Nicko
"NICKO!"
My eyes opened and I sleepily blinked, looking around me. I was in Mia's nursery, in the rocking chair. She was asleep on my chest, her face still red and tear-stained from her recent crying fit. Lately she had been fussy and wasn't sleeping through the night, so it was my job to get her to settle down. I didn't mind though, it was worth the hours I spent holding her. She would cuddle into my neck and let out small whimpers when I rubbed her back.
"Did you hear me?" I looked up to see Demi in the doorway.
"Yeah." My voice was raspy. "Sorry I fell asleep with her. What's up?"
"It's like midnight." She sounded annoyed.
"I'm sorry. Did you need me to do something for you?"
She sighed and walked over, gently taking Mia and putting her back in her crib. Then she took my hand and pulled me up and led me by the hand into our bedroom. Demi pushed me back onto the bed then climbed in herself and pulled the covers over us. Then, she cuddled into my neck and threw her leg around me.
"Why do you seem so angry?" I said softly, putting my arms around her.
"I apparently cannot sleep without you holding me and it's kind of annoying. I wake up when you leave to get Mia and I can't fall back asleep until you get back and this time you didn't come back for so long and it got me mad."
I chuckled and kissed her temple. "I'm sorry baby. I didn't know."
"It's fine." Her tone was sharp and I sighed, this was the part of her pregnancy that was less than ideal.
"Okay."
We were both silent for a few moments, until through the baby monitor came a low cry.
"Oh my fucking god." Demi groaned, pushing away from me and putting her hands on her face.
"She's just fussy."
"Check her temp, maybe she's sick or something. It's in the top left cabinet."
I nodded and kissed her lips lightly. "I love you. And we love our kids, both of them."
"I know." She murmured, keeping her hands on her face.
I got up and went to the nursery where Mia was standing up in her crib, more tears coming down her cheeks. I carried her into the bathroom and took her temperature, stopping when I saw it was high, nearly a 104.
"Demi?" I called out, and heard her stand up, groaning as she walked into the bathroom.
"What is it?" She rasped.
"She has a pretty high fever, 104."
"Shit." Demi sighed. "Give me her." When I handed her over Mia's head rolled onto Demi's shoulder, pathetic whimpers coming out of her mouth. "Get the children's tylenol. Same place."
Quickly, I grabbed the medicine and watched as Demi filled up the dropper and put it in Mia's mouth. Mia whined a bit, but got it down then cuddled into Demi, sniffling miserably.
"She's probably hot too. I'll get her onesie off, you go get some of the frozen teething sticks and two bags of frozen peas."
I ran off to do Demi's bidding, then took the stairs two at a time to the bathroom. I stopped just outside the door though, when I heard Demi speaking.
"It's okay baby girl. I know you don't feel good. I know, it's okay. Mommy loves you."
I smiled widely and peered in to see Demi holding a diaper-clad Mia against her chest, murmuring in her ear. "Here's the peas."
