Take a sad song and make it better

Chapter Twenty Six

A/N

Well if it isn't our very own Christmas miracle!

 A real, honest to god update! there's not enough words in my vocabulary to fully express my apologies for how long this took -in the past two mouths i've had two deaths, a birth and a whole lot of school and its been a bit too much for me to handle so i can only hope you forgive me and continue to read my story. its a super long chapter so enjoy and don't crucify me too much! 

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Days flew past and before anyone knew it, it was Christmas time.

While the snow refused to fall, the wind was bitterly cold and fierce, forcing Paul to spend most of his days inside the house, his paranoia of Mary catching any kind of illness was in full force.

It was a few days before Christmas and Mary was being particularly fussy, crying shrilly on and off all day. Usually she was a fairly well behaved Baby, as well as any three and a half month old can be. But today was the exception, literally nothing Paul tried would settle her and he was well and truly at the end of his rope. Paul couldn't help but think back to the times before he became a Father - It was so quiet!

Instantly guilt began to creep into the back of his mind, he didn't ever want to feel regret towards his child.

Had his Father been home, Paul might have been coping better, but Jim was at work all day to bring home the money that would support his now bigger Family.

Paul didn't even have John to keep him company as the older Boy was spending much needed time with Cynthia in Blackpool, it was important for John to find some balance between Paul and Cynthia, and he had been severely neglecting Cyn of late.

The only person at home was Mike, who had spent most of the day hiding in his room trying to ignore Mary's whines and cries.

"Paul can't you shut her up!? She's been goin' at it all bloody day." Michael grumbled to Paul as he heard the older Boy pass by his bedroom.

"Don't you think i've been trying all day to get her to stop!? I've tried everything, she's just in a bad mood." Paul snapped back, his stress levels were already sky high and his little Brother definitely wasn't helping.

Paul trudged downstairs to the living room where the fire was lit and smouldering nicely behind the grate. Paul set Mary down gently on the soft blanket laid on the floor for her to roll around on, hoping the warmth of the fire would calm her and send her off for a much needed nap. But the baby continued to wail, her feet and arms kicking and flailing.

Paul recognised this particular action, it was one Mary pulled often when she was uncomfortable in her restrictive sleep-suits. Mary was a Baby who seemed to enjoy nakedness and the freedom of the movement it allowed, nothing made the child happier than rolling around on the floor in nothing but her nappy, and when the weather was was a little warmer Paul was happy to comply with these desires, but now Winter had well and truly set in and the bitter English chill restricted this practice. But here in front of the crackling fire the temperature was pleasantly warm and Paul was at his true breaking point, so he decided that there was no harm in trying. Moving down to kneel next to Mary, Paul unbuttoned the terry cloth sleep-suit and pulled it off the wriggling baby, casting it aside.

Mary was only slightly soothed by this, her arms and legs ceased their flailing, but her cried continued albeit at a slightly lower volume.

Paul let out a defeated sigh, days like these were always very difficult for the young Man, these were the days people warned him about.