Moving Forward

Part 7

Joy Rossi's POV

Today is the day. I start working and I'm so stressed... I got sick a few times during the night and I'm a bit sick today. But Daddy is always there to reassure me. He's keeping repeating that everything will be okay.

Yesterday, he helped me to prepare Zoe's stuff because I'm bringing her to work with me.

I love how he acts when I'm stressed. I didn't see him often when I was young, but when my mother died, I began to see him more often. But even if I was 15 when I began to see him often, he always knew how to act with me.

When I'm stressed, I always get sick. And Daddy puts his hand in my hair, looks at me and repeats that everything's going to be okay.

When I'm sad, he passes his hands on my cheeks to wipe my tears, he hugs me, he says everything's going to be okay and kisses me on my forehead.

When I learned I was pregnant, I broke up with the father of Zoe. I couldn't tell him I was pregnant. He was always mean and he abused me.

When I told him I wanted to break up, he hit me in the face. I ran and I called Daddy. I just told him that I needed him to come to pick me. He knew something wasn't right. I was scared to tell him everything. Of course, he asked me questions, but I knew I wasn't obligated to respond now. He was going to wait until I respond but he wouldn't obligate me to answer.

We arrived at his place and I went to sleep. But I woke up at 2am. I was ready to tell him everything. And, even if it was 2am, he was ready to listen to me.

After I've told him everything, he did what he always did when I was sad: he wiped my tears, hugged me, said that everything will be okay and kissed my forehead.

He accompanied me during my whole pregnancy. He was taking the day off every time I had a meeting with the doctor and he was with me while I was giving birth. He cut Zoe's umbilical cord and he was the first man to hold her.

I saw him crying when he held her. He seemed so happy.

After I gave birth, Daddy took one month off, even if I said to him that I was okay with Zoe. But he really wanted to stay, so I couldn't say no.

He always knew how to act with me and he knows how to act with Zoe. When Zoe was crying and everything, but I was too tired to get up, Daddy got up to console her, even if it's not his daughter.

It's now 7am and I hear Zoe crying. I get up and get out of the bathroom. I enter Zoe's room.

"It's okay Sweetie, mommy's there."

I hold her. I know she's hungry.

I walk to the living room and I sit on the couch to breastfeed Zoe.

I hear Daddy wakes up too and he comes in the living room.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit sick."

"I'm okay. I'm just a bit too stressed. What if..."

"Stop thinking about the 'what if'. It will be fine. You know Penelope. She's so sweet. You'll have fun with her. And you know Oliver. He's like an angel!"

"Yeah..."

"Trust me."

"I don't think I have any choices..." I sigh.

"I'm gonna prepare your breakfast. Do you want coffee?"

"No thanks."

He gets out and goes in the kitchen. Then I prepare myself to be ready to go to work.