Not Even Death Can Come Between Us (3)

Chapter 5: Fear

"No. No it can't be!" Susan exclaimed to herself as she paced the room. Her steps quickened as her anxiousness grew.

Just then Caspian burst into the room, laughing heavily. "Oh that had to have been one of the best meetings I've attended yet!" He exclaimed. Susan tried to make herself look busy by fumbling through a dresser drawer. "Edmund told me beforehand how he has found the meetings to be such a bore lately, since nothing significant is happening, and that he was going to make the best of the situation, but boy did Peter not like that!" His voice cracked into a high pitched laugh and he gasped for breath as he tried to finish the story. "Every single comment that came out of Ed's mouth was sarcastic and Peter was glaring at him so hard! I about had to leave so I wouldn't burst into laughter!" He finished still laughing, but he stopped short when he noticed Susan hadn't reacted the least bit besides the short forced smile. "You alright?" He asked, suddenly concerned.

"Of course!" She said, flashing another quick smile. "Why wouldn't I be?" She then turned back to the dresser and continued to pretend she was looking for something.

~

Edmund and Caspian continued to laugh over dinner while filling the rest of the family in on some of Edmund's smart alec remarks. Though he was having the best of times laughing with his brother in law Caspian couldn't help but stop in worry when he glanced at his wife next to him who seemed to not even hear what they were saying. She simply picked at her food, eating hardly anything, and stared at it, not making eye contact with anyone.

He finally decided to ask her again. "Susan are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She responded, still not taking her eyes off her plate.

"You've hardly eaten." Caspian noticed.

Susan sighed, seemingly defeated. "I just don't feel well." She admitted. She then dropped her fork onto her plate and left.

Caspian followed her into their bedroom. "Susan." He pleaded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" She insisted, sinking into the armchair by the fireplace.

"I know that's not true." Caspian said stubbornly.

"I told you. I just don't feel well."

"But there's more than that isn't there?" He asked, trying to catch her eyes. "Just tell me." He sank to his knees in front of the chair and clasped her hands.

She sucked in a tear filled breath before finally meeting his eyes. "I'm pregnant." She said in a soft whimper.

Caspian smiled and let out a brief airy laugh. "I don't see how that's a bad thing."

Susan sniffed. "What if it happens again?"

Caspian hung his head, the awful memory lingering before him.

"I can't go through that again." Susan cried. "Caspian I'm so terrified!"

He held her close and she let her head fall against his shoulder. She cried, her tears soaking into his shirt. He stroked her hair, willing himself not to think of what it might be like if it happened again. A person can only take so much pain. He feared not only for her strength, but for his own.