I tried handing it to him, but he just shook his head. 
                          
"Carter. Drink your apple juice, and I'll make breakfast." I said, and he shook his head again. "Bottle." He said, and looked up at me. "Carter. You're almost too old for the bottle. Use your sippy cup, please." I said, but he looked down, shaking his head. 
                          
"No bottle today. I'll set your cup beside you, and you can drink it if you want." I said, and sat it down. 
                          
Carter played with a big plastic spoon, and hit it on the table as I cooked eggs. I made sure to move him away from the stove, so he was now on the floor. 
                          
I smiled when I saw him drinking from his sippy cup, but I looked back to the stove so I wouldn't burn anything. 
                          
I put two plates on the table beside each other. I made her hot chocolate, and made me coffee. 
                          
"Carter stay right here. I'll be right back." I said, and he looked back at me as I walked down the hallway. I walked into Alex's room, and crawled onto her bed, straddling her waist. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Good morning." I whispered in her ear softly. She stirred around, but wouldn't wake up.  
                          
"Aaaaallexxxx!" I said slowly, and shook her. Her eyes popped open, and she rubbed them with her balled fists. "Good morning." She mumbled, and tried to fall back asleep, but I wouldn't let her. 
                          
"Cmon. Carter's getting hungry, but I wanna wait for you." I said, and she groaned, but got up anyway, causing me to fall off of her waist. I loosely held her hand as we walked to the dining room. 
                          
I picked Carter up on the way, and walked him to the dining room. I sat him down on my lap. I put a few pieces of eggs onto a smaller plate, and chopped them up into tiny pieces. I then tore up his toast, and pushed his plate in front of him. 
                          
He began eating quickly while me and alex just started. 
                          
"My back hurts." Alex groaned, and I frowned. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can get for you?" I asked, and she shrugged. "I don't think so." She mumbled as we finished our breakfast. I picked up the plates, and washed them off in the sink. 
                          
Carter sat on the floor of the living room, staring at the tv, so I walked back into the kitchen. I walked over to alex and pushed her against the refrigerator, and leaned my forehead on hers. She smiled, so I leaned down and kissed her lips softly.
                          
"Wait- hold on.." She said, and walked from the room, and I followed her a little, and saw she went into the bathroom. I turned back to Carter, and laid down on my stomach beside him. He rolled his bouncy ball over to me, and laughed. I smiled and rolled it back. 
                          
We went back and forth until alex came, and sat down beside me. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked, and she shook her head. "What's wrong?" I asked, and she blushed a little. "Girl problems." She said quietly, so I nodded, and looked back to Carter. I rolled the ball back to him, and he squealed, holding it up. 
                          
"Do you need me to get you anything?" I asked, and she shook her head. "No. I'm fine right now." She said, and laid down on her stomach beside me. I looked over to her and kissed her cheek. She smiled, and laid her head down on my shoulder.