Hi my fab readers! Exams officially finish tomorrow so I'll be back to normal. But in the meantime ENJOY! Things are starting to go downhill...
About 2 months later, Steve finally came home. When he opened the door to his house though, he thought he was in the wrong place. There were children's toys and comforters and a high chair. He walked in and dropped his bag by the stairs. "Jo?" He called out.
He heard scuffling upstairs and a minute later Joanna ran down in leggings and a sweater. "Steve..." She rushed to embrace him but he stepped away.
"What is this?" He indicated all the baby stuff.
"Urm..." Joanna said, unsure of how to tell him.
"You have a kid?" Steve yelled.
"No we have a kid." She corrected.
"What? W-when?" Steve spluttered. His face was covered with pure shock.
"A girl. I found out the day you left-"
"And you didn't tell me?" He asked his voice dropping.
"What was I meant to say Steve? You were leaving! I would have had to do it all on my own anyway." Joanna shouted.
"No you-"
"Yes I would! You always said you didn't want kids! And now we have one and you wouldn't have stayed. You would probably have told me to get an abortion!"
"No! No. I would've worked something out Joanna! I'm not a cold hearted son of a bitch who would turn away from his family. I know that if we have a kid I would have responsibilities. I get that. But you not telling me, Joanna? That's just- that's, I don't even know." He shouted even louder than her.
"I'm sorry Steven but-"
"Well sorry is not good enough Joanna." He yelled and she was silent. Then he heard a cry from upstairs.
"I should go-" Joanna said quietly walking up the stairs. Steve followed her quickly, keen to see his child. He walked into a mustard nursery and in the crib in the middle of the room, lay a small red faced baby girl. Joanna picked her up quickly and soothed her. "It's OK baby, it's alright."
Steve took a step closer when the baby stopped crying. "May I?" He asked cautiously. He'd never held a baby before. Joanna nodded and carefully placed the baby girl in his big arms.
"Just support her head." Joanna said and Steve did as he was told.
She was so beautiful. And so small. And she was his. He had made the most stunning child in the world. He was overwhelmed and couldn't stop the tears from falling. Yes, he'd never thought he'd have children but then he'd never thought he would get married. He looked at Joanna.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you." He said. "I-"
Joanna shook her head and kissed him. "I should have told you. And I'm so sorry I didn't but I was scared. I was scared you would leave me."
He smiled. "I'm never going to leave you Joey. I love you." He looked back at his daughter. "Does she have a name?"
"I was waiting for you..."
His head snapped back to face her and he smiled. "Leilani..." He said and she nodded quickly beginning to cry too.
7 years earlier
Steve was on leave for the next week. Things had gotten better between him and Joanna, they'd sorted most of their issues. It was a Saturday evening and Steve was out getting groceries while Joanna was making dinner in the kitchen with Leilani. As she put the pasta on Steve's phone beeped and Joanna couldn't help but take a peak at the message.
When Steve walked in, he didn't know what hit him. Lani was playing in her playpen and Joanna was at the kitchen table looking at something on his phone.
"What are you doing?" Steve asked casually, placing the bags on the floor.
"Who is Catherine?"
"Who?"
"Catherine Rollins. Who is she?" Steve could tell from her tone of voice that Joanna was not messing around.
"An old friend."
"That's it?"
"That's it." Steve said avoiding eye contact.
"So why did she send you a message saying 'hey sailor, I'm in town for a bit. Your place or mine?' Winky face. Kiss kiss kiss." Joanna read from the screen. Steve walked over and grabbed the phone from her.
"You shouldn't have gone through my phone."
"Because you have something to hide?"
"No because it's invasion of privacy."
"I'm going to ask you again Steven and please do not lie to me this time, who is she?"
"We had a thing a while ago- before you and me though."
"So she is your ex girlfriend." Joanna stated.
"Well no..."
"Oh." It clicked in Joanna's head. "You just fooled around with her."
"No Jo come on. We weren't together! I was allowed to have other relationships."
"You just said it wasn't a relationship. What you'd both be on leave and you'd screw her?" Joanna yelled.
"Yes Joanna. We'd be on leave and I'd fuck her against any solid object I could find. Is that what you want to hear?" He'd hoped his crude language and sarcasm would shut her up but he was wrong.
"You're a sick bastard Steven. You really are. Have you met her since we were together?" He stayed silent. Wrong move. "Oh my God. You have!"
"Once Joanna, before we were serious. But never after that! I haven't even seen her in 3 years." Steve yelled.
"Oh fuck you Steve."
"Fuck yourself." He grabbed his keys and his phone and stormed out.
The next morning he walked back into his house. He felt awful. And guilty. And had the worst hangover. After he left he went out and got completely hammered at a bar. Joanna hadn't called so he assumed she didn't care. Then Catherine showed up. He should have expected it, this was the bar they met at when they had time off, but he was completely out of his senses. She invited him back to her house at about 4am but somehow he managed to stop himself. He couldn't do that to Joanna.
So as he walked back into his house, he tried to think of what to say to Joanna. She was sitting on the sofa waiting for him.
"Steve..." She said as she stood up.
"No Jo let me speak." He said getting ready to confess.
"For once in your life, listen to me." Her tone was harsh. He swallowed and nodded. "Joe White called. You're being deployed. Right now." She said, her tone a lot softer. Steve nodded and walked upstairs to get ready without another word. Little did he know that the next time he would see his wife and daughter was at his father's funeral.
Duh Duh Duhhhhh! Leave a review and I'll post the next chapter on Wednesday! :)