Complicated

Chapter Seventy Three: Smile

So shine on. Just shine on!
With your smile just as bright as the sun.
'Cause they're all just slaves to the gods they made,
But you and I just shone.

James Blunt – Shine On

It was a Thursday when Grace first saw their daughter smile. They were out in the Central Park amongst the plush greenery of the area near Strawberry Fields. Don had laid down a red and white plaid picnic blanket out for their small family underneath the shade of a large tree. It was warm today and Grace had lathered Jenny in sunscreen for the brief periods of time that she may end up spending in the bright sunshine.

The brightly coloured stroller they used was folded up and propped up against the trunk. The wicker basket Don had filled with food was perched at the edge of their blanket filled with their trash from the delicious meal they had consumed. The lime green, bulging baby bag was abandoned beside the stroller containing everything that Jenny could possibly of needed on their outing. It never failed to amaze either one of them how much actual stuff came with a baby. For something so small, Jenny came with a lot of baggage.

Don was lying on his left side, he was clad in his yellow Youth Centre t-shirt and navy blue jeans, he had kicked his sneakers off and left them at the end of the blanket. His head was propped up on one arm as he reviewed his wife and daughter over the top of his aviator sunglasses. Grace was wearing a loose fitting violet cami over her own jeans. Her ballet flats looked ridiculously small and delicate beside his large shoes.

Grace was lying on her right side opposite him, her palm was splayed along their baby's back as Jenny wriggled on her stomach, rocking from side to side as she grasped handfuls of fresh grass. Watching Jenny grow over the past two months had been surprising, Grace had never been so interested in something before. Everything their child did filled them both with intrigue. They had spent hour upon hour watching their daughter's every move and whim, everything she did delighted them now that the days of colic seemed to be over.

It was the subtler things they noticed that reminded them that she was developing in leaps and bounds. She could lift her head higher now and for longer periods of times. Instead of her arms and legs reacting with awkward jerky movements, they were more fluid and mobile. Instead of simply slapping at objects that she wanted to touch, Jenny was now actively grabbing them which caused all sorts of havoc to anything within her reach.

"So we have discovered she likes the feel of grass in her hands. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing." Grace remarked, tilting her head so she could see their baby's face.

There was daisy in between Don's fingers, the petals dancing lightly across the top of Jenny's head distracting her momentarily as the baby attempted to raise her head higher to see what game her daddy was engaging her in. He let the petals of the daisy flutter along the line of her nose before bopping the flower on the tip.

Jenny let out a coo of exhilaration as her fingertips grasped for the flower between Don's fingers. Her entire face lit up like sunshine as she received the gift and both parents felt their hearts ache just a little in their chests at the sight of their daughter's first smile.

"I never thought something so simple could be so amazing." Grace said out loud mesmerized by their daughter's dazzling smile.

"Wow. It's like a thousand watt light bulb just went off in my face." Don uttered, grinning down at his daughter.

Automatically as Don had expected the daisy he had given Jenny was on route into her mouth.

"Jenny." Don warned giving her a pointed look.

Jenny hesitated hearing the change in her father's tone as she stared at him with wide blue eyes as he shook his head trying already to teach her about body language. Grace fingers were already plucking the daisy from their daughter's fingertips and tossing it back onto the grass. Jenny stared down at her empty fist confounded by the sudden absence of the flower. She opened her fist looking for it before she started patting the blanket aimlessly.

"You've confused her now, she'd gonna get all grouchy and annoyed the same way you do." Don teased his wife before sitting up properly.

Jenny was beginning to grumble, Don picked her up in his hands drawing him closer against his heart so she could feel it's reassuring beat. Jenny patted the place where his heart resided, to Grace it looked like she was playing one handed patter cake with it. Don kissed the top of her fine dark head of hair.

It endeared Grace seeing this father, daughter interaction. She had been worried at first about the disruption an infant would cause in their lives. PTSD was never going to be easy to live with and a baby caused a lot of stress. Yet he seemed to be taking everything in his stride. Hell Don was calmer than her in most situations with the baby. He hadn't lost his temper once, in fact he made the whole parenting deal look easy.

"You know I love you right?" she said suddenly.

Don looked over their baby's shoulder, his lips pressed against their daughter's forehead as he reviewed his wife.

"I know." he told her with a trace of a smile.

"I just..." Grace paused exhaling deeply as she toyed with her wedding ring. "I haven't said that since the baby was born and I wanted you to know that I'm happy with you and Jenny."

"I didn't have any doubt about that." Don informed his wife.

"Good, I just..." she ducked her head, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "You needed to know how I feel."

"The baby doesn't change how I look at you you know?" Don said, despite the fact his gaze was hidden by his sunglasses she could feel his eyes on her intently. "Your still beautiful, attractive, stunning. I thank God every day that you gave her to me and that your here to raise her."

Grace ran a hand through her shoulder length dark hair before breaking into a contented smile at her husband's words.

"Thank you."