Happily Ever After?? (Third in the Through The Dark And Free series)

Chapter 38

It had been about a week since they'd brought Grace home. Things were a bit chaotic with everyone staying at the house. But somehow they had managed. Harry walked into the kitchen with a bottle Grace had just emptied to find his wife standing at the sink leaning on her hands. She had excused herself a little bit ago to wash bottles, obviously something was going on though. "Hey, baby. I told you I got this. I'd have done this. You're doing too much." He reached around and rinsed the bottle before setting it in the hot soapy water.

"Stop. I've barely done a thing. I'm perfectly capable. You need to stop treating me like I'm broken." Julie pushed off of her hands and started washing the bottles again.

"You just had a baby a week ago. Why can't you just relax? You have so many people here to help take care of you and Grace." Harry put his hand on Julie's forearm. "Come on baby, let me finish."

"Harry, I told you to back off." Julie shook her arm to get it free from Harry's grip. "I know there are plenty of people here. I haven't had a moment to myself since we've gotten home. Someone's always willing to do whatever I need."

"Because you're supposed to be resting." Harry reached for Julie's hand and turned her towards him and he felt her tense immediately. "The doctors even said so."

"I can wash some bottles. Jesus Christ. What are you going to do? Tie me to the bed? What else do you want to pass off onto someone else? I haven't had to change a diaper, feed her, comfort her in the middle of the night; there's always someone to do it for me. If I sleep anymore you might as well bury me." Julie shook Harry off again. "Just, leave me alone."

Ok. Well, he wasn't expecting that. "Julie, that's not even how it is. No one is taking over. They're just here to help. You've been through a lot."

"I'm still her mother. Maybe I'd like to feel just a little bit useful." She turned back to the bottles.

Harry sighed and watched as she forcefully washed the bottles and pretty much slammed them onto the drying rack. He should have seen this coming. There had been a lot happening this past week with both of their families around, and as much as he loved it, maybe it had been too much too soon. Everyone wanted their hands on Grace, and that meant that Julie didn't have a whole lot of bonding time, and everyone used the excuse of 'helping'. He was guilty too. He would send her to go rest and take over Grace's care, spending as much time with her as he could, then he'd let either his mum or Julie's take over the middle of the night feedings so that he could sleep with his wife. "You're right. I'm sorry. Let me finish the bottles, and you go get Grace. Spend time with her."

"Right, so I can be the bad guy, taking her away from whichever grandparent you promised her to now?" Julie dried her hands on a towel after she finished the bottles and then ran her hands through her hair. "Forget it. I'm just ungrateful and unreasonable as always." She turned and pushed past him walking out of the kitchen and straight up the stairs.

Harry let his head fall back and he groaned at the ceiling. "For fucks sake."

"Excuse me, dear?" Anne asked walking into the kitchen. "I was just about to start some lunch. Maybe pull out something to thaw for dinner."

"Nothing, Mum, really." Harry looked at his mum and then laughed a little. "Ok, well, maybe it's a little more than nothing, but it will be fine. I hope. I mean, yeah, it will be."

"Sounds convincing, love." Anne raised an eyebrow as she placed the makings for a nice salad on the counter. "Soup and salad for lunch sound good?"

"Yeah, Mum, that's fine. Whatever you'd like to make." Harry leaned back against the counter, shoulders sagging. "I guess, I haven't really been paying attention to what Julie really wants again. She sort of just gave me a little, well, a lot of attitude. I sort of get into this place where I think I know what she needs, and I don't really ask her or pay attention to what she really wants. She's a bit, um, upset."