Wyatt and Michelle: Postpartum
Author's Note: I know it has been a long time coming, but I finally got my face out of the Sims 2 game and back into FanFiction. This story is somewhat of a continuation of the ending of Come Taste Life that I wrote a while back. It focuses mainly on what happens after Wyatt and Michelle had their son. If you haven't read Come Taste Life it is recommended for the background to this story. Come and Get a Slice the sequel of Come Taste Life should be coming soon, who knows?
Chapter 1: Three Months Postpartum
February 18
Dear Journal: Today our son is three months old. He's growing so fast I can't believe it. When I came home from school today my mom said he rolled over for the first time! I already know my son is a little genius! School was pretty boring today, as usual, basically a large blur of teachers talking and broken leads from my mechanical pencil. I felt like such a wuss but all I could think about was Stevie. When I got home to mine and Michelle's apartment it was pretty much the usual. My mom was playing with Stevie while Michelle sat on the couch frozen in a catatonic state. This had been the norm since shortly after Stevie's birth back in November. Michelle didn't do anything with him. She wouldn't hold him, she wouldn't nurse him, she wouldn't even acknowledge his existence. All that flack she gave me during her pregnancy about being responsible and stepping up for the sake of the child we were bringing into this world was a bunch of crap. My mom says Michelle is suffering from what's called Postpartum Depression. It effects different women in different ways but Michelle must have a very severe case. It's almost like she hasn't left the couch since we brought Stevie home in November. My mom and her mom have been coming over every day to help out while I'm at school. Then she leaves and I take over for the evening. Michelle doesn't even go to school anymore. She was supposed to be taking online classes for her GED but that hasn't happened. My mom has to coax her into eating and bathing or she would starve! I really don't like this, but I don't know what I can do. My son is the most important thing and so is Michelle or at least she used to be.
February 24
Dear Journal: Today was the first time I've been able to hang out with my friends outside of school since Stevie was born. It felt like I hadn't been to the mall in ages. Everything felt so different at first, but then familiar when I saw the Lemon and all my friends at the table. Everyone immediately got up and tackled me like I had come back from the dead. Jonesy joked that Michelle must've had me locked up for the past three months. I told him it was just very busy with the baby. They don't know about Michelle's condition because I just wanted things to be more normal since we were having a party. Today was Jen and Jude's one year anniversary. Well, technically it's the one year anniversary of the Winter Formal where they had their first official date, but that's just semantics. Jen and Jude really are a great couple and I was happy that any of us were able to remain sane, much less, in love with everything that happened last year. Jen mentioned that we should put last year behind us, but I told them I couldn't. I couldn't put that entire year behind me because it was too important. I went through a bunch of crap but I also became a responsible man and a father. Jen laughed at me and asked how I became so deep and intellectual. I simply replied: parenthood. So we basically stuffed our faces with pizza and caught ourselves up on the things we may have missed. It's not like we never see each other at school, but there just isn't enough time. While Nikki was sitting in Jonesy's lap and Jude was talking to Caitlin, Jen pulled me aside to ask me something. She wanted to know if I could help her write a song for Jude. She wanted to get him a gift that was unique and special so she figured a song could help. I felt pretty honored that she asked me. I figured I would feel out of place after having been away for so long, but my friends would never forget me. They all asked about Michelle throughout the party and I just told them she was watching Stevie. Then Caitlin and Nikki said I should really bring the both of them out to the mall one of these days. I said I would try. When I got home to my mom and Michelle, Stevie was already asleep and mom told me she needed to talk to me sometime soon. I nodded and went to kiss Stevie goodnight. I also kiss Michelle goodnight every night, even though she never acknowledges it. Now on to a ton of Pre-Calculus homework.
February 28
Dear Journal: Earlier this week I got the most terrifying shock of my life. I got home as I usually do at around 4pm. I immediately went into Stevie's room to say hi to him and my mom but, they weren't there. I went back into the living room area where Michelle was propped up on the couch and uselessly asked her if she knew where mom and Stevie were. As I stated, it was a fruitless effort as Michelle hasn't spoken to anyone in months. My heart was pounding and I was racing around the room looking near the kitchen area for my mom's purse or phone. Then I thought 'phone' and went to the kitchen to call my mom. She said she took Stevie home with her and asked me to come over. I kind of wish I hadn't because of how things went.
Basically she told me that she cannot keep looking after Stevie every day because she has a new work schedule and also other things she needs to get done. She told me that I should really seek part time work so that I could pay for daycare. I wasn't sure if I would be able to afford daycare or find a job as I had been laid off from the burger place I worked at last year. Then I sighed and remembered my own words from nearly a year ago when I spoke with Michelle's mother when we found out she was pregnant:
I'll get a second job, and maybe a third. I'll perform on street corners and if that doesn't work I'll even sell my guitar. Mrs. Carter, I love Michelle and I wanna do everything in my power to care for her and the baby.
I remembered that day and I understood what my mom was saying. Parenting is a process that changes a person. But the changing doesn't all happen overnight. It is a constant. I want to provide for my son, so I have to get another job and find as many ways to make money as I can. I still do love Michelle and our son and I will do whatever I can to provide for them. It would be at least a little easier if Michelle could get a a full time job while I go to school and then she could pick him up from daycare and bring him home while I worked after school. I knew that was just a fantasy, though. My parents and Michelle's parents have done everything we can to get her to snap out of it but nothing works. No doctors or medications have been able to help. If Michelle snapped out of it and got a job it would be a lifesaver. We really need the extra money especially since we will need to start paying for rent soon. Michelle's parents were very kind and generous to us, giving us things for Stevie and paying our first few months rent. Now we need daycare money and rent. Tommorrow I start job hunting. It shouldn't be too hard to get a job since I have a kid now. I should bring Stevie with me for sympathy.
March 7
Dear Journal: Not a lot of time to write today, but I got a job at a department store! I'm so excited just to have a job. Turns out the sympathy card plays very nicely. I took Stevie with me this weekend to the mall and every woman there practically melted over him, including Jen, Caitlin, and Nikki. I brought him in while I waited for the manager then when I saw the manager come toward me I lifted Stevie up and kissed his tiny cheek. Then I handed him off the Nikki and said, "Daddy loves you," before I shook the manager's hand. There's no doubt in my mind that I got that job because of Stevie. I really do love that little guy. I started training this week for the job which is from 4 to 10. My mom also started working her new schedule this week so I have to get up early with the baby, gather up all his stroller, carseat, and toys and rush over with my mom to daycare, then have my mom drop me off at school. Then I have job training from four to ten so I have to rush back to daycare and I don't get home till 11. And with homework I could be up for hours. It's so frustrating doing this all alone while Michelle just sits there, taking up space and not doing anything. I've got to go. Homework doesn't do itself, you know.