You're Not Alone

Angry And Upset

Within two weeks, Danny and his family were in the new house. The carpets, furniture, and appliances were all set up. Some things still needed to be unpacked like most of Linda's clothes, some cutlery, sheets and blankets, and the decorative trinkets.
Linda sighed as Sean started crying again. Lately, all he did was cry and eat. He didn't want to sleep or play; he wasn't interested in anything at all. At seven weeks, Linda expected a little more from him. She understood that all babies were different, but he was starting to worry her.
"Sean, please. Please tell me you're wet and not hungry." Linda picked up her baby, immediately knowing he needed a change. She changed him, then put him back to sleep. As soon as she walked out the door, he started crying again.
"Sean!" Linda almost cried herself. She walked back to her baby, and lifted him to her. He sucked on the thin material of her pajama shirt, making her groan. Setting him down for a few moments, she shucked off her shirt. She picked him up again and sat in the rocker. As he nursed, silent tears fell down her cheeks. She didn't know why she had felt so bad that day. It was a great day. She had gotten ice cream with Jack and Sean after school was over and she made a lot of progress on the house. She had just been feeling really sick and lethargic ever since four in the afternoon.
***********
It was about 12:30 when Danny came home from work that night. He called, having to leave a message, that he'd be late. He had heard Linda's single word message from his boss. She almost always told him to be careful, and she most definitely always told him  that she loved him. He locked the windows and doors, and headed up the stairs. He checked on Jack and Sean who were both sleeping soundly at the moment. When he entered his room, he heard sobs and immediately grew concerned.
"Linda?" Danny sat on the bed and put a hand on his sobbing wife's shoulder. "Baby, What's wrong?" He suddenly felt fear filling his chest like a ballon expanding. He didn't know why she could be crying, and he didn't know why it scared him. It had never scared him before.
Linda let out a staggering breath, clutching the blanket with her fists. She felt Danny rub her shoulder, as if telling her to take her time. She shifted positions, and clung to his waist. She felt herself being pulled into a pair of strong arms.
Danny kissed Linda's cheek, nose, forehead, anywhere that was easily accessible. He rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back and arms. Once her sobs subsided, he kissed her forehead. "Wanna tell me what's wrong?"
"I feel..... different." Linda mumbled, not caring if her voice was weak and vulnerable.
"Different? Different how?"
"I dunno..... I-" she sighed. "Seven weeks. It's been seven weeks, and I'm not cleared yet."
"Cleared for what?" Danny wasn't sure she had answered when he heard her voice. "Sweetheart, why do you have to be cleared?"
"I have to be all healed up," she explained, just a little perturbed that he had used the key word. "Or else I can't have sex."
"Oh." Danny hadn't even thought about that. "Well.... do you know what's wrong?"
"It's not healed, duh."
"I know it's not healed. Do you know why?"
"Do I look like a freakin' Doctor?!" She wiggled out of Danny's embrace.
"Linda!"
"Like always, you don't care!" She slammed the bedroom door behind her, crying a new set of tears. She was angry at her emotions; angry at Sean for eating all the time; angry at Danny for not being a husband; and, finally, angry at herself for snapping at Danny, who was just trying to help her.