Wonders of the world

Exhaustion

"You need to change your hours Jacob... She's exhausted..." Ellie told him, "when was the last time you helped her with your daughter Jacob?"

"Don't lecture me... Work is taking over... Do you think I want it to take over? I love Mia, of course I do and you know how much I love Connie... Jesus Ellie..."

"She won't tell you she's exhausted... You know how she is... Don't push her away..."

He came home to find Connie fast asleep across Pauls chest. Paul nodded at him as he came in.

He sat opposite him and cuddled Mia as she ran over to him.

"Mumma's tired," she whispered, "I love you daddy..."

Jacob ran his hand through his daughters hair, "I love you sweetheart,"

"And mummy..."

"And mummy, very much," he smiled.

"How is she Paul?" Jacob asked quietly,

"Tired... She misses you... She's scared that she won't manage the two of them alone... I tried telling her she's not alone... But she's worried there's someone else Jacob..."

Jacob sat with his head in his hands, "all of a sudden work has got so crazy and I... You think she'll forgive me for being so absent the last few months?"

"There's no one else?"

"God no... I'm not stupid... I love her, more than anyone..."

"Take her to bed... I'll take Mia to your sisters... I'll come By tomorrow."

"She loves you you know... Far more than she ever did Michael... I don't need to tell you how stubborn she is, she needs to know you're still here for her."

He carried her up to bed, undressing her as she slept peacefully on her side. He removed his own clothes and cuddled up behind her, wrapping his arm around her stomach and caressing her still neat bump gently,

"Forgive me," he told her, "for being too busy and letting work take over... For not reminding you regularly that I love you more and more each day,"

"Jacob," she mumbled in her sleep and he pressed his lips against her hair.

"I've got you, go to sleep sweetcheeks."

She woke the following morning, not quite remembering how she got into her bed. She heard Jacobs voice and got up, smiling as she saw him turning off the taps in the bath before getting in and beckoning for her to do the same.

She slipped into the bath and smiled as she felt their baby kicking. She took his hand and placed it to the side of her bump, "strong kid we have there," he smiled against her ear, as he squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "for everything, but mostly for not realising how exhausted you are... And for not telling you that you're by far my favourite person in the world..."

"Is there someone else?" She asked and he shook his head, "because if there is... Tell me... I need to know..."

"Of course there isn't... Work is crazy, we're short staffed and it's busy and I... I didn't want to tell you how busy and..." He sighed, "I miss you, I miss us... I'm going to go in tomorrow and ask for days shifts instead of nights, and ask for weekends off and... And if they don't I'll move to a managerial position where I don't need to keep working shifts,"

"Jacob..."

He shook his head, "you and our girls... Rolo included... Are my life... Work is work... I vow that it will never come before you again."

He kissed her temple, "and if it does, you need to tell me...I want you to tell me."

She found that the tears ran freely down her cheeks and as her shoulders shook, he held her tightly.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered and she found that his words just made her tears fall faster. "I love you so very much," he told her, "believe me when I say there is no one else... There will never be anyone else but you."