~ Remember the nightmares~
~Nothing is ever as it seems~
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There was an obnoxiously loud knocking on my front door that was more than surprising and very much annoying. I wasn't expecting anyone to show up at almost ten at night to interrupt my very pleasant evening.
Frowning, I looked over at Frederick who only shrugged as to say he had no clue who it could have been, his arm was comfortably around my shoulder.
"You want me to go see who it is?" He put down the bowl of microwave popcorn on the coffee table before he was even done with his sentence.
"It's okay, I'll go. But, don't you start the movie before I come back." I made my way to the door.
"I wouldn't even dare." He called after me which made me look to find him still comfortably sitting in the couch, his feet in the spot I had just occupied. My fondness for this man grew each day. He wasn't perfect, but no human ever was.
I opened the door.
"Where the fvck is he?" Pushing past me, Karlie entered my apartment completely uninvited as if she owned the place.
"First of all, What the hell are you doing here?" I called after her, closing the door so the neighbors wouldn't complain about any loud noise.
She turned her head long enough to stare at me, looking all sort of pissed off, before addressing Frederick who had by then gotten off the couch.
"You shit, you missed my check up today and for what? So that you can spend time with your good-for-nothing girlfriend while the one who's currently carrying your son is doing it alone?" She spat out her rage like a serpent's venom.
I had to admit her insults thrown at me did sting quite a bit. But at that very moment, decided to brush it off because I did not want to be on the same level as Ms. crazy. So, I let it go.
That was obviously me picking out my battles in order to win the war.
"Mind your tone and your insults." Frederick warned her as he stepped closer. I stood back and watched it all unfold in front of my eyes like an episode of Days Of Our Lives.
She gave him an incredulous look. "You're unbelievable. So what, it's okay for you to defend her but you don't even give a shit about me or our child?"
Waving a hand dismissively at her, he turned around to go back to the couch. "You need to stop, I won't possibly be able to attend every one of those appointments and I've told you that. You know I was out of town, I had gotten back to New York City today. I'll just go to the next appointment." He said as he sat down.
Feeling ridiculously awkward to be standing in the middle of the living room, I decided to busy myself with something, all the while still having all my attention on the drama.
"Don't you fuckng bother," she started, her expression turning suddenly very cold as she spoke the next words. "But just know one thing, I will make your life a living hell. You will never see the baby once it's born, for that you can be sure of it."
That right there got Frederick's attention pretty quickly. He got up and a second later, he was standing in front of Karlie who had her hands crossed as her purse hung on her shoulder.
"You wouldn't."
They were both glaring at each other. The tension in the room so thick. And sour that I could taste it on the tip of my tongue.
"Watch me, asshole." She retorted before turning as she was ready to leave. But Frederick didn't seem to be done with her just yet so he grabbed her forearm to stop her from leaving, which she in turn didn't appreciate as she started pulling her arm away. "Let me go."
"I'm not done with you."
"Well, I'm done." She kept pulling away.
Tired of seeing all this back and forth between them, and not wanting it to go any further than this, I decided to step in. "Frederick, maybe you should let her go."
That was a very bad idea on my part which I instantly regretted, the second both of them turned their angry glares at me.
"Stay out of this." They both growled at me which shut me up immediately. The look I threw at Frederick could have cut flesh.
"Fine, but do this shit somewhere else other than my place. I already have a lot on my plate, I don't want your crap added to it." I said angrily before walking away and leaving them still standing in the middle of the room. As I opened my bedroom door to walk in, I heard Frederick call out after me which I flipped him the bird in response to, before slamming the door behind me.
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I am not sure how long I stayed in my room huffing and puffing, being pissed at Frederick for shutting me down this way, until he entered the room to find me sitting on the bed, arms crossed in front of me with my back propped on a few pillows I had placed behind me.
"Eva,"
I rolled my eyes as he got on the bed, pulling my hands apart to kiss my nine weeks old pregnancy belly. "Stop." I pushed his head away by his forehead which made him laugh as he looked up at me.
"I'm sorry, You just got caught in the cross fire."
"Whatever." I wanted to hear none of that so the best solution at the time for me was to naturally avoid listening to him, by getting off the bed and leaving the room. I knew I was being a little of a brat but I didn't care. I was a little hormonal so I just blamed it on that.
He stopped me from moving by holding onto me by my hips, his head resting on my belly. "No, it's not whatever. Karlie just brings out the worse in me. It had nothing to do with you." His words were muffled as he spoke into my shirt.
I sighed. "It's fine. I had no idea you didn't go to her appointment. Not that I care but I know I would have been upset if you missed one of mine, especially this close to giving birth."
He finally raised his head. "I would never miss any of yours," he pulled himself in a sitting position next to me. "To be honest, I simply forgot the. With traveling and everything else, I just put it in the back of my mind and it somehow just stayed there. But I called her when I knew I wouldn't land on time." He replied as he laid his back on the bed next to me. My face softened.
I knew Frederick was under a bit of stress lately. And even though part of it was clearly his fault, I couldn't help but feel bad for him. With having to deal with Karlie's little tantrums and having to fill in for his brother back in Germany while the man dealt with his divorce, and having to sometimes pick up the slacks for his father back in France, he hasn't had much time for himself at all.
I lay next to him, my head on his shoulder. "I'm sure everything will work out, she can't keep your child from you."
All he did was nod slightly before placing a kiss on my forehead. I just hoped my words were true.
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Thirteen weeks and three days.
I looked down at my belly and smiled warmly as I remembered the strong heartbeat of my baby. Up until that very moment, I had refused to put a lot of thoughts on this pregnancy. But that moment, seeing my baby and hearing those very strong heartbeats, I just knew then; I knew this kid was there to stay. I knew I had nothing to worry about. I knew that for the first time since discovering I was pregnant, I could be happy and really celebrate what I didn't know I wanted this badly. A baby. My baby.
I washed my hands quickly before checking my face in the bathroom mirror while trying to work on my poker face. Mrs. Winslet and Billie were in the living room waiting on me to finally tell Mrs. Winslet what I had called them for.
I took a second more to just breathe before walking out of the guest bathroom. "I have something to show you." I walked over to them, standing right there behind the coffee table that was positioned in the middle of the living room. Billie was sitting next to Mrs. Winslet while she snacked on some peanuts, her feet resting on the table.
Both of them looked over at me as curiosity started to peak. I smiled.
"What?" Billie asked, perfecting the game. She was good at it, pretending she didn't know a thing.
I pulled my shirt up to reveal the sonogram pic I stuck on my belly.
My favorite was the expressions on their faces. It started with surprise, then, shock took turn on their faces as they realized what they were seeing.
"OMG! Is that_" Mrs. Winslet pointed at the picture with wide eyes.
"We are having a baby." I squeaked happily and passed the picture to Mrs. Winslet before Billie basically ran to me and pulled me into a big, tight hug, giggling her little heart out while the older lady stared at the picture in her hand, not quite believing just yet.
"Does Frederick know?"
"How far along are you?"
So many questions, so little words. I was absolutely buzzing. "Just a few days over thirteen weeks. I wanted to make sure I passed the first trimester before telling you guys, I didn't want you to be happy and then a couple of weeks later tragedy strikes." I explained to both of them so that they understood why I hid the truth from them.
"Aw sweetie, we totally understand." Billie pulled me in again for a hug. I burst out laughing, unable to contain it. I looked at Billie incredulously.
"Billie, you can stop acting now. I don't think Mrs. Winslet cares that you have known all this time."
"I knew you were pregnant." Mrs. Winslet spoke up which made Billie and I raise a questioning eyebrow at her. She nodded.
"Ladies, you don't live with someone and not notice things about that person." She answered. Then directed her eyes towards Billie who turned bright red. "Plus, Billie told me some time ago. You know she can't keep a secret to save her life.. I just waited for you to share the news when you were ready." She then smiled as she made an attempt to get up from the sofa.
I reached out to steady her. "How about we go celebrate." I told them as I started to look around to find my cellphone that I was sure I had thrown somewhere when I got back from the doctor's office.
I leaned over the sofa and started to dig around, only getting up when I had the phone in hand. "Ha. Found it." I laughed, then made my way I started to the door. "Come on guys, I'm starving." I called out to the women behind me who started laughing as they followed behind.
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"I'm totally craving Mexican food right now." I said as I stepped out of the elevator.
"Oh, so you mean to say you are over the little café you practically forced us to go to for two weeks straight?" Billie joked as she walked beside me. Turning my face to look at her, I started laughing as I saw her big smile.
"You loved it, don't pretend you didn't." I accused her as I kept walking, not paying attention to where I was stepping until I walked right into someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I kept laughing until my eyes met with blue ones.
Eyes that have hunted me for the past four years, day and night.
My oppressor.
The devil in the dark alley, waiting for his prey.
My smile fell off my face, my body suddenly paralyzed with fear. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, yet I was all too aware of his presence.
He was standing so close to me that I could hear him breathe. I could feel his breath on my skin.
"Gwendolyn," his smile made me feel like recoiling, only if I could move. But it seemed like my feet were glued to the floor and there was no possible escaping.
I was doomed.
"I've missed you, darling." His voice playful, yet intimading, scary.
Inhumane.
"It's him." It like choking on the words as they came out of my mouth, my eyes were blurry, yet I could still see him so clearly. That smile was forever ingrained in my brain. A single tear fell on my cheek as it traveled down my neck. He found me.
My rapist.
My brother.
He was back for me. Maybe to finish what he had started.
To take me back to the valleys of hell itself. My personal hell.
I was going to die.
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