Everything In Between (COMPLETED)

BEFORE|| Nightmare

"I know, baby girl. I know." I cooed into Danielle's ear as I paced the bedroom. My eyes remained trained on Dalton, his arms folded over his face, a slight tension in his shoulders. He'd been stirred awake the minute Danni had started wailing an hour and a half ago. Being that I was surviving off fumes, it'd taken him nudging me with his elbow for me to wake and tend to our daughter. He made no attempt to try and console her. Though, in his defense, anytime he held her, the cry shifted into an ear piercing scream and she was thrust right back into my arms without hesitation. It'd gotten to a point where I'd had to quit my job, as I couldn't return after maternity leave due to Dalton refusing to pay for a babysitter or watch her.

"What's wrong with her?" he snapped now, sitting upright and throwing his legs over the side of the bed, burying his head in his hands. "Is it your breast milk or something? My mom mentioned that sometimes the shit you eat affects them."

I shook my head. "I don't breastfeed anymore, Dalton."

As much as I tried, my supply had become nonexistent. Mom thought it was stress, but I'd chalked it up as being an issue within me. It seemed I just wasn't good enough at or for anything anymore.

"Well, why won't she shut up?" he huffed angrily. "Can you shut her up?"

"Dalton." His name left me in a whimper. "This is your daughter not a dog."

He shot to his feet at the response. "My daughter? She screams bloody murder anytime I hold her! She doesn't do anything but shit, eat, and cry."

"That's what babies do."

He shook his head and before I could say a word he snatched the picture frame of the two of us at the Baby shower from where it sat in front of the lamp on our nightstand and chucked it at the wall across the room. Glass rained down on the floor as a cry escaped me and I stumbled back a few steps, cradling Danielle to my chest.

"I can't do this! I have work, Harley! I need sleep!" he shook his head and crossed the room, shoving passed me, and started to dress himself. "I can't fucking do this."

I wished I had the strength and confidence of Ashley, but in that moment, I felt like a small, weak, defenseless child. I turned my body in the opposite direction, uncertain of his what he was to do. I watched intently as he slipped into his jacket, and without as much as a glance back at us over his shoulder, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard it shook on its hinges. I waited until I heard the engine of his truck roar to life and fade to sink to the ground with Danielle against me and bury my face against the back of her head, allowing tears to fall silently.

*

Mom kept her eyes on Danielle in the crib across the room, and once she was sure my daughter wasn't going to wake, she nudged me out of the room and gently shut the door, taking the baby monitor with us.

I rubbed the exhaustion from my eyes as I trailed along after my mother. She waited until we were out of hearing range to set the monitor down and cross her arms.

"I can't keep doing this Har. I have to be up and on a plane at six." she said it with a bitter edge to her voice, but her eyes were soft and full of pity. "Dalton has no business running away like a child. You're sleep deprived as well."

"But he works."

My mom snickered. "Honey, I raised you on my own while working thirteen hour shifts when you were born. That's no excuse."

I leaned over the back of the kitchen chair. "Mom, I haven't sleep in three days."

"I know." she touched a hand to my shoulder. "But I can't keep coming to your rescue, Har. I have a job. A job I have to be up bright and early for. I can't be spending nights driving clear across town."