Reminders
Chapter 42: Reminders
“I had so much fun with Uncle Wei, Mommy. I miss him.”
Sammy was pouting some as he thought about his uncle who had returned home to Hong Kong earlier that afternoon.
Ira pressed a kiss to the side of his head in comfort as she cradled him to her on the lawn chair. They were sitting outside in their backyard watching Tawan and Star practice karate by sparring each other. Ira smiled as she watched Tawan hold Star’s leg in the air at a specific height to show her a proper high kick.
To Sammy and his sister, the week their uncle was there felt like only a few days between going to school and immediately spending as much time with him as possible when he was available. Sammy missed riding on his back like a horse and him taking them out for ice cream and him playing basketball with them so he could show them some of his skills. Though he loved his mothers and sister, he always enjoyed spending time with the male figures in his life from his grandfathers to his Uncle Wei and Uncle Lee.
“I know Uncle Wei misses you already, too,” Ira told him, squeezing him to her.
“Can we go to Hong Kong to see him?” Sammy asked and looked up to her.
“Well, Momma and I were talking about taking a family vacation, so maybe that is something we can do,” she nodded and winked to him.
Sammy clapped then grabbed the pendant on her necklace to play with like he would sometimes do when she held him like this. Ira smiled down to him as he played with the gem that was the twins and Tawan’s birthstones infused into one that she had gotten herself some time after they were born. She loved it so much that she got Tawan a tennis bracelet with her own birthstone fused with the twins for Mother’s Day that year.
They both carried a piece of their family with them wherever they went.
“Mommy, look!” Star yelled excitedly.
Ira and Sammy looked to her as she ran and landed a successful jumping high kick as high as her little legs would take her. Tawan jogged up right behind her, clapping her hands and whooping, then scooped her up to attack her cheek with kisses. Ira cheered to her, pumping her hands up to the air, and clapped as high as her hands could go above her head. Sammy yelled and cheered as he tried to match his mother's loud claps as best as he could which made her laugh.
“Good job, baby!” Ira cheered, cupping her hands around her mouth.
Tawan walked her and Star over to them as she peppered her cheek with kisses and fixed her upright to hold her on her hip.
She sat them down on the lawn chair Ira and Sammy were seated in next to Ira’s thighs after she scooted over to make some room for them. Star disentangled herself from Tawan and crawled over to Ira’s right side to cuddle as she moved Sammy to her left side to hold. Tawan watched her children get comfortable as Ira looked down to each of them to press a kiss to their heads.
Sammy began to tell Star about his conversation with Ira of them possibly getting to visit their uncle in Hong Kong. Ira was looking down between them as she listened to Sammy before her mind drifted off to their much needed family vacation she could not wait for. She smiled as she thought about the activities she wanted to do with them and the memories she hoped to create.
Ira cast one more look on her children, pressed another kiss to their heads and inhaled them, then smiled down at them adoringly.
She had just looked up to Tawan to remind her of the days she needed to block out for their New Year’s getaway when her stomach fluttered. She looked at her wife, curious and shy under her intense gaze that made her heart skip a beat, and tilted her head at her in question. Ira had the faintest smile on her lips as she watched Tawan stare at her and the twins like she could not believe what she was seeing, as if she was staring into a divine light, her eyes glistening with awe.
Tawan was thinking about how strange life could be that she was here in this moment now with the three people whom she would die for with no hesitation whatsoever. She thought about how so many steps and decisions and something like plain old luck landed her here sharing two beloved children with the most beholding woman she will ever meet. It astonished her every single day that somehow, in the vastness of this world, they were right where they needed to be to be able to find each other by chance and create this beautiful life from scratch.
Often, she wondered was it some sort of divine intervention or something written exact in a book of stories. It made her think about how difficult it was growing up bouncing between countries, but that it was all worth it in the end. She was so thankful that all of those tough times, even up to early adulthood, had brought her, her peace.
Ira made her toes curl every time she kissed her, her spirit would jolt when she would look at her, and she would make her spine shiver when she touched her. Tawan did not know what she did to deserve her family whether it was good deeds in a past life or something she did in the present, but she would forever ensure that she honored this blessing with her appreciation and gratitude at every turn.
Tawan’s glazed over look, her eyes playing their entire lives in her minds background, focused to Ira's head tilted looking at her in slight concern but also smiling just the faintest.
The corners of Ira's lips twitched up. "What?" She mouthed to her.
Tawan’s eyes fluttered as a quick laugh escaped her. "I love you," she mouthed back, shaking her head at her to not be worried.
That was all Ira needed as she could now see that her wife went to the place she frequented a lot since starting their family.
“Mommy? Can we have curry tonight?” Star asked and looked up to her with puppy dog eyes.
“What is with you and those eyes lately?” Tawan laughed, grabbing her little ankle to shake her leg.
“Mommy does it when she wants a hug from you and you give it to her,” Star giggled and tried to retract her leg.
“Oh, really,” Tawan laughed again, always amazed at her attentiveness.
“No, Momma does it when Mommy kisses her nose,” Sammy supplied, pointing at his own nose.
“You, too?” Ira chuckled and shook him.
“I’ll make dinner tonight. You take a break,” Tawan said, leaving no room for argument.
Ira looked up at her to protest. “No, baby. You’ve been cooking dinner almost every night for the last month,” she declined, smiling assuredly.
Tawan chuckled and grabbed her bare foot. “We’re partners, remember? We share these things equally,” she reminded her as she put her foot in her lap and began to massage it.
Ira’s head fell into the back of her seat, smiling contently. “Well, then can I help?” She asked, sighing and relaxing into her tender touch.
“Yes,” Tawan answered, taking a moment then switching to her other foot. “You can take a bubble bath or play video games with these two munchkins.”
Star and Sammy had been having their own conversation about something that happened at school when they heard the words video games and looked to Tawan addressing them. Their eyes immediately lit up and they looked between both of their parents. They got excited and Tawan chuckled as she kneaded the bottom of Ira’s foot.
“Can we play video games, Mommy?” Sammy asked excitedly, perking up at her.
“Mario Kart?” Star added giddily and clapped.
“Ohh,” Ira groaned, amused as she flexed her toes knowing she lost when she looked up to her wife. “You cheated. You know I can’t say no to them and Mario Kart.”
“I’ll make you a bubble bath after dinner,” Tawan winked, raising her foot to kiss it.
Ira covertly covered the twins ears so she could mouth flirtatiously to Tawan “for you and me” making her look away both shyly and in anticipation. She swallowed hard and had to refrain from tugging at the collar of her T-shirt. The twins grabbed Ira's wrists to remove her hands so they could clamor onto her about Mario Kart.
“Well, then I better go get dinner ready,” Tawan announced and stood. She leaned over to grab each of the twins heads to kiss then grabbed Ira’s face to kiss her lips softly before pulling back a hair.
“I love you,” Ira whispered, smiling into her eyes.
“My lady,” Tawan said deeply, lightly beaming to her before she gave her one more kiss.
Ira giggled and wiped her lips for her before she pulled away to head into the kitchen.
Star and Sammy started bouncing into her again to get her attention about Mario Kart. She laughed as she squeezed them close and attacked their faces with kisses then told them to head into the living room. As she passed by the kitchen, Ira smiled in adoration and wonder as she watched Tawan focused on chopping vegetables for their dinner.
Sometimes she had to pinch herself to know that she was real and all hers.
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“We still need to figure out what we’re going to wear,” Ira reminded, her eyes trained on the loofa she was using.
Bubbles popped around them as they sat in their large jacuzzi bathtub for their bubble bath almost an hour after having put the twins to bed.
Tawan was sitting in between Ira’s legs leaning forward to hug her knees and to rest her head on them. They were talking about the awards ceremony that they had to attend in a few weeks in October while Ira gently washed Tawan’s back and shoulders for her. Neither woman could remember the last time they were able to do such a normal activity in such an intimate way with each other.
“You just tell me what you’re going to wear and I’ll find something,” Tawan mumbled against her knee. She was thankful for her daily stretches and especially the older she got.
“Actually, I wanted to match you. We always match me,” Ira asked, cupping some water in her hand and running it over her back.
“But you’re the model,” Tawan pointed out, eyes closed and shrugging a bit.
“And you run a successful fashion magazine,” Ira rebutted, laughing as she cascaded some more water over her right shoulder.
“I’m your accessory, babe,” Tawan reminded her, trying to not smirk.
“I told you I hate it when you say that,” Ira playfully growled and tickled her sides.
Tawan’s earnest laugh escaped up from her belly as she squirmed and reached into the bubbles to grab her hands. Ira giggled as she pulled her close to her front to hold her and leaned down to bite her right shoulder then kissed the spot soothingly. As the bubbles and the water waves of their playfulness settled, Tawan did the same as she snuggled her back into Ira’s chest as her chin found the back of her head to rest on.
“Okay…,” Tawan started, lips pursed in ponder. “I did want to wear that tailored, olive pantsuit you got me from Ralph Lauren.”
“Really?” Ira asked excitedly, leaning over to look at her some. “You really like it?”
“I told you I did, my love,” Tawan chuckled, turning her head to nudge her chin with her nose. “Why do you think I don’t?”
“I don’t know,” Ira shrugged and pressed her cheek to her temple. “The color is different from what you usually wear.”
“Well, I love it and I am open to trying something new especially if its for you,” Tawan countered and nodded.
“Oooo,” Ira crooned by her ear then kissed it as her body vibrated with excitement. “Thank you, thank you! Now I have the perfect dress for it. Guess?”
“Hmm,” Tawan pondered, rubbing her knee in thought and to calm her from sloshing water.
Ira’s excitement got the best of her. “The black, floor length, halter. You know? The backless one you like to tickle your fingers across,” she whispered sultrily into her ear.
“Ira,” Tawan growled, sitting up some to turn and put her nose in her neck.
“The YSLs you got me would go with it, too,” she continued innocently, moving her neck some for her. “The ones you always like to see my legs in. What did you say last time? You wanted them over your shoulders or something like-,”
Ira giggled as Tawan turned around fully and her lips suddenly found hers as they slipped on each other and the back of the bathtub. She turned her head just as Tawan’s hands gripped the lip of the tub behind her head to anchor and lock her in place so she could hover a bit over her. Tawan smirked at how their movements caused the waves of the water to push them against each other causing Ira to react with a whimper or low moan into her mouth.
Ira reached up for her neck, glad that they both decided to tie their hair up in messy low buns, and pulled her closer to slot her lips over hers before breaking it.
She looked deep into her eyes, watching them roam her face. “I’m so happy and proud of you and the team,” Ira smiled in praise.
Though Tawan was the one nominated for the award, she was sharing it with her team and dedicating it to their magazine because of the first issue being included in her nominated works.
Tawan gave her a slow, sweet kiss then nudged their noses together. “You know you’re going to win, right?” She said confidently, locking her with a soft gaze.
Ira was touched by her tone and stare. “I love you,” she sniffed, cupping her cheek.
“I love you more,” Tawan whispered and leaned down to kiss her. She pulled back after a moment to press their foreheads together, their eyes still closed as they relished in this moment.
Ira pushed her away gently, caressing her thumb near her mole. “Whether we bring home anything or not, remember that we got there on so much more,” she reminded her.
“Our hard work has already paid off,” Tawan agreed and nodded. They had agreed the night they read the invitations that they would not let this one result define their achievements when they had so many other things that affirmed their success to them.
Ira gave her a chaste kiss then smiled. “But, I can’t wait to see where you put your trophy in your office,” she smirked confidently.
Tawan chuckled then leaned down to kiss her neck. “Hmm, ‘Most Influential Writer’. I wonder where I would be at with journalism right now,” she mused against her skin in thought to herself before kissing her neck a few times.
“You could still do it with FleurDe, remember?” Ira reminded her, bringing her back face-to-face and moving some hair behind her ear.
“You know…,” she pondered in even deeper thought, looking off to the side. “Meena and I were talking about expanding our platform and communication beyond just the magazine and writing.”
“Oh,” Ira hummed, laying her stray hairs down. “How so?”
“Well, we were thinking about a podcast or a short daily show that goes live,” she shared, smiling at how good it sounded to herself.
“Why not both?” Ira suggested, turning her back around so she could hold her again. Her brain always worked fast when it came to business discussions and ideas.
“What do you mean?” Tawan asked, getting comfortable and settling back against her.
“Well, podcasts are typically recorded and edited which means you could have a weekly show on that platform, but also, lets say, a 15 minute show every day that goes live on other platforms and discusses the day’s hot topics,” Ira continued, holding her close.
“Hmm,” Tawan hummed in thought and started nodding along.
“And the multiple formats creates multiple streams of income,” Ira went on, her brain sifting through various scenarios. “I know Meena is the marketing chief, but I’m sure she would agree that social media sites that utilize great capabilities for video recording, going live, or a higher quality of creative means could really make FleurDe more versatile and global.”
Ira pressed her cheek into Tawan’s temple and waited to hear what she had to say. She loved when they got a chance to collaborate on ideas and improvements like this. Though her modeling career back in college at the time was proving to be of high potential, she still wanted her degree in business should she ever change her mind about her career.
Moreover, now that Tawan had launched FleurDe, she often daydreamed about them teaming up later on in the future in 10-15 years. It did not have to necessarily be the magazine, it could be an extension of that business or in the form of another investment of some kind. She smiled every time she imagined herself as an older woman holding an executive title within her wife's business adventures to assist wherever she was needed and creating fresh ideas that propelled them towards their goals and vision.
She knew they would make a great, dynamic team as a power couple doing amazing things for their community and opening so many doors for other women, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups.
Tawan slowly turned her head to her and looked at her with a sense of wonder that had tinges of admiration, pride, and awe. She loved when Ira would talk like she was in a boardroom giving a presentation to executives and Ira would always just shrug like it was nothing. Despite her never having really much of an opportunity to expand her skills with her degree, her pitching herself to brand representatives still gave her a chance to flex those muscles.
It also made her smile internally as her mind went back to an idea that Meena and her had been discussing. But that would be for a later conversation once things calmed down and became less hectic.
“What?” Ira asked confusedly.
“You know what,” Tawan muttered and leaned up to capture her lips. “It’s so sexy when you do that.”
Ira grinned then pecked her lips, only agreeing with her this time because of their current predicament. Tawan could see her pulse behind her eyes as they roamed all over her face as if she was looking for where to start. She turned back around fully to face her and to slowly grasp the tub behind her again for balance before gently lowering herself onto her. Ira looked between her eyes and her lips expectantly just as her eyes fluttered when their naked bodies touched.
“Kiss me,” Ira whispered near her lips, locking her to her with fingers threaded together at her lower back.
“We might need to practice the thing with the heels,” Tawan smirked, turning her head and mixing the heat of their breath together.
“You’re such a bad girl,” Ira smirked back and looked into her eyes. “Kiss me first.”
Tawan wagged her eyebrows before obliging her by dipping down to mold their mouths together just as Ira moaned into her soul.