Complete Harmony (Sequel to The Missing Lyric- Nemi)

Chapter 7

Nick

After the night I kissed Demi, she started giving me the cold shoulder. When I would see her, she would barely acknowledge me & would take forever to return my calls or texts. I tried to apologize, but she acted like that made things worse. It was as if she didn't want me to acknowledge that it happened, let alone apologize for it. Maybe I offended her by apologizing for kissing her since she was my wife. Or maybe she was just annoyed with the sight of me. Who knows?

The last week of March, I went to dinner at my parent's house & my brothers were all there, too. It was just our family, since none of the girls were going to be there. Dani was back home in New Jersey with Alena & Chloe had gone out with friends. It was kind of nice just being with my family & I couldn't remember the last time it was just me, my brothers & my parents.

In the backyard, that evening, I was having a cigar with my dad & my brothers. Well, Frankie was on the phone with his girlfriend, but Joe & Kevin were there. Out of nowhere, my dad smacked my knee. "What's going on with you & Demi? You move back home yet?"

"No. We're going to a marriage counselor, though, in a few weeks. Hopefully, we'll figure things out by then." I replied then took a puff of my cigar.

"I'm glad you're going to a counselor. Lyric said you don't want anymore kids, but Demi does & that's why you separated." Dad was leaning on his knees & he had a look on his face that told me he was not thrilled about this news.

"That's pretty much it. There's a little more to it than that." I said, sighing. "Can I ask you & Kevin something?" I looked at my dad & Kevin & both nodded as Joe puffed away on his cigar. "Did you guys have a desire to have a kid? Like did you want one without a doubt in your mind?"

Kevin smiled. "I knew I wanted a family with Dani, but I didn't have a time that I wanted a kid. I just kinda let her do all that. It's her body."

"Right. And to be honest... I only really wanted Kevin." Dad said then laughed as he brought the cigar to his mouth. Me & my brothers all stared at him with our mouths hanging open. When he saw us he laughed again. "I wanted a baby & then we had Kevin but then after that I didn't care either way if we had any more kids. Don't get me wrong, as soon as I found out your mom was pregnant with each of you I loved you from that moment on, but I didn't really want or feel like I wanted more." Dad shrugged & motioned with his cigar toward Kevin. "Like Kev said, it's up to the wife. Let me ask ya, Nick. Do you just not want kids right now or do you know for sure, without a doubt, that you don't want anymore kids at all, ever?"

I wrinkled my forehead, giving my dad's question some thought, as confusing as it was. "Um... No I guess I don't know for sure. I mean if Demi told me she was pregnant I wouldn't be upset. Is that what you mean?"

Dad nodded. "Basically. So something is clouding your feelings about having another kid. Something is making you think you don't want another kid. The counselor should help ya work through it. And like I said, you may never have that desire to have another kid. But that doesn't mean you don't want them. Just keep trying to work through it. Try to figure out what is causing you to feel like maybe you don't want a baby. One more thing... women are different than us when it comes to kids. They carry the baby, so their bodies are made for that so they want that. We don't feel the same way, but it doesn't mean our heart doesn't want kids. We just can't feel it the same way women do." Dad smiled, then puffed his cigar before he spoke again. "I would bet you anything if Demi were to get pregnant again, you'd feel the same way I did each time your mom told me she was pregnant. You'd be full of joy just like I was. Mark my words." Dad winked at me as he brought the cigar up to his mouth again.