Hello, everyone! Here is Chapter 21 of The Summer I Fell in Love. I realized before writing this I hadn't included much of Catherine and the "family life" in the past few chapters, and I really miss that aspect! So, this chapter is sort of taking a break from conflict, and just have some fluffy, family time! I hope you enjoy, and if you do, please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW this story. Enjoy!
Jordan's POV:
The nights leading to my mothers arrival were sleepless, and quite frankly, miserable. I was hardly sleeping or eating, and Catherine was definitely starting to pick up on my anxiety. She too was more fussy than usual, and has been fairly restless at night. At least during those sleepless nights, I had a sweet, little companion.
It was two in the morning, and I had on the light on my nightstand, and was reading Nick's novel that was being released very soon. It's a collection of short stories that ranged from romance, to drama, to mystery. He was thinking about calling them Tales of the Jazz Age, which I think is a great title. Hopefully, they'll be on the shelves soon. I look to my left and see my sleeping husband. I am so proud of him, and all that he has done. He has been writing up a storm, providing for our family, has been an amazing husband, and doting father. You really couldn't ask for a greater man.
Just as I was turning the page of my book, I hear off in the distant nursery my little Catherine. This was the fifth time she had been crying this evening, and I honestly think that the poor girl could sense the anxiety in our usually happy little home.
However, the second I step into Catherine's nursery, I am overcome with serenity and warmth. Whenever I am around my baby, my fears and troubles seem to disappear. I walk towards the crib, and my little Catherine Jane is all swaddled up, and fussing about.
I reach into the crib and take her in my arms; "What is the matter my sweet Kitty Catherine?"
Nick had given Catherine the nickname of "Kitty" these past few weeks, because he claims that when she is fussing and wants to eat, she sounds like a little kitten. I wasn't too crazy about it, but I have to admit, it was a cute little nickname for such a cute baby.
I placed Catherine on my chest, and her head in the crook of my neck. She still continued to wail, and was growing even more restless.
"Oh my Catherine, what is the matter my sweet baby? Tell mummy all about it..." I cooed at her sympathetically.
I changed her diaper, and still, no change. She continued to cry and cry.
"Oh Catherine Jane Carraway I wish you could tell me what you needed my dear..." I said as I continued to rock her.
I paced around the nursery, and then decided that she might be hungry. I began to breastfeed her, and still, Ms. Catherine was as fussy as ever.
I was growing impatient now. I had barely gotten any sleep these past few nights, and as much as I loved my daughter, I felt that nothing that I was doing was making her happy. I sat down in the rocking chair in the corner by the window, and tried to rock her. Her tears were still flowing, and then, I felt my own tears roll down my cheeks. Was I even a good mother? Am I failing my sweet little Catherine? What if I turn out to be as bad as my own mother? Those were all of the negative thoughts rolling through my head as Catherine continued to cry. I tried to hush her down, but at this point, I needed someone to calm me down too.
Nick's POV:
As I was laying in a deep sleep, something didn't feel right. The right side of the bed felt cold and empty. My eyes fluttered open, and my eyes were blinded by Jordan's light on her nightstand. However, there was no Jordan in our room. I sat up, and saw my book left open about halfway through on Jordan's side of the bed. I smiled to myself. She has had to have read that book at least a dozen times already. She is such a wonderful wife, and so supportive, I am so lucky to have her in my life.
As I was gushing to myself about my wonderful wife, I could hear the distant cries of my little Kitty Catherine. I got up, and sauntered my way down the hall into Catherine's nursery. The door was ajar, and I could see Jordan's delicate figure sitting in the rocking chair trying to coax Catherine into a deep sleep. The light of the moon was shining onto Jordan and Catherine. I swear, I had never seen such an enchanting sight before in my life.
I walked over to my wife and daughter, and placed my hand gently on Jordan's shoulder. She looked at me with those glass grey eyes of hers, but I could tell by her expression that something was wrong. I knew Jordan like the back of my hand, and if something was bothering her, I was going to get to the bottom of that.
"My darling, whatever is the matter?" I said as I knelt down to be eye-level with Jordan.
"Oh Nicky, it's nothing darling. It just seems like this little girl doesn't want to get some sleep."
Jordan handed her to me, and Catherine's cries continued.
"Oh my, Catherine my little princess, what is the matter my love?"
I paced around the nursery for about ten minutes, and finally, Catherine's sobs began to fade.
I softly cooed to her; "Kitty Catherine my darling, you have to go to bed my love. You can't keep mummy and daddy up at all hours of the night!"
As Catherine laid against my chest, her head settled into the crook of my neck. I continued to rub her back, and finally, she was asleep. I ever so carefully walked over to the crib and put her back in it. Thankfully, I was successful.
Now that I got one of my girls all sorted out, it was time to see what was bothering my other girl. I looked over to the corner of Catherine's room by the window, and saw Jordan sitting, and staring out the window. The light of the moon highlighted her beautiful face, however, her stunning complexion was being stained by her tears.
"Well, now I have another one of my girls crying. Jordie, baby, what's the matter my love?" I whispered.
Bringing attention to her tears only seemed to make it worse. Now, my poor wife was silently sobbing.
I crouched down next to her, so I was level and took her hands in mine. "My love, what is the matter my dear?"
The tears continued to flow, but she finally managed to get a few words out, however, those words interrupted by her gasps for air. "Oh.. Nick... darling.... I just feel like.... I'm the worst mother, and I'm going to be.... as terrible as my own mother."
I took her hands, and pulled her so that she was standing, and then I took her in my arms, and brought her into an embrace. I just held onto her, and rubbed her back and whispered little bits of nothing into her ear. She clung onto me as if her life depended on it. When she finally calmed down, I pulled away, and with her still in my arms, I placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Jordan, why would you ever think that? You're an excellent mother!"
"Oh Nicky," she replied, "I couldn't even calm her down, and I've been so anxious lately, it's rubbing off onto our own daughter. Catherine was sleeping just fine through the night before my damn mother decided to write me and pay a visit. Now that I'm all worried and can't sleep, she's doing exactly the same. And Nick, I keep trying to calm her down and and and, I just can't darling..." With that, Jordan began to break down again.
I held her in my arms and swayed her back and forth, and kissed the top of her head. She has had so much on her mind lately, and I felt horrible about it. I just wish that I could take all of her pain away.
I looked down at her and whispered, "Jordie, honey, you are an excellent mother. You're just overtired, and Catherine was just being fussy. You know that there are days where you are the only one that Catherine wants. She adores you, and you're doing an amazing job, and don't you forget it. As for your mother coming, I want you to try and calm down about it. She's not staying with us, and she'll only be here five days. All we can do is be ourselves, just a typical loving family. If she doesn't like it, well, I'll tell her tough shit, and then she'll be so appalled she'll be running out the door."
I finally got Jordan to laugh which was enough for me. I kissed her cheek and she looked up at me; "Oh Nick my darling, what on earth would I do without you? I'm sorry I've been so emotional lately. Ever since Catherine was born, I've been a little more weepy than usual, and now the whole situation with my mother has been straining me..." She sniffed.
I pulled her into another hug. "My darling, I will always be here for you, no matter what Jordan, I will always love and support you."
With that, she placed a fleeting kiss on my lips. We continued our embrace in Catherine's nursery, and I glanced over to the clock to discover that it was almost four in the morning.
"Jordan, honey, you and I need to get back to bed before our little Kitty wakes us up in a few hours."
She smiled and replied; "Alright darling, let me just check on her."
We both walked over to her crib and looked down at our beautiful Catherine Jane. I still couldn't believe that we had such a gorgeous little girl. Jordan knelt down, and gave Catherine a soft kiss on her forehead. That was enough to make my heart burst. Just seeing the pure love and wonder of my little family truly inspired me everyday.
Jordan and I finally got back into bed. She laid her head on my chest, and I wrapped my hands around her waist. She looked up at me again, but this time, her eyes were happy again. I placed a long awaited kiss onto her lips, and said "Lets get some sleep, my love. It must be hard work being the mother and wife of the century."
She laughed and playfully swatted my chest. "Oh well darling, you better get some sleep, between writing the next Great American novel and consoling your daughter and wife, you must be exhausted."
I laughed at her remark and said, "Oh but my dear, I wouldn't have it any other way."
I hope you all liked this chapter! I have sort of intertwined F. Scott Fitzgerald's life with Nick's by having Nick be the author of Tales of the Jazz Age. I also hope you all don't think the nickname for Catherine is too odd... I recently discovered that in the twenties, Kitty was a popular nickname for the name Catherine, and I thought it was too cute to pass up! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!