The Beast Within

Chapter Twenty-Two: Happy

The next week was easy for Nyssa, she woke up early and fed Crimson and placed her on her mat for some tummy time while she made breakfast, she turned on her music and danced around her kitchen happily while singing, Jerome walked down the hallway to her apartment when he heard music coming from it, he knocked on the door but she obviously didn't hear him, he stepped inside and stopped when he saw her, she was dancing around and singing with their baby in her arms "I wanna hold you when I'm not supposed to, when I'm lying close to someone else.. you're stuck in my head and I can't get you out of it.. if I could do it all again.. I know I'd go back to you" she sat their baby back down on her mat and looked to the door and smiled "hey!" he looked at her cautiously and shut the door "uh, hey" she turned her music down and he realized she was in a singlet and underwear, it reminded him of when they first met and she was dancing around thinking no one was home.

She walked past him and grabbed a pair of jeans from her washing basket and slipped them on as she walked back into the kitchen "you're early" she said and turned back to her breakfast, he knelt down and lifted up Crimson and kissed her tiny cheeks making her smile "yeah.. I didn't have any jobs to do today" she nodded and walked to the fridge and poured herself some orange juice, Jerome watched her curiously, he wondered what had her in such a good mood, he slowly leaned back to look down the hallway to her room and she playfully rolled her eyes "there's no one here Jerome, and no one has been here.. I'm just.. happy" he nodded and Crimson started fussing in his arms and she playfully gasped "did daddy interrupt your tummy time bubba?" she took her from his arms and laid her back down on her mat and she smiled happily "who's mommy's beautiful baby? you are, yes you are" she said in a baby voice while kneeling on her knees and leaning close to the floor, Jerome couldn't help but stare at her butt that was slightly in the air or down her shirt as she leaned over and kissed Crimson's head.

She stood back up and sighed "could you wait about ten minutes? you're a bit early and we kinda have a routine" he nodded and sat down at the table "I don't mind waiting" she smiled brightly and took a sip of her drink "you hungry?" he looked to her and shrugged "if there's any left" she sat a plate in front of him "I always make extra.. I normally just have to throw it out" she sat down at the table and started eating "Nyssa.. are you high?" "what?" "did you take anything?" "no.. I'm just in a good mood, am I not allowed to be?" "you're just, different" "no, I'm happy.. I'm comfortable in my own house, I felt like a guest at yours" she stared at her food and sighed, she stood up and went to the fridge and pulled out three bottles of breast milk and put them in Crimson's diaper bag, she put some clothes of hers and her favorite toys and sat the bag in front of Jerome on the table and picked up Crimson "mommy loves you sooo much baby girl, I'll see you tonight my precious princess" she kissed her all over and handed her to Jerome who sighed and took her "Nyssa.. I didn't mean to upset you" "it's been ten minutes, have her home before dinner please" "Nyssa-" "you come into my house, assume I've slept with someone with our child here and ask me if I'm on drugs for finally being happy and feeling free from the prison you made me feel like I was in at your house.. I want you to leave" he could see she was being serious, he nodded and left.

Jerome watched his baby sleeping soundly in her bassinet, she has the same cute little snore Nyssa does, he sighed and stepped out of the room and went to Jeremiah's study, his brother was writing things down and looked up "I'm assuming Crimson is sleeping?" Jerome nodded and sat down and sighed "what did you do now?" "I asked her if she was on drugs" Jeremiah stared at him with a baffled straight face "why are you like this?" "I don't know why I said it.. she was just really happy, I'd never really seen her that happy before.. it worried me" "your ex girlfriend was very happy and it worried you?" "well yeah.. what if she decides she's happier without me?" "then that's how she feels.. you can't force someone to love you and you can't force their happiness, it takes time.. but going and ruining her happiness is a dick move" "I know okay! I know" "what did she say to you after that?" "she told me she was happy because she wasn't feeling like a prisoner anymore" "well can you blame her? you literally kicked her door down" "she was keeping my daughter from me for three fucking days.. I had enough of it" "you threatened to shoot her, and let's not forget how you had me rip her child from her arms after just getting her back from having her life threatened by her own sister" "she accused me of trying to kill our baby cause I was angry and she thought I was blinded by rage!" "you tried to shoot her stomach because you were blinded by rage when she first told you she was pregnant.. she was scared and was blinded by fear, she didn't know what you had planned, you can't blame it all on her" "she should have trusted me.. I told her to trust me when it came to our baby and she promised she would" "only you and her can truly work this out.. going back and forth will just bring you right back to the start of when you first met" "I know" "and let's not forget about how you slept with-" Jerome was about to cut him off when the sound of a baby crying caught his attention.

He quickly left the room and walked to his room, he lifted Crimson up and rocked her till she went back to sleep, he sat on his bed and pulled out his phone and opened his gallery a video on his phone was taken a week before Nyssa had Crimson and she was very heavily pregnant he played the video and watched sadly "Jerome I don't wanna move.. I'm tired" "oh come on doll, it'll be fun" he followed her around the house to the back yard and she sat down outside "now what?" "nothing.. I just thought you needed the fresh air" she playfully slapped him and he laughed maniacally.

He played another video, Nyssa turned the camera on and waved "hi baby.. I know you're not born yet, but hopefully any day now" she pointed the camera down and showed her big belly and smiled brightly, she walked over to Jerome who was sitting at his desk in the corner of the room "this is your daddy, he works a lot.. but don't worry, he'll always have time for you" Jerome groaned "get that camera out of my face doll" he looked away but quickly looked back and felt his pocket "is that my phone?" "good observation daddy, yes it is.. and we're leaving a sweet message to our beautiful baby girl or boy" "no, we're giving me back my phone so I can finish working" "don't worry about him.. he's not as scary as he seems" Jerome playfully smacked her butt making her giggle "alright doll that's enough.. my battery's gonna die" she pouted playfully "alright fine.. I love you my sweet baby.. I love you too my grumpy baby" she said playfully to him and he pulled her into his lap "alright come on.. turn the camera off baby" she laughed and kissed his cheek "I hope we get to meet you soon and you get to see how awesome and in love your parents are" she said kissing cheek and he chuckled "don't traumatize the poor kid.. we'll see you soon little buddy" "it's a girl.. I can feel it" "you're wrong doll.. now turn the camera off" she rolled her eyes and the video ended.

He sighed to himself and saw a video he didn't recognize, curiously he opened it and played it, Nyssa popped up on the screen with a big smile "hi daddy! we know you went to take everyone home.. but we wanted to say we love you very much" she pointed the camera to their couple of hours old baby in her arms "Jerome look at her red hair! she's so perfect! I know I'll never be able to actually say these words to you without blubbering like a baby so I thought a video was best.. I just wanted to thank you, I didn't know how you'd react to her when she was born.. but the way you looked at our baby made me fall in love with you all over again.. I told you a man becomes a dad when he sees his baby.. you owe me a kiss for doubting me.. anyways.. you probably won't even see this for like ten years since you never check your phone.. but I just wanted to say I love how and I'm so thankful you came into my life and gave me this precious blessing" she smiled at her baby with tears in her eyes and the video ended, Jerome stared at the screen with tears in his eyes too, he couldn't lose her, he couldn't just give up on them.