Page 6 of Till Cupid Do Us Part

I adjust my hold on Junie and focus on my friend, forcing a smile. In reality, I’m not sure if I would consider Travis asking about his sister as progress. Even before showing up at Christmas, he was more curious about Junie than he ever was about my relationship with Niko.

Travis can be a fucking asshole, but when it came to Junie, he was a bit less like one. He avoided seeing us after he found us in the Frosty Mug yet showed up at the hospital to meet her and, since then, texts Niko consistently to ask how his sister is. It started when I was about four months along and hasn’t stopped since.

“I’ve written some instructions for you,” I say, segueing from Travis as I reach into my jacket pocket and pull the folded paper out. “It’s just her new schedule and the things she’s decided she doesn’t like anymore since last time you watched her.”

Jill takes it with a lifted brow. “I don’t know whether to say thank you or be offended you think I need an entire list of instructions.”

“You can be both. Oh, and there’s a shit ton of milk in the diaper bag. I need to put it away before we leave?—”

“I’ve got it,” Jill huffs, already reaching for the bag on the ground. “Stick it in the freezer?”

“Yeah, please.”

Breastfeeding Junie is something I love being able to do. There was a part of me that didn’t know if it would work after watching so many videos online of horror stories. That wasn’t the case for me. Junie took to it immediately, and we’ve been doing it since. The quiet moments I get with her while she feeds and her huge blue eyes stare up at me are my most precious ones.

It does take a toll on me mentally, though. It’s just worth the struggle.

“You got it. We’ll have a blast together, won’t we, June Bug?” Jill asks in a high-pitched tone. “Mommy needs to say goodbye and hit the road. Daddy, too.”

I tense and grip my daughter a bit tighter in preparation for handing her off. Emotion burns my eyes as I blink rapidly and kiss Junie’s cheeks. She doesn’t share the same issue. The traitor just grins like the sweetheart she is.

“Alright. Be a good girl for Auntie Jill, baby. I’ll call once we get to the cabin,” I murmur, breathing in her scent.

Niko crowds us, taking his turn to kiss and hold our daughter without taking her from me. “We’ll see you in a few days, princess. I love you.”

It feels impossible to release her. Jill attempts to take her, and I only clutch her tighter.

“I’ll take the best care of her, Ivy. I promise,” my best friend swears softly.

Niko curls an arm around my shoulders, offering silent support. It’s exactly what I need. He’s my rock. Now and forever.

With a tight throat, I hand Junie over to Jill. My nose burns as she hugs her tight and beams down at her adorable, squishy little face. There’s more than enough love there between them. I clutch onto that knowledge and reach for Niko, needing to hold someone now that my arms are empty.

“We’ll video call you as soon as you get to the cabin. I promise,” Jill says, dancing in a circle with Junie on her hip. “It’s only three days.”

I nod firmly. “I know. You’ll take care of my girl.”

“And Niko will take care of mine,” she teases.

“Always,” he grunts.

Slowly, we shuffle to the door and linger, eyes glued on a giggling Junie. Some of my fear slips, trust replacing it. Excitement, too.

I know that if Niko is with me, I’ll be okay. He’ll take of me the way he always does. And then we’ll come back and get our daughter.

3

NIKO

Ivy shakesher leg anxiously in the passenger seat while fiddling with the radio volume. We’ve shuffled through three separate playlists so far, all of which were completely different genres.

The drive to the cabin has been mostly silent, with her rolling her lip between her teeth and checking her phone every two minutes. I haven’t let it bother me. She’s worried about Junie. I know that once we get out of the truck and I can show her around our new home for the next few days, she’ll loosen up.

I’ve planned a bunch of things for us, starting with getting her inside and fed since we haven’t eaten since breakfast.

“Has Jill texted?” I ask.

The truck’s tires crunch over the thick snow but don’t slide. It’s too powdery to feel the ice below yet. The incline we’ve been on for the last hour has shot my nerves regardless.

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