Long footprints stretched behind them, trailing into the distance. Asher stood to the side, watching the scene unfold, his heart a mix of emotions.
This happiness felt like the calm before a storm. If only they could keep walking like this, all the way to the end of time. A place where there was no sorrow, no pain, and no separation.
“Come on, Mr. Barnet, pick up Mrs. Barnet. Mrs. Barnet, place your hands on Mr. Barnet’s neck. Now, nose to nose,” the photographer instructed.
Julian held Aurora close, their noses touching as they smiled sweetly. Aurora’s eyes were closed, hiding the weight of emotions that no one could see.
Time, could you slow down just a little more? she pleaded silently. I want to spend more time with Julian. I love him. I truly, deeply love him.
Finally, the photoshoot was complete. The photographer politely bid them farewell. “The next steps will be handled by someone else. If you have any suggestions, feel free to discuss them with our designer.”
“Thank you for your hard work,” Julian replied, distant yet polite as he said goodbye to the staff.
Aurora removed her makeup and changed back into her own clothes. Normally, she took a nap every afternoon, but today she hadn’t. Julian, noticing her fatigue, felt a pang of guilt.
“Tired? Let’s grab something simple to eat and head home for a good rest,” he said gently.
“Okay. Julian, can you take me to the amusement park tomorrow?” Aurora suggested suddenly.
“No way,” Julian replied immediately. “You’re pregnant now. After the baby is born, we can go wherever you want. How about that?”
“I just want to look around. I won’t go on any rides. It’s like I’m letting the baby feel the atmosphere in advance,” Aurora explained, smiling.
“Well, if it’s just to look around, I’ll go with you,” Julian relented.
“Julian, you’re the best.”
“Silly girl, who else would I be good to?” Julian smiled warmly, taking her hand as they walked toward the car parked nearby.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Asher said, stepping back. He knew Aurora’s greatest wish right now was to spend as much time as possible with Julian. There was no need for him to intrude.
Aurora looked at him, feeling a bit guilty. Asher had spent the entire day with her, holding an umbrella, carrying water, and even fetching her clothes. He hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
“Asher, won’t you join us for dinner?” she asked hesitantly.
“No, I have to get back to the office. Call me if you need anything,” Asher said, brushing off her concern.
“Alright,” Aurora replied. She knew he didn’t want to hear her thank him, so she simply watched him leave.
“What do you feel like eating tonight?” Julian asked gently.
“I want…” Aurora hesitated.
“What do you want?”
“I want Chef Julian’s homemade spaghetti,” she finally said, recalling how good his instant spaghetti tasted, even though the sauce came pre-made. Since Julian had cooked it himself, it was special to her.
“Just spaghetti?” Julian had been planning to take her to a fancy French restaurant.
“Yes, it’s better than anything else. I’m afraid I won’t get to eat it again in the future,” she said softly.
“Don’t say that. As long as you want it, I’ll make it for you anytime. But we don’t have the ingredients at home. We’ll need to stop by the supermarket,” Julian said reassuringly.
“That’s fine. I enjoy grocery shopping with you,” Aurora said with a gentle smile, placing her hand in his. She wished they could stay like this forever.
Julian held her hand tightly. “Alright. From now on, I’ll take you grocery shopping all the time.”
They had always been so busy with work that they rarely lived like ordinary people. Something as simple as grocery shopping had happened only a handful of times, let alone doing it together.
Now, pushing a cart through the store, they looked like an ordinary young couple. Julian seemed to have made up his mind to settle down in New York. Aurora’s health wasn’t suited for frequent travel.
That big contract he’d been working on was almost wrapped up. From now on, he could leave the domestic operations to Phil and Rock, only traveling to Europe occasionally for work. He was ready to take a long break, to care for Aurora and spend time with her.
He had even bought several parenting books, fully aware of how challenging pregnancy could be for women. He was determined to treat her like the precious treasure she was.
The sight of the handsome couple together in the supermarket drew many curious glances. Some people even speculated they might be celebrities filming a reality show. After failing to spot any cameras, they gave up, but there was no denying the two of them were a stunning pair.
“The body wash at home needs replacing. That’s from before, isn’t it? Now that you’re pregnant, we should choose something milder,” Julian said thoughtfully, clearly having done his research.
Aurora watched him carefully select household items, paying attention to every detail. Even when choosing the scent of the body wash, he asked for her opinion.
“Little Bunny, do you prefer strawberry or apple scent?” he asked, holding up two bottles of fruit-scented body wash.
Aurora chuckled at his serious expression. “Julian, it’s body wash, not food. Why are they all fruity?”
“I remember you used to love strawberry ice cream when you were little,” he said, thinking back.
Aurora smiled and picked a lavender-scented one from the shelf. “Let’s go with this. It helps with sleep and has a lighter fragrance.”
“Alright, as long as you like it,” Julian said, putting it in the cart.
When they reached the food section, Julian meticulously checked the production dates on every carton of fresh milk, determined to find the freshest options.
Watching him standing there by the refrigerator, Aurora felt a lump in her throat.
“Julian, that’s enough. I can’t drink that much. Don’t buy too many,” she said softly.
“What do you mean ‘too many’? This is nothing,” Julian replied, glancing at their nearly full cart. Milk alone took up two-thirds of the space.
From plain milk to yogurt, he had picked several brands, and every single one was strawberry-flavored.
Aurora couldn’t help but remember the time she’d asked him to buy feminine products for her. He had bought one of every brand, just to be safe. Compared to that, this was him being restrained.
“Julian, milk has an expiration date. If I can’t finish it, it’ll go to waste,” she said.
“Nothing I buy for you is ever wasted. If you suddenly want some and it’s not there, that would be a problem. If you don’t finish it, we can throw it away. But I want to make sure that whenever you want it, it’s always in the fridge,” he said firmly.
Aurora was speechless. Sometimes, Julian’s way of caring for her was overwhelming, almost too much to handle. It was as if he wanted to spoil her to the heavens.