It took nearly a week but slowly Frank's strength returned. He still slept more soundly than he'd ever done before and required more frequent rests throughout the day but all in all his health was improving. Denise was thrilled when Frank felt well enough to accompany her to the Babies R Us to select a nursery pattern. He'd never been to a baby store before in his life.
As they walked through the store looking at bedding and cribs and bumpers and sheets Frank started looking at price tags. "My God, Dee, over $400 for bedding the kid is going to use for a year and mess all over. They're kidding right?"
"No, sadly they aren't, but it's worth it I mean look how cute everything is!" she said in a high pitched voice and smiled brightly.
"The baby could be a boy, boys don't do cute," Frank argued. "And I am not carrying around any type of diaper bag with rabbits or bears or God knows what on it."
"Okay, fine," she said playfully. "But what if it's a girl?" she asked him. "Then everything has to be cute, girls love cute," she told him.
"Not if you're going back to work and I have to cart the baby around," Frank countered. "Nothing with animals on it."
"Okay, well, what about this?" she said holding up an Army camo snuggie for him to see.
Frank's face lit up, "Now that will work. It'll match my uniforms perfectly. Still, Dee, I know I said I was okay with you going back to work but..."
Denise raised an eyebrow. "But what Frank?"
"I'm thinking maybe it's not such a good idea," Frank sighed. "The baby is going to need its mom."
"What? Frank, we agreed that I would stay home for the first year, and then I would go back to work," she said trying not to raise her voice in the public establishment.
"We didn't agree, Baby," Frank countered. "You said that's what you wanted and I didn't say no. It's not the same as agreeing."
"Yes it is! Frank, what brought this on anyway?" she asked but then stopped. "You agree with my father don't you? You think I should stay home and be a good little wife just like my mother is to him, don't you?" she said a little louder this time.
"Dee, lower your voice," Frank said trying to take her hand. "I'm not saying no, I'm just saying I'm not sure."
Denise jerked away from him and turned around. "Whatever Frank, I don't care what you say I am not leaving work for good," she told him walking away quickly.
Frank rolled his eyes, "Good one Sherwood," he said and went after Denise only to find she'd had taken the car and left him stranded there.
Frank stood in the parking lot and called Michael to come pick him up, the phone rang three times then he answered. "General Holden."
"Michael I'm sorry to call you at home on a weekend, but is there any way you can come get me? I am at Babies R Us, I was with Dee but we got into an argument and she took off without me," Frank told him.
"Oh, boy, and it only gets better from here," Michael said laughing. "I'll be right there. Want some advice?"
"I'll take any I can get," Frank said chuckling.
"Go back into the store and buy something for the baby, we'll stop on the way home and get something for Denise," Michael said still laughing. "If you're lucky she'll let you sleep in the bedroom by the end of the week."
"Okay, thanks Michael see you soon," he said hanging up the phone and going back into the store.
An hour later Frank arrived home armed with a bouquet of lilies and a bag from the baby store. When Michael pulled into the driveway Jeremy slipped outside to meet his Dad. Smirking he handed Frank a flak jacket.
"She said she doesn't want you back in the house that you hate her and all that normal pregnancy stuff," Jeremy said to his father. "What did you do to piss her of so bad this time?" he asked laughing
"I told her I wasn't sure she should go back to work," Frank confessed. "And I don't appreciate your humor, Jeremy." Frank is trying not to laugh at how ridiculous this was. "She crying?"
"Yeah, and throwing things, mostly your clothes and such," Jeremy said.
"I got her a present," Frank offered. "Should I get a helmet?"
Jeremy laughed, "Might be a good idea."
"I'll let you know if I need air support," Frank said and braced himself for the wrath of his pregnant wife.
He walked in and she was lying on the couch facing the cushions sobbing
Frank slowly approached her and knelt beside her, "Dee? Baby, I'm sorry," he said and meant it when he saw how hurt she was. "I love you; I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Go away Frank, you don't care about me, you don't love me," she said still sobbing and refused to turn and look at him.
"You know that isn't true, baby," Frank said rubbing her back. "Come on, come on, let me hold you."
"No, don't touch me," she said pouting; she was still crying but not as hard now.
"I'm going to touch you," Frank said moving so he was sitting near her. He reached out for the small of her back; he'd noticed her pressing her hand against it as they shopped. He began to rub it gently in tiny circles.
"Frank, don't," she said trying not let him know that that felt like heaven since her back was throbbing.
"Yes," Frank insisted but in a soft tone. "I know your back's been hurting you. I know." He pressed just a little harder. "I love you, Denise. Always have, till death do us part, right?"
She slowly turned to him and gave him a small smile while the tears were still rolling down her cheeks but she wasn't crying anymore. "Yeah, I'm sorry I'm so moody Frank, you don't deserve this, you are so good to me and all I do is yell and gripe and you for stupid things," she told him giving him a small smile.
"It's okay. I was out of line. I got you and the baby a present," he told her kissing her cheek before handing her the flowers and the bag.
She sat up and took the flowers and the bag from him "You got me lilies, oh Frank they are beautiful, thank you," she said to him. She then reached in the bag and pulled out various things he had bought for the baby like bottles, pacifier, and the cutest camo onesie she had ever seen. "Frank, this is so sweet. I love all this, I'm sorry I left you at the store. I just didn't want to break down crying in public, and before I knew it I was laying on the couch crying to Jeremy about how you hated me," she said remembering her tantrum.
"Yeah, he was pretty freaked out," Frank replied. "Got his father's sense of humor poor kid. You work tonight or tomorrow night?"
"Yeah tonight," she told him.
"Why don't you go lie down, get a nap? I'll take your folks to dinner at the O Club," Frank offered. He was worried she would over do it at work.
"Are you sure? I don't mind cooking," she said.
"I'm sure. You'll be on your feet for hours, your back's hurting, I'm sure," Frank said kissing her nose. "If you get too tired to drive home, call me.
"Okay, I will, I love you. Thanks for putting up with me," she said smiling standing up and heading to take a nap.
Frank took Denise's parents out to dinner at the club but soon things took a turn and her father started telling him he needed to make her quit working. "Frank, you need to lay down the law with her, she needs to be taking care of you not working in some hospital," her father said.
"I am so proud of Denise and how good she is at helping folks," Frank told him. "It's part of who she is."
"She needs to be helping you, it's her job, she took it the day she married you," he said to Frank.
"She did help me, she still does," Frank retorted. "She raised our boy, she stood by me many times getting nothing in return, never asking for anything in return." Frank was feeling the all too familiar fluttering in his chest and pain in his temple. He thought this crap was over.
"She shouldn't expect anything in return, helping you is what she is supposed to do and it should keep her busy, she shouldn't need to work!" the colonel responded.
"Look, I almost lost Denise when I tried to put her in a box and keep her on the shelf," Frank admitted. "And I can't and won't live through that again."
They all went home after about an hour and he thought he would see his wife but instead he didn't see her car, she was supposed to be off work hours ago. He went inside and looked around for her but she was nowhere to be found, he was getting worried he called her cell phone but it went to voicemail. "Dee it's me, call me as soon as you get this, I'm worried," he said hanging up the phone.