*Shane POV*
I silently closed the door behind Mitchie's surprise, urging the person to come to our master bedroom with me. The house is completely silent which means that both Mitchie and Harmony are sleeping. I entered our room to see Mitchie sleeping on our bed, resting her face in her elbow right next to Harmony, who was also sound asleep. I smiled at the sight and gently sat on the bed, placing a hand on Mitchie's back and softly shaking her. She stirred but just dropped her arm and rolled into the pillows closer by Harmony. I silently chuckled and shook her again. I know she's tired because she's been with Harmony all day but I have to give her her surprise. I've been out all day looking for it.
"Mitchie," I whispered and she opened her eyes, turning to face me with a slight smile on her face. But then the smile dropped and she narrowed her eyes at me.
"Where have you been?" she asked and I turned towards Mitchie surprise.
"Looking for a nanny slash housekeeper for us and I found one!" I gestured towards the brunette, knowing Mitchie would instantly recognize her. Our new nanny waved at Mitchie and smiled as Mitchie's eyes widened and she sprang off the bed, forgetting her anger towards me.
"Cassie!" she screamed, throwing her arms around Cassie's neck. Yes, I did fly all the way to DC and looked all over for Cassie so that she could come help us out. Mitchie once told me that Cassie had always been her favorite housekeeper.
"You're our new nanny! How did you get here?" Mitchie pulled away from Cassie with a smile the size of the Atlantic Ocean as I smugly sat back and laid my head next to Harmony's tiny little body.
"Can you take Harmony to her nursery? I just need to talk to Shane," she smiled sweetly at Cassie as she nodded and threw a blanket over her shoulder, carefully picking Harmony up and resting her head on her shoulder. She walked out of the room and Mitchie shut the door, her tired eyes blazing with fire.
"You have some fucking nerve lying to me Shane," Mitchie started and I sat up as she stood in front of me. She's hot when she's angry. But we can't do anything because she's not clear for another four weeks.
"I know I lied but I wanted it to be a surprise. I was in DC for hours looking for her for you," I pointed out as she shook her head and folded her arms over her chest.
"I don't care. You lied. How am i supposed to trust you if you lie to me? You could've been with..." she closed her mouth and stared up at the ceiling. Here's the usual Tess shit again...
"I wasn't with Tess. I just told you where I was so I don't know why you're so mad!" my voice got louder and I stood up, causing her to back up and growl a bit.
"Well that's all I can assume! You don't think it's iffy that she showed up at the hospital two weeks ago?" she yelled as I shook my head.
"Mitchie. Tess is no longer in either of our lives. Can you just trust me for two seconds?"
"No! That's the thing...that's the fucking problem with us! I start to trust you and then you just fuck it up!" she argued. I can see her point but i just think she's blowing it out of proportion.
She pinched the bridge of her nose with her forefingers and breathed out.
"I can't sleep here tonight...with you. I'm going to sleep in Harmony's room," and of course Mitchie is just running away. The problem isn't just gonna go away.
"Go and sleep in Harmony's room and do what you do best. Just run away," I simply stated as she rolled her eyes and grabbed her blanket off the bed, opening our door and slamming it so hard that one of our picture frames fell to the ground.
I picked it up and chuckled. It was a picture of us after Mitchie gave birth to Harmony. One big happy family...yeah fucking right.
I cried as I cradled Harmony in my hands. I feel so lonely and even though she's sleeping, her tiny body in my arms gives me a sense of comfort. I rocked her and leaned back on the couch in her room, willing myself to stop crying and just go to sleep. Am i happy that Shane went through all the trouble to get us a nanny/housekeeper that we trust? Yes. But it's hard to be happy when he lied to me. I mean...he could've just told me. I understand he wanted it to be a surprise but...it was kinda the worse surprise ever. I know I shouldn't be mean to him since he went through so much trouble but...I can't help it. I really hate when people lie to me.
*1 Month Later*
Its been a tough month. Things are still tense between Shane and I but we're sleeping in the same bed. I can have sex now but since we're kinda barely talking, we haven't done it yet. Even though I kinda of want to. I guess I just see Shane in a new light now.
Cassie has been really helpful with Harmony. I barely have to get up unless Harmony needs to be fed because Cassie does it and the annoying bags under my eyes have finally disappeared.
Today, Harmony has to get shots and I don't think Shane or I want to experience that. Shane grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers as he carried Harmony's carrier inside the doctor's office. I offered him a small smile as he signed us in and I sat down, unbuckling Harmony and taking her into my arms. She was seven pounds and four ounces when she was born but now she's just six pounds and two ounces. Her pediatrician says that it's normal for newborns to lose weight but...I don't think it is.
"Harmony Gray?" a nurse called and I stood up, letting Shane grab Harmony's carrier as we followed the nurse to the back. Harmony tightly wrapped her tiny hand around a piece of my hair, digging her head into my shoulder. She's scared...
"The doctor will be with you in a moment," we both nodded and I patted Harmony on the back as Shane sighed.
"Did you finish packing Harmony's things?" I asked as he looked at me, then at Harmony.
"Yeah, I put all of our stuff by the door," We're leaving for DC right after this for my dad's funeral. I wasn't joking when I said I didnt want to go but Shane had told me that I would regret it if I didn't. I just don't want to fly Harmony across the country. I also don't want to deal with everyone because they're filming the funeral to put on national television. If I cry, I don't want the whole world to see it.
"Thanks," I mumbled as Shane just nodded and sat up, placing a hand on my back.
"Are you scared?" he asked as I nodded and looked down at our daughter.
"Are you?"
"The thought of anything or anyone hurting you or Harmony scares me," he been saying things like this...a lot.
Dr. Arielle entered the room with a smile, ruining our parental moment, and instructed me to lay Harmony down on the cot.
"So, we just have to give you four shots today and then you'll be good to go until your next appointment," Shane rubbed my back as I laid Harmony down on the little cot, waiting for the nurse to come in. Harmony's face scrunched up and she sucked on her thumb. She does this before she cries. She already knows what's coming.
The nurse comes in, offering us a warm smile as Harmony locked her tiny hand around my finger and rocked it back and forth as Shane covered his eyes. The nurse took out one of the needles and it was long and sharp. I winched at the thought of anyone hurting my baby girl.
"Okay, here we go," she gently stuck the needle into Harmony's forearm and at first Harmony just sat there, her eyes wide. By the second needle she was full out crying and reaching out for me but I couldn't pick her up.
I turned to Shane who was backed against the wall with his eyes closed.
"You can leave if you want to," I know he can't handle the crying. I was right about something clicking in Shane when Harmony was born. I think the two days that he spent with her while I was knocked out helped him screw his head on the right way.
He just nodded and walked out as the nurse gave Harmony her final shot and I soothingly stroked her hair, kissing her tiny little hand as she squirmed on the cot.
"And that's it," she placed one final band aid on Harmony before nodding at me and leaving the room. I picked up Harmony who was still crying and rocked her in my arms, waiting for her to fall asleep because she had missed her nap today.
"Its okay baby," I comforted, grabbing her bag and my bag and leaving the room.
"Never thought I'd see the day that Shane Gray became a family man," I joked as he took Harmony out of my arms and walked out to the car. We changed our doctor's office so the paparazzi have no idea where we go anymore, thank God.
"I don't like seeing you or Harmony in pain," he shrugged and buckled Harmony into her car seat, giving her a kiss on the forehead before climbing into the driver's side.
"Well, I like this side of you."
*Harmony*
"Mitchie, please," Connie begged as I rolled my eyes and focused on changing my daughter's diaper. As soon as she doesn't have on a soiled diaper anymore, she's happy which leads me to believe she'll be a sanitary freak. But I don't wanna wish that upon my daughter.
Connie wants me to sing the National Anthem at my dad's funeral but I don't want to. I don't even want to be here.
"If you leave me the fuck alone for the rest of the day...I'll do it," I compromised. I don't want to be mean but she's been bothering me ALL DAY. I can't even have a minute to process that my today, my dad is getting buried into the ground because she's been on my back all day.
"Okay, deal," I buttoned Harmony's dark purple onesie back up before pulling on the matching skirt, picking her up before walking past my mother to find Shane.
"And now here is his daughter, Michelle Torres to sing the National Anthem," I don't even know who's announcing this. Shane squeezes my hand before I let go, standing up and smoothing down my respectfully black dress, kissing the top of Harmony's head. I walked to the front where a small platform was behind my dad's casket. I looked over at it and sucked in a deep breath. Its open...and he's pale and lifeless and...he's really dead.
I forced my eyes away and grabbed the microphone that was on the stand, looking at some trees in the distance. I can get through this anthem. I put the microphone up to my lips and hummed for three seconds before starting.
'O say can you see' I started loudly, closing my eyes so I could just focus getting through the song.
'By the dawns early light' I remembered all the good times I had with my dad. Watching him work in the oval office. Making slushies in the kitchen on hot summer days. Him teaching me how to ride a bike without training wheels. I felt water fill my eyes but I refused to cry in front of all these people.
'What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming' my dad didnt have a lot of pride. I opened my eyes which instantly shot to his casket and pulled the mic away, calming my emotions. I can't lose it in front of all these people.
'Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight' I belted out this part. It may be the national anthem but this song meant a lot to my dad. And just for him, I put all of my emotion into it.
'O the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming' I shut my eyes and finished the song.
'And the rockets red glare. The bombs bursting in air' I sang loudly and proudly, remembering going to Boston to see fireworks with my dad.
'Gave proof to the night that our flag was still there' my dad...may have left when I needed him the most but, he was always there. Always.
'O say does that star spangled banner yet wave...for the land of the free, and the home of the brave' I dragged out the last few notes as everyone gave me a standing ovation. I forced a smile and placed the microphone back on the stand, exiting the stage.
We were all standing around my dad's casket as the vice president said his parting words. I was wearing the darkest Gucci sunglasses, so dark that I'm sure no one could see how red my eyes are. People began to leave and Shane wrapped his arm around me while still holding Harmony.
"You should go put Harmony in the car, I'm gonna say bye to my mom," we're not staying any extra days because...I need to get back to my life.
I noticed a little girl standing by my dad's closed casket, rocking back and forth on her heels with flowers in her hand. For some reason, the sight of her brought tears to my eyes and I took off my sunglasses, going to stand next to her. She looked up at me the back at the casket and I just stared at the thing that my father was in. I choked on a sob which caused a stream of tears to flow down my face which led to me crying out loud next to this little girl who I didn't even know. I cried because...a part of me still holds this grudge against my dad and now he's gone and I can't even apologize. He can't even apologize. He probably died knowing that I still hated him for everything he had done. I felt arms wrap around my shoulders and I buried my face into Shane's chest, crying because the only family member I have left is my mom. I have no one. We had the smallest family because it was always just the four of us and now it's just two of us left.
"I wanna go home," I choked into Shane's suit as he rubbed my back and nodded, leading me back to our car where my mom was watching Harmony.
"I guess I'll see you...whenever," my mom had cried...a lot today. I wrapped my arms around her, savoring her warmth.
"Yeah, I guess," I pulled back as she nodded and stroked my hair.
"I still love you. I know it may not seem like it but I do," Connie said as I nodded and she kissed my forehead.
"I love you too mom," I got into the car as she closed the door for me.
"Mitch," Shane grabbed my hand as he was driving and stroked it with his thumb.
"No matter what happens, its us against the world," I looked back at Harmony threw the mirror and nodded. Its us against the world.
When you guys review, I need you to tell me three things... you want to happen. I should skip to when Harmony is 9 months or a year old. constructive criticism. PLEASE AND THANK YOU(: