An unexpected surprise

Chapter nine

I was alone with Lucca today, while Melissa went to work. He always seemed so relaxed and easy to handle when I had him. Melissa made it look so hard. I wonder why.

She woke up early and left. Why did she leave so early?

I shrugged and picked Lucca up. He was awake and smiling up at me. "Morning, little baby" I smiled.

I took him through to the kitchen and made a bottle. When it was cool enough, I fed him. He ate enough for a healthy baby and that made me happy. I was glad he was healthy and strong.

He had my facial features, ears, nose and mouth. He had Melissa's gorgeous, hazel eyes though. They were her best feature, and will probably be his. Its told that if you look close enough, you can see the universe in a persons eyes.

I winded and unchanged him. "Bath time, little man" I said, gently holding him in the shallow, lukewarm water of his baby bath. Is that what it's called? It's just a small bath so I guessed it was right.

He seemed to like it as I washed him. He kept giggling.

I took him out, dried him and put on a new nappy and clothes. I then held him against my chest. "All clean now"

I rocked him and he soon fell asleep. I still didn't understand why Melissa seemed to struggle with him. He's so chilled out and relaxed.

I watched him in his moses basket, while doing a bit of work. It was just paper work for my job. I didn't know why I was doing paper work when I worked behind a bar, but my boss had told me to.

After I'd finished, I cleaned around the house, to make sure it was tidy. Melissa came back at 5 in the afternoon.

"Hey, baby" I called. "How was work"

They wasn't a response. Weird?

"Melissa?" I held Lucca in my arms and walked out to the hallway.

She just looked at my, a distant stare on her face. "What's wrong?" I asked.

She balled her fists then stormed straight back out the door. What the...?

I tried to go after her but she screamed at me for me to leave her alone. She woke Lucca and he started crying.

"Get that damn baby away from me!" She yelled and she ran down the flight of stairs and fled the building.

I quietly went back inside and rocked Lucca to calm him. He soon stopped crying and I made a call to Joan.

She answered straight away. "What's wrong?"

"It's Melissa. She came home from work then she started screaming and left the flat. I don't know where she's gone"

"I'll find her and talk to her. Are you and Lucca ok?"

"Yes. Please find her soon"

"I will. I'll call you when I have"

"Thank you"

A while later, they was a knock at the door. I answered. It was my dad.

"Tristan" he came in.

"Dad?"

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've just had Melissa, crying on my doorstep. I couldn't get anything out of her. She's with Joan now"

"Dad... I don't know. She came home from work and all of a sudden freaked out. She ran out, screaming"

"Lets sit down"

We sat down, he held Lucca for a while before handing him back to me. I held him close to me.

"Talk to me, Tris"

I nodded and looked down at Lucca as I explained everything that had been going on since we'd had Lucca. We'd only had him two weeks, but Melissa had changed so much.