"Come on let's go before we're late!" Darnell yelled down the hall from her and Don's master bedroom. Today the twins had turned three months old and Darnell had set up for them to take family portraits.

After the twins were born, they had to stay in the hospital for five days but to everyone's surprise, even though Darnell had a worrisome pregnancy, the twins were healthy, happy, and vibrant.

From the hospital, Don and Darnell could tell what kind of personalities the twins would have. Cameron was like Darnell in many ways. He was always happy and never wanted to be left alone. He loved attention from anyone that cooed at him and loved being held. While, Braydon was like Don. He was really chill and quiet. He was the baby that sat back and observed everything and everyone around him.

The twins barely cried and the two fit into the family so well. It was like they were the missing piece to complete the Taylor family. Most of all, Don and Darnell loved the way their three oldest children embraced the twins.

Kay was the oldest bossing everyone around. She swore she was the baby whisperer. Nova loved singing to the twins, she said it helped them fall asleep and sometimes it did. Most times they would giggle at the little show she would put on for them. Lastly, little Don was still Darnell's baby. He helped Darnell the best way he could.

Don sat down with him and told him when he wasn't home, he was the man of the house and little Don took it to his five year old heart.

He would grab diapers and wipes for Darnell when the twins needed to be changed, he would hold the bottles up when the twins weren't breast feeding, or he would help Darnell get the twins clothes out when they needed to be dressed. Little Don was mommy's little helper and Darnell loved it.

Darnell looked down at her watch again before going back into her room and walking into her closet to grab her shoes, then to the bathroom to add the final touches to her makeup. So into putting on another coat of mascara, she didn't notice Don standing against the door frame. He sat and watched Darnell as she coated her lips with clear lip gloss.

"You look beautiful mama."

The sound of Don's voice made Darnell jump. She let out a small chuckle before looking over at him. "You scared me-" She told him placing her hand over her beating heart. She gave Don a small smile but Don could tell it didn't meet her eyes.

Over these last three months Darnell wasn't the woman she used to be. She was still a great mother, Don and the kids saw her as super mom. But when it came to her and Don's relationship, that was a different story. Darnell was always the more affectionate person in their relationship. No matter what she was doing, if Don was anywhere near her she would always find a way to be close to him holding his hand, rubbing his body, or giving him kisses.

Don loved it and never turned her love down but she was the one who initiated it first.

But now all of a sudden it had stopped. There was no cuddling or nasty talk when the kids weren't around. Darnell was even wearing long sleeves and pants around the house and to bed and anyone who really knew Darnell knew that she hardly wore clothes to bed or around the house.

Don was lost at this change in Darnell and it bothered him. It brought him back to when things weren't going good in their marriage and he promised that they would never go back to that time.

Figuring makeup wouldn't make her look any better, Darnell closed her makeup drawer and made her way out of the bathroom. She thought she had successfully slid by Don until he grabbed her by her waist pulling her close to him until they were chest to stomach.

Don looked down trying to make eye contact with Darnell but she looked everywhere else trying not to look Don in his face.

"Don we have to go." She said trying to get out of his grasp.

"Look at me."

Still she wouldn't meet his eyes. She couldn't - she refused to let him look at her. She couldn't risk him looking at her and realizing she wasn't the woman she used to be and god forbid that he didn't want to be with her anymore. She knew their was plenty of woman that looked better than her.

'Let's face it Don is a great looking man. He can find a woman that looks way better then me' she thought.

Don scrunched up his face in confusion. "Why won't you look at me?" He asked grabbing her chin, leaning her head up. He searched her face loving how she did her makeup. It wasn't too much that it was caked on. It was natural just like the way he liked it. The only thing different was that she had some kind of silver and gold glitter on her eyelids, black wing eye liner, and medium length lashes that made her brown eyes pop.

"You won't look at me, your trying to avoid me or something? What's going on with you?"

Darnell sighed. "I'm not trying to avoid you." Lie. "Nothings wrong with me." She lied again. "Our appointment is at 1:00." She looked down at her watch. "It's 12:15 we have to go. I just don't want to be late."

Don looked at her for a coupe of seconds more before letting her go. He knew she wasn't telling him the truth, but for the sake of them being on time and not wanting to argue, he let her go so they could get the kids out the door and to the studio on time.

"Aight. I'll take that for now but we're going to talk tonight." He stayed more than questioned.

Darnell shook her head up and down before grabbing her jacket and purse. Before leaving out the door Don grabbed her by her hand. "Can I at least get a kiss?"

"I have lipgloss on. You know you hate lip gloss."

"Don't you think I know that." He laughed. "I still want a kiss woman." Darnell leaned up on her tip toes giving Don a small peck. It wasn't what Don really wanted but he took it.

Something was definitely wrong with Darnell and he was going to find out what it was tonight. "Alright let's go."

-

"They look so good Brian!" Darnell complimented as she looked over the pictures the photographer had taken of Cam and Bray.

"Once I clean them up, they'll look even better." He smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

"Like them?" She shook her head. "I love them!"

She clicked through the photos of the twins then of the individual ones of Kay, Nova, and little Don. Lastly was the family photos.

Darnell had them dressed in all white when they took photos at a local park, they where lined up from oldest to youngest while Don held Cam and Darnell held Bray. Next were inside photos. They changed into red t-shirts that were numbered. Don was number one, Darnell number two, and continued on to the children.

Darnell was just glad that they were having fun. Their smiles looked genuine and not forced. As usual the twins weren't crying, they just sat back and watched everything around them.

"Good job buddy." Don said as little Don came walking from in front of the camera and bright lights. He gave them both high fives before Brian clicked through the pictures he took.

"Darnell." Looking up after hearing her name, Darnell turned her eyes to where Don and Brian were talking. She got up meeting them. "Don wanted to do some pictures with just you and him." Brian said fixing the lighting to were it was a little darker.

"Oh okay." Darnell looked over to Don who had a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Come on my Queen." Don pulled Darnell on set. "Wait." She whined. "Where's the twins?"

Don laughed. "They're right there." He pointed to where the twins were in their bassinet stroller. "They're sleeping and you know junior will not let Kay and Nova mess with them."

She nodded hesitantly, allowing Don to get her in front of the camera. They did a couple of positions before Brian stopped, laughing a little.

"Y'all look so stiff. Loosen up a little and relax. Do what's comfortable for y'all. The pictures will come out much better that way."

Don pulled Darnell in front of him nuzzling his face into her neck and wrapping his arms around her. Darnell intertwined hers with his as she breathed in and out as Don kissed her neck.

"You been teasing me all day. Got these jeans on hugging you just right." Darnell blushed as Don spoke sweet nothings in her ear. "Don." She said low enough-almost as a moan to where only he could hear her over the music that was playing in the studio.

"Good guys. Keep going." Brian called out taking pictures of their small moment. They moved to they were side by side, Don placing both arms then one arm over her shoulder as Darnell kissed his cheek like they were love sick high schoolers.

"Last pose guys."

"Wait till I get you home tonight." Don whispered before he picked Darnell up bridal style making her scream out in laughter. She covered her face burying it into Don's chest. He laughed as he smiled big into the camera.

After a second it seemed like Darnell realized what Don had done. "Put me down Don." She almost begged. "I got you." He tried convincing her with a smile. She just shook her head trying to place her feet on the ground. "Don please." She said a little bit louder.

"Chill mama." He placed her back on her feet, watching her fix her clothes. "I'm too big for you to be picking me up like that." She almost scolded him.

"Hold up Dee, Don't talk to me like I'm a child because I'm not." He gritted not wanting to cause any attention to them and their little spat.

"Just don't-"

"Aight." Don said cutting her off walking away from her. He really didn't want to say anything to hurt Darnell's feelings so walking away was his best bet right now.

After talking to Brian making sure they had everything set, it was finally time for them to go. Leaving out of the studio it was going on 5:00 and Darnell knew it was no way she was cooking tonight. She suggested that they eat out, but only got a head nod from Don.

Minutes later, Don pulled into Chick Fil A's parking lot. They all got out, Don getting the twins out and putting them into their stroller. Once inside Darnell ordered while Don sat the kids down. After bringing them their food they all sat and ate.

"Mommy can we go play." Kay asked for the three of them."

"Are you done eating?" They all nodded, showing Darnell they ate all their food. "Ask your father then if he says yes you may go."

Don of course said yes and the kids ran off towards the play area. Darnell cleaned up those mess before returning to her food. She could feel Don burning a hole in the side of her head but refused to look up at him.

"Is that all your going to eat?" He asked rocking the stroller back and forth as the twins slept. "Yeah."

Darnell looked down at the small side salad she ordered for herself and the cup of ice water. Nowadays this was the only thing she would allow herself to eat.

She could see Don nodding his head in her peripheral vision but said nothing.

They let the kids play for thirty minutes before they left. Now at home they made sure the kids took a bath and where in their pajamas while they got the twins in the tub, so Darnell could feed them so they could be laid down as well. She had them on a strict schedule especially now that they were sleeping through the night.

With everyone in the bed, Don got in theirs waiting for Darnell to get out of the shower. These last few months had been great for them, he had his children, but he could feel a disconnect between him and Darnell.

Soon she came walking out of the bathroom in one of his long shirts and a pair of black leggings. Don just watched on as she moisturized her face and arms before getting into bed.

"You ready to talk now?" Don questioned. He was already aggravated by the fact Darnell hadn't acknowledged him as she got in the bed with her back facing him- which she never did.

"There's nothing to talk about." Countered.

"You wanna play right now and I'm being dead ass serious with your ass." He chucked but nothing about this was funny.

"I'm not playing." Darnell said as she rolled over to lay on her back staring up and the ceiling.

"So not talking to me, not making eye contact with me, getting dressed in the bathroom with the door closed, not wanting me to touch you, or not wanting to kiss me is normal? You've never acted like this, so something is going on with you and we're not going to sleep tonight until you tell me."

Darnell sighed. "I just don't like the way my body looks right now okay!" She yelled as tears started to stream down her face. "I don't want you touching me or kissing me because you feel like you have to. I know you don't want to touch my big ass!"

Don looked at Darnell like she was crazy. He didn't know where any of this was coming from. He never disliked or felt a way about Darnell's body. Yeah she had gained weight with her pregnancy but she did when she was pregnant with junior as well. This was noting knew to him.

"I've never said anything about your weight Darnell."

"You didn't have to Don. I gained fifty pounds with Cam and Bray and I've only lost twenty of it. I'm not the same size from when you first met me. You act like you don't see me but I know you do."

"Darnell, you just had twins three months ago. I know your not gonna lose fifty pounds that fast but I'm also not gonna put you down for that. You sacrificed your body for my seeds. The same seeds I tried planting in your for five years. Gaining weight is inevitable but I'm not hold that against you."

He pulled her in closer to him so now they were laying face to face. He wiped her tears as he kissed her face.

"A little weight will not make me love you any less. I love you for you not for your body and you have to believe that."

Don let out sigh. Everything was clicking now to him. Her not wanting to be touched, or loved on. Not dressing in front of him or the reason why they hadn't had sex even after she was cleared at her six week check up.

Don was kind of offended. Sad more than anything, that his wife was insecure about her body when he loved her more for what she was to him, her personality, how great of a mother, and wife she was before her physical. 'Does she really think I'm that shallow?' He thought.

He pulled her in before turning off the lights in their room. He held her as he rubbed up and down her sides as she cried lowly.

"I'm sorry." She repeated over and over.

"Shh." He held her tighter.

"Hold me please. Hold me and don't let me go." She whimpered into his neck. She felt bad now that she realized that she had neglected her husband because of her own insecurities. In no way it was his fault. He hadn't said or showed her that she wasn't attracted to her. It was all in her head and she hated that she felt that way.

Don held on to her, rubbing her back as she cried her self to sleep. He listened to her light breaths as her heart beat slowed down indicating that she had finally fallen asleep.

While she slept, Don's mind was racing thinking what he could do to get his old Darnell back. He promised her and himself that he would show her that his love ran deeper than just her surface.