Shauna glances around the nursery as her nimble fingers run across the length of the crib, the almost finished room is beautiful, if she says so herself, and pride bursts in her chest at the thought of what she and Jackie have built for themselves.
Her and her best friend.
Jesus.
It’s crazy to think about. They’ve come so far from the two little kids running circles around Deb Shipman all those years ago. Inseparable since they first spoke to each-other, words a little incomprehensible as they fell out of tiny Jackie’s mouth quicker than she could actually say them.
Shauna remembers it like it was yesterday, the way she saw Jackie’s princess doll get snatched by a little cunt with a badly done mullet, and Shauna, ever her protector, toddled over and yelled at him. A chubby finger thrust into his personal space as she became red faced with effort.
Deb had to intervene as soon as Shauna tried to sink her barely sharp baby teeth into the flesh of his forearm, (always the biter, Jackie teases still) and apologize profusely to his hag mother. That was the day Jackie and Shauna evolved into JackieShauna.
And they’ve not missed a beat since then, carefully curating every part of their lives together.
A small apartment a few miles out of Wiskayok.
A home.
A life.
Now a baby.
It’s honestly surreal to her, that their daughter will make her arrival soon, only two more months.
Just two more.
8 weeks.
Less than that, if she’s born early, which she probably will be. Especially if she takes after Jackie- and God, Shauna hopes she does. A mini Jacqueline Taylor is all she needs to complete her already pretty perfect life.
She can see it now. Wide, curious eyes. Soft, chubby cheeks. Tiny little arms, just like how Jackie was as a baby. All 6 pounds, 1 ounce of preciousness.
(Shauna had an unhealthy obsession with looking at Jackie’s baby pictures whenever she stayed at the Taylor’s)
She turns to the rocking chair in the dim corner of the room, and waddles over, carefully sitting down with a soft hand resting on her stomach. Just admiring the soft sage walls that Jackie had painted meticulously, and the pale pink flowery crib sheets, Shauna had picked up at the store a couple weeks back.
Pink and Green.
Jackie and Shauna.
It’s perfect, like, seriously fucking perfect for their baby.
Shauna smiles warmly to herself as she glances up at the bookshelf opposite the crib, her very own book at the top, Shauna Shipman-Taylor, in big, white lettering down the spine.
It’s her greatest achievement, honestly. Jackie had never been so proud of her. An expert in everything Shauna related since the ripe age of 5. The brunette didn’t even want to display her book in the nursery, but Jackie convinced her to with those puppy dog eyes, and a grin, “Cmon, she’s gotta join me in the Shipman fan club, like, you know I love your Mom but she’s slacking on the merch.”
Well, it was her greatest achievement. Her newest one is the tiny baby that currently has a foot resting firmly against her bladder- she has Jackie’s attitude too clearly.
Speaking of Jackie, the nursery door opens gently and the dirty blonde grins at her wife as she comes in. “I knew you’d be hiding out in here.” She comments as she gravitates towards Shauna and lovingly rests her hand on her cheek.
Shauna leans her head into Jackie’s comforting touch and hums. “I just like it, y’know? You did a pretty good job painting, surprisingly, Jax.” She teases with a smirk as Jackie takes in her words.
“Surprisingly?” She deadpans, eyebrows furrowing. “Fuck off, Shipman.” But she can’t suppress her giggles any longer as she runs her manicured thumb over Shauna’s cheekbone.
Shauna just shrugs and amends her words, “Shipman-Taylor to you.” And Jackie’s heart stutters as she’s reminded. Not that she could ever really forget one of the most magical days of her life. Or the thin gold band that adorns her ring finger, the coolness of it hitting her palm when she clenches her fist.
Jackie nods softly, love struck all of a sudden, but usual when she spends time with Shauna, and she leans down to press a tender kiss to the brunettes hairline. Lingering there for a moment to breathe in her scent, and murmur into her hair, “Yeah, Shipman-Taylor.”
They relax for a few more minutes. Just thinking about their life. How lucky they are. Even when Shauna winces as their daughter kicks her harshly and she glares at Jackie with an expression similar to the one she adopted in high school, whenever she’d see her perched on Jeffrey Fucking Sadecki’s lap.
//
6 weeks later, on the dot, they arrive home. Jackie is multitasking, as she pushes their apartment door open so Shauna can walk in despite her insistence she could’ve done it alone, and her other hand holding the car seat tightly. Her knuckles turning white with the death grip she has on the metal.
She is not taking her chances with their baby.
No fucking way.
Thankfully, Lottie, Nat, Tai, and Van have all been over in the last few days they’ve been at the hospital to make sure the house is stocked full of whatever shit you get first-time parents, so it’s clean, and they have meals in the freezer.
Meaning, they can take their daughter- God, Jackie’s never gonna get tired of saying that- to her nursery, and the rooms finally gonna get used.
Shauna leads the way with a tired but content smile, everything she’s ever wanted surrounding her, and she leans up against the crib bars.
Jackie, with as much care as she can manage, guides the car seat to rest on the ground, as she kneels to scoop their daughter into her arms. Shauna’s heart swells as the infant stretches her little limbs- she was right, she’s small, like 5 pounds, 9 ounces small- and lets out the cutest little coo they’ve ever heard.
“God Shauna, how is she so perfect?” Jackie asks, completely earnestly, admiring the delicate curve of her button nose, and her adorable little eyes, her smooth tufts of brown hair. Jackie is so enamored by her, and it makes Shauna’s whole world light up. “Like, everyone says their baby is the cutest, but ours for sure fucking beats those losers.” What can she say? her Captain side still comes out sometimes.
Shauna chuckles quietly, so exhausted yet still so full of love, and she shrugs. Leaning her head on Jackie’s shoulder as the dirty blonde lovingly cradles the newborn between them. Her little legs kicking out from where they don’t quite reach the feet of the onesie due to her small stature.
“Because she looks exactly like you Jax.” Shauna murmurs truthfully as she breathes deeply. Relishing the scent of baby powder and just plain newborn pureness. Innocence.
“She has your hair, and your nose.”
“Your eyes though, and she’s almost exactly the same weight you were. Tiny. ” Shauna teases.
“Shut up, I’m like, an inch shorter than you at best. And I was taller for like, three grades. You just wanted to be an ass and beat me.” Jackie pouts and Shauna chuckles, kissing Jackie’s temple as her hand comes to rest on their daughter’s impossibly silky skin. Her thumb running across the slope of her squishy nose, and along her cheek.
A couple emotionally charged minutes pass and Jackie doesn’t even recognise that she’s crying until a droplet soaks into the fabric of the pink flower onesie and Shauna’s thumb is quickly wiping away the tears. Jackie doesn’t need to explain what’s wrong, she never has. Shauna knows what’s happening. They’re finally getting everything they’ve ever wanted, and looking at the treasured baby curled up in Jackie’s loving arms, they’re both feeling a lot.
With a deep inhale, and a few more shaky hiccups, Jackie leans across to press a gentle kiss to Shauna’s now quivering lips, the salt mixing between them, before they both kiss their daughters head at the same time.
“We love you, Callie Shipman-Taylor.” Jackie mumbles sentimentally into the soft peach fuzz atop her tiny head, and Shauna giggles wetly as she sniffles.
“So much. It’s you and us, kid.” Shauna breathes out.
She was right. Their life is pretty damn perfect. And the love only multiplies, two years later when Jackie gives birth to their son Elijah.
The nursery is then split into two different sides, but still the same colours. Light pink for Callie, ever the demanding almost-three-year-old- Jackie and Deb fucking knew that she would have Shauna’s attitude- and a muted green for her little brother’s half.