Quarantine

Our Home

"If two plus two equals four, what the fuck is this?" I stared down at the deformed crib in confusion.

How did he screw it up this bad?

"There wasn't any instructions!" Jackson whined. "I tried my best. I put a lot of love into making that."

"There weren't any instructions or you lost the instructions? And putting love into this isn't good enough." I told him honestly. "How is she supposed to sleep in that?"

"She can just sleep with us." He pouted.

I sighed tiredly, shaking my head. "Let's just take it apart and fix it later." As I helped him take the crib apart, it made me realize how much I missed my father. This was his expertise, something he would've gladly done for us. Now he wasn't here. I sniffled, turning my face away, but I wasn't fast enough.

"Babe..." Jackson gripped my arm and tugged me into him. He didn't ask questions and instead held me because it seemed like he knew what the problem was.

I've noticed that ever since I found out I was pregnant, the love between Jackson and I has been growing and growing. More trust is being built and I don't want to assume that it was because I was pregnant, but this baby made us closer. Even in our biggest arguments, we still manage to figure things out. In a way, I saw it as us preparing for the future; learning how to solve our problems without running away from one another.

"I'm okay. It's just the hormones." I try to convince him as I moved away from his grasp. "I made lunch. Let's go eat it before it gets cold." I stood up and quickly maneuvered towards the door as Jackson still sat on the floor, watching after me.

I hated when he saw me cry. It made me feel like some crybaby. I was an emotional person, I will admit that, but I hated crying in front of others; it made me feel weak and vulnerable as if someone could take advantage of me in that weak state. And although I trusted Jackson with my whole heart, it was hard for me put all my feelings unto Jackson.

And plus, I look fucking ugly when I cry.

"Hey, I just got a text about the house." Jackson's quiet voice cleared my thoughts and I looked up to see him leaning against the doorway, his new gray hair shining under the light. "They want us to come to see the house before the end of next month, but I'm not sure it's safe for you to be traveling with you so close to your due date."

I shook my head, handing him a plate. "It's fine. I want to see it."

"There's also a virtual house tour we can just do." He went on. "It'll be right at home and you'll be comfortable, and-"

"Jackson." I stopped him. "It's fine. Besides, I'm sick and tired of being in one place. I need to go somewhere, do something."

"There's a playground across from your apartment." He said seriously.

I scowled at him, swatting at his arm. "We're going."

He lets out a defeated groan. "Fine. I'll let them know, but you better not give birth on the way there. That would be even more work.

I glared after him as he walked off. "Hmph. Yippie, another inspirational quote." I huffed. He did this often and I saw it as him trying to cover up how scared he was with annoying comments that would make any pregnant woman rage. As I got closer to my due date, Jackson became more restless. I wasn't allowed to use sharp objects, no reaching or trying to climb to get something from the top cabinets, nothing, but I was a rebel and did everything he told me not to do, so he would say things that he knew would tick me off in order to move my attention to him and away from the forbidden things I wasn't supposed to be doing.