A Love Like War (Jalex)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Life In New Forms

I woke up at 3am to Lyric bawling. I got out of bed and picked her up I  was rocking her back and forth.

"Shhh." I said trying to get her to sleep. She didn't need changed, so I went and got a bottle.  Alex was asleep. He looked adorable. I fed Lyric half of her bottle and she fell asleep. I laid her down and climbed back into my bed. I kissed Alex and tried falling asleep. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my forehead. He woke up and started talking to me.

"Is she okay?" He said quietly trying not to wake her up.

"Yeah, she's good." I said rolling over onto my side, so that I was facing Alex.

"What'd she need?" He asked.

"A bottle." I said trying to be quiet. Alex nodded.

"Are you going to sleep?" Alex asked me.

"I want too." I said, "Why?"

"I wanna get up." He paused, "I'll stay here with you." He smiled and bit his lip.

"Okay." I ended up falling asleep immediately.

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I woke up and heard the baby crying. It was 9am. Alex was holding her and trying to keep me and her both asleep. "Babe, I got it. Its fine.." Alex said trying to make me sleep.

"Its not a big deal." I said, "I'm awake." He rubbed my back and kissed my forehead.

"You sure?" Alex asked me.

"Yeah..." I said grabbing the baby. I walked down the steps to get her food and a bottle. Alex had already changed her. My mom and dad were sitting on the couch drinking coffee. I walked into the kitchen and started making a bottle. My mom walked in and grabbed a jar of baby food. "Mom, I got it. I'm not a baby anymore." I said trying to do everything myself. I opened up the cupboard and got a pack of PopTarts for Alex.

"Sweetie, let me carry your stuff upstairs for you." She said picking up the bottle. I carried Lyric into her room and sat her in the little plastic chair on the floor. I sat on the floor in front of her and opened her baby food. Alex walked in and sat beside me. My mom was standing in the doorway.

"Mom, I can handle my own baby." I said, "I have it under control."

"Jack, there will be a time when you are alone and Alex is working and you need me. Honey, I'm here to help you now, so your ready for then." She said. She continued to stand silently in the doorway. Alex started eating his PopTarts. I fed Lyric and gave her the bottle. I had to hold it up for her. She looked at Alex. She was aware of everything. It made me happy. When she finished her bottle, I sat it down behind me on the floor. Alex rubbed my back and smiled at me.

"Look at her, Jacky." He said smiling. I picked her up and held her. I turned around and looked at my mom she was smiling at me. She walked in the room and sat on the chair.

"Yeah.."

"Are you okay?" Alex asked me.

"Yeah.." I felt like I couldn't say anything else, "This happened so fast."

"I know." Alex grabbed my hand and kissed me. He put his hands around my neck and pulled me in closer. I forgot about my mom being in the room. When Alex let go of my face he was biting his lip. I smiled at him. I quickly glanced up to my mom. She didn't seem to care. She was getting used to it.

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December started approaching. Lyric was about 3 weeks old. Alex walked into the door of his bedroom, after he got off work. I was holding Lyric, who was sleeping. I was watching South Park and trying to stay quiet.

"Hi baby." Alex whispered. It was late and we were both tired, "Was she good?"

"Yeah. She's been sleeping all day and it was an easy day for me."

"That's good." Alex sat on the foot of his bed and took off his shoes.

"How was work?" I asked.

"Sucked. I wanna quit." He said.

"Quit then... We have money." I said, "I mean we have like $20,000 saved up."

"Yeah.." Alex said rubbing my leg. "I don't think I should."

"Don't worry about it." I said, "I miss you when you're at work."

"I miss you too." He said, he got up and quickly changed into pajama pants. He put on a sweater and grabbed Lyric. He went and put her in her room down the hall. He came back in and checked the baby monitor. He got in bed and put his arm around me.

"I want to sleep.." I said laying my head on Alex's stomach. He rubbed my head and leaned down and kissed me. Alex kept making me drift off. I'd wake myself back up.

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I woke up at 11am. Alex wasn't in his room. I laid in his bed in complete silence. I kept touching the stiches on my stomach. I sat up and grabbed my phone. I had a text from Alex.

Babe, I went to the store to grab bottles, diapers, and food. I took Lyric with me. I'll be back soon. Love you<3 -A

I smiled at the text and started texting him back.

Good Morning. I just woke up. Take your time. I don't want to leave you room... love you too! -J

I watched TV for a good thirty minutes. I heard Alex's car pull in the driveway. I got up and walked down to the steps. Alex walked in the door with Lyric's car seat in one hand and 5 bags in the other. I grabbed Lyric's car seat out of his hand. He started walking into the kitchen and putting the baby food away. He put the baby formula away he carried two bags and a pack of diapers up stairs. I sat in his room and changed Lyric. He came in with the two bags.

"Here..." He said handing me one of the bags. I opened it and saw two tee-shirts, a pair of black jeans, and a pack of PopTarts.

"Thanks baby." I reached over and kissed him. He was getting used to my obsession with PopTarts. "Why'd you get this?" I asked him.

"You needed new clothes. I mean you have clothes that are two sizes to big because of the baby." He said.

"Well... Thanks." I smirked at him.

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Around 3pm I finally got dressed. Alex was bundling Lyric up and he grabbed a pair of boots. "I need to dye my hair again.." I said looking in the mirror at my roots, they were growing in quickly.

"Yeah.. I'll do it.." Alex said, "I have hair bleach, I was gonna redo my blonde thingy."

"Okay..." I said putting my hoodie on.

"Babe, its snowing.. do you wanna wear my coat?" He said holding a fury hooded coat. I grabbed it and put it on. He grabbed another coat out of his closet.

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Alex grabbed Lyric and rushed out to the car. He put her in the backseat. I rushed over to the passenger side of his car and got in.

"Fuck, its cold.." I said trying to regain heat in my fingers.  

"Yeah, baby, aren't you glad you're wearing my coat?" Alex asked me. I nodded. He drove down the street over to my house, we kept getting nervous as to why my mom called us over.