Sequel: On and On ›
The Good Life
Chapter 47
I jumped in Joe’s arms at the sound of McKenna’s cries coming through the baby monitor. She’s been home for a couple of weeks and has rarely ever cried at night but, since she slept all day, she usually woke up sometime during the night. I struggled to sit up, the stitches from the C-section making my lower stomach sore. I groaned when I glanced at the clock and saw it was just past 3AM and rubbed my hands over my face, trying to wake myself up. I attempted to slide out of bed and felt Joe’s hand rub down my back, “I got her.” I shook my head, “It’s okay, it’s my turn.”
He sat up and kissed my forehead, “Go back to sleep babe, I’ll get her.” I smiled and laid down, “Thanks.” I yawned. I watched him get up and walk across the hall, rubbing his eyes. I turned towards the baby monitor and listened carefully as Joe entered her room and picked her up, “Hey baby girl.” He said softly. I heard the rocking chair creaking and his soft voice cooing to our daughter. She still cried, wanting more than just to be rocked and talked to.
I heard him start to softly sing to her, his sleepy, but still smooth voice echoed through the baby monitor and I smiled listening to him.
Goodnight, my angel
Now it’s time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say.
But like a boat out on the ocean,
I’m rocking you to sleep.
The water’s dark and deep
Inside this ancient heart,
You’ll always be a part of me
I struggled out of bed and padded across our room to the door. I crossed the hall and leaned against the door frame watching the side of Joe, his eyes focused on an already sleeping McKenna, but he still sang, his sweet voice bouncing off the walls and flowing into my ears.
Goodnight, my angel
Now it’s time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this lullaby
Then in your heart
There will always be a part of me..
I waited at the doorway playing with the hem of the old shirt of Joe’s that I was wearing. I was about to make my presence known but then he started to speak. His voice was barely a whisper and I had to strain my ears to hear him. “I love you McKenna, I didn’t think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you and your mom, to stop caring about yourself and only caring about the other person and how they are doing. I can only hope and pray that you will feel like this one day. It’s the most amazing thing you’ll ever experience.”
He shook his head a little and chuckled, standing up and placing her back in her crib. He walked back to the rocking chair, angling towards her crib, watching her sleep. I blinked back the tears collecting in my eyes and slowly crossed the room. I laid my hand on Joe’s shoulder and he looked up at me surprised, “Hey, you okay?” He asked furrowing his eyebrows. I smiled and ran my hand to the back of his neck, massaging it with my fingers, “I’m good.” He grabbed my free hand and tugged on it, pulling me into his lap.
I winced as I sat down and he trailed his hand up my leg, pushing my shirt up, and slightly pulling down the waist band of my boy shorts, lightly touching my stitches. “Does it hurt?” He asked meeting my eyes. I nodded and laid my head on his shoulder. He laid his warm hand over my lower stomach, kissing my ear. “I’m sorry babe, can I get you anything?” I shook my head, “I just want you.” I heard him chuckling and he pushed my face up, laying his lips on mine. “You’ll always have me.” He whispered. I smiled, suddenly tired again and leaned farther into him, letting my eyes flutter closed.
He sat up and kissed my forehead, “Go back to sleep babe, I’ll get her.” I smiled and laid down, “Thanks.” I yawned. I watched him get up and walk across the hall, rubbing his eyes. I turned towards the baby monitor and listened carefully as Joe entered her room and picked her up, “Hey baby girl.” He said softly. I heard the rocking chair creaking and his soft voice cooing to our daughter. She still cried, wanting more than just to be rocked and talked to.
I heard him start to softly sing to her, his sleepy, but still smooth voice echoed through the baby monitor and I smiled listening to him.
Goodnight, my angel
Now it’s time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say.
But like a boat out on the ocean,
I’m rocking you to sleep.
The water’s dark and deep
Inside this ancient heart,
You’ll always be a part of me
I struggled out of bed and padded across our room to the door. I crossed the hall and leaned against the door frame watching the side of Joe, his eyes focused on an already sleeping McKenna, but he still sang, his sweet voice bouncing off the walls and flowing into my ears.
Goodnight, my angel
Now it’s time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this lullaby
Then in your heart
There will always be a part of me..
I waited at the doorway playing with the hem of the old shirt of Joe’s that I was wearing. I was about to make my presence known but then he started to speak. His voice was barely a whisper and I had to strain my ears to hear him. “I love you McKenna, I didn’t think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you and your mom, to stop caring about yourself and only caring about the other person and how they are doing. I can only hope and pray that you will feel like this one day. It’s the most amazing thing you’ll ever experience.”
He shook his head a little and chuckled, standing up and placing her back in her crib. He walked back to the rocking chair, angling towards her crib, watching her sleep. I blinked back the tears collecting in my eyes and slowly crossed the room. I laid my hand on Joe’s shoulder and he looked up at me surprised, “Hey, you okay?” He asked furrowing his eyebrows. I smiled and ran my hand to the back of his neck, massaging it with my fingers, “I’m good.” He grabbed my free hand and tugged on it, pulling me into his lap.
I winced as I sat down and he trailed his hand up my leg, pushing my shirt up, and slightly pulling down the waist band of my boy shorts, lightly touching my stitches. “Does it hurt?” He asked meeting my eyes. I nodded and laid my head on his shoulder. He laid his warm hand over my lower stomach, kissing my ear. “I’m sorry babe, can I get you anything?” I shook my head, “I just want you.” I heard him chuckling and he pushed my face up, laying his lips on mine. “You’ll always have me.” He whispered. I smiled, suddenly tired again and leaned farther into him, letting my eyes flutter closed.