13 September 2012
"You don't want to see her" Mollie said as she shut the door behind her in Nate's room. "I do, we need to talk about so much" he said, standing up from the bed and jolting the baby in the process. "She really needs feeding" he sighed, sitting back down to continue stroking her belly. "I'll go and see if there's any of Tiffany's milk in the fridge. I'm sure there will be. You just stay here" she said commandingly, returning quickly from the fridge with a bottle. "Thank you. I must seem so pathetic" Nate said, laying back down whilst Mollie picked up his child and fed her. "You don't. I've put Tiffany in Ellie's room, I hope you don't mind. I didn't think she was in a suitable position to see her baby, or you" "What have I done wrong Mollie? You have to tell me so I can make it better" he said, placing his head in his hands. "When was the last time you kissed her?" she asked "About 5.30 today, why?" "When was the last time that lead to anything?" Nate placed a finger on his bottom lip and his eyes drifted towards the ceiling whilst he thought about it "March. Again, why?" "Nate, it's almost July. That's four months" "It sounds bad, but I just can't do it. I look at her now and I don't see the gorgeous girl I married. I see a worn out housewife who always smells a little of baby" "You know why that is? She spends all day alone with this baby, growing increasingly mad by the day because she never sees her husband and never spends any real time with him. One more thing, when did you last say you loved her?" "Literally just as she... Wait, maybe it was.. No, it was definitely--" "She bore you a child. You're married. The least you can do is tell her you love her. You do don't you?" "Of course" "Then tell her!" Mollie said, settling the baby down back in her crib alongside Tiffany's side of the bed. "I'll go now" he said, getting up but leaving the door open behind him so he could hear if the baby cried.
"Tiffany?" Nate whispered as he stepped into Ellie's room. His wife was fast asleep though, lying on the side of the bed that normally belonged to him, facing away from Nate. As he moved around the bed though, he noticed that she was hugging a pillow against her torso, and had her head resting on another, her hand placed nonchalantly on it too, resembling the position she would normally have assumed on his chest. She didn't have any covers on her, as it was quite a hot night, and her outfit was visible to him. She was wearing a white dress, one that she hadn't worn for months, partly because she couldn't fit into it, but also because she used to say that she felt in love when she wore this dress. She'd worn it for multiple dates with him and she always referred to it as her 'I love Nate dress' when she was a bit drunk. Nate then noticed that she was laying in quite a central position on the large bed, and that there was room for him on his side of the bed. "Worth a shot" he thought to himself as he carefully teased the large pillow out from beside her torso, and the one from on her head, and he lay down stiffly and uncomfortably next to her, and as he did, she moulded herself around him, placing her head on his chest and wrapping an arm around him. "Nate, what's--" Mollie said, coming in with the baby in her arms as Nate placed a finger against his lips. "Can you bring the crib in here? Then you should get some sleep, you'll be really hung over otherwise" Nate said, smiling at Mollie. "I'm happy to look after her if you want me to?" Mollie said, looking at the baby's features and seeing the man she loved within them. "I couldn't ask you to do that. The guest room isn't made up, so feel free to crash in our room if that's not too weird" "Thanks, I'll be back in a few minutes" she said, carrying the baby back and returning with her and her crib, and setting them down next to Nate. "Good night Mollie" Nate said, smiling and blowing her a kiss. "Good night" she said returning it, then as soon as she shut the door she whispered "honey" then smiled as she lay in the same position as Tiffany was in, imagining Nate was beside her.
As Tiffany awoke in the morning, the first thing she noticed were the little stars surrounding her vision, and the pounding beat in her head. "Oh god" she murmured, while pressing the palm of her hand to her head and beginning to sit up slightly. "Hey hey" Nate said, placing the baby back in her crib before rushing over to Tiffany and pushing her gently back down "Have this" he said, handing her a white pill and a glass of water. Tiffany did as she was asked, as Nate went back over to the baby and cradled her in his arms. "Hand her to me" Tiffany said, holding out her arms and beckoning with her fingertips for her little baby. "I've had an idea" Nate began, sitting alongside his little family "If you're as unhappy as you say you are, then let's go and speak to someone. I'm willing to do anything to change and make you happy, I just need to know what" "Can we talk about this later? My head's pounding so much" she sighed, while sinking into the sheets as the baby started crying for food. "I'm sure there's a bottle--" Nate began before Tiffany started to pull her dress off. "Don't worry" she said, closing her eyes and letting her baby ravage at her chest. Nate sat there awkwardly, as he always did when this happened, gazing intently at his daughter whilst straying to avoid his wife's breast in his sight as he didn't want to be accused of ogling. "Look, we'll let you sleep" Nate began, pulling his child from Tiffany's arms and explaining that he was going to sit with Mollie. "Let me come, we can--" "Rest. You look really rough" he said, gliding swiftly out and shutting the door, just as the first tear dropped from his wife's eye.
Love You Too: PART NINETY EIGHT • Opuss № I