Chrissy threw Tristan and her backpacks onto the floor of their house.
He was still a little battered. They hadn't spoken at all about their ordeal.
"Bath?" She asked him.
He nodded wearily. It had been a long day. He'd been shamed into using a wheelchair at the airport. It was a big blow to his ego.
Chrissy helped him up the stairs, and into their bathroom. Everything was the same, even though everything had changed. They both needed a twenty-four hour nap and a good therapist. Using some of the last of his strength, he pulled himself onto the counter to sit.
Chrissy started the bath, and they stared into the running water in silence.
Tristan took her softly by the hips and dragged her in front of him. He tried to take off her shirt but couldn't get his arms to go that high. Seamlessly, she pulled it off the rest of the way. He rested his head on her bare shoulder and she ran her fingers through his hair.
After several minutes, she turned off the water. She undressed and helped Tristan undress himself. Chrissy had him go in first, rest his tired body against the edge of the tub. She stepped in after, facing him, finding a way to settle in his lap.
Taking the washcloth, she dipped it in the water and washed his face. He leaned into her touch. She moved into his hair, taking a cup from the side of the bath, filling it with water and pouring it over his head. She shampooed his hair and rinsed it, doing the same with the conditioner. He gave her a sort of "I don't use that" expression but she ignored him. He didn't mind the head massage.
She picked up the washcloth again, adding soap this time. Chrissy worked it over his neck, down his chest, across his shoulders. She dipped her hands beneath the waterline, washing his stomach. She got to his hips and his thighs. His once flaccid piece was now pressed against his belly. She took care with that as well.
His hands, once on her thighs, were on her ass, digging the pads of his fingers into her skin.
His eyes wouldn't catch her gaze.
"What are you thinking?" She asked him quietly.
"I am so mad at you." He replied.
So this is why they weren't speaking.
"You body doesn't seem to." She deflected, knowing full well that would get them nowhere.
He finally caught her gaze. His stare crumbled her walls.
"I couldn't do it. Not for one more day." She told him. "You were fading... So fast. And I... love you. So much. I didn't know what he was doing to you. For so long, you didn't have marks and I..." Tears budded in her eyes. "I didn't know what he was doing to you."
She watched a tear roll down his cheek.
"I knew what he would want from me. And I knew you would never let me take the chance." Chrissy wrapped her fingers around the medallion.
He simply pressed his hand to her belly. "I couldn't let you go."
"Do you think it was easy for me to let you go?" She asked him. It was simply a question, not an accusation.
In a moment, it dawned on him who had more strength in that situation. And it wasn't himself. No, he... Lied on the dirt floor and wallowed in his own pain.
She laid to rest his worst fear. "I ripped it off his neck before he did anything."
"Just promise me you'll tell me before you do anything like that." He asked.
She smiled sadly. "No."
"No?" He asked.
She shook her head. "No. I will always do whatever it takes to keep you safe. To keep us safe."
Finally, he leaned forward and put his head on her chest. She slipped her arms around his back while he hid the fact that he was crying into her chest.
"I need you." He murmured.
She pulled away, concerned. "I'm right here."
"I need you." He yanked her forward. The water sloshed.
"Tris, you're injured." She said quietly.
"I need to be closer to you." He begged.
She leaned into him, kissing him.
*
Chrissy was woken early by a phone call. She answered it, tired. "Hello?"
"I really wanted y'all to sleep but... Sloane's in labor."
She says up straighter. "How long?"
"Almost eight hours, I wanted... I know..."
"Just tell me where, Micah, I'll be there." She replied.
He fed her the address. "Chrissy..."
She waited a moment.
"Chrissy, I'm terrified." He admitted, lowering his voice.
"Well, you know I used to work in the church daycare. She'll be surrounded by people who love her, and so will you and Sloane."
He sighed deeply. "Thank you. I needed that."
"Go hold Sloane's hand and tell her I'll be there in thirty." Christine urged.
"Okay." He said, "I love you."
"I love you too, Micah." Chrissy hung up the phone, and put it down. She leaned over Tristan, who was lying on his stomach. She ran her hand up his spine and kissed the back of his neck.
"Tris," she murmured, he stirred a little, "baby, Sloane's in labor. I'm going to the hospital."
"I'll go." He mumbled.
"No, you should rest." She told him, running her fingers through his hair. She remembered her own trauma, and continued. The last thing she needed was to be alone. "I'll call up Ryn and Jasper. They can stay until I get back to help you out."
He turned and looked at her. "Thank you."
She nodded and kissed his lips. "I need to be there for my brother today."
"I love you." He said.
"More than words can say." She murmured back.
She took a moment to wrap her arms around him and snuggle.
"Ow."
"Suck it up."
She kissed him a few more times, then got out of bed, grabbing her phone and calling Ryn.
"Hello?" A tired voice answered.
"Hey, Ryn. I've got a favor to ask."
"Sure, Christine," she yawned, "what's up?"
"Sloane's about to have the baby and I want to be there. Tris is still not very ambulatory so I was wondering if you and Jasper could come play babysitter for a few hours." Chrissy asked.
"Of course. I'll wake him up and see you in a few."
"Thanks." Chrissy hung up the phone.
She got dressed, and put pants on Tristan, as they were used to sleeping naked together. She bent down to kiss him again, and they whispered more sweet things to one another.
When she got downstairs, she saw Ryn and Jasper walking up to the house.
She unlocked and opened the door for them. She was greeted with a hug from Ryn, which was surprising, but she allowed it. Jasper wasn't one for hugs, but he did place a gloved hand on her shoulder. "Glad you're safe."
She nodded.
"Thanks for doing this." She said.
"We've been awake for the last week worried. We're happy to do this, make sure he's okay with our own two eyes."
Jasper just nodded in solidarity.
Chrissy pulled the strap of her bag over her body. "Alright, I'm going to head out."
"Text me, would you?" Ryn asked. "I know we didn't... Get along like that in high school, but..." she seemed to lose words.
"I get it." Chrissy smiled. "Take care of my man for me."
With that, she headed out the door.
*
Chrissy waited anxiously next to Alex and Ryland. Chris made it clear that today was about Micah, Sloane, and their new niece. They would have to hold off with any questions they had for her.
They passed the time playing stupid games, staring at the clock or staring at the waiting room door.
After hours, the door opened.
Micah came through the door with a little bundle of cloth in his arms. He'd obviously been crying. "I would like you all to meet Bronte Allison Magdalena."
Allison. It was their mom's name. Where he got Bronte from, she had no idea, but she didn't care. It was beautiful.
They all stood and walked to see the baby.
"They weighed her, she's nine pounds, six ounces. When Sloane heard that, she threw a cup at me." He said, nothing but happiness in his voice.
Little Bronte had been swaddled in a hospital blanket, complete with a beanie. She'd inherited her mother's red hair, and her father's lips. Her face was red and a little puffy, nothing that wouldn't fade with time.
"She's beautiful, Micah." Alex told him, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.
There was nothing more that could be said.
"She's got her mom's lungs and temper." Micah said, entranced by the tiny human he'd helped create. "I never knew someone could fall in love so fast."
"I told you that you'd be fine." Chrissy said, putting an arm around Micah's shoulder and squeezing. She looked down at Bronte and loved her. Nothing more. All other thoughts seemed to slip away.
They heard a distant yelling. "I want my fucking baby, Micah!"
"Go." Chrissy said. "You'll be tired of those lungs soon enough and we'll be there."
Alex nodded.
Micah took Bronte back to her mama.
"Can we have one of those?" Ryland asked Alex.
Alex's answer was simple. "No."
"Why not?" Ryland asked.
"Okay, then go home, throw away all of the drugs and the weapons, baby proof the whole thing, paint and decorate the nursery, and be ready to sacrifice at least the next twenty years of your life." Alex told him.
Ryland thought about this. "Fair. What about in... fifty years."
"Deal." Alex said. "What about you, Chrissy?"
It felt like she'd been punched in the gut, but she played it off well. "I'll give it a hundred." She said.
Alex looked at her a little funny.
Oh god. She forgot about his built-in lie detector senses. Her panic made it even more obvious.
Alex opened his mouth to speak, with a face of mixed emotions.
"Today is not about me!" She said aggressively.
Ryland gasped. "You're-" Chrissy slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Today is not about me." She warned.
"You were just-" Alex was concerned, angry, and panicking.
Chris instantly understood his implication. "It's Tristan's."
That calmed him. "When did you figure it out?"
"Not my day!" She said adamantly.
The boys were very nonplussed with that. She huffed. "Tristan figured it out by smell. It couldn't be more than... maybe three weeks."
"I'll beat his ass." Ryland offered.
Chrissy sighed. "We're working shit out right now. No need for an ass beating. Look, it might not even work out. I probably couldn't even pull a positive test, he might have even been lying to me. Do not. Under any circumstances. Tell Micah. You remember how he reacted to getting his own wife pregnant. His baby sister? Tristan might as well start digging a grave."
They both nodded.
"Now, it's been lovely, but I have to go relieve Ryn and Jasper from their post." And go to a CVS. fuck.
Chrissy walked past them to grab her bag, and left.
*
Christine thanked god for family restrooms, and locked the door. Shaking, she ripped open the pregnancy test she had just bought, undid her pants, and sat on the toilet. She stared at the test for several moments.
First Response!
Positive //
Negative /
Nothing too interesting.
She did what needed to be done, set the test face down on the empty packaging left on the sink and got dressed.
Chrissy set a five minute timer, and waited. She paced the bathroom back and forth. It felt like she had paced for hours before the timer went off.
She braced herself at the sink, staring at the back of the test. She finally found the courage to flip it.
Yup.
That was... Two lines. One faint, but it was there. There was no denying that second little line. A lot more calm than she wanted to be, she wrapped the test in a paper towel and shoved it in her purse.
She washed her hands and left.