'Why are you avoiding me?' Joe asks grabbing Demi's arm as she attempts to close the front door.
'I'm not.' She replies bluntly.
'You are. I've not seen you for eight weeks, Demi. You've done everything you can to make sure you don't have to see or speak to me... I thought things were okay between us, what's going on?' He asks and she bites her bottom lip before opening the door further.
'You're killing me. Everytime I see you I'm reminded of everything we've lost and it kills me. And yeah, maybe I am avoiding you but I need to for my own sanity because I can't keep living in this place where I'm constantly going over every little detail of losing him.' She replies, tears streaming down her cheeks as he moves closer to her.
'It hurts me as well, you know. Some times I lie awake at night going over every little detail of him that I can remember. I sit and wonder who he would've been; would he have had your stubborn attitude and your beautiful smile... I miss him too.' He says using his thumb to wipe her cheeks.
'You do?' She asks quietly.
'Of course I do... I realise at the hospital I may have come across wrong but I was just trying to be strong for you. I didn't want to let you down but I realise that by not telling you how I feel I've let you down anyway.' He replies.
'I just want our son back.' She cries causing him to step forward and wrap his arms tightly around him.
'Shh... I've got you.' He says softly as she buries her head in his shoulder and sobs.
______
'You're still here...' Demi mumbles as she lifts her head from Joe's chest and glances up at him.
'I am. I didn't want to leave you while you were still so upset and I didn't want you to think I was walking away from you. I can leave if you'd like me to though?' He asks and she shakes her head.
'No, please don't go...' She replies.
'I want to help you, Demi. I want to be here but there's only so much pushing away I can take.' He says and she sighs.
'I feel so guilty... I should've known that something was wrong. I carried our beautiful baby boy inside me for 36 weeks and I didn't even realise he was slowly dying.' She admits, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stares down at her hands.
'You done what you could... There was no way for you to know that the cord was around his neck, there was no way for you to know that it was all going to go so heartbreakingly wrong. As soon as you felt him stop moving as much you went straight to get checked out. You done nothing wrong.' He says gently wiping her cheeks.
'Why don't you hate me?' She asks.
'I have no reason to hate you and you have no reason to hate yourself so stop. Stop blaming yourself for the tragic death of our son.' He replies kissing the top of her head.
'I'm sorry for pushing you away. I just- He looked so much like you.' She says.
'You were and still are grieving... Will you stop pushing me away and let me be here for you now?' He asks and she nods her head.
'Thank you.' He says softly. Resting her head back against his chest she sighs as her fingers subconsciously begin drawing patterns on his stomach.
'Will you help me sort out his room later? I don't want to do it on my own.' She admits biting her bottom lip.
'Of course I will.' He replies.
'We'll get through this, won't we?' She asks quietly.
'Of course we will... As long as we stick together we'll be fine.' He replies.
