A Soldier's Girl

Chapter 45:

Chapter 45:

Beth's View

We're okay now. Daryl and I. We're perfect and happy. Sitting on the couch in the living room, I'm watching a documentary on WWII and rubbing my stomach. Daryl has been working with Joe today and it worries me a bit, but I can't keep him in my sights all the time.

"Beth, I'm home!" He calls to me as he walks into the house. When he comes to the living room, he looks a bit disheveled and slightly over worked. I sit up, with a tiny struggle, and he comes to me.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Kissing me, his hands play on my stomach and I feel slightly odd about him. "I just had a shitty day...now that I'm home with you, I feel ten times better."

"Aw honey... You wanna talk about it?"

"Well, yer sexy as hell. You have beautiful eyes. I love yer pus..."

"I meant yer day, silly. Gross."

"I was gonna say pushy attitude toward other women. Haha."

"Sure ya did. Now what happened?"

"Huh, was working on this house and the family was still there. Which was fine, but the dad was being a pain in my ass and the wife was a bit slutty and not to mention they both kinda came onto me."

"They did not."

"Baby, I kid you not, they asked me if I was interested in a three way. It was ridiculous. I looked at Joe and he wanted me to so we could get a better pay." He becomes angry and kicks his shoes off.

"Well...why don't you quit? that's no way to be professional and Joe shouldn't be yer boss if he acts like that."

He stands up and looks at me with angry eyes.

"We're having a baby, Beth. Do you know how much you pay for a baby just to be born? Almost $7,000 if not more. I know I get my military pay and that's good, but that's still not enough for having a baby." He's starting to hyperventilate like it's hitting him. Tugging on his hair, I can see where this is going. He slides down the couch and starts tugging on his hair hard. I get in front of him and begin to calm him down.

"Sometimes people leave you
halfway through the wood.
Do not let it grieve you,
No one leaves for good.
You are not alone.
No one is alone.

Hold him to the light now,
Let him see the glow.
Things will be all right now.
Tell him what you know..." I finish singing and he pulls me into his arms and kisses me softly. "Honey, we'll be okay. We're gonna be alright."

"I'm sorry...I've just been stressing out and stuff."

"I know. I have been too, but Daryl, we gotta stay positive, happy, and open with each other. That's how we're gonna get  through the hard times." Kissing his neck and playing in his hair, his lips play on my collar bones and his hands are on my stomach.

"Yer right. I love you, Jitter Bug. How's my baby boy today?" He cups my small baby bump and kisses my cheek. 

"He's very roudy today. Haha, he's very active." 

"You kicking yer mommy? You drivin' her insane? That's my boy!" 

"Hey! Now I see whose side yer on. How dare you? Haha"

"Baby, this is my boy. We're gonna be drivin' you up insane til you get used to it." His smile plays on his lips and then he kisses my neck. 

"Huh, I knew this was gonna happen. In four months, yer gonna be besties and I'm gonna be kicked to the curb..." I cross my arms and pout. Standing up, he helps me to my feet and  looks down at me.

"Sweetheart, yer my besty...you've been my #1 way before you even knew I was around. I infiltrated yer best friend zone from day one. This little asskicker isn't gonna be taking yer spot anytime soon. He's gonna be in his own little spot with you. I promise." 

"Did you just call him Asskicker?" 

"Is that the only thing you got out of what I just said?"

"Haha nooo...I heard the rest."

"Good. Now then, let me make you some dinner, cause I know we're all starving." He goes to head to the kitchen when I stop him.

"Actually Dad and Mom invited us to a family dinner tonight...pretty sure it's ribs, mashed potatoes, and other delicious things. If you wanna go of course." 

"Let me change and we can head out of here." He bolts to me, kissing my lips, and then runs upstairs. Struggling to put on my shoes, he's back down stairs and notices my struggle. Suddenly he snaps a picture of me on his phone.

"Delete it now." I warn him.

"Baby, it's too beautiful to delete. Besides, I wanna remember how beautiful you are when you can't put yer shoes on yer feet." I chuck my shoe at him and he dodges it.

"Wanna go for the left one cause I have it right here?" Picking up my right shoe, he comes to me and puts them on, kissing my stomach on the way back up. 

Heading over to my dad's house, Daryl keeps talking to the baby as I try to find my sanity. Four months couldn't come fast enough. My back hurts all the time, my ankles are swollen, my wardrobe looks terrible, I constantly have to pee, and on top of that I have several weird cravings that I have to fight off by chewing gum. I feel like a smoker who stopped smoking cold turkey. Reaching over he touches my stomach and I have kinda had enough of it. 

"Can you stop! Please!" Right as I look forward again a car on a side road misses the stop sign and slams into my side of the car and we flip over. Everything goes black and soon I can't feel anything.

My head hurts and I feel dizzy when I open my eyes in what I assume is a hospital room. Immediately I feel nothing. I don't feel him there. The baby. Looking around, I rub my eyes and find my Dad sitting in a chair by the window, just doing the usual...praying. I feel the tube in my throat and begin to pull it out, but immediately regret it, because it burns and my mind starts to freak out.

"Bethy. You need to leave that in. The doctor will help you take it out." He says as he quickly gets up and comes to me. He places his hand on my head and I just feel empty. I start to cry and he shooshes me. With every deep sobbing breath I take, I feel more and more helpless and soon my emotions push me back into the darkness and I pass out.