The Clinch

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine: five months old

Having a baby crying every hour from teething pain is not the best aid to a relationship. And after both having spent the night trying to soothe Coby from his distress, we're both exhausted and sorely at our wits ends with the other.

I regret snapping at Gabriel so often and about petty things, but he doesn't seem to understand that I haven't slept at all in the past few weeks due to Coby's irregular schedule, and that I'm close to falling down in absolute fatigue. Gabriel's been taking night shifts recently, which means he's been able to escape Coby's night whimpers, but I haven't, and I'm sick of the fact that I've always got the baby.

"Coby, please." I whine at him, bouncing him in my arms whilst Gabriel straps his car seat in. We're on route to see Gabriel's parents for a Thanksgiving meal, and we're both ignoring one another after our latest lovers tiff.

Gabriel turns to me in annoyance and snaps "can you not get him to be quiet, just for a second please, I'm on the phone?"

"What do you want me to do Gabriel? He's in pain! He's teething; not that you've been around to notice." I harrumph and swat him aside as I lean into the back of the car and strap Coby in, hoping that once that car starts moving he'll be lulled to sleep.

Sending me a scowl, Gabriel turns away and brings the receiver back to his mouth. "Sorry Cory, I've got to go. Wife problems." And with that he unceremoniously hangs up and throws the drivers side door open.

"So I'm a problem now? That's nice to know Gabriel, so fucking nice to know that the woman who cleans and cooks for you and who looks after your kid is nothing more to you than just a problem. Thanks a fucking bunch!" I shut the back door and clamber in to the passenger seat up front, furiously buckling myself in and staring sternly out the front window.

"You're more than a problem sweetheart" he curses "you're a fucking nightmare as of late. You're a hormonal wreck!"

I gasp in outrage and spin on him. "That's because I am a hormonal wreck you dick!" I punch his arm in anger and let out a growl of frustration. "I'm lonely, Gabriel! I spend my entire day at home looking after Coby all by myself, I'm going fucking crazy. And I'm tired! You're not here to hear him cry every hour on the hour through the night. And I ache all over; whether it be because of this pregnancy or because I'm breast feeding, but I'm weak and sick. And you don't even care."

Letting out a shuddery sob after my rant, I rest my head in my wrists and cry softly. God I really am a mess. Thankfully Coby has finally stopped crying. It seems he's succumbed to an exhaustion fueled sleep that I totally crave right now.

Gabriel shakes his head in disagreement, leaning across the console to put a hand on my knee as he looks at me imploringly whilst keeping an eye on the road. "How can you say that? Of course I care. I'm sorry baby that I'm not around and that you've been doing all of the baby care; I really am. I'll try and cut back my hours so I can help. And I'm sorry for shouting at you, I shouldn't have. You've been going through a lot lately and this stress isn't helping. I'm sorry princess."

With a weak nod, I place my hand over his and give it a comforting squeeze. "Thank you. And I'm sorry for being a bitch. My hormones are just making me really crabby."

Gabriel nods in understanding and raises my hand to kiss my knuckles. "I love you, princess, I'll make it up to you somehow, I promise."

"I love you back Gabriel, but sometimes you can be a real asshole." We share a small smile before he turns back to the road and I turn back to looking out the passenger side window at the passing city.

We spend the rest of the half hour car journey in tense silence. Both of us lost in our own thoughts. Which is exactly why neither of us sees the Merc swerving all over the road at the junction, we don't even realize it as it plows straight into the side of the vehicle and sends the car flying. We don't realize until it's too late.

(A/N) Song Suggestion: The Neighbourhood- Afraid