! BAD GIRLS ! BAD GIRLS !

( a sex and the city fic )

JAMIE AND DUNCAN'S SHARED BROWNSTONE
new york, new york
6:30am

the city outside was not yet fully awake, but inside the brownstone, life had already begun.

i adjusted mia's blanket in the stroller, making sure she was snug before giving rufus a pat on the head. "alright, buddy. ready to run?" his tail wagged in response.

duncan, still groggy from sleep, leaned against the doorway with jude in his arms. my little boy, just weeks old, was curled up against his chest, completely content.

"you sure you don't want me to take rufus?" duncan asked, his voice still scratchy with sleep. "he pulls like a damn sled dog."

i smirked, tightening my ponytail. "please. you think i can't handle a little golden retriever energy?"

duncan gave me a knowing look but didn't argue. "just don't come back complaining when your arms are sore."

i rolled my eyes and started jogging down the street, rufus trotting alongside me while mia babbled happily in her stroller. it was a simple moment, nothing dramatic.

7:15 AM

when i got back, the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. duncan stood at the stove, barefoot, hair still messy, flipping pancakes while humming some old country song under his breath.

winnie sat patiently at his feet, her tail thumping the floor as she hoped for scraps. jude laid nearby in his bassinet, stirring but not yet awake.

i leaned against the doorway, catching my breath, and just watched.

mia was in her high chair, clapping her little hands as duncan danced slightly while cooking. she was already a daddy's girl, no question.

"miss me?" i teased as i stepped inside, wiping sweat from my forehead.

duncan turned to face me, spatula in hand. "not even a little." he grinned, giving me a once over. "told ya rufus was gonna wear you out."

i tossed my sweatshirt at him, laughing when he dodged it.

we fell into our usual rhythm... him plating breakfast while i got mia cleaned up, both of us instinctively moving around each other without hesitation.

by the time we sat down to eat, jude had woken up, so i held him while duncan cut my pancakes for me. it was such a small thing, but it meant everything.

CENTRAL PARK
new york, new york
11am

the day was warm, perfect for an outing. duncan pushed mia's stroller while i carried jude in his wrap, his tiny body curled against me.

we walked aimlessly, stopping for coffee and letting mia run around the grass with rufus while winnie laid beside the stroller like a watchful guardian.

"she's fast," duncan said as mia giggled and took off running.

"very," i agreed, taking a sip of my coffee. "i think my fast legs rubbed off on her."

duncan snorted. "sure, jamie. that's why you were practically cryin' about your legs earlier."

i elbowed him, but he just grinned and pulled me in by my waist, kissing the side of my head.

JAMIE AND DUNCAN'S SHARED BROWNSTONE
new york, new york
4:30pm

mia napped on the couch, curled up with rufus, while jude dozed in his bassinet. the house was quiet for once, the kind of stillness that made it easy to just be.

duncan sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, flipping through one of mia's storybooks. i sat beside him, stretching my legs across his lap.

"you ever think about how weird this is?" i mused.

he glanced at me. "what do you mean?"

i gestured between us. "this. we weren't supposed to end up like this."

duncan smirked. "says who?"

i rolled my eyes. "life. circumstances. logic."

"yeah, well," he said, brushing his thumb absently over my ankle. "screw logic."

i laughed softly, but as i watched him, really watched him, the way he fit into this home, into this family. i realized something.

we weren't defying logic. we were exactly where we were supposed to be.

8:45pm

the house was finally quiet. jude was asleep in his bassinet, mia had dozed off clutching one of rufus' ears like a security blanket, and duncan was in the kitchen finishing off the last of the dishes.

for the first time in a long time, i wasn't stressed, anxious, or waiting for something to go wrong. my life felt... full. complete.

my phone buzzed on the nightstand, and as soon as i answered, the chaos of four other voices filled my ears.

"oh, thank god, you're here," miranda groaned. "i need to say this out loud before i convince myself i'm imagining things. steve is flirting with me."

"what?" charlotte gasped. "steve steve?"

"one ball steve?" i asked.

"yes, brady's steve! he's been all... i don't know, lingering when he picks up brady. and today, he complimented my skirt." miranda explained.

"that doesn't sound too bad," carrie said.

"oh, and wanna get lunch sometime? catch up?" miranda mimicked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "yeah, real casual."

"okay, that's weird," i admitted. "does he not remember that you're married?"

"to robert," charlotte added. "who is incredible."

"exactly!" miranda huffed. "and it's not like steve is some terrible guy, but i am happily married and do not need my ex boyfriend looking at me like i'm a steak dinner."

before i could comment, samantha cut in. "can i just say that, as someone who has had many steak dinners, this conversation is making me want a drink."

"samantha," charlotte sighed.

"what? i'm on hormone injections, i can't drink, and i have a boyfriend who keeps telling me i need to 'rest' and 'listen to my body.'" samantha exclaimed.

"he cares about you," i pointed out.

"i know! and that's the problem," samantha groaned. "smith shaved his head for me, he's patient, he's kind, and he loves me... and you know how i feel about being tied down!"

"samantha, you have cancer," carrie reminded her. "he's not tying you down, he's supporting you."

"i know," she admitted. "and it's terrifying."

i sighed, running a hand through my hair. "okay, new topic. someone say something happy."

"oh! i have one!" charlotte chirped. "elizabeth taylor had three puppies! lily's over the moon, dakota keeps saying we need to keep them all, and jemma...she's been heavenly since she quit modeling!"

i sat up straighter. "i can't believe she actually did it."

"you talked to her," charlotte pointed out. "something you said must've clicked."

i shook my head. "i didn't do anything."

"well, she seems happier," charlotte said. "so whether you did something or not, thank you."

carrie's voice cut in, quieter now. "i think i'm done with big."

"what?" miranda asked.

"i think i'm done," carrie repeated. "he doesnt get me, and i don't think i get him anymore. that dinner we had was weird and the purse with the bird on it was just the tip of the iceberg."

"the bird purse," charlotte recalled.

"the bird purse," carrie confirmed. "and then i just... sat there, looking at him, and i realized... that i don't want this anymore."

"oh, honey," samantha murmured.

carrie exhaled. "yeah."

miranda spoke. "well. that just means we have to celebrate."

"what exactly are we celebrating?" i asked.

"all of us!" she said. "new beginnings, puppies, surviving cancer, quitting dead end relationships, and the fact that jamie is obnoxiously happy."

i laughed. "i am happy and it better stay this way."

10:15pm

the bedtime routine was its own kind of chaos... bath time, pajamas, books, making sure mia didn't insist on sleeping in the dog bed with winnie and rufus. but eventually, both kids were asleep, the house finally settling.

i stood in the doorway of jude's nursery, watching him sleep in his crib, his tiny chest rising and falling in steady little breaths.

duncan came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"you okay?" he murmured.

i nodded. "just taking it in."

he pressed a kiss to my neck, then whispered, "c'mon, mama. let's get some sleep."

as we climbed into bed, duncan pulled me close, his warmth wrapping around me like a safety net.

this wasn't just some temporary thing. it wasn't convenience or obligation. duncan was here because he wanted to be.

housekeeping notes !

small little day in the life for you lovely people