The New Boy

Chapter twenty-eight

"Did you get her last night?" I ask as Jake gets out of bed. He shakes his head and looks back.

We recently got enough money to buy a crib. It's in the room next to us along with her clothes and such.

"I didn't either," I say back and sit up on the bed. "Go check on her," I say back to him and he nods. He walks out and I look at my alarm clock that says its 6:45.

After a minute he comes back in and nods.

"She's fine," he says back and I smile.

"She slept through the whole night." I say to him as he changes his clothes for school.

"It only took six months," Jake says and looks back at me.

He sits next to me as he puts on his shoes. I put my arms around his neck and he leans back on me. I smile and he smiles back. He puts his hand on mine which is on his chest.

He looks at my wrist and lightly presses his lips against the faded scars. Its been over a year since I last self harmed.

"I'm really proud of you," he says quietly and I let go of him so he can stand up.

"I'm proud of myself too honestly," I say back to him in the same quiet voice as he used to talk to me.

I start to hear Emily cry through the monitor we have on the night stand.

"I got her," Jake says to me and walks out.

I listen to her slowly stop crying and Jake shushing her. I smile and he walks back in.

He sits next to me and leans against the head board. I lean against on it too and look at Emily. She reaches for Jakes face and he gently pretends to bite her hand. She squeals and laughs.

She sits up, alone, on his chest. Last month, she learned how to sit up without support. She messes with her toes and feet. He slowly picks her up and puts her on my lap.

"I have to go," he says and sits up a little more. He kisses my lips. "Emily," he says quietly and she looks at him.

He pecks her lips and she does back, which is another thing she has learned to do.

He stands up and waves to us as he leaves. I lay down flat on the bed and Emily falls on my chest. I smile and kiss the top of her head. I stroke her back and she plays with my bracelet.

I know that she won't fall back asleep. I sit up and stand up, still holding her.

I set her in the booster seat/ high hair thing we have connected to the chair. I walk to the kitchen and open a small jar of baby food along with a spoon.

After tiredly feeding her and trying to make her finish it all, the jar is gone. I wipe her face and quickly peck her nose. She smiles and I sit her on the floor where she can play with the toys that's are scattered around the floor.

She instantly grabs for the teething ring since her teeth are cutting through. I sit next to her, not bothering looking for food for me since there is none there.

Jake and I have decided on me eventually getting a job once Emily starts school. Right now with just him, we can't afford to send her to daycare so I can work. I just stay with her and that's pretty much it.

I now understand what the quote "Parents sacrifice for their children,". Jake is either at school or work most of the time, I barely do anything, we can't afford a lot, especially food for us. The good part is, Jake is about to be out of school, for good, in a week.

I'm used to going days without eating from before I met Jake and had Emily. So it's not that much of a change for me. We are both more focused on making sure Emily has everything she needs. Also making sure she is happy and healthy.

Jake is worried about me being okay and I'm just as worried about him. Before, and I still do this, I've just sort of told him I found food and and ate it or I just wasn't hungry so that he could have whatever food is in the cabinets.