The Tragic Life

Chapter 6

WARNING: CHAPTERS 32 - 36 OF THIS BOOK CAN ONLY BE READ ON INKITT! LINK IN MY BIO ♥️
...

I peek my head around the door to glance into the nursery. Jamie is crouched down on the floor, as he tries to assemble the new crib. I worked for two days to put it together with no luck, so I decided to ask Jamie favour on one of our texting wars.

It's been a month since we met. And, I'd say we're pretty good friends. There's no pressure with him. We enjoy each other's company, and he's an absolute angel with Emily. It's nice to have his support.

My knuckles brush the wood of the door to get his attention. "How's it going?"

Jamie swipes his hand across his face. "Don't ask. I'm nearly ready to throw the thing out of the window."

I can relate. "I wonder if it's best just to send it back for a refund. It's probably why it was on sale in the first place."

Jamie looks like a man on a mission as he wipes at the sweat on his brow before picking up the instructions. "Give me an hour."

I laugh. "Is that a challenge?"

The corners of his mouth tip up at the edges. "You bet it is. I don't like to be beaten, especially by a bloody baby cot."

"There's no shame in failing," I say, squealing when he picks up an empty cardboard box to throw my way.

"I said to give me an hour," he repeats, chuckling to himself as I venture into my bedroom to find Emily asleep in her crib.

Last night was rough for the both of us with her non-stop screaming, and my nasty nightmares. I think it's drained us. It's hard to describe how I feel when I wake up because I'm hardly ever conscious enough to realise, the sight of Lewis' cold, bloody body on the road plaguing me until my eyes close the following night.

It's a lot.

Stepping out of the room, I bypass the nursery to hear Jamie grunting about a screw not fitting in the hole, to leave him to it. I need to get some housework done. It'll be my only chance to do it this week as I'll be working early mornings until my next day off which is Saturday.

I work part-time cleaning an office block three streets away from my house. I got the job through Lewis' mum, Cheryl, who works for the guy who owns the building. I started off with weekend work until they asked me to extend my days from two to four. Now, I only work in the week, lucky enough to get the weekends and bank holidays off.

It's better all-round, as it gives Cheryl the chance to see Emily, and me the opportunity to shove a load of my wages that I would be spending on child care into a savings fund.

I'm fortunate.

I pop my phone onto the docking station in the kitchen and turn on my cleaning playlist. The Pussycat Dolls start to sing to me as I turn on the hot water and find the disinfectant from underneath the sink.

I'm in my own world by the time I get to the living room, folding the sofa blankets until a hand scares me half to death when it touches my lower back. I jolt forward, turning to see Jamie with his hands in the air.

"You scared me," I say, moving away from the sofa to give us a bit more room.

Jamie steps right back in front of me. "I managed to finish the cot."

My eyes widen on a laugh. "No way."

"You want to come to see it?" he replies, nodding his head at the door.

I put the throw in my hand down on the arm of the sofa. "Yeah, go on then."

We make our way upstairs and back into the nursery where I spot the beautifully white, shabby chic type cot in the corner of the room. I can't believe he's gone and done it. And it's a masterpiece!