Might as Well Face it, You're Addicted to Love (Joe Perry/Nikki Sixx)

Chapter 45: Josephine's Debut Part 2

November 15, 1988.... a date permanently apart from me, tattooed and forever on my mind and my heart. Josephine was ready to meet Nikki and I, she was so small then...but damn was she beautiful. Her birth went well and thankfully no complications and too I remember that ride to the hospital to make sure Nikki and Josephine were healthy and Nikki and i. God we were SO anxious, though we knew it was necessary they check Josephine over.....weighing her, giving her...her first bath etc......and that is where you will find Nikki and I, in his hospital room, him having been checked over (thankfully all was well, very exhausted and sore of course but he would be ok)....though at the time he was panicking when they took her and I was in much the same way....

"Joe...Joe.... Where are they taking her? They.... they're gonna bring her back, right?!" Nikki clings to me sobbing into my chest, the sound heart breaking and despite my own panic and tears I do my best to soothe him, to soothe us both. Luckily, Nikki's already been checked over....

"Shh...Nikki.... I know.... I know. I HATE this...they must make sure she's a happy and healthy little baby, OUR baby. We're new parents Nikki...so of course, we're gonna panic when they examine her and all. And Honeybee? I fucking promise they'll bring her back and when they do, you need to rest.... you and her both."

Nikki carefully pulls back enough to look at me as I bring a hand to caress his cheek gently and tearfully replies with, "O-Ok.... Jo-Jo bear. I Love you."

"I love you too, I promise its gonna be ok. That SHE will be."

I just continued to hold Nikki, unwilling to let go. Nikki refuses not that I blame him to go to sleep until Josephine is back in his arms, in OUR arms and soon a nurse comes in to give us an update on Josephine, telling us...relieving my husband and I greatly, that she's perfectly healthy and that they were giving her, her first bath now and when asked if we needed anything, we asked that our family be told, so we gave Mick and Brad's number to spread the word....

And FINALLY after an eternity, we hear the sound of something being wheeled our way and sure enough....Josephine enters the room, wailing loudly...waving her fists in the air and Nikki and I cry tears of joy and relief especially once she's handed to my husband, who has his gown pulled down so Josephine can feel the warmth of his chest and his heart and the nurse also explains that she needs to be fed and that well the most amazing thing, she can get nourishment from Nikki and then she is gone.

"Let's give this a try.... this, is a hell of a first." Nikki murmurs, I help support Josephine soothing her and Nikki both and we wait with bated breath to see if she latches on to a nipple and she DOES and having calmed completely now is suckling, her little eyes wide open and staring up at her mother and it takes my breath away how stunning Nikki looks, how beautiful and precious this is. "---This may be quite a first for Me and daddy both, but I find it's one I love very much. You're the one Josephine that's been inside me for 9 months, one that I never imagined I would LOVE so much.... I need you to know that, and too that I PROMISE you will know nothing but love and support, that you need never hide, that you need never run.... cause I will always be with you, always sweet girl." Nikki whispers choked. The words 'you need never run', would sadly come true when Josephine had just turned 5 and it was the holidays. However, not in the way you'd think with her running from home....no, she'd be taken from my husband and I by Deana from one place besides home she should have been safe: her school. I will tell you Josephine ended up running from Deana and after getting lost...she KNEW or ended up in a place special to Nikki and me....

Nikki is struggling to stay awake feeding our daughter, which worries me greatly, but he manages to finish feeding her and for the first-time burps her and he is in tears, as he looks at me and I can tell what exactly he's thinking....

"I know you wanna stay awake, take care of her and you ARE.... You have been Nikki. You're such a natural with her and an amazing mother. You're exhausted, you need rest Nikki. I promise you, swear on my life.... She will be ok; I won't let anything happen to her or your baby. You've more than earned some rest and if she or I need you, I will wake you."

"Thank you, Joe, you're right and I love you."

I kiss him carefully, slowly before replying, "I love you too more than you could ever know, and I love our daughter. You're my worlds, now sleep." Nikki begins to drift off and I carefully take Josephine from his arms, a wide eyed Josephine who is very much still awake even as Nikki falls asleep and I am lost looking down into her little eyes, and she starts getting fussy.....i can tell she is sleepy or getting that way so, I carefully get up and walk around the room keeping an eye on Nikki and speaking lowly to my daughter, calming her.....

"Josephine, my dear little flower. Mommy is sleeping now, you need sleep too but I gotta tell you, it was more than worth the wait for you. I've waited so long for you and it's thanks to mommy, he is my other half, and it took me so long to see that it was always there. You have me wrapped around your little fingers, this is the first of many times, that I'll do this......and every time will be like the first time. Every moment with you is special. Now sleep, and know that mommy and I are always, always watching over you and here. I love you." I quit pacing as Josephine closes her little eyes and falls asleep, and carefully I place her in a nearby bassinet where Nikki can easily see her and she's close to both of us and I cover her with her little baby blanket, lingering...kissing her little forehead and my heart so very full. I need sleep myself, but my family.... Wow, my own family comes first. I can't sleep yet, so I sit checking on Josephine who is doing ok and still sleeping before I take one of my husband's hands in mine and he smiles in his sleep, he KNOWS it's me...., "I love you Honeybee. THANK YOU for doing this for us.... for being my everything." I whisper.

I did eventually join my husband and daughter in sleep and after 2 or 3 hours, I found myself waking before Nikki and our daughter both, checking on them both kissing Nikki gently on his lips and moments later he began to stir and I found my self mesmerized by him....no words needed to be spoken and again moments later Josephine began to wail, needing her first diaper change as it turned out and to be fed again, which I so very gladly helped my husband with both.

If you are wondering, our extended family did come visit.... the following day and man their reactions were priceless upon discovering that Nikki and I had welcomed a daughter. I can never forget those moments, their reactions.

And where you next find the Perry Family i.e. Nikki, our newborn daughter and I will be our first day as a family of three at OUR home.

A/N: Precious moments of family bonding and a taste of what will happen five years from now in this story. More to come!