AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fact of Life
Malcolm
“Baby, where ya at?” I called, taking the steps two at a time. I opened the door to our room and Lil Man came running over to me as Ginger walked out of the bathroom. She stopped, almost shocked to see me.
“Hey, wasn’t expecting you back so soon.” She tried to sound nonchalant, but there was a strained hitch in her voice.
Golfing with Mitch had become a regular thing. Though neither of us were any good, it had become sort of our guy time. A regular thing that had me returning home around the same time each week. Something she knew. I picked up Shawn and closed the distance between us. Her eyes had a red tint, as did the tip of her nose. Almost as if she’d been crying or fighting back tears.
“You okay?”
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. Just an unfortunate case of cramps.”
An almost painful looking smile stretched across her face.
“Oh. What do you need?” I shifted Shawn to the side. “Something for the pain? A heating pad? Peace and quiet?”
Ginger brushed the hair from our son's face. “Yeah. If you can watch him for a little while, I’m gonna lay down.”
I ran my thumb across her bottom lip. “We have some gaming to do. You sure you’re okay?”
She nodded before leaning in to kiss Shawn then me. “Yeah. Just tired is all.”
The last two months she’d gotten almost sad around her time, though this was the first time I recalled her ever complaining of cramps. But what did I know? A quick nod and I turned and exited the room with Lil Man whining, trying to get to his mom. I pulled the door closed behind me.
Downstairs, instead of gaming, I carried him outside to run off some energy. I hoped the fresh air would help the nagging worry that had settled in the pit of my stomach. Forty minutes later, and about twenty races around the yard, Shawn was passed out. I left him sleeping on the couch and grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge and the ibuprofen. Upstairs, I tapped lightly on the door before opening. My beautiful wife lay curled up hugging my pillow.
I placed the water and pills on the nightstand and shifted to brush the hair from her forehead. A frown pulled at my lips when I spotted the dried tear streaks on her cheeks. She’d said cramps. Were they that bad that they brought her to tears? Was there something else wrong? I pressed my lip to her forehead and she stirred.
“Sorry,” I whispered.
Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched. “Oh, did I really fall asleep?”
The corners of my mouth turned upwards. “Yeah. You feeling better?”
She slid into a sitting position and placed the pillow across her lap. A barrier. Minor, but still there.
I picked up the bottle and rattled the pills around. “I brought you painkillers and water.”
A tight smile stretched across her face that didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you.” She ran her hands across the mauve pillowcase.
I sat next to her and placed my fingers on her chin, gently turning her to face me. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
She turned away and shrugged one shoulder. “Nothing. Just cramps.” She faced me again, wearing a fake smile. “It happens, as it should. Once a month. You’re old enough to know this.”
Her tease was accompanied by a playful push to my shoulder.
I swallowed back any retort and just let it go. Not pushing her. That’s how we got through things. If it was something she wanted to share, she would, in her own time. Even if I ached to know what the problem was so I could try and help, I’d have to wait it out.
I slipped my hand around to the back of her neck and pulled her forward. “I’ll go figure out dinner. You rest.” I pressed my lips to her forehead before getting off the bed.
She grabbed for my hand. “Where’s Shawn?”
“Sleeping. He needed to recover after I kicked his butt in some backyard track meets.”
“Proud of yourself for beating a toddler?” She rolled her eyes and the first genuine smile graced her face.
I mimicked the action. “Damn straight. The boy wants to hang with the big dogs he gotta pay his dues.”
