Shout out to last chapter's commenters: @themckenziefrenzy @jueka1 and @FredWeasleyswife1999

You're probably wondering why you're getting three chapters this week (yes the one at the end of the week is still coming). Basically, I decided that, since today is my birthday, what better way to celebrate than giving you guys another chapter and relishing in your comments. I really enjoy the interactions you guys have with the story. It's really motivating as someone getting back into writing.

Anyway, my one challenge for CERTAIN PEOPLE this chapter is to not comment any death threats. Your birthday present to me :D

Enjoy

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I knew I had to invite Tyler over at some point. I knew that the phone calls we had when Lexi and Callie were napping would not be enough forever. And perhaps they already weren't enough.

As the days went on without us seeing each other, only conversing over the phone, a small part of me had grown to accept that perhaps he had moved on already. Maybe he only called me because he thought I needed the support. That I needed a stable partner and didn't just want to end things over the phone while my life was a mess.

And the part of me that was convinced of that idea... well she definitely didn't want to see Tyler. Because that meant the next time I saw him, he was bound to end things with me. That was not something I was ready for. I already cried enough from exhaustion and happiness because of my babies.

Nonetheless, I couldn't shake the niggling feeling that he would have given up on me. I mean, who doesn't see their boyfriend in a month?

Well... girls who just birthed two children do. But I digress.

So when Tyler called me the morning Cory had left and I told him that news, he said, "So... Can I come see you?"

My stomach churned at the idea. Because maybe he thought if Cory had left, then I would be ready for a breakup. So I said, "I don't think today is a great time. Lexi is a little restless." She was sound asleep next to me and I wished I was as peaceful as her right now. But Tyler didn't need to know that.

And then I heard him sigh over the phone. "I miss you," he said, but there was a weird edge to his voice. "Please let me see you."

I shook my head even though he couldn't see, that all-consuming sense of dread bubbling up in me. "It's really not a good time."

The line went quiet for an immeasurable amount of time before he uttered, "Okay."

I could hear the disappointment dripping from his tone. Worried he'd hear the sob bubbling to the surface, I quickly said, "I need to get back to Lexi. I'll call you later okay?"

"Okay," he breathed, evidently tired. And then I hung up the phone.

Collapsing on the couch, I heaved out the sobs that had built up within me. A part of me knew my fears were ridiculous. I had no evidence that Tyler didn't want to be with me. And crying when nothing had happened yet was stupid. But ever since my girls were born, and ever since my body broke and leaked from every orifice, my confidence in my femininity began to wane. When I looked in the mirror and saw the large puckering scar extending across my saggy stomach, I wondered who was ever going to love me again. If Tyler saw me like this... he'd run without even looking back.

The girls were fast asleep in their bassinets as I watched a movie on the couch. At some point I dozed off, falling into an almost deep slumber. But a rapid knock on the door wrenched me out of it.

Sitting up straight, it took me a few moments to get my bearings.

The movie I had been watching was finished.

I glanced at the monitor. The girls were still asleep. I heaved a sigh of relief and fell back against the couch.

But then that rapping on the door echoed again, reminding me what had awoken me in the first place.

Looking down, I noticed my boobs had leaked again (my milk supply was honestly ridiculous), so I grabbed a cardigan and clutched it tight over my chest as I shuffled to answer the door.

I didn't even bother to check who it was. Over the past few weeks, I had ordered many parcels to the house with various baby stuff, so I assumed it was just the post.

When I opened the door, I didn't expect to see Tyler standing there, brown hair a little longer than last I saw it. His chocolate eyes were warm and longing as they gazed at me.

I clung to my cardigan even tighter. "What are you doing here?" I squeaked.

He glanced over my shoulder into the house. "Am I interrupting something? Do you have someone here?"

"No... I'm just... I..." I looked down over my attire, wary of the tracksuit pants I was donning. The wet stains on my shirt (not just from breast milk). My hair that hadn't been washed in at least a week.

But then he smiled at me, almost knowingly, and his arms snaked around me.

Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around his waist, lightly holding him.

"I'd give you a bear hug, but I don't know how your scar is," he mumbled into my hair.

My stomach clenched at the thought of how badly it might smell. I wanted to push him away. To kick him out of my house and close the door until everything had gone back to normal again. But who was I kidding? This was my normal now. "No bear hugs for me still," I replied, voice a little wary.

And then he pulled back, eyes going over me, a warm smile gracing his face.

"I said today wasn't good," I mumbled.

He glanced into my house again. "Seems like they are down to me."

"You might wake them if you come in."

Hurt flickered across his face. He could see what I was doing. "Do you not want me around anymore?" he voiced after a while, voice wavering.

"Of course I do, Ty," I whispered.

"Then what's the problem?"

This time I didn't have some excuse to hang up a phone call. This time he was standing right in front of me. This time he watched as my bottom lip jutted out, began to quiver, and the sobs escaped me. "I feel so ugly and gross," I blubbered.

"Oh, Lily, you fool," he said soothingly, bringing me back into his arms. "You're always beautiful to me. Even if you really need a shower and a change of clothes."

The fact that he noticed had me crying even harder, but he just stroked my hair and guided me inside, somehow closing the door behind us as he coaxed me over to the couch.

When I had finally calmed, he pulled back from me, wiping the tears from under my eyes. "Have you seriously been avoiding me because you think I won't find you attractive?" he asked.

"Look at me!" I half shouted, hand waving over my body.

His eyes trailed over me before going back to my eyes. "I don't see anything a good wash and new clothes won't fix, Lily."

"But my boobs are leaking and I'm still bleeding and I'm sure I have throw up on me somewhere, and—"

"Lily, stop. Stop."

And so I did, taking a few steady breaths and he looked me intently in the eyes.

"You had two babies. I know things are different for your body. That doesn't mean I find you any less beautiful. Your body did an amazing thing. Look, guys think scars are cool, so don't you dare worry about that. Nonetheless, we are both studying medicine. That doesn't bother me in the slightest. Leaking boobs?" His eyes glanced down. "Well... That's kind of hot." He grinned and I smacked him on the arm, though secretly enjoying that he still saw me as attractive in such a way. "Bleeding? I mean, duh. You carried two humans in you for nine months. I know it's part of the healing process." He shook his head. "You go have a shower, change your clothes, and then I'm sure that little bit of confidence will come back. Then we can continue this talk."

"I can't. The girls might—"

"I can look after them if they wake up."

"Ty, I can't—"

"You can."

"But you don't—"

"I am an uncle, Lily. I know how to look after a baby. Maybe not 24/7, but I know the basics."

I watched his face a little longer, as though I was searching for any evidence that he was putting on an act. But if he was, I couldn't find it.

So I begrudgingly got up, grabbed a clean set of clothes, and headed to the bathroom for a much needed shower.

Body squeaky clean, hair finally washed, a good dosage of deodorant on me, and a thankful change of clothes, I emerged back into the living room to find Tyler holding Callie in his arms.

"Is Lexi still sleeping?" I asked softly.

Turning to look at me with a smile on his face, he nodded. "Doesn't mummy look much happier now that she's clean?" he asked Callie.

I held my hands out for her and he willingly handed her to me. Getting to his feet, he pressed his lips to my forehead.

"Take a seat, I'll fix you some food."

"It's okay. You don't—"

"Lily. Please, let me be of use."

Lips pursed, I took a seat as directed, plopping Callie in between my legs as I played with her tiny hands.

He didn't make me anything extravagant—only a sandwich. But as he set it down in front of me, he pried Callie from my lap, taking to holding her again.

I mumbled my thanks and began to eat the sandwich, my stomach rejoicing in the taste of any food. I thought I was hungry when I was pregnant. Breastfeeding made me ravenous.

When I had finished eating, he took the plate from me, rested Callie back on my thighs, then shuffled over on the couch until his leg pressed against mine and arm was around my shoulders.

"Don't do that again," he then said.

"Do what?"

"Shut me out. You don't have to worry that I don't like you, Lily. Or that I don't think you're attractive. Or the fact that you're a mum now is going to scare me away. I told you that I know what I'm getting into you. And I meant it when I said I wanted this with you."

I kept my focus fixated on Callie's hands instead of Tyler's eyes that were intently on me. "How did you know?" I finally asked, still unable to meet his gaze.

"You'll probably hate me for it..."

I waited for him to finish his sentence.

"I called Cory after you were being weird on the phone."

That caught my attention. I looked up at him, slightly upset, slightly curious to see what his own eyes showed me.

But all I saw was worry permeating from his brown depths. Worry and love for me.

"And what did he say?" I asked, voice small.

"That... If I was definitely in this with you, which I am, then I need to make it obvious I'm still attracted to you. Because maybe you don't feel attractive yourself anymore."

"Fucking Cory," I muttered.

To my surprise, he then said, "He's a great guy. I see why you fell for him."

Smirking, I looked up at him, forgetting all my concerns for the time being as I said, "Oh yeah? Are you going to leave me for him?"

He matched my challenging gaze and said, "I might." But then he brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. "I'll always find you beautiful. So stop telling yourself you're not, okay? Love your body more. Love yourself more. Because I love you."

My eyes began to water again and he shook his head at me.

"Cory also said the waterworks are easily triggered."

"It's these damn hormones."

"Mhmm."

I buried my head into his shoulder, relishing in his touch as he tightened his grip around me and planted kisses into my hair.

"I love you too, Ty," I then whispered.

"If you love me..."

I pulled back, meeting his gaze when he didn't finish speaking.

"Let me stay over a couple of times a week."

I grimaced.

"It will help us bond. We lost a lot of time... You've already got your hands full with the twins. I can help and then we have more chances to have us-time."

"I don't know... we're still in the early stages of dating and I can't just throw that on you."

"Once a week then."

Heaving a sigh, I said, "Fine. Okay. Once a week." Because I knew he wouldn't give in if I didn't.

DO WE LIKE TYLER YET OR DO WE STILL HATE HIM? Let me know...

Also, tomorrow marks the 1st of December here. Which means my new story, 31 Days of Christmas, will start dropping (a chapter a day). Jojo is in that one as a side character, but it's told from her friend Zara's perspective (do we remember her from Jojo's chapter? Or the girl who, along with Ria, helped Cory build the crib?)

I'm also dropping some... easter eggs in that story regarding this book. More on what that might be in the last chapter of Positive 2 ;)