"Do you have any idea?... Do you?"

He closed his eyes, tired of this constant tug of war with her.

She accused him of being too overbearing one minute and not sensitive enough the next, he just couldn't win.

"Abby, we get no where fighting like this, do you realize that? This is pointless!"

Now he was shouting at her.

"No, it's not pointless, the point is that you need to understand when I need what and not question my every move!"

Everyone was shouting now because the baby was awake, screaming in her mother's arms because her mother and father were screaming.

He closed his eyes again and clenched his jaw like he did whenever she was driving him crazy. Opening them again he stood facing her, both trying to get the other to back down and neither winning.

Finally, he moved toward her to take the small screaming infant girl.

And she let him take her.

Leaning against the sink ledge, tired and tense she watched him with their daughter amazed at how quickly she calmed down.

"Shshsh pumpkin," he smiled holding Avery above him hoping to evoke a tiny baby grin.

He brought her close to his chest and nuzzled her neck inhaling her sweet baby scent that seemed to make all his stress evaporate.

And Avery did smile her infant smile.

There he stood with her in his arms, a father smiling at his smiling baby girl, it was a picture if ever she could take one.

And in that instant she grinned at the two of them, her family. Her boyfriend and her daughter.

Holding Avery up he put his face close to hers and made a funny/sweet face, evoking a giggle from his girlfriend.

In that second instant all was OK...

Despite their fights and the tears and the stress always came the smiles and the love beneath.