“Moooooommmmaaaa.”
Melissa rolled over in the king size bed and squinted at the clock. It was almost two in the morning and she hoped if she left Cameron alone that he would go back to sleep. It felt weird not to have Chris beside her in bed. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when the baby monitor went quiet a few moments later.
Picking up her phone off the nightstand, she unlocked the screen and browsed through missed messages. One made her smile. It was from Chris.
'R u coming 2morrow? Miss u, love u.' The time stamp was just a little while ago and she replied.
'Yes. In the morning and can stay for a couple hours or longer. Up to you.' A minute later, her phone vibrated, showing 'Kirkpatrick' on caller ID with Chris' picture. “Hello?”
“Hey...How are you? Why are up?” Chris' voice was soft but didn't sound sleepy.
“I'm alright. I miss you. I'm up because a little boy yelled for me over the baby monitor and went back to sleep,” Melissa told Chris. “How are you?” She snuggled with her husband's pillow, getting a whiff of his cologne. She'd sprayed some on it the first night she'd come home. Even though she was exhausted, Melissa took a long time to get to sleep and that had helped.
Chris sighed and looked at the television that was playing an infomercial. “I'm hurting, Mel. They gave me some pain meds and it's supposed to make me tired. That was two hours ago,” he said, trying to shift in bed. “I just hurt and have a bad attitude.”
“You're allowed to have a bad attitude. Half of you is like the Terminator,” Melissa told Chris, hearing him snort. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't be joking baby.”
“I'd rather hear you joke about it than cry,” he told her honestly. “I just want to come home... And watch my own television in my house. I..I'm sorry about the other day. I was pissed off,” he explained, his voice more quiet than before. “I keep hoping every day the door opens that it's you or maybe Joey or Lance. Mom came to see me before she and Taylor left.”
Melissa swallowed the lump of emotions that was in her throat. “It's okay, Chris. I can't even imagine what you're going through.”
“The doctor ordered tests for my hearing on my right side. They said I was eighty percent deaf in that ear. And blind in my right eye. What a bitch,” he growled. “I wish I had some alcohol. It wouldn't help anything but it sounds good.”
“I'll get you some when you get home,” she told Chris. “I love you.”
“I love you too. I'm not quite sure why you do. I'll have to come home and have help wiping my own ass. Doesn't that sound like something you want to do for your husband?”
Melissa tried hard not to sniffle and let Chris know she was crying. She didn't know what to do for him, hating that he was so bitter and angry. However, she didn't think she'd blame him for how he felt. “I will do whatever I have to,” she told him. Melissa listened for a sound on the other side of the phone and heard a big sigh after a few minutes. “Are you okay? Chris?”
“Yeah, I'm okay baby. I just..I missed hearing your voice,” he finally said after a few minutes. “I'm gonna get off here and try to sleep. You need some sleep. The kids won't care I called in the middle of the night. They'll want breakfast early,” he told his wife. “I miss my kids. Give them hugs and kisses for me.”
“I will. I love you, Kirkpatrick.”
“I love you, Weston. See you later today,” he said, hanging up before Melissa could chastise him about using her maiden name. Chris put his phone down and frowned. He was tired enough to sleep now but his brain wouldn't shut off. The television was playing another infomercial and he watched that until he dozed off.
*^*^*^*^*^*
“Daddy said to tell you he loves you and to give you hugs and kisses,” Melissa told her children as they clamored to the kitchen for breakfast. She accepted hugs and kisses from the girls, while Cameron just puckered up his lips and sloppily kissed her on the cheek when she bent over to pick him up.
“Love you, Momma,” Cam said, holding her face, patting it gently.
“I love you too, little boy.”
“Mom, can we go see Daddy today?” Hadley asked as they sat down with a bowl of cereal and fruit.
“Yeah, we want to see Dad. Can he come home?” Kenna asked, her mouth half full of banana.
Melissa was working on putting Cameron in his high chair when they asked and she shook her head. “No, I'll take you to go see him in a couple days. He can't come home, Kennie baby. They want him to heal some more before he can come home and be with us.” She turned to look at the girls who were both frowning. She felt bad for them, knowing they missed their Dad. Chris hadn't been away from them much since they'd been born. Not only that, he was always ready to play tea party or make up, even coming into the kitchen with bright blue eyeshadow and Nicki Minaj pink lips and a feather boa around his neck. He'd made the excuse they needed more cookies for the tea party and shrugged, making Melissa laugh.
It was when Hadley started crying that her heart broke.
“I want my Daddy! I want him home now!” she yelled as she balled up her fist and hit the table. “I want Daddy now,” she howled, causing Kenna to start crying and Cameron wasn't far from bawling at the noise his sister was making.
Melissa pulled Hadley to her, trying not to cry herself. “I know Hads. Believe me, if I could have Daddy here, I would,” she whispered, holding the 7 year old as she cried. She looked at Kenna who was wiping tears. Their 6 year old wouldn't break down like Hadley. She was quiet, but tough in not wanting to throw a fit about something. 'Drama free' is what Chris called her. When Hadley's sobs turned into sniffles, Melissa pulled back to wipe her daughter’s tears. “Are you okay baby?”
Hadley nodded. “I still want my Daddy.”
“I know baby. He loves you and misses all of you so much.”
Melissa held it together for the rest of breakfast, cleaning up the mess and getting the kids settled in the living room, watching 'Frozen'. She didn't like the television being a baby sitter but at the moment it would work. Picking up her cell phone, she dialed Addy.
“I can't do this, Ad,” she said as she slid down the master bedroom door after it shut, tears coming down her face.
“Can't do what? Is everything okay? Livy, go color baby... Talk to me, Kirkpatrick.”
Melissa cleared her throat and tried to keep it together. “I just..Hads had a meltdown. And Kenna is sad even if she doesn't say much. And Cam is too young but he misses Chris. I miss Chris. Why did this happen? What did we do wrong?” she asked, her head leaning against the door. “I know Chris is going out of his mind being stuck at the hospital. I keep asking him what he wants me to bring him and he just says nothing. That he wants to go home. And he has that monstrosity in his leg...”
“Mel..honey..take a breath,” Addy instructed, listening to her take a few breaths. “You did nothing wrong. Chris did nothing wrong...Sometimes these things happen. It's not fair, and I can't even imagine if it was Lance what I would feel like. I know it's not a good answer. Do you need me to come over early?” she asked her.
“No. Lance is coming to get Hads and Kenna for Hadley's ballgame. I think they're meeting Joey and Briahna and Kloey. I'm not sure if that will go well or not. They might be broke buying snacks,” Melissa told her friend. “Are you sure you don't mind watching Cam?”
“I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to. Liam is going with Lance so all I will have is Olivia and Cameron. And he's way cuter than Chris, even if he looks like his Daddy.”
Melissa chuckled a little. “He's Chris' mini me,” she told her friend. “Is it bad I want to go stay the night at the hospital? But I feel like I would be abandoning the kids. They need me too...”
“But how much good will it do you if your mind is on Chris? Will you be paying attention to them or just halfway there? It's not fair to either one of you. I'm sure we can find a place for the girls to stay and I'll keep Cam,” Adeline said. “And I will come over early to let you take a hot bath and get ready. Just have the girls pack a bag...and you pack a bag.”
“Thanks, Ad. I don't know what I'd do without you,” Melissa said.
“I love you too, Mel.”
They talked a few more minutes before Melissa let her go. She was feeling better about things and closed her eyes, sending up a prayer for Chris that today would be better than the day before.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Chris clicked over to VH1 to watch the “Nirvana Takeover” that was being played. A small smile crossed his lips as he caught the middle of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. He mouthed the words, watching Kurt Cobain sing. When the door opened, he smiled wider at seeing his wife. “Hi baby,” he said, turning the volume down on the television.
“Hey yourself,” Melissa said, putting her purse down and coming to give him a kiss. “I would have been here sooner, but traffic was awful. And our son decided that he didn't want Aunt Addy, he wanted Momma. So I left him screaming at the front door. I don't win parent of the year,” she told him, looking him over. “You look different.”
“They decided to get me up a couple hours ago and see if I could walk a little and pee on my own. Well, I was helped to get up and someone watched me pee, but it was nice to stand up and take a piss. And then they said I could get a shower if I thought I could stand it. At least the parts of me that aren't in a cast. And my leg stayed out,” he gestured to the leg still in the halo. “I asked when that would come off. They said hopefully a few more weeks. It will be after I'm home...”
She nodded at him. “Did they say when you'd get to come home?” she asked softly, her hand loosely in his.
“No. I'm asking the doctor when he comes in. Unless you're going to start smuggling in food. And I hurt, but they gave me something that made me feel good, so you could probably sawz-all my leg off and I wouldn't care.”
“Smuggle in food? Like what kind of food?” Melissa asked Chris, a smile on her face.
“Tacos, pinwheels, apple pie. Lots of apple pie, some ice cream..” he said, pulling her closer. “Come here with me. In bed,” he demanded, looking at her. “I'm not hurting and in a pretty good mood, Weston. I want to hold you.”
Melissa kissed him and got into the hospital bed and looked at Chris, squished against the rail. “How..romantic,” she smirked when he gave her a look. “Take a picture with me. Please.” She got her cell phone ready on the camera feature.
“Just don't share it,” Chris told her, giving a smile for the picture. He still hated how he looked, even though his face was healing up. He would always have the scar and he doubted he could grow a full beard, which was disappointing. It was just facial hair, but it was his face. “Here,” he said, taking the phone, moved his face to where the left side was showing more than the right. “Make a funny face, Mel.” He stuck his tongue out and his wife did the Elvis lip curl. “There. Share that one.”
Melissa took the phone from him and share the picture on Twitter and Facebook.
'@melly82: with @IamCKirkpatrick at the hospital. Bein' silly. Thank God for the good days'
“Here's one you might like,” Melissa told Chris as replies started. “Taylor said we look cute and she's glad to see you looking goofy as usual.”
“How long are you staying?” Chris asked, not wanting her to leave. He didn't mind the nurses coming and going, but tv and magazines and his phone got boring. Talking on the phone wasn't the same as having an actual living, breathing person there.
“Well, Hadley had a meltdown and then I had a meltdown..so Addy thought it was necessary for the girls to go spend the night at Joey's house while Cameron stays with the Bass family so I can spend the night with my husband,” Melissa explained, running her hands over Chris' face. She was thankful that his right eye wasn't too discolored, only on a little of the iris. “Is that okay?”
Chris nodded, hating that he still couldn't move more. “It's fine baby. What did Hads have a meltdown about?” he asked, running his fingers through her hair with his good hand.
“She wanted you. Kenna cried too, but didn't say anything. I had to calm her down and then had to call Addy and have a meltdown myself. We miss you. I know you want to be home... the kids are missing their Daddy. Their play buddy and person to get in trouble with,” she smiled when Chris harrumphed. “You're a big softy, Kirkpatrick.”
“I like making them smile,” he told her honestly. “And you can't say Cam isn't spoiled. He just bats those eyes at you and you give in.”
“I seem to recall someone else who does that and gets what he wants,” Melissa replied, laying there with Chris in comfortable silence, save for the hospital noises. She figured this was a rare moment when her husband would be in a pleasant mood and they could have time like this. Her phone buzzed and she showed Chris the picture. It was of Briahna, Kloey, Hadley, Kenna and Liam all eating ice cream. 'Uncle Lance and Uncle Joey got suckered into Steak and Shake.'
“Sometimes, Lance is a bigger sucker than me. Tell him I said that,” Chris said, smiling at his wife's reply to their friend. “And tell him thanks. I needed you here with me.” He'd not told her yet, but the doctor put him on anti-depressants and he hoped those were working. It had been a bad few days when she wasn't here, but he figured Melissa didn't need to know that. It could be his little secret.
Story Tags: chris
