War Zone

Surprise

We arrived home. I let Bruno out into the backyard, He lit up, As I watched him run around happily. I put a warm smile on my face to see him finally happy. I felt arms wrap around me from behind. Joe's chin rested on the crook of my neck. I reached my hand up and slid it down the side of his face. I stayed quiet, still watching Bruno Play with the millions of toys I bought him. "I laid Kailaieah down" Joe said, I turned around to face him, his arms still wrapped around me. "Wow, do you want a cookie"? I asked curiously, not meaning for it to come out the way it did. He let go of me and took a step back. "Nicole, She's my first"-"Exactly, that's why you should be home more,"-"I haven't missed anything important anyway"-"You haven't!, Joe, you almost missed Kailaieah being born, almost 3 months early"-"But I was there"-"For the first two days!, I stayed by myself, all alone while she spent the first 3 months of her life in the hospital!, they thought she wouldn't make it! Joe,"... "And I had to deal with it all by myself, ME not YOU, I had nobody Joe, NOBODY"-"Baby, I'm sorry, I tried..." I knew I shouldn't have went off on him like that.

As I looked over, Joe had walked away. I looked outback, but he wasn'ut there. I walked slowly and carefully into the living room. He was leaning over the side of the playpen in which Kailaieah slept soundly. I felt REALLY bad. I watched from a distance. He carefully picked her up and sat on the couch with her. He layed her on his lap and stroked her face lightly. I slowly walked behind the couch. I layed my hand on his back.

"I'm sorry" I spoke up. He didn't take his eyes off of her. He stayed quiet. i went. to where I stood in front of him. I knelt down. and faced him. " joe, I said I was sorry" I said laying my hand on his knee. He got up and I Moved out of his way. He layed Kailaieah down in her playpen. "Do you think it was easy for me"? he asked quietly. "joe, I didn't say"-"D-Do you think it was easy being all the way across the world and getting news that your wife was in labor with your firstborn child three months early, that your daughter was in grave danger, do you think that was easy? DO YOU"?!?! He questioned angrily "J-Joe, I"-"I want an answer Nicole" He said, angrily. "NICOLE"!!! He yelled, causing me to jump. "NO JOE I DON'T THINK IT WAS EASY FOR YOU!!! BUT IT WAS EVEN WORSE FOR ME!!! I HAD TO ,WATCH IT, AND I HAD TO TAKE A FRONT ROW SEAT!!!". Joe came over and wrapped his arms around me. I pushed his hands away.

"Nicole" He said softly. "No, Joe you're so inconsiderate, I had to watch my baby, my first baby almost die, and I had nobody there NOBODY JOE"!!! I hollered. "I'm SORRY"!!!!!! He screamt at the top of his lungs. I was so surprised, Joe had never raised his voice with me. I stood there in pure surprise, unable to let a word escape my mouth. As we stood silently, we heard a small cry. I walked over to the playpen and lifted my small daughter into my arms carefully. "Shh,Shh,Shh" I wispered softly to Kailaieah as she squirmed in my arms. "Nicole" Joe said softly. "Joe, I'm done with this conversation" I said.I walked through the living room, and up the stairs. I carried kailaieah carefully into her room. i laid her in her crib. I arranged her covers until I felt she was all snugged up. I stayed with her until she was asleep, then I layed down and fell asleep.....