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Her tight smile was rehearsed as she locked her car, flattening out her tight shirt as she fiddled with her belt anxiously. Tightening and un-tightening until she couldn’t breathe anymore, not as thin as she once was.
She had visited Aaron at work a handful of times, less and less as the years went on thanks to his fruitful work effort and not once since falling pregnant. She knows they know, that he’s told his team he’ll have to step back one day sooner than he had hoped, raising a child with the woman he’s loved, something they’ve wanted for decades but as it comes closer and closer, so much that he can taste it, he’s unfixed.
Haley’s self conscious about everything, especially when it came to Aaron, a trophy wife that only came out once in a blue moon. She wouldn’t be surprised if people assumed he was lying about being married, a ring that never left his finger aside.
Haley runs a hand through her hat as she walked through the door, needing her appearance to be perfect as she sighed, unable to see her feet thanks to her six month swell. Aaron Hotchner's fault. Their bosses fault.
Part of her wonders what he might say — what they might say — looking at her with such a passion and then back up at Aaron, shocked their boss could pull someone like her. He'd whisper something about she'd should be here while pulling her in for a hug, that their daughter needed some rest — something she said would happen when he took a break…
Haley signed herself in, already well known in the building as she clipped the visitor badge against the neckline of her pale yellow shirt, taking a step onto the bullpen as every head turned in her direction. A fake smile taut against her lips. She knew them, all of them, except for the one that hadn't looked up. A dark haired woman far too busy pretending to be working to actually be doing anything.
Emily knows her.
She's been intimate with her husband, acting in her place. Letting it slide when he accidentally called her Haley instead of Emily on account of his love spell. She's seen the framed photographs of Haley on his desk, accompanied by their latest sonogram for their son.
As she shuffled along to her husband's office, Emily feelt her heart pounding inside her chest, struggling to breath as she gets up abruptly, making a b-line for the kitchen, needing a glass of water to dilute her shame.
Haley waves occasionally, smiling with his staff as she knocked on his door, slightly ajar incase anyone had something to say.
"It's open." Aaron hollered, not bothering to look up from his stack of paperwork as Haley gently pressed it open, seeing his expression change immediately.
Everything was all in her head, examining her cherry-red husband as he stood, walking over her as she closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" Aaron asked, already pulling Haley in for a hug, taking a moment to slid his hand across her belly, hoping for a kick, getting nothing in return. "Hi, honey."
Haley shrugged. "I got bored sitting at home watching Housewives, thought I'd come and visit my husband and see if we could get lunch."
"Hales." His voice is striking as she sits down across the way, she waits for him to break her heart. Instead, "I would love that."
"Yeah? Think you can get away from your work for a bit?"
He rolled his eyes at her as she playfully laughed. "I can try. What does Jack want today?"
Haley doesn't say anything, instead, she puts her hand on his back as stands on her heels, kissing the anger off his lips as he leaned into her, getting lost in her as someone knocked on the door, causing both of them to jump as Aaron groaned, pecking her lips as he pulled away. "Haley." He sent a look across the office as she smiled. She watched him, soaking in the smirk taut against his lips as he shook his head, going to open the door as she bit the inside of her cheek to stop the laughter from pouring out.
"Agent Prentiss." Aaron's pupils doubled in size as Emily stood there quietly, holding a file, softer than usual, he asked, "How can I help you?"
Haley looked over his shoulder, coming up behind him out of nowhere as she slid a hand on his back as Emily struggled to keep her head on straight. He had done the same to her ten times over, seeing him so happy with his wife made her feel guilty for a crime she hadn't started.
Emily laughed, not intending to chew out Haley when she asked, "Is that your wife?"
Aaron smiled, a real one, something he had already given to her. "It is."
"She's beautiful, sir." Emily replied. "You two look adorable."
Haley grinned ear to ear, protective of him like they're teenagers still. "He's the best. We were just going to grab lunch. Can this wait?"
Aaron looked over to Haley and then back to Emily, "Of course it can." Emily said, "I'm sorry for interrupting."
He opened his mouth, he knew that she wasn't actually apologizing, and that she had no real reason to visit him. Emily liked to do this, she liked to visit Aaron in his office while he was busying himself with paperwork, stealing a kiss or chatting his ear off.
"Thank you." Full volume, and then, just to Aaron, "I have to use the bathroom." Haley kissed his cheek before excusing herself, waving goodbye to Emily as she walked out. Haley looked around, unsure which way to go before waddling back. "Aaron?"
Emily bit her bottom lip, mere seconds away from commenting on Haley's sweet drawl, how effortless Aaron flew off her lips and how big of an idiot he was for juggling this at once. Instead, she silently left the conversation, letting the happy married couple have their moment as she watched from her desk. The one perk of this job she never tired of. "I couldn't remember which way it was." Haley said, embarrassed as he laughed, reaching out to grab her hand as they walked out of his office and to the left.
"A left, honey. Not to the right, Hales."
"Right." Haley tried to remember the last time she had to use the bathroom while at the BAU, more likely than not, never. He doesn't even pretend to wipe the smile off his lips as they walked side by side, various comments coming from his team as she leaned into him, looking up. "Sorry. Baby brain."
Aaron rolled his eyes playfully, halting his step as Haley all but ran into his chest. That was always her excuse, deep down, he loved it. "I'll be outside."
Haley kissed him, a longer one, something that brought air back into his lungs before shuffling in and slamming the door. Aaron knows his cheeks are tomato red but he can't seem to get his smile to stop.
He loves her more than anything. Can't believe that he still gets to call Haley his wife and that soon, in a couple of months, after years of trying, they'll have a son.
Something they've both known for years. A pinch me moment as Emily furrowed a brow, holding a file as she walked past the woman's restroom as her high heels gave Aaron a splitting headache, clenching his jaw as he remembered this morning, anxious to get them back to her after their night together. He told Haley had was out of town on a case, naively, she believed him.
“I think standing outside the woman’s bathroom is some sort of HR compliant, Hotchner.” Emily said, studying him, itching her hand against his for a moment, snug before he pulled away anxiously.
"We're not doing this here." Aaron cleared his throat, thinning a brow in her direction as he spoke with such a passion she couldn't help but love it. "Not in front of my wife."
"Oh, so now she's your wife? What about last night, Aaron, when you fucked me—"
"Stop it. This is inappropriate, Agent Prentiss and you know it."
"Agent Prentiss." Her eyes rolled, turning to face him as the fury danced across her lips as her shoulders lunged foward in agony. "You never call me that."
He heard Haley drying her hands, grabbing another paper towel as his pupils widened, deer in the headlights as he paled, choking on his words as he cleared his throat, cut off by the door opening as his wife smiled up at him, hand finding his palm again, “Thank you.” Haley said, not seeing Emily for a second or the red expression caught on their faces.
Emily nodded and turned away, feeling the laugh die in her throat as she walked back to her desk. That time, she stayed put, all but looked for a new job.
"How long have you known her again?" Haley questioned, feet stuck on the carpet as Aaron began to move.
"Not very long." Aaron shot back immediately, not holding her fragile gaze as she cradled her bump, unconvinced. "She transferred her last month, previously worked out of the field office."
Haley could hear him talking, saw shadows of his mouth opening and closing but couldn't hear anything. All she saw was the look on Emily's jaw when she walked out. "Does she usually follow you around like a dog?" Aaron gave her a hard look, even worse now that she knows it's not all in her head. "I'm serious, Aaron."
"She's adapting, Haley. Emily hasn't exactly made any friends yet."
"She knows your married?"
"Honey, you just met her. She's seen my ring and the photographs in my office. You're the only girl I've ever loved."
"And that's enough?"
"Sweetheart. Of course it is."
A tear rolled down her cheek, even when she hadn't meant it as he pulled her closer, kissing the top of her hair as she melted into him. "I'm just scared you'll leave me. Especially when I look like this." She's not the same love-sick seventeen-year-old, she hasn't been for a while.
"You look beautiful." She shivered. "Honey, it's true, you're glowing."
"I'm huge." Haley whispered, embrassed to have anyone catch wind of this conversation.
"No, you aren't. Don't say that, sweetheart. You look amazing."
"You have to say that."
Aaron laughed. "Not necessarily." Haley gently tapped his hand against his bicep as he laughed, "Is Jack still hungry?"
"He is."
"How about pasta? We could go to that new restaurant you've been wanting to try."
Haley grinned ear to ear, "I would love that. Thank you."
Aaron kissed her again, leading the way as he walked back into his office, needing to grab his car keys and a jacket for her. "I love you."
"I'm sorry for what I said… I — I don't know. Any time someone looks at you the wrong way I assume they're after you." Not just romantically. Haley's sick with worry every time he leaves the house, somewhere in the field when someone pulls a gun on him, powerless. She's petrified every time her phone rings, scared it's him, gone.
"It's alright, sweetheart. I'll always be around to remind you that isn't true."
Aaron set the jacket on her shoulders as he turned the lights off, locking the door. "You can have your jacket, Aaron." Usually it was oversized on her, but right now, if she zipped it up, it wouldn't fit.
He shook his head, "It's freezing, love."
She frowned as they walked to the elevator. Haley tried to ignore the face Emily made as he walked by, putting her head down the second she made eye contact. "But you don't have one."
"Jack's more important, Hales. Can't go around having my wife and son being cold."
She wrapped an arm around his waist as they stepped inside, just the two of them, pulling him in close. "Don't move." Haley whispered, "That way you won't get cold."
Aaron almost chocked on his laughter, certain he'd never been more in love with her, mimicking her tone, he whispered. "Whatever you say, baby."
Aaron can feel her eyes on him when he returns after lunch. Haley's back at home resting, opting for a mid-day nap after a promise of him being back in time for dinner. Emily's radio silence is eerie. She doesn't stop by his office until he's grabbing his briefcase, determined to be home by six, a promise he couldn't stand up.
He hears the knock at the door and his body jumped with anger, back turned away from the door as he yelled. "Come in."
The twinkle in her eye is dull, "You're leaving?" Emily asked, taking a sip of her cup of coffee, decaf.
"Dinner with Haley." Aaron said solemnly, a smile somewhere as he tidied up his desk.
"Wow." Emily laughed, "Two meals together in one day." He feels the dig deflect off his skin, leaving out the breakfast they shared together for Emily's sake.
"She's my—"
"I know." Emily cuts him off, stepping inside his office, letting the door close behind her, blinds shut. "She's your wife. I'm just your mistress."
"Emily."
She doesn't let him say anything else. Lets the use of her first name hang above his head as she kissed him. Aaron dropped everything in his hands, moving his hands onto her back as her tongue did all the handy work. "Emily." Aaron pulled away, feeling so many emotions at once, and then, "Jesus."
"Come over after you eat?" She begged, "For dessert."
Aaron nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple before signaling for her to go. "I'll call you."
Emily smiled as she gripped the doorknob. "Good."
He's distracted as he turned the lights off, locking the door as he waved goodbye to his team for the evening. Emily's on his mind the entire ride home. It's Emily all the time while at work and then, when he gets home, Haley. He hated himself for a multitude of reasons.
Haley's snuggled on the couch as he jammed his house key in the door, almost surprised when she doesn't get up to open it herself, a smirk taut on his lips when he sees his wife swaddled in blankets, wearing a tight tank top and a pair of his pajama pants. Haley lights up the second his feet hit the floor, waving as he laughed at her, immediately kneeling by her height. "Hi."
"Hey."
"I missed you." Aaron said, in between kisses, his left hand cradling her belly as Haley put her palm on his neck, struggling to keep herself together.
"How was work?" Haley moved to the side, giving him room to sit as she lay her head on his chest, suddenly warm thanks to him.
"It was okay." Some days, he gave her everything, full blown details about what occurred, while others he didn't want to mention it. She could tell today was the latter. "Kind of boring after my beautiful wife left me."
Haley blushed, loving when he complimented her like this. "Are you hungry now? Or can I take a shower and then we can eat?" He looked down at her, unable to move his left arm as Haley used him as a pillow, one of his many perks.
The smallest smile slipped across his lips as he waited for an answer. "And watch Real Housewives?”
Aaron rolled his eyes, pushing the distaste down, only for her as he sighed. "Fine. I'll watch with you."
"You must really love me." He's almost offended for a moment, and then it hits him. "Nobody else will watch it with me. Not Mom, not even Jess, Aaron. She keeps telling me it's stupid and that it'll rot my brain."
"Only one episode, alright? We don't want to rot Jack's brain." He didn't move for a while, needing a hot shower desperately, but every time he looked down, Haley was at peace. He couldn't break that. Twenty minutes later, he whispered, "Want to come with?"
Haley thought about it, the idea of Aaron washing her hair brought a smile to her cheeks. "I took one earlier, honey. Thank you, though."
"Raincheck." Aaron said as he stood, gently covering her with the blankets.
"Tomorrow you can wash my hair."
For the first time in a while, he couldn't wait for his day to end, eyes widening as she cradled her belly, playfully. "Don't look at me like that, Hotchner."
He was salivating at the idea of seeing her naked, almost running back to the couch as he stood there awkwardly, towering over her as he bit his lip. "Sorry."
"Are you flirting with me so you can get out watching Housewives?"
"Don't I always flirt with you?"
Haley looked down at her belly with a suspicious toothy grin, rubbing a hand across as their son kicked. "Daddy's deflecting." A beat, a long one as Aaron debated if the world would keep on spinning, and then, "That's okay. We love him so it's alright."
Aaron couldn't take it any longer, "I'm taking my shower, honey. I love you."
"I love you more." And well, he isn't sure when his stopped being believable.
"I think he'll look more like you." Aaron's in a towel, almost shocked to see Haley in their bed, on top of the covers with two hands spanned across her bump. "I keep having dreams about him. The two of you together."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Am I good at it… at being a dad, in your dreams?"
His wife smiles effortlessly, nodding as he sits next to her, still damp from his shower as she looks over at him. "A natural."
"Yeah?"
"Yes, Aaron."
"God, I love you." He cups Haley cheek, kissing her like the world was about to end. "How'd I get so lucky?"
Haley laughed, she's been wondering that for all these years. “I don’t know…”
“I love you so much, Haley. I’m so happy I get to call you my wife.”
She grinned ear to ear, she always had loved being married to him. “I love you more.”
Emily calls him half past midnight, leaving a voicemail while his wife snores beside him. Aaron hears the ringing, loud and obnoxious as he rolls over to turn his off his ringer, ignoring her, again. He told her never to ring him at home, a pulse of anger firing through his lungs as he sighed, waiting for sleep to take him.
Haley's up before the sun the following day, anxiously pacing when he finds her in the nursery, re-arranging everything for the fifth time. Rubbing his eyes, as he peered his head inside, hearing a record playing in the background as she wept. "Love." Aaron rushed to her side as she drowned herself in tears, kneeling next to the rocking chair as she struggled to breathe. "What's wrong?" Nothing. A stoic look placed on him as he held her, whispering directly into her ear. "You're okay, Hales. It's alright. I've got you, baby. Shh."
Haley sighed, suddenly a child again. "It has to be perfect… otherwise — otherwise you'll hate me and then you'll find someone else that can love you."
"Sweetheart. I'm afraid you're stuck with me."
"What if I don't want to be?" She doesn't mean for it to slip out, unsure where her heads at as her hormones get the best of her.
Aaron swallowed, pale and cold, but still holding her. "Haley." His voice is low, struck with such an ember that it kind of scared her. He looks over at her and only can tighten his grip.
"I — I didn't mean it like that."
"I know you didn't, honey."
"I'm so sorry."
He shakes his head, he's the one that should be apologizing, his guilty conscious collapsing, almost telling her then and there. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't. "Don't be."
"You deserve someone better. A wife that doesn't lash out on you randomly."
"That's not what you're doing." He knows her hormones aren't her doing, the way her face fell caused his heart to break. "I don't want anyone else, Hales. You seriously think I'd leave you after being together for 23 years?"
"I don't know. Sometimes it feel like I barely know you anymore. You get so wrapped up in your work, Aaron. You've become so serious." Haley bites her tongue, trying to stop the words as she rocked gently. "I hate that, Aaron. It makes me hate you almost." Tears spring down her face. "You're my husband and I love you more than anything… but sometimes. Sometimes it feels like we're trapped."
He's known that for so long, deflecting when it comes off her lips. "I'm so sorry."
Haley nodded, grabbing his hand as she felt out a kick. "So am I."
"I haven't been here, emotionally speaking." That got her to laugh, she thinned a brow as he let out a breath. "Literally speaking, either."
"It's been so nice getting to see you, honey." Haley said, all the anger had left her body by now, holding his hand as they held her belly. "I wish it could always be like this."
He knows it could, but in retrospect, he won't let it happen. "Me too. How about we get you back to bed, I don't want your back to hurt tomorrow morning."
Haley knows he's trying to save her as she snuggled up closer. "Just stay here for a bit?"
Aaron smiled, a real one as he stole another kiss, leaning his head against her chest. "I'm not going anywhere." "I love you." Haley whispered, yawning.
"I love you more." Aaron replied, watching her as a heaviness took over, eyes fluttering shut after the moment's come and gone.
"You didn't even call." Emily hadn't bothering knocking, holding a cup of coffee in her hand as her eyebrow pulsed with anger, a vein throbbing in her head as she shut the door. Aaron looked up from his work quietly, knowing he'd be in the wrong regardless of what he said. "I called you ten times."
"Haley was upset."
Emily's face changed, guilty. "What?"
"My wife, Emily." He can see her posture changed, anxiously fiddling with her palms as she sat across the way. "My very pregnant wife was upset. I woke up and she was in the nursery crying because she thought I was going to leave her." Aaron exhaled, dropping his pen and looking Emily straight on. "I don't think we should continue this… I can't keep lying to her."
"You said you were going to leave her."
He clicked his tongue, shaking his head like a rattle. "You said that, Emily. I never made that claim." His voice was different, lamented and no longer pure, the same way he talked to unsubs.
"But I love you." Emily felt tears trickling down her cheeks, hand swiping them away like she's a kid again. "I'm not stupid, Aaron. You love me as well."
He pulls his gaze away, heavy and on the floor as he sighed, reaching out a hand to touch her palm, gently caressing her cheek as he tried to stop the tears. "I can't just leave her, you know that."
"You don't have to, I just — I can't not see you."
"I know, sweetheart. I'll make it up to you tonight. I'll tell Haley that I'm busy."
Emily rolled her eyes, sarcasm dripping from her sternum. "Why don't I believe you?"
Aaron laughed. "Trust me, Prentiss, you will."
She kissed him before walking back to her desk, a fire in her belly for the rest of the day, so giddy.
Emily's taking a long sip of her wine as Aaron stood in her kitchen, stirring the pasta as a record streamed from her living room. "You're hot." Emily said, tipping the wine glass against her lips with a smile as he turned, doubled over in his affection as he turned down the heat, walking around as he pressed a long kiss to Emily's lips, feeling her hand find his ass as she pulled him close, nearly impossible thanks to his height.
"Am I?" Emily's heart folded in her chest. He was playing hard to get, deepening the kiss as her ears perked up as her tongue slide down his throat. Aaron wrapped his hands around her waist, his hands finding her hair as he combed through it.
"You are."
Emily smiled, "So are you."
Aaron's joy was lifelike, feeling like a teenager again, kissing his wife in the back of his car as they lied about their whereabouts. Emily pulls away, seeing the pout on his lips. "Can't have you burning down my kitchen, Hotchner."
He threw his head back into a laugh, "As if you're much better." Haley was the same way. She couldn't cook to save her life It was his love language to surround the people he loved with his food. Aaron moved to the stove, messing with the temperature as she came up behind him, putting her hands on his ass as he leaned into her.
"Where's your ring?"
"In my car." Aaron said, solemn.
"Does that mean?"
He shook his head. "I don't know yet."
Emily kissed him, unable to keep herself off him as the water boiled over and onto the stove. Aaron didn't mind. All he wanted was her. "I love you." Emily said, unable to wreck the look of joy off her face. Aaron froze as she stepped away, laughing as she turned the heat down. Somewhere in the distance, his phone rang and the pout reserved only for Haley emersed itself onto Emily.
He reached for his phone, shaking his head as Emily sighed. She waits for his classic Hotchner, surprised when he doesn't lead with that. Aaron jammed a hand against his temple, stressed. "Honey?"
Haley groans, left hand pressed against her stomach. "Where are you?" She asked, unable to remember where he said he was, and then, shallowly, "Something's wrong with the baby."
"What?"
Haley shivered at the static in his voice, already crying as she swayed. "I don't know, Aaron. I've been in pain all day and they said if anything changed to go—"
"Sweetheart." He's already grabbing his jacket, leaving Emily in the dust as he kissed her cheek, mouthing that he had to go before he opened the door quietly, not wanting to slam it and worry his wife more. "All day? Honey, you should have called…"
"But you've been so busy with work and I didn't know. I didn't want to bother you, Aaron."
He's spiraling down the staircase. "You could never bother me, Haley. I love you. I'm on my way home now. It's about an hour drive."
She nodded, "You're at work?"
"Finishing off my paperwork." He lied.
"Okay." She whined, staring down at her stomach. "I love you. Do you think I should drive myself?"
He's a mess, running to his car as he panicked. It was only a twenty minute drive from Emily's apartment, she didn't need to know that. "No, baby. No. I don't want you to have a contraction at a red light and swerve."
"I don't think it's labor." Haley retorted. "I didn't say it was labor, did I?" She shakes it off. "If I did, I didn't mean to."
He wasn't the one to play mind games, not with her at least. "Sweetheart, your due date is in three weeks. You're supposed to be on bed rest."
"I am on bed rest." Haley hummed. "I'm sitting on the bed right now, Aaron."
He chuckled, pulling out of the parking spot as he put her on speaker. "Good. Baby. I have to drive now, but if anything changes at all, please call me, okay?"
Haley was silent, eyes widened as she looked down at her legs. "Haley?"
"Aaron…" Tears stream down her cheeks as she groaned in pain.
"Sweetheart, what is it?"
"My water just broke."
Aaron felt the room spinning, pressing his foot against the gas, not bothering to yield to anyone, half-tempted to put on his flashing lights. "Oh my god."
Haley cried. "Fuck."
"Baby, it's okay. You're okay. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Maybe less."
It didn't help her at all, just staring at the liquid on the comforter. "I'm scared."
"I know, baby, but you're okay. You are going to be the best mom in the world."
She swiped at her hot tears, unable to let him go. "You think so?"
"Don't even have to think." Aaron flicked on his blinker, cutting someone off as they honked.
Haley swallowed. "I love you. Stay on the line?"
Aaron grinned. He couldn't imagine his life with anyone else. "Of course."
Aaron closes the door to his office, a wide smile bare on his cheeks as Emily looked up, wondering if it's for her as he walked down the stairs, arms open as he kept walking past her desk. He hadn't called her, not since Jack was born. Emily knew he was busy — that he had a fucking wife — and knew she needed to get over her eternal crush and the short stinted love affair.
"Hi, honey." Aaron smiled, looking down at their son as he pulled her in for a hug. "You look beautiful."
Haley rolled her eyes, only having given birth last week as she bumped his shoulder. "You have to say that."
Aaron shook his head. "That wasn't in my vows." He stepped closer, pushing Jack's stroller as Haley rolled her eyes.
"Too late to ask for a divorce?" She joked, right as Emily walked up with the rest of the team.
Aaron thinned a brow, the air was suddenly thick as his wife smiled at the team, waving as they welcomed in Mrs. Hotchner. He cleared his throat, feeling Emily's eyes on his. "There's somebody we want you to meet." He leans foward, gently cradling Jack as she smiled at him. "This is our son, Jack."
Penelope squealed. Spencer was stoically silent while Morgan inched forward. Gideon didn't say anything and well, Emily. Emily didn't know what to say, she just hid before JJ as she swallowed her shame.
"He's so cute." JJ cooed, looking to Jack and then smiling to Haley. "Already looks like you, Haley."
Aaron laughed as she put her hand on his back, "Thank you."
"Haley's amazing." Aaron said, not a single lie to be found as Emily froze. "She's a fantastic Mom. I'm a little terrified."
Haley kissed his cheek, "He's a natural."
"Congratulations." Emily fixed her posture, extending her shoulders a little higher as Haley looked up with a warm smile. "I'm so happy for you guys."
"Thank you, Emily." Haley said, looking up at her husband as he remained silent, just nodding as he looked back down to his son, gently tickling his feet. "What was that about?" Haley asked, once everyone had gone back to work. Aaron couldn't move, was stuck with his sleeping son in his arms as Haley sat beside him, smiling at Jack.
"Hmm?"
She wasn't naive, leaning into his shoulder as he kissed her blonde hair. "Emily. She seemed upset."
Aaron shrugged it off. "She's not exactly a team player."
"I highly doubt our week old son has anything to do with that."
Joy overflowed onto his cheeks, he couldn't leave Jack. Aaron gently pressed a kiss to his light blonde hair, wondering if he'd ever become brunette. "It's not you, Haley. It's me."
It didn't make her feel any better. Shame revolted onto his cheeks as he slammed on his brakes, standing as Jack began to wake. "How about we go get lunch? Think Jack's a little hungry."
"Don't you have work to do?"
He did, but it didn't matter as he gently set his son back into the stroller. "Later." Aaron kissed her hair, taking a second to stop and smell the roses, her lavender shampoo that she had been using for years. By the time he comes back from lunch, Emily's letter of resignation is on his desk, beside the framed photograph from his wedding.