Stockholm Syndrome (On-hold)

Chapter twenty-two - mommy's promise

Barry tortured me again. He hit my back multiple times again. My life's fucked up. I wonder what Maureen is doing right now. She should be regretting what she did to me. Most of all, I wonder what Jarred's doing right now.

God, I miss him.

I crouched on the same corner where I spent most of my captive life. For me, it's the perfect place to reflect or at least, to cheer myself up.

My thoughts were interrupted again when the door opened. It was already quite dark so I did not know who was coming. It's obviously Barry. I mean, Maureen barely comes in.

"Sarah?" Maureen. My eyes widened, "What are you doing here?" I asked. I'm a bit shocked that she's actually here. "Checking if you're okay." She said.

I raised an eyebrow, "Why would you care?" I asked. What's with her sudden change of attitude? She sighed and walked nearer to me. She fixed herself before squatting on the floor with me.

She put her hand on my lap and looked at me in the eye. I look away from her and she nodded. "I know this might sound cheesy but..." She paused, causing me to look at her. "What?" I asked.

She looked up to me, with tears slowly forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sarah." She said tearfully. My eyes widened, shocked at what she did. Should I forgive her or not?

Then she started crying on my lap and I rubbed her back. That was when I couldn't hold back myself anymore. I joined the crying festival with her as well. "I knew this day would come, Maureen." I said, tearfully and she finally had the courage to look at me.

" I'm not gonna forgive myself for doing this. Oh god, I'm such a fool!" She said, wrapping her face with her palms. "Remember what you said to me when we were in 7th grade?" I asked and she raises an eyebrow at me with her eyes still red. "No one's perfect." I said and she faintly smiled. "Everybody says that." She said and I smiled.

I knew that the Maureen whom I've known since childhood would come back again. Like what they say, friendship doesn't end. It will just become boring.

She cleared her throat before taking out something from her pocket. She looked at it and then sighed. "Sarah, I have something to tell you." She said with nervousness in her tone. "What?" I asked.

She handed me the pregnancy test which I assume was the same one which I took hours ago. Her hands were shaking as she was handing it over to me. I looked at her confused, and she nodded. I look down on the pregnancy test and I was immediately carried away by my emotions.

My eyes widened at the sight of the result.

I can't believe this.

I burried my mouth with my right palm and started crying. "Oh my god." I said, crying again. "You're going to be a mom, Sarah." Maureen said. Then she hugged me. When she hugged me, the same feeling when Jarred hugs me is the same when Maureen hugged me again. "It's okay. I'm here. I promise you that." She said, assuringly while rubbing my back.

"Maureen!" We heard Barry's voice echo through the hall. Maureen immediately let go and got up. "I have to go before the both of us will be killed." She said and I nodded.

She immediately ran up to the door, but as she was about to turn the doorknob, she turned to face me one last time. "I'll be back soon, Sarah." She said and I nodded. Then she went out.

Once alone, I look down on my growing stomach and faintly smiled. I rubbed it and tears again flowed out from my eyes. At least I'm no longer alone. I have someone that I can call mine. "Hey, it's just us." I said. "I'm not even sure if your daddy is coming back. But I can assure you that...I will protect you, love." I said.

"No matter what happens, mommy's always there when you need me." I said and my voice cracked when I mentioned 'mommy'. I can't let anything happen to my child. I know I'm in for a challenge but I don't care. I bringing a life.

I braced myself for the big challenge ahead and prepared myself to face them.

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Hi!! My mom's stressing me out. SO yeah. BYE!!