Sasha woke up when he felt Summer stirring beside him. She took the blankets that were covering her and laid them down on Sasha as he sat up.
"Where are you going?" Sasha asked her as she stood up slowly and rubbed her eyes.
Summer pointed wordlessly at the baby monitor on her bedside table, and Sasha finally heard the crying. He watched her walk sleepily to the door as he leaned back against his pillows. Then he sat up quickly.
"No. Come back." Sasha threw the blankets off himself and got out of bed, walking over to Summer and taking her by the arm. "Go back to bed. I'll go check on her. Turn the monitor off so you can sleep and I'll turn it back on when I come in."
Summer didn't even try to argue. She just turned from him and walked back to the bed. As she rested her head on her pillow and pulled the blanket back over herself, she reached for the baby monitor. She was about to turn it off when she heard his voice and froze.
"Hey, baby girl. Why are we so sad? Come here."
Summer saw the scene play in her mind. Sasha walking into their daughter's bright pink room. His face softening at the sight of her. Lifting her gently and holding her in his arms. Whispering to her. Feeling heartbroken at the sight of her crying.
"Shh, everything is ok" Summer heard Sasha say softly. "Shh. It's okay, baby girl. It'll all be okay. Your mama wanted to come take care of you. She feels so sad whenever she knows that you're sad. Did you know that? Shh. Shh."
Summer sat up straighter and listened closely. She had taken the monitor and was holding it in her hands, staring at it so intensely as though worried she might miss something.
"I don't like when you feel sad. There are too many bad things in this world that can hurt you and make you feel bad. But I'm not going to let that happen to you, okay? Actually, I can't promise you that. I can't promise that you'll never be hurt. But listen carefully, baby girl."
She had stopped crying now. All Summer could hear was Sasha's soft, soothing voice.
"Listen carefully. I can promise you this. I can promise that I will never hurt you or cause you to be sad. I will always take care of you and I will always protect you. Just like I have done for your mama."
This was too much for Summer. She got out of bed and walked silently down the hall to their daughter's room. Sasha's back was to the door, so Summer leaned against the door frame and watched her husband.
"My two favorite girls," he whispered, gently lowering the now sleeping baby back into her crib.
As he turned back to the door slowly and quietly, he gasped at the sight of Summer standing there watching him. Summer walked into the dark room and took Sasha's hand in both of hers when she reached him. She looked into his eyes and raised his hand to her lips before gently sliding his fingers across her cheek. Then she wrapped her arms around him and looked down at their daughter, sleeping peacefully. Summer smiled.