Ruby wouldn't stop crying. Even after she ate, her diaper was changed, and she took a ten minute nap, she just kept crying and crying. Luke was at a loss of what to do. He carried her around the apartment, trying to get her to calm down, but she absolutely refused. She wasn't a quiet crier, Luke observed, making another round through her room. In fact, the neighbors were probably really pissed off at this second. But Luke was clueless.
"I'm trying." He mumbled, shifting her around to get comfortable again. She just fidgeted in his arms more. "This would be easier with your mom here."
Her cries abruptly quieted down. She whimpered, gazing up at Luke with a longing look. He couldn't tell if she'd understand everything he'd said, but he was pretty sure the mention of Zoey was just enough to catch her attention. Did Ruby miss her too?
How do you miss someone you've never met?
"You would have loved her." Luke mumbled, tracing patterns on the bottom of one of Ruby's feet. She kicked her foot out and squirmed more. Luke hurried to keep talking. "She loved you so much. It took me a while to get there." Now that Ruby was quieter, Luke stopped pacing. He leant against the hallway wall and sighed. "I miss her. A lot." It was the first time he'd ever said it out loud, that he missed Zoey. He'd spent a lot of time in denial, then opted for just ignoring the fact that she'd ever existed. He's pushed so many emotions away, that it felt overwhelming for them to come back all of a sudden.
Ruby let out a soft whine, watching Luke's eyes go glassy as he stared off into the distance. For a second, he let himself lose himself in his thoughts. But he came back as soon as Ruby started crying again. He had to be there in the moment. For Ruby.
Luke found himself absentmindedly humming one of Zoey's favorite songs as he started pacing again. Ruby cried off and on, but with longer breaks in between. She was exhausted in every way possible, they both were. It had been a long month with just the two of them. Luke would cry too if he hadn't drilled into his head that the had to be strong for Ruby. He could break down as soon as she was safely tucked away in her crib, fast asleep. He just kept humming "Miles Away", watching Ruby's eyes flutter shut.