That following morning had be strangely comfortable. Having Gwen wake up in his arms did things to Blake that he didn't want to admit. The first two nights home from the hospital continued like this before they were both comfortable putting him back in his crib. He didn't really seem to be bothered by his ears to much. However on the third night after surgery Jupiter absolutely refused to lay down and go to sleep. He instead stood up in his crib holding onto the railing and screaming "mama, daddy" with tears pouring down his face.
Gwen didn't get up right away as she wanted the try to let him go to sleep on his own but after a little while she realized that he wasn't going to. So she got out of her bed and made her way over to Jupiter's room. When she got there the door was already cracked so she peaked in. Blake was taking Jupiter out of the crib. He sat down in the rocking chair and was rubbing his back trying to calm him. It took a few minutes for him to calm and Blake was more than patient with him.
"It's ok buddy daddy's got ya. I'm right here. You safe and ok."Blake told the little boy continuing to rub his back.
Seeing Blake holding Jupiter knowing that he is now their son does things to Gwen. Once Jupiter is calmed down Blake moves to put him back in his crib. As soon as his little body hits the mattress his cries begin again.
"Hold on little buddy let me get the guitar. Daddy has an idea."
Blake moves out of view and Gwen can't see him anymore but then he comes back into view holding the guitar that sits in Jupiter's room. Blake sits down next to the crib and begins to play a song that Gwen doesn't recognize but she instantly loves it.
"Oh, you think I'm talking crazy
In a different Language you might not understand
Oh, that's alright
That's just the kinda life that made me who I am
Just taking my mind on a visit
Back in time 'cause I miss it
You wouldn't know to love it like I love it
Unless you lived it
And man I lived it."
Blake was absorbed in the song so much so that when he finished he looks and Jupiter had fallen asleep. Gwen was still at the door with tears rolling down her face. Seeing Blake so good with their son touched her in a place she didn't know could be reached. Blake watched Jupiter sleep for a minute. Seeing this little boy who looked just like his brother, singing his brothers song, and using his brothers guitar brought a whole lot of emotions to the surface for Blake. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned to walk out of Jupiter's room. When he turned around he saw Gwen standing in the door way with tears cascading down her face. His grief suddenly turned into fear and worry. Why was she crying? Do he do something wrong?
Gwen motioned to downstairs and she disappeared. Blake put the guitar back on the stand and quietly shut the door on the way out. He doesn't want to go downstairs. If what awaits him down there is an angry Gwen, he doesn't want that. He doesn't want to fight with her and he definitely doesn't want to see her crying because of him. He realizes though that avoiding this is not an option. So he cautiously makes his way down stairs and into the living room.
"Hey what's up? Why are you crying?" Blake asks
"Blake that was the sweetest things I think I have ever seen. I didn't know you knew how to play or that you could sing!"
"Ahh I'm not that great at either. Every time I talked I could feel him relax more and more so I thought if I sing him a song maybe he will relax enough to go to sleep. It worked." He shrugged
"Blake your selling yourself short. You play well and sing well to. Clearly Jupiter liked it."
"Thanks. My brother taught me. That was his guitar. He gave it to me when he got a new one and he taught me how to play. We used to sit out by this stream in the woods behind our house and we would be there for hours with him
teaching me everything he knew. When my parents started fighting and eventually got divorced, it was Richie that got me through that. He always answered my questions and helped me understand. He wasn't just my brother you know. He was my best friend. When he moved out there to California, he still called at least every other day and we would talk and catch up for two hours. The day he died still doesn't feel real. I keep waiting for my phone to ring and it never does. I miss him more than anything."
