Spark in the Dark

Chapter 188

Shawn didn't know when she fell asleep or how. One second she was awake and the next she was sitting straight up gasping for air. Ally had started crying, startling Shawn awake when she thought it was the screaming she had heard inside Diosa.

"Shawn?" Juice asked, again. He had been trying to get her attention, but she was in such a panic she hadn't heard him over the sound of her hyperventilating. "Shawn, you're okay. You're home. It's just Ally. She's crying. It's okay."

Shawn covered her ears. "Please get her. Make her stop."

"Okay," Juice said and hurried to his feet to lift the baby from her crib.

Shawn also stood and rushed into the bathroom. Her knees hit the floor in front of the toilet just in time for her to get sick. Juice listened to her in the bathroom as he changed Ally's diaper. When he picked her back up, he went out into the hallway and stopped in front of the bathroom door.

"Shawn?"

She was at the sink, aggressively brushing her teeth. She rinsed her toothbrush and dropped it into the holder. She leaned against the counter, but didn't acknowledge him.

"Shawn?" Juice repeated.

"I'm fine. Just take care of her."

Juice stepped over to her and held out his hand. "C'mon. Come with me."

Shawn seemed reluctant, but Juice waited patiently until she took his hand and he pulled her along. He lead Shawn back into Ally's room and had her sit in the rocking chair there.

"Here. Hold her while I get a bottle ready."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea right now, Juice. I can't even hear her cry without freaking out," Shawn said with tears in her eyes. "What kind of mother can't stand the sound of her own baby crying?"

Juice kneeled in front of her to look her in the eye. "The kind who just went through hell to get back to her baby. Hold her, Shawn. She might help you."

Shawn took Ally from him and began to rock her. He stood, stopping on his way up to kiss Shawn's forehead before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Shawn dried her eyes as she looked at her daughter.

"Hi, sweet girl," Shawn said to her and gently stroked her cheek. "I'm so sorry about earlier. I'll try not to let it happen, again, okay? I just got a little scared, that's all. We all get scared sometimes, huh? But I tell you what, if you're ever scared, you can come get Mommy anytime you need her. I'm never going to leave you, Alejandra. I promise. I love you so much."

Shawn lifted Ally and kissed her forehead. She rested her against her chest so Ally's head could lay on her shoulder. Shawn rubbed the baby's baby and breathed in her sweet scent. She thought about how close she had come to breaking that promise the night before and decided right then that it would never happen, again.

Juice came back into the room and smiled at Shawn holding Ally so lovingly. He set the bottle down on the dresser and went over to kneel next to them.

"I guess she won't be needing that," Juice commented as he also touched Ally's back. Shawn gave him a confused look. Juice nodded to Ally's face. "She fell back to sleep. I guess she wasn't hungry after all. Just wanted her Mommy."

Shawn smiled and nodded. She gave the baby another kiss before looking back up at Juice. "What if I hadn't been here when she got up and wanted me?"

"You were, though," he insisted. "That's what's important."

Shawn sighed and stood from the rocking chair. She carried Ally over to her crib and gently set her down. She watched her for a moment, waiting to see if she would stir from her sleep, but she didn't. Shawn turned to Juice and motioned for them to leave. After grabbing the bottle off the dresser, she carried it down to the kitchen to put it in the fridge. Juice sensed she had something to say and followed her.