Baby steps were really overrated sometimes. Although their date had gone considerably well, the next few days had passed far too monotonously. Tyler would be the first to admit it had left him very confused and more than a little annoyed.

  The thing was, though, that he couldn’t quite be too mad about thebehavioureither. Not when Tori had called him to tell him that Jade needed her at home. Turns out a teething baby was more trouble than either of them had first thought.

  Or that may have just been Raine. Either way, when Tyler had shown up yesterday to attempt to help out, the inhabitants looked like they hadn’t slept at all. The dark circles under their eyed more prominant and the loud crying being heard from down the block.

  Torihad told him to go home immediately, promising to message when it was safe to visit. In the messages in the group chat, they were updated on the situation every so often for sign of life. Sure she still came to school, but she was dead on her feet most of the day and impatient to head home.

  To make matters worse, Raine had gotten a fever. He still winced at the reminder of that, and the sound of Tori’s voice when she’d told them about it in a voice message. She’d sounded exhausted, but also frantic as she’d reyed she wouldn’t be at school the next day and not to worry.

  Not that it stopped any of them from doing so anyway. Tyler was relieved to hear that the fever had broken this morning. It had made getting through the school day easier without the crushing weight on his shoulders.

  With worry out of the way, annoyance had taken over his senses. Curling within his stomach and spreading as pinpricks under his skin. Along with a renewed impatience. When his phone buzzed, he practically leaped towards it.

  ‘All clear’, it read. But it wasn’t from Tori. It was from Jade.

  Close enough. Tyler didn’t need to be told twice, he was up and off his feet as fast as he could move. Giving his parents a quick goodbye as he headed out the door, car keys in hand. The car ride over only took a few moments but felt like forever.

  Barely registering his own movements, until he was already knocking at the door. There was no crying today, a fragile silence hanging in the air. He hoped it would st, he wasn’t sure if his ears would survive being victim to it again.

  The door swung open to reveal a tired redhead. Her eyes brightened when she caught sight of him, a smile blooming to meet him. “Hello dear, how have you been?”

  Tyler shot her back a wry smile, “I feel like I should be asking you that? How’s Raine? Do you need anything?”

  “I’m fine, dear,” Jade told him, ushering him inside. “Rainehas finally settled down. She’s no longer screaming in pain, and has finally started eating again.”

  “Do you need anything,” he asks again. Tori had already reyed Raine’s worrying eating habits, so he was gd that she was eating again. He’d never known babies were so much work.

  He feels like maybe he should have.

  Jade turns and meets his eyes for a moment, mouth scrunching in thought and eyes wandering to the girl lying on the couch. He follows her gaze as it wanders over the room and comes back to meet his. She smiles.

  “I’m not sure if it counts as needing anything, but I’d appreciate it if you could get my girl to rex a little. She’s been staying up as much as we have and nothing we can say seems to deter her.”

  Tyler hums in response. He can see that very clearly actually. He gives Jade a smile, following close behind and shutting the door on his way. “Of course. I’ll try my best.” He of all people knows how stubborn Tori could be.

  Victoria Jones is and always has been a determined menace. Tyler isn’t really surprised it transtes to this as well. She’d worried and fussed over the smallest details even when they were young. And once she decided on something, it was practically impossible to change her mind.

  He suspects his initial struggle with her was more than a little reted to it. He’s just a little worried about bringing it up again. It doesn’t take a genius to deduce he might not like the answer.

  “Thank you,” Jade tells him before heading to check on the baby. “V’s asleep at the moment, but she probably won’t stay that way for long. You’re welcome to sit down to wait or watch something while you wait.”

  “Okay. Thank you.” He decides to take a seat beside her and scroll on his phone, pulling up a game when he gets bored.

  Tori’ssmall sighs into the bnket and sleepy movements alert him to her awakening not too long after. Just over ten minutes have passed. He watches as she drowsily goes to sit up, bnket held in one hand.

  Breath caught in throat as she blinks sleepily, rubbing at her eyes as she looks around. A smile automatically spreads whens he catches sight of him on the neighbouring recliner. Her eyes widen.

  “What are you doing here?” The words are quickly followed by a yawn.

  There are still dark circles under her eyes. “Just wanted to see how you were going? We’ve missed you the past couple of days.”

  She smiles. “We?”

  “Oh alright! I mean me,” Tyler rolls his eyes lightly at the teasing spark in her eyes. “I’ve missed you the past few days.”

  “I messaged you every day,” Tori points out.

  He shakes his head with a sigh. “You and I both know it’s not the same. And you’ve practically been dead on your feet at school.”

  “I’ve just been a little tired!”

  “Having to be caught before you face pnt on the floor is more than just a little tired Tori!” Tyler’s heart had almost burst out of chest when it had happened. He’d barely been able to catch her in time and none of them had let her stand up for long after.

  “I was fine,” she insists. “You guys just made a bigger deal of it than needed.”

  “You could have gotten hurt,” he says softly. “There was nothing being blown out of proportions. You could have gotten hurt.”

  And that was the root of it. Annoyance and confusion aside, she’d been worrying them. It had gotten to the point that each of them had began taking turns to walk with her wherever she went. Even when it was out of their way.

  “Yes and you made me take a nap after, so it’s fine.” She shakes her head, sighing softly. “I’m fine I promise. And…” She hesitates, eyes meeting his as indecision turns to certainty. “It won’t happen again.”

  He blinks. “Really?” He had really not expected this to be so easy. Were they in a different world or something?

  “Yes really,” Tori replies, moving off her resting spot to stand. “Jade said something simir earlier.”

  Ah. Tyler smiles, understanding dawning. “She made you take a nap, didn’t she?”

  Tori lets out an amused huff, before plopping down on his p, legs going over the armrest as she uses him as a pillow. “Yeah she did. She said she didn’t need to worry about both of her daughters,” she tells him softly as she brings up the bnket.

  Oh. Tyler feels a warmth spread through his chest as his arms go up to bring her closer, shifting to get comfortable. Oh. She’d said it with deceptive lightness, but Tyler likes to think he knows her better than that.

  “Did she?” He can feel a smile spread as she nods against him, face half hidden by the bnket. His phone lies forgotten on the table as he adjusts his hold to keep it in pce. “Well you did call her mum not too long ago.”

  A huffed ugh blows air on his neck as her eyes meet his. “Shut up,” she mutters in an embarrassed tone. He has no doubt if he touched her ears they’d be warm. It just makes his grin spread. Her soft swat only makes him burst into ughter.

  It feels cathartic in a way he didn’t realise he would feel. All the worry and annoyance melting away, leaving joy in its pce. Even if she is gring at him.

  “There’s no need to be embarrassed,” he says on a wheeze, “She technically is your mother now.”

  “Yeah, but…” She hesitates, burying her head into his neck. It feels very ticklish, but he tries not to let it show. Then she mumbles something against his neck.

  “What was that? I don’t speak neck.”

  She pulls back to give him a heat less gre. Then sighs, eyes wandering to the clock over the stove. “It still feels odd to call someone else mum.”

  “You still addressed her as such,” Tyler says softly. It’s both an observance and a question.

  “Yeah. Well like you said, it is what she is. She’s been a mother to me for the past six years and I like calling her that. It makes my life seem just a little less strange. She’s my mum now, and I…I’m really gd she is. But sometimes…” Her lips purse, voice little more than a whisper. “I’ve been calling her that a lot this week too, but there are moments it feels like a betrayal.”

  “A betrayal?”

  “Because I had a mother and now she’s not here and I know neither of my parents would mind at all. But…I don’t know…I just feel so…”

  “Guilty,” Tyler finishes. Sighing as he runs a hand down her back in what be hopes is a comforting motion.

  “I get it,” he says after a moment, “I do. And I can’t say I understand exactly how it would feel (I can’t even imagine really), but you and I both know your parents would be thrilled you have more people to love you. Who you can see as your parents, and give you support when they no longer can.”

  “I know,” she sighs, pulling away. “And it’s not that the feeling stays very long or is really even that strong now, but…I liked that she called me her daughter and I…I just can’t shake the feeling that I might be repcing them.”

  “You’re not,” he murmurs, pcing a a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Tori I don’t think you ever could repce them. It sucks that they’re gone, but I think…” Tyler hopes he can find the right words for this. He’ll damn well try. “I think that as long as you remember them, you could never really repce them.”

  “Ty, that doesn’t really make any sense,” she tells him, eyes suspiciously wet. Alright. Let’s try this again.

  “It’s not the same,” he tells her. “Jade isn’t your mother in the same way, so I’m guessing your retionship with her isn’t the same either.” Tori nods in acknowledgment.

  “She loves you though and you love her too,” he continues to say. “So, I don’t think you’re repcing any one if you call her mum because the feelings you have for them are distinct.” It’s not like she was given a choice. Renee Jones wasn’t here anymore.

  But she wasn’t forgotten. Not by her friends, not by her colleagues, and especially not by her daughter. Neither was Caleb for that matter. They were people who lived and had people who loved them. People who still mourned them. People who they had given their love to in return.

  And that wasn’t something that could be replicated or repced. A sentiment that was especially true for Tori.

  Tyler hopes she can see the sincerity on his face, that somehow she can sense all the things he means and those he can’t bring himself to say. Most importantly, he wants her to believe him when he says she’s not repcing anyone. There’s no need to feel guilty.

  “Okay,” she says on a shuddered sigh, eyes searching his face. When she gives him a tentative smile, he thinks she might just understand it all after all. There’s a million different things spoken in that okay, but none they need to discuss.

  “Good,” he says, resting his head on hers. “Gd we’ve got that settled.” A beat. “Do you still feel guilty.”

  “Not enough to stop calling them Mum and Dad,” Tori tells him. “You were right when you said it wasn’t the same feelings. It could never be.” She says the st words under her breath. “But…But it’s close enough.”

  She moves her head to meet his eyes. “I don’t want to have any more regrets.” I want to tell them how I feel while I still can, goes unsaid.

  “Alright,” he says on a smile. “Fair enough.” Her next smile turns into a yawn halfway. Tyler shakes his head. “You should get some rest.”

  “I’m comfortable where I am,” she says on a pout. “I’m not moving.” Ah. So she really is still exhausted. She only lets her guard down enough to act like this when she’s in desperate need for sleep.

  “You don’t have to,” he replies, bringing up the bnket to cover her again. “If you want to use me as a pillow, you’re welcome to. Just get some sleep.”

  Honestly. He’d rather not have her colpse again.

  “But,” she blinks. “You’re here. I feel like it would be unfair if I just took another nap when you came to see me.”

  “It’s fine,” Tyler tells her. “I don’t mind. Besides, I could probably use a nap as well. So don’t worry and sleep. I’m sure Jade already is.”

  “Yes, but-”

  “Tori.”

  She sighs. “Fine,” she mutters as she gets comfortable again. “Don’t bme me if you get bored or something.”

  Tyler chuckles at the petunt tone as she huffs like a tired cat. “I would never.” The only reply he gets is a small sound of protest, her eyes already shutting. He smiles,realisingshe has already drifted off.

  It’s very nostalgic in a way. He can’t count the number the number of times she would take a nap on him like this when they were kids. She hated the grass so she’d just use him as a pillow in the mornings at school. She also hated the benches, so it didn’t really matter where they were.

  Yes, he decides. He doesn’t mind this at all. The sun shines down on them warmly even as it gets closer to setting.Toriis a warm weight on him and the recliner soft under him. The bnket is rge enough to cover them both and there’s a comforting silence around them.

  So, it’s no wonder that he starts to drift off to sleep as well. It’s been a long day. He wasn’t lying when he said he could use a nap. They’ll no doubt be awoken by either a crying baby or Jade, but for now Tyler lets himself get some rest.

  There’s no more nerves or worrying to distract him.