This was a topic I was quite nervous about writing, purely because I know it could be taken the wrong way or come across hateful. I tried to write it in a way which didn't come across discriminatory and instead just realistic because this is the reality for alot of people out there. Having children isn't just always a breeze, there's alot of down moments too and that's what I wanted to show in this. It's very raw and very real, which is what I was hoping to convey. I hope you enjoy x
⚠️trigger warning for some quite healthy mental health talk in this one⚠️
The winter of 2030
4:30am
"Where are you?"
Dianne faintly heard a sleepy mumble in the darkness and a gentle pat on her hip. It was the middle of the night and she wasn't entirely sure whether she was dreaming.
"Right here"
She mumbled back, lifting her head to look over to her now husband. He clearly wasn't fast asleep because he was talking, but his eyes were closed and his head smashed into the pillow.
"Come here..."
He flopped an arm out, it landing just across her middle. Dianne leant into her pillow and shuffled slightly backwards, so that the front of joes body was up againts the back of hers. Finding her usual space where her head would fit perfectly under his chin, she snuggled down, bringing the duvet closer up her chest.
"Whats up?"
Dianne asked quietly, once she was comfortable. Neither she or joe were known to waking up in the middle of the night, so she was slightly confused as to why they had now found themselves having a conversation at the ungodly hour of 4am. It wasn't like they had to be up early or as if they had been awoken by the sun beaming through their blinds. It was winter and still very dark outside. Infact, it was even raining.
"Nothing. Just wanted to cuddle you. Go back to sleep"
He whispered, a soft smile growing on her face as she snuggled down further, into the crook of his neck. Placing her hand onto of his, she began to slowly close her eyes and let herself fall back to sleep.
She and joe had been together 11 years now and so nothing like this was out the ordinary. They had always had the same routine, especially since they had decided to walk away from the most hectic parts of their life in order to begin what they had hoped to be a much quieter one. It turned out to be that having kids, didn't make for the quietest life but despite that, they still did everything the same. Once everything was settled in the sugg household, they would cuddle up on the sofa with abit of TV before she then made them both a cup of tea, which once drunk along with a couple of a biscuits, she would head to bed whilst he did the remainder of the washing up. About half an hour later, he would come and join her in bed and they would fall asleep just like how they usually always would and how they always had done.
Just as she felt herself about to drop off again, dianne shivered at an unusual sound. Realising it was footsteps along the landing, she began to hold her breath...which was when joe woke back up. He held her tighter suddenly now, the two of them waiting almost in anticipation until the penny dropped and they both heard an echoed high pitched cry from outside the bedroom door.
"I'll get him..."
Dianne sighed, removing herself from joes grip and getting out of bed.
"You sure? I can totally do this one"
Joe asked quietly, as dianne threw on her dressing gown.
"No its OK, don't worry"
Dianne replied, before then wondering off out onto the landing, closing their bedroom door behind her.
Although she and joe hardly ever woke up in the night, their son, hadn't inherited that gene. It was his favourite thing to do and usually happened, right as they were about to drop off or at an ungodly hour right in the middle of the night, something like 3am. For joe and dianne, it was something which had always been sort of normal and something their boy had done consistently since he was a newborn baby, but as time went on they began to realise that it wasn't just a habit, but rather a trait. Something they couldn't help him try to stop.
