It Came With The House

•Chapter Four• Shocking Discovery

It had been exactly 29 days since we moved Timmy into his new room and so far he slept peacefully through the night without a single issue. I often wondered why he had acted that way but could find no solid evidence for it. So I soon convinced myself it was probably moonlight playing on the closet door in a way that in his young mind looked like a person.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and we were just finishing up breakfast when the phone rang. Seeing as I was closest to the phone, I got up and directed a smile at my husband. "I'll get it." I say. He sat back down with a smile and a nod.

I walked into the kitchen, then lifted the phone off its base, and brought it to my ear. "Hello?" I said into the mouthpiece.

"Hey, girl," Marie's voice came over the line. "I was wondering if you're not doing anything today and if you would like to go shopping with me?"

"Sure," I reply, excited at the thought of buying some new baby items. "I would love that!"

"Great! Can you pick me up in an hour?" Marie asked. "I don't feel like driving today."

"No problem," I assure her. "I'll see you then!"

____________________

"How about some lunch, before we head home?" Marie asks as we exit a baby store. "Jason will murder me if I keep dragging you around the mall any longer than this!" She had a mock fearful look on her face, her eyes shifted from right to left as if scared he would pop up at any minute.

"Yes please," I said with a smile. "I'm starving!"

"You don't say!" Marie states with a mischievous grin as we begin walking to the food court. "I suppose that loud growling was your stomach and not the close-to-bursting-mom-to-be that nearly ripped your head off when you grabbed the last pair of those adorable baby booties on sale?"

I burst into laughter as I remember the incident she was talking about. The woman looked to be near her due date and was not too pleased when I made it to the display table to grab the pair of booties before she was able to waddle over. If looks could kill, I would have been six feet under when she glared at me.

"Do you know what you're having?" Marie asked while pointing at my barely showing belly with a french fry once we were seated at a table for two at the food court.

"A baby," I replied with a straight face as I took a bite of my chicken sandwich and chewed while looking back at her.

"Oh, you got jokes!" She states sarcastically with narrowed eyes. Shaking her head, Marie sighed before speaking again. "Seriously, do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"Nope," I said, popping the p. "We rather for it to be a surprise."

Nodding, Marie shoved a french fry into her mouth and chewed it silently while she seemed to be thinking about something. Once she had swallowed the chewed-up fry, she looked me directly in the eyes. "Are you comfortable in your new house?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked. "It's got plenty of room for my kids to play outside. Three big bedrooms, and an ensuite bathroom in the master bedroom upstairs. A full-size basement, two-car attached garage, plus a room large enough for a home office and a full-size bathroom downstairs. All at an incredibly affordable price! How can I not be comfortable as well as happy?"

Pursing her lips, Marie slowly nods her head as she looks down at her food and selects a french fry from the pile on her plate. "Why would you ask me that?" I ask her just as she dips one end of her fry in the ketchup-filled condiment cup.

"No reason," She said quickly. "I was just wondering how you felt about the place and the location, that's all." Though she sported a smile, it looked forced to me but I let it go.

"Have you guys come up with a name for the baby?" Marie asked next, quickly changing the subject.

"Yep!" I reply with a nod. "Delvin Tyler if it's a boy and Summer Breeze if it's a girl."

"Nice!" Marie praised. "Those are great names. Leave it to you to come up with names I would love. We are too much alike!" She winked at me as she popped another fry in her mouth.

"You know what they say, right?" I ask with a smirk.

"Great minds think alike!" Marie cries out triumphantly while waving a fry around in the air which drew the attention of other shoppers in the food court. Two teenage girls at the closest table giggled out loud while looking at Marie.

"Exactly!" I agree with a small laugh. "It's like having a clone of me." I teased and she laughed.

We finished our meal amid light banter. We disposed of our trash in designated garbage cans before exiting the mall with our shopping bags. Stowing our bags in the back seat, I drove Marie home. Thirty minutes later I parked my car in the attached garage, grabbed my bags, and left the garage while humming.

"Honey, I'm home!" I called out as I entered the house.

"Hey, babe!" Jason called back from the living room. "How'd it go?"

"Great!" I say enthusiastically as I poke my head into the living room and hold up my shopping bags for him to see. "I got a few items for the baby. I'm gonna take them up to the nursery."

"Alright sweetheart," Jason nods. "I put Timmy down for a nap fifteen minutes ago."

"Okie dokie," I reply, then make my way upstairs and open the nursery door.

I stood in the now open doorway, stunned beyond belief. I looked around the room in shock, wondering if I was dreaming or if what I was seeing was real. Everywhere I looked, the words 'Leave my home!' Were written in small red letters. The liquid used looked too much like blood, and incredibly, the room smelled like blood too.

Every single surface was affected, even the furniture. Coming to my senses, I opened my mouth to scream. Bags forgotten, I dropped to my knees as the reality of the situation set in and I began to tremble so badly, my knees couldn't hold me upright any longer. By the time my husband found me, my face was buried in my hands as I sobbed in reaction.

********************

I know it's been a while. Sry it took so long, wasn't sure how to proceed.

Plz, take a minute to vote, even if u don't comment. Thanx for reading! :)