Whiskey 'n Lace

~ Chapter Forty-Three ~

The first night with the babies was good, but that changed the next morning. All three babies were up on and off all night, and even if they were fed and changed they still found something to cry about. By the time that the sun rose, Olivia was sitting on the floor of the bathroom as she sobbed.

“Babe, we could use some help with the babies!” Rafael called, as he poked his head into his bedroom. Everyone was overwhelmed right now, and Rafael was a little pissed off that his wife wasn’t pulling her weight at the moment.

“O-okay.” Olivia whimpered, but she was sure that her husband hadn’t heard her. She sat there for a while longer, as she sobbed into her hands. But then her husband came storming back into the room and knocked loudly on the door as he tried to calm Viola down in his other arm.

“Olivia Barba, we need your help now!” Rafael yelled, since he had just gotten thrown up on and wanted his wife to take over so he could shower.

Olivia slowly stood up, before unlocking the door and opening it.

“W-what can I do?” Olivia sniffled, as she hastily wiped tears from his cheeks. Rafael didn’t even notice the tears on his wife’s cheeks as he shoved Viola into her arms.

“Go help my mother. I need to shower.” He huffed, and Olivia nodded as she stumbled from the bathroom. As soon as the door was slammed, Viola got worked up again and started to scream.

“I’m sorry, Vi… I really suck at this.”

///

When Rafael finally finished his shower, which he took his time with, he moved out of the bathroom in his robe and found his mother sitting on the bed.

“Ma, what are you doing in here?” Rafael sighed as he moved to his dresser.

“The babies are finally sleeping and Olivia is just waiting for them to need her. But we need to talk, love.” Lucia sighed.

“Why?” Rafael frowned.

“Did you realize that your wife was crying when you came to get her? Like sobbing?” Lucia mused.

“No, I didn’t. And honestly, I was covered in vomit so I really didn’t care.” Rafael sighed. He grabbed some pajamas before moving to the bathroom again. He got changed, and his mom waited for him to return to continue speaking.

“She is having a hard time-”

“Ma, we are all having a hard time! We have been up all night with three screaming babies. I have gotten pooped and vomited on today, let alone the fact you and I were doing everything while Olivia was taking alone time in the bathroom.”

“Rafael Barba, your wife gave birth to three babies less than a week ago. Her body is still going through changes and she is overloaded with different emotions. She told me that she sucks as a mother and a wife because of how you treated her. Now-”

“She doesn’t suck.” Rafael frowned as he looked at his mother.

“Maybe you should go and tell her that. I told her to take a nap while the babies were sleeping, and she told me that she doesn’t deserve one.”

“Shit.” Rafael sighed, before raking his hands through his hair.

“Kid, I know that you are an amazing father and husband… but you can be an ass sometimes. We are all exhausted and overwhelmed, but we still need to be thinking about each other’s feelings. We are all in this together.”

“Okay, I’m going to draw Olivia a bath and then-”

“I’ll get the bath going. Talk to your wife.”

///

Rafael slowly moved down to the nursery before opening the door slowly. He expected to see Olivia sitting in the rocking chair, but instead she was moving between each crib as she tried to keep the pacifiers in the babies’ mouths.

“There are clips that we can get to help keep those in their mouths.” Rafael spoke softly.

“This is okay… I need to keep an eye on them, anyway.” Olivia replied weakly. She didn’t even look up at her husband as she moved to where Atlas started to stir.

“I can grab him-”

“No, Rafael. Take a nap. You made it clear that I wasn’t doing my share of the work, so let me do this. I can go longer than you can, Rafa…” Olivia mumbled, as she fought off tears.

“I’m sorry for being short earlier, Liv.”

“Don’t apologize, Rafael. I shouldn’t have taken so much time for myself… I was the one that carried these babies, and I should do the most work.” 

“No-”

“They will need to be fed soon. So go take a much deserved break. Get something to eat and then just enjoy your day.” Olivia whispered, as she lifted Atlas from his crib before moving back to the rocking chair.

“I’m not leaving you alone for the rest of the day, Liv. I am honestly so sorry for getting frustrated with you and yelling. We haven’t had kids before, so we don’t know what we are doing. I got overwhelmed and I will never snap at you again. Please forgive me and let me help you.”

“I’m scared that sobbing in the bathroom is the first of many things leading to my depression getting worse again.” Olivia admitted weakly, as she snuggled her son close.

“What?”

“I need to get back into therapy… maybe adjust my medicine again. I don’t want to hit rock bottom again and then you and these babies lose me.”

“Olivia, I don’t want that either. We will get things figured out. If you start feeling really bad again, like even close to when we first reconnected… then you tell me. Or if you feel like going back to therapy just because, then tell me. I will do everything possible to keep you on this planet. I can’t lose you and neither can these babies.”

“I love you, Rafa.” Olivia sniffled, as she kept her eyes locked on Atlas as he slowly woke up.

“I love you too, Olivia. More than you can ever imagine or comprehend.”