I'm In Trouble Deeper

Six

"Oh no," Linda closed the car door, her heart in her throat. "Oh no oh no oh no." She ran to the door, Jack on her hip. She jiggled the doorknob of the townhouse, pushing it to open it. Nothing happened but resistance and tears coming to Linda's eyes. "No!" She actually stamped her foot, turning to the neighboring house. She walked across the small yard and up the stairs of her neighbor's house.

Linda shifted Jack in her arms- which was no small task for a seven month pregnant mom- as she waited for an answer to the doorbell. She sighed when the door opened.

"Oh, Linda, I didn't expect-"

"Did you see someone at my house today?"

"Only you and Jack."

"No!" Now she really was going to cry.

"Linda," Abigail, a sweet redhead lady about Linda's age, stepped into the front stoop. "What's the matter?"

"I... they... they locked me out."

"What? Who?"

"The people who own the townhouse. They... I.. can't get in."

"What? They locked you out? Why?" Abigail jumped from the stoop and power walked over to Linda's door.

"I... I missed the rent... again." She looked down, an ashamed blush coming to her cheeks. "It's the third time in a row."

After the doorknob didn't move for Abigail, she guided Linda to her house. "Come inside and sit; we'll figure this out."

**********

"If you tell the family I know how to pick locks, I'll slap you," Joe pointed a warning finger at Linda.

"Oh, my lips are sealed!" She mimed locking an invisible lock on the corner of her mouth, then threw away the key.

In a little over two hours, Linda and Joe had all the clothes, dishes, pictures, and other personal items in the trunks of their cars. Linda cried the whole time she drove to Danny's parents' house. She felt like a complete failure.

*********

Mary met Linda at the outside of the house. She hugged her immediately, "I'm so sorry, honey. You can stay with me and Frank for as long as you need."

Linda couldn't stop crying; she felt like there was a huge weight in her chest that was crushing her lungs. She hardly registered Jamie taking Jack, and Mary leading her up the stairs to Danny's old bedroom.

She laid down, sobbing herself into exhaustion and a restless sleep. She wished Danny was here with her and Jack.

**********

He didn't know how he felt about being back in the states now. He felt almost numb, even though he had a wife, a son, and an unborn baby waiting at home for him. He took his keys out of his pocket and put them in the door, only to discover they didn't turn. When he jiggled the knob, a bad feeling set over him. It was late- it was so late- so maybe he shouldn't call Linda. Maybe he should just slip into his old bedroom at his parents' house and see her when it was light outside. Something made him call his mother.

*********

The phone ringing jarred Mary from her restless sleep. She quickly answered, not wanting to wake Jack. "Hello?"

"Mom? It's me-"

"Danny! Are you alright? What time is it over there anyway?"

"Around seven in the morning. Listen, I'm standing outside the house-"

"You're in the states?"

"Mary?" Danny heard his father's sleepy voice.

"It's Danny- he's in the states."

"What's he doing back?"

"I don't know. What're you doing back?"

"I was um... the unit was discharged." His voice sounded sad.

"That's wonderful- do you want to come over?"

"Yeah, uh... I don't want to wake Linda, and she's locked the door of course-"

"Oh, sweetie, Linda doesn't live there anymore."

"Huh?"

"She couldn't pay the rent, so the owners kicked her out. She's been staying with us for a month."

"Oh..."

"Come over."

"Yeah, I will."

*********

Danny wanted to cry when he saw Linda sleeping in his bed. She looked so... scared. He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering because her skin felt so heavenly, and he felt her smile. He climbed in bed behind, leaving his clothes on the floor, and wondered about the empty feeling in his stomach. He should be ecstatic to be next to his wife again, but he just felt so drained.

He wanted to cry; cry for Linda for being forced to move from their home; cry for the guys in his unit- the guys who weren't home right now, sleeping next to their soulmate. He wanted to cry for their families, who never properly got to say goodbye. He wanted to cry because he was so stupidly lucky, and the guys- every single one of them- weren't so lucky. He wanted to cry for all of them, laying on the dirt after being shot down or blown up.

Danny felt sick to his stomach; he went into the small bathroom at the end of the hall, and promptly threw up the food he had forced down on the airplane. He walked downstairs and blindly grabbed the whiskey, then headed to the basement. He'd be with Linda once he felt something other than the crippling emptiness inside.

**********

Linda felt feather light caresses against her cheek, and she heard her croaky voice mutter, "Danny."

"Good morning, gorgeous."

Her head turned towards the voice. "Hello, handsome." She nudged her head against the shoulder beneath her, smiling in the soft morning light. Her eyes flew open, "hello, handsome?!"

Danny smiled at her, as she whipped around, surprise written on her face. He was slightly surprised when she lunged herself at him, gripping his shoulders as she kissed him. He hesitated for a moment or two, but then he sighed, the familiarity washing over him. The sigh gave Linda the chance to push her tongue into his mouth; she wrapped her arms around his neck, and his hands rested on her hips as she settled in his lap.

Danny pulled back when Linda started to cry. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just so happy to see you!" She buried her head in his neck- a difficult task with her protruding pregnant belly.

Danny's hand slipped between them, rubbing her tummy. His eyes closed in contentment as he felt the baby- their baby- move beneath his touch. "Do you know the gender?"

She lifted her head, sniffling, "it's a little boy."

"A boy."