Caitlyn finally got Niniel to sleep after her toddler tricks trying to stay up a little longer. She stood there in the dim nightlight and smiled slightly. Their beautiful daughter was a treasure and the centre of Caitlyn’s life. Her dark locks of hair shrouding her pale skin and exotic dark grey eyes melted her heart every time she looked at her. And when she slept, she had such a content look to her face. With a gently kiss, Caitlyn went to her bed where Jack lay snoring. She tried to get Jack interested in having some intimate time with her by playing with him, but he grumped at her about having to get up early for work. Caitlyn sat on the end of the bed frustrated. It was almost like she had done something wrong by having Caitlyn. No, she wasn’t the same woman she was before, and had time for herself.though she managed herself well, there were a few stretch marks on her stomach around her belly button. As her eyes wet from her searching thoughts, she got up and went downstairs to the kitchen for some water. She was losing it. She sipped the water as she looked at her reflection in the sliding glass door, pondering the week that had passed…<br/><br/>It was at the beginning of the week when Caitlyn told Jack that she got a part time job at the nearby espresso stand. Two days a week from noon to three while her mother watched Caitlyn. Her mother was such a proud nanna and loved to have the few hours to spoil her while Caitlyn got away and had time for herself. She was home well before Jack and had time to get some dinner made. But Jack didn’t like the fact she did this. First with having their friend Nathan rent the basement apartment, then with this part time job, Jack took it as some threat to his manhood. But they had overstretched themselves by buying this house, and the finances were never enough. When Caitlyn refused to quit her new-found job, Jack verbally threatened her, but backed off when he knew Nathan was in earshot. Jack then went into his now normal pattern of ignoring and neglecting Caitlyn, and by extension, their daughter. He came home from work late all week, saying he needed to put in extra. If more than ten words were said between them in a day, it was a lot. Caitlyn was at her wits end, and she had thrown Nathan some pleading looks at times during the week.<br/><br/>The thought of Nathan caused her to shake her head. Always the friend, she thought how unfair it was for them to bring him in to their house with such dysfunction. It now affected him, and Caitlyn could not hold back her tears. She set the glass of water down and went upstairs to take a shower. Nobody could see or hear you cry in the shower, and Caitlyn let herself go. When she finally had let it all out and gotten herself together and steeled her mind for another day, she turned the water off. She could hear Jack yelling at her about using too much hot water. The water used gas, and gas cost money. She stepped out of the shower and looked around. No towels. She didn’t bring fresh towels in. Sighing, she wrapped her short black kimono with red dragons on it around her. It clung to her body as it soaked up the water clinging to her When she left the bathroom, a chill came over her and she stepped down the stairs. She would try and rest on the couch for a bit before going to bed. She was halfway down the stairway when she saw Nathan sitting there. At first she thought of wrapping her arms over her, but paused as the young teenage girl’s dream came to her. She leaned against the rail and said in a whisper,<br/><br/>“Good morning Nathan!”<br/><br/>She then took the final steps down the stairs and gave him a smile. Just knowing he was there helped her feel safer. She sat on the other end of the couch and brought her legs up and folded them under her. She pushed back the locks of her wet hair and said to him,<br/><br/>“Did you have a good evening? Tell me you did, for I wish to hear good news.”<br/><br/>Their eye met and he could see that despite being in the shower, she had been crying.  Her eyes were tired and sad, but anticipating hearing of Nathan’s day.<br/><br/>~ ~ ~