(Hi friends & happy Fiction Friday! I've decided to do a lil rewrite of the Sommerville series (& actually finish the story this time) so I hope you enjoy it! You can check out the other Fiction Fridays here! Have a great weekend!)
Mallory Haynes smiled as she woke up to the sound of birds singing. With a contented yawn, she stretched her arms overhead and basked in the soft sunlight streaming in through her window. Familiar chatter of neighbors floated in on the breeze as the world around her started its day. Reclining in the comfortable bed, she trailed her hands to her stomach and felt the slight movement under her skin.
“Hello there, my little star,” she cooed to the small life growing inside her. “Did you sleep well?”
The answering kick made Mallory laugh. Even though the little bumps and jabs had begun a month ago, they were just as exciting as that first little jolt of movement had been. She still couldn’t believe it.
She was having a baby—a healthy and very energetic baby.
“Mommy loves you,” she whispered to her stomach. “And she promises to keep you safe.”
It was an easy promise to make. Looking out the window, Mallory saw a bright, cloudless blue sky and treetops swaying in the summer wind. The perfect day, much like every perfect day before it, reassured Mallory of her baby’s future. She smiled at the prominent billboard depicting a happy family with the town’s signature message under them:
Sommerville: YOU ARE SAFE.
Mallory absently glanced at the rumpled, empty space in the bed next to her. The sound of clinking cups and a shrieking teapot drifted into the room from the direction of the kitchen. Unlike Mallory, her husband, Bennet, had always been a morning person. Being one of the few people who could wake up at any hour and be ready to go had given him an advantage at his job. His constant clearheadedness certainly made Mallory and the other residents of Sommerville feel protected.
"Look who's finally up," a smooth voice called.
Speak of the devil, Mallory thought fondly.
Bennet leaned against the bedroom door with a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Any motivation Mallory had to get out of bed disappeared as the scent of peppermint filled the air. Drinking tea and relaxing in her cozy sheets with her adoring husband sounded far better than work. Though she doubted someone as responsible as Bennet would go for that idea.
Instead, Mallory sleepily mumbled out a thanks as her husband sat on the bed next to her and handed her the warm drink. He gently tucked her long, strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear and pressed a good morning kiss to her cheek as he rested his hand on her belly.
“Someone’s getting restless,” he said as the baby moved around.
“Tell me about it,” Mallory muttered through a sip of her tea. “Jokes on her. We still have four months left to go, so she better get good and comfortable in the meantime.”
Bennet blinked in surprise. “She?”
“Just a feeling.” Mallory shrugged, though it was more than a feeling. She knew her baby would be a girl. Ever since the first positive test, she’d been having dreams of their daughter.
“Well, I know better than to question your judgement,” Bennet said with a grin. “I’ll start thinking of some names at work.”
“I should hope you’re thinking about work at work,” she teased while straightening his maroon-colored tie.
Bennet rolled his eyes. He took his job more seriously than anyone else in Sommerville. Unlike some of his more “laid-back” colleagues, Bennet still wore a suit to work. His crisp white shirt was neatly pressed and tucked into his black slacks, with not a wrinkle out of place. His jacket was hanging in their closet in impeccable condition, though he hadn’t needed to wear it in months.
Normally, he kept his dark brown hair short and his face clean-shaven. But today, his hair was longer, like he was beginning to grow it out. She brushed a hand against his lightly tanned face and arched a brow at the gentle scrape of stubble.
“Like the new look today,” she grinned. “Willen and Kane must finally be rubbing off on you.”
Mallory’s smile faltered at the flash of worry in Bennet's bright green eyes before he laughed it off. "Yeah, just thought I'd do something different." Mallory could tell by his tone and forced smile that he was lying. "Tye thought it would be good to conserve some resources—"
Mallory's heart stopped. "What?"
"It's nothing to worry about," Bennet said quickly. "During the meeting last night, we all agreed it would make sense to save metal just in case we need it for something more important than like, I don't know, razors and stuff." He took Mallory's hands in his and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "It's all fine. I swear."
She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, before sighing with relief. "Alright. But if something were wrong, you promise you would tell me, right?"
Bennet's smile was genuine this time. "You know I would." He tipped her face up to meet his in a slow, loving kiss before pulling back to add, "But nothing's wrong. You know we're safe in Sommerville."
"I know, I know." She flashed him a sheepish grin. “I want everything to be perfect for when the baby comes so badly, that I think I’m starting to make up problems."
"There's nothing wrong with being over-prepared," Bennet said as he rose from the bed.
Mallory watched as he rummaged through their closet, silently convincing herself that he was right. Nothing ever happened in Sommerville—it was the safest place in the world. Moving resources from one unnecessary item to something more valuable wasn't a bad sign. If anything it meant they would be more secure in the future—for her baby’s future.
She pulled the covers back as Bennet returned and knelt on the floor in front of her. She bit back a sigh as he ran one hand up her bare left leg and pressed a reverent kiss to her skin, before fixing his gaze on her right knee. With familiar movements, Bennet carefully secured Mallory's smooth, wooden prosthetic to her leg. His eyes didn't leave his work as he and Mallory chatted about the upcoming day.
"I'll be late for dinner again tonight. Tye wants to hold another meeting with Kane, Willen, and me."
"That's fine, I've made plans with Tara and Eleanor anyway," Mallory said. "I also promised your parents that I would come by after the bakery to bring them some fresh bread."
Bennet's mouth twisted into a wry smirk. "You know they only ask for that as an excuse to see how the pregnancy is going."
"Well, I figured," Mallory laughingly admitted. "I doubted they were eating an entire loaf of bread in two days. I don't mind though." She gently pushed some of his hair back from his forehead. "It's something to do while you're working the longer shifts."
"I told you, you're welcome to visit me at the Wall." Bennet checked the straps of Mallory's leg once more before leaning back on his heels to smile up at her. "But you never seem to take me up on the offer."
"You know just telling me about your day pushes my morning sickness as it is."
"Oh, speaking of, did I tell you that yesterday, Willen and I—"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Mallory firmly clamped a hand over his lips. "I don't want to know."
Bennet tried and failed to hide a rumbling laugh as he rose to his feet and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Alright, alright. I'll see you tonight."
Mallory took one of his hands firmly and gazed into his eyes. "Be safe."
"You got it, boss." Bennet's low, grave voice contrasted with the loving smile on his face.
After another quick kiss, Mallory watched as Bennet paused at the dresser to snap on his thick, black belt and holster. He slid a nearby gun into place, before adding one more to the holster on his upper thigh. Bennet snatched the padded, navy blue vest hanging on the door and waved goodbye. The vest's prominent white letters burned in her mind’s eye as he left:
F B I.
Knowing she couldn't put off getting ready to open the bakery any longer, Mallory reluctantly left her warm bed and got dressed. She threw on a simple black top, some wide-leg pants and hastily secured a sheathed knife to her belt before securing her long, wavy hair into a loose ponytail. The weapon was unnecessary inside Sommerville’s walls, she knew that. But Mallory always felt incomplete without it. Vulnerable even.
She studied her reflection in the mirror, hoping the worry in her dark brown eyes would fade. With a determined nod, Mallory protectively placed one hand over her stomach as the other clutched the hilt of her knife.
Today would be a perfect day, she was certain of it.
Nothing bad ever happened in Sommerville.
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