Hero

Chapter Twenty Seven

I sat on the couch curled up with a mug of hot tea in my hand. I sipped it slowly letting the liquid fill my hollow shell of a body. "So, you're pregnant?" Kate asked again. I nodded staring down into the cup. "Forget about Ronnie! I'll be the godmother and we can raise him together!"
I smiled at her and laughed, "I can't just forget him, Kate."
"Pipe, there is a hole in the wall centimeters from where your head was and it was made by his fist. You can't stay with him, he's unstable." She sipped her tea.
"I can't leave him."
"After all this you-"
"We're engaged too, Kate. I told him I'd be with him and I plan to keep that promise. He's just in shock."
She shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea."
"But you're still here."
She took my hand, "I always will be, beautiful. Now, let's talk baby names."
***
It was three in the morning and Ronnie still hadn't come home. Kate had fallen asleep on the couch a little before eleven. We talked for hours on end catching up and spilling all the good secrets we've been holding in. I've missed Kate a lot since that day she walked out on me and it's nice to have my best friend back again.
I laid on the floor with my hand in an almost empty bowl of popcorn watching the Titanic. The movie is at the part where Jack is handcuffed to the pole. I'd never seen the Titanic before now and I finally get all the hype over it.
My eyelids started to feel really heavy and kept trying to shut up for the night but I wanted to stay awake until Ronnie came home. Hoping when he did we could have a long chat about Little Radke without fists being thrown. Hoping for an apology.
And hour or so later the clock read four in the morning. The movie is just about over now and I have up on Ronnie coming home a while ago. But then I heard a key turn in the doorknob and the front door slowly opened. I held my breath as I listened to him coming in for the first time all day. He took slow and heavy footsteps towards the living room and then they stopped at doorway.
My eyes traveled up his feet and legs until they landed on his face. He looked at Kate who was out cold on the couch then to me. He motioned for me to follow him to the kitchen and I did. He leaned on the counter with his arms crossed silent for a long time. I stared back at him feeling like an ant with a magnifying glass over me. I get the need to turn around and just when I was about to he said, "show me the sonogram." I swallowed and walked to the counter where my wallet was and pulled out the photographer. I slid it across the counter after looking at it and backed away from him. He picked up the photo and examined it for a long time with a ghost of a smile before putting it down again. "I'm sorry, Piper. I didn't mean to lose my cool like that. But I'm going to be totally honest here, I don't want this baby. I'd rather you abort it now and we can try again later. I'll pay for everything. I'm just not ready for this."
His words were like knives, carving into my already broken heart and I had to hold back the tears, "well, what if I'm ready."
He looked at me and didn't say anything then walked away.
I rolled my eyes and looked down at the sonogram. "It may just be you and me for a while lil man." I rubbed my belly gently.
***
The next morning I woke up in the bed. Ronnie was beside me but faced away from me. I could hear his snoring so I knew he was still asleep which was a sad relief.
I got out of bed and went downstairs to find Kate had gone home and that it's noon time. I took my vitamins before heading back upstairs and to bed. I crawled under the blankets and looked through social media for a while. Nothing good as usual.
I sighed and rolled over to face Ronnie and was surprised to see him already looking at me. I didn't say anything just looked at him and stood very still.
"Do you hate me?" He asked quietly.
I shook my head, "never. I just don't understand."
He sighed and grabbed my hand, "me either. I don't think I'm ready for this. Just give me some time?" I nodded and he kissed my forehead before heading downstairs for breakfast leaving me alone in bed.