Before the sleep

Chapter two

Daddy

It's so quiet in here, so calm. My eyes are dropping with sleep but I keep them open. The steady rhythm of the heart monitor is driving me insane. So many times I have loved that rhythm, I have laid my head on her chest, being lulled to sleep by its charming cadence. Now, it's the only indicator that the love of my life hasn't left me yet.

She's just resting, that's what I keep telling myself. There's nothing wrong with her. In a few more days, she'll open her eyes and I will drive her and our son to our house.

Hope, keep hope alive. That's all I can do considering the circumstances. Her lips have lost their peachy color, her cheeks are so pale that they're almost see-through. Her belly is the only part of her body that seems alive but that's because there's someone else living there. Our son. I know he's the reason why my love is still with us. She fought for that child, she's not going to give up until she knows he's safe.

My muscles are cramped up but I'm scared to let her go. The hard cushioned sofa is killing my body but I can't move. This is the only place I want to be, I need to be.

I touch her stomach, feeling my boy move around. He never stays in one place for long which used to scare me. I thought he would somehow worsen Irene's case but the doctors put me at ease. His movements are normal, they will not affect her.

I lean back a little bit, just enough for my back to touch the couch. The tension slightly lessen on my shoulders.

My poor shoulders, I don't even know how they survived a relationship with Irene. They had to succumb to the heavy weight of her backpack for years and years. I can't really blame her, she warned me before I even took it the first time. I thought it was a joke but turned out that the girl really did put her entire dorm in the backpack. Nonetheless, I carried it with no complaint. I had to, that was my way to apologize for my badly thought-through actions on our first night.

I even waited for her outside the building, on one of the metal benches, while she absorbed knowledge. I bounced on my feet when I finally saw her silhouette pushing the exit door, the brunette with the long legs showing under her sundress. She looked so much like a heavenly doll – perfectly crafted by our creator's hands.

"How was it?" I asked her. My body sweated with the amount of self-control I had to obtain in order to not pull her to me right now. That would without a doubt scare her away from me.

She froze when she saw me standing in front of her, "Have you been waiting for me this all time?"

"Yes," I said, my smile faltering. Was it creepy?

"Don't you have a class to attend?"

"I got a couple more minutes free," I extended my hand for her to give me the bag.

"That's ok, I can handle it."

"Come on, it's heavy," I moved closer but she took a step back.

"I've been carrying my own bag for twelve years. I can handle it."

"I'm trying to help."

"I don't need your help."

I grunted, "Why must you be so difficult?"

"Why must you be so annoying?" She countered.

"I'm trying to make up for Friday night"

"You did that already, Joseph. Give it a rest."

"But..."

"You promised if I forgive you, you would not follow me around," she reminded me.

"Ok, fine," I reluctantly gave up the argument.