Silver Linings (Andy Barber)

-5-

"Please Cora...just for a few moments can you stop crying?" Genevieve sobbed as she once again attempted to soothe her daughter. Colic was kicking her ass and Gen had exhausted all options she could think of. Now she was crying just as much as the baby and at a complete loss as to what to try next. "Please..." she sniffed and wiped her eyes, bouncing the baby up and down on her shoulder to try and relieve her.

In the end she put Cora in the Moses basket and walked into the hallway, sitting at the bottom of the stairs, and putting her head into her hands.

This wasn't how she'd wanted motherhood to go at all. She'd at least thought she'd have had Jack here. Natalie was out of her fifth date of the week so we wouldn't be able to come over and help. Not that Gen expected her to.

She wanted her mom.

"What do I do?" She wept out loud, "Because I haven't got a clue! How can I help her?"

It was like everything was spiralling all at once. She was still in her pyjamas, covered in dried baby sick and felt and probably looked like she was half dead.

Pick yourself up Gen, Cora needs you. Her mind told her.

Yes.

She needed to put Cora first.

Drying her eyes, she hurried back into the living room and rocked the Moses basket, hoping that it would help in some ways or at least send Cora to sleep. She rocked and rocked until finally Cora drifted off.

Gen sank back into the sofa and silently sobbed once more. Both with relief and the strain she'd been feeling, out of the corner of her eye her phone lit up. "Hello?" Gen cleared her throat and tried not to sound like she'd been crying.

"Gen? You ok?" Andy's concerned tone came down the line.

"I...yeah. I am now you've called." She admitted.

"What's wrong?"

She wouldn't cry.

No...

Unfortunately her hormones were against her, and she ended up sobbing down the line to him about everything. "I've only just got her off to sleep..."

Andy's voice calmed her. "I'm coming over. I can watch her while you do what you need to do."

"Andy you really..."

"I'll see you in ten. It's alright,"

"Thank you." Her voice cracked once more and once again she was crying.

Oh how she couldn't wait for this to pass. It was just a bad day, everyone had them. Why should she be any different. Gen wanted to appear strong though, she wanted no pity for her situation. She just wanted people to see her and think how well she was doing, all things considered.

Eventually there was a gentle knock on the door, Andy clearly not wanting to wake Cora and Gen answered. "C'mere..." he said softly once she'd closed the door and wrapped his arms around her. "Been there, done that – we all have shit days."

She nodded against him. "Sorry...I know you were probably doing something important."

He snorted. "Nothing important to do on a Thursday evening, I actually called to tell you that I actually dragged my ass to therapy."

She wiped her eyes. "Really? That's great."

"I'll tell you more once you've got yourself sorted. Don't worry about Cora, she'll be fine." Andy assured her and cocked his head to the living room. "She in here?" Gen nodded. "So will I be then. Go on." He smiled and disappeared.