She had just shut down the last computer when she heard, felt rather, him enter the room.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Her body tensed; with more control than she felt she turned.
“I- I am leaving.” She stuttered. Just the sight of him took her breath away. What could she possibly say to him?
“Why are you leaving?” He asked. “Is it because of our one night? If it is yo- you don’t have to go.”
"I am leaving.” She said again and tried to push past him to the door. He seized her by the shoulders. His strong fingers digging into her skin. “Not until you tell me why!” He demanded shaking her.
I’m pregnant!” She blurted out. The tears now ran down her cheeks, smearing her make up. He froze, a look of total shock coming over his face.
“Es tus bebe” she said quietly. Although she had said it in Spanish, she knew he understood. His grip on her shoulders loosened. She took that opportunity to twist out of his grasp and run for the door. She turned back for one moment and whispered “Goodbye, Jeremy.” Before she yanked the door open and ran.
***
Three months later she splashed her face with cold water trying to revive her senses. She’d been up most of the night retching. The morning sickness seemed to be turning into all day sickness. The boat ride to Santa Catalina Island had been the worst. If she had to go through that every time, she’d never leave the island again.
She patted her face dry with a towel and looked in the mirror. She was pale. The normal olive tone of her Hispanic heritage had a sick pallor to it. There were dark circles under her eyes. She wasn’t used to seeing herself like this. She gave herself a wan smile and exited the bathroom.
“It’s okay bebe,” She said. Her Spanish accent thickening from being on the Island. “We’ll take a siesta later after a few hours of work” she said, rubbing her tummy.
She had managed to find a job working on the internet from home. Which suited her just fine considering how bad her morning sickness was.
She went into the kitchen and made herself some herbal tea. Then headed to the spare bedroom she had converted to an at home office. This room had been her little brother’s when they were growing up. She had left the walls its original nautical blue, and accented in white and yellows. She had placed the heirloom desk directly in front of the window so she could look up and pretend she was outdoors.
Being in nature had always comforted her, and now a days she needed as much calm as she could get. She had many thought about whether or not she had made the right choice or not. Leaving had been hard, and she thought of Jeremy often. There had been many nights she’d cried herself to sleep wondering if thing would have been different. She had just logged into her computer when someone rang the doorbell.
“Un Momento, por favor.” She called out as she got up and began walking down the hall to the front door. She opened the door and there he stood: Tall, dark, and heartbroken.
“Jeremy!” She whispered her mouth agape in surprise.
“May I come in?” he asked quietly. He looked as if he’d shatter into a million pieces if he spoke any louder.
“Yes, of coarse.” She silently praised herself for remembering common courtesy. “Please have a seat.”
He sat in the recliner nearest the door. She took a seat across from him and mentally steeled herself, if this time was anything like the last encounter she may have to resort to violence.
How have you been?” He asked, still speaking quietly, his southern accent showing through.
“Good.” She answered.
“You look pale.”
“Jeremy,” she said, she didn’t want to anger him. “Why are you here?”
“I –I need to know why you ran away?” When she didn’t immediately answer he plowed on. “I mean, am I really that bad? I know I’m not the type you usually go for, but you ran away, and wasn’t even going to tell me about our baby-“
“Because this is not the life you wanted!” She interrupted. “I know what I was to you and I was okay with that. I understand you don’t want to commit to a family.” She paused “I didn’t want to be a burden so I thought it best I leave and set you free.” She whispered the last part.
He sat in an anguished silence, she could tell he was planning his words carefully, trying not to lose his temper. When he spoke, it was in a soft, controlled voice. His words shocked her.
“You’re wrong.” He took a deep breath and continued. “All I’ve ever wanted was a family. It’s everyone else who thinks all I want is a one night stand.” He said. “Now I get the chance to have a family and she runs away from me.”
Jeremy, I-“she started but he held up a hand.
‘I’m not asking for you to marry me, I’m just asking to be a part of my- of our- child’s life. I just want a family; please don’t take that away from me.” He pleaded with her.
Now that it was her turn to speak, she couldn’t form words. A family? He wants a family?
“Are you sure? I mean, what about your job? What about your family back home?”
“Are you saying that you don’t want me here?” He asked, looking like a wounded puppy.
“No. No, of coarse I want you here, I just I-“she paused and took a calming breath.
You’re not good at this are you?” He asked a small laugh escaping his throat.
“No, I’m not. Let me try again.” She took another breath. “Yes, I want you to be a part of our baby’s life. I am just concerned on whether you want to be so far away from the life you are used to.” She said.
He stood up from his chair then took her hands and gently lifted her to her feet. He looked her in the eye. ‘My life is wherever you are.” He said and then pulled her into his arms.
She hadn’t realized she was on the verge of crying until the tears spilled over. She pressed her face into his chest as she sobbed tears of relief. She couldn’t tell him right now everything she felt, but maybe one day.
“Gracias Jeremy, Gracias.” She whispered into his shirt.
A Woman’s Story
Jon had been drinking again. She hadn't realized it until it was too late. When she had come home he was in his usual spot in front of the television. This has annoyed her, and the fact that the apartment was filthy had done so even more. She was working two jobs so he could sit at home, couldn't he at least clean?
As soon as she was in the door he was asking about food. She hadn't gotten close enough to smell the alcohol, maybe if she had she would have been more careful. The argument had started about how much noise she was making in the kitchen, and how it was interrupting the game that was on.
"It wouldn't be happening if you'd cook your damn self!" She yelled. She had her back to the kitchen door, and didn't realize he was behind her until she felt a hand grab her hair. He jerked her sideways so fast she didn't have time to scream. She heard a sickening crack as her skull made contact with the door frame to the laundry room. She crumpled to the floor as the searing pain spread through her head. She was dizzy and was barely able to register what had just happened. He was a mean drunk, but had never been this violent. Mostly all he did was yell curses and degrading words at her. How drunk was he?
She struggled to get up. She pulled herself up into a sitting position, the vertigo nearly knocking her back to the floor. Slowly, she pulled herself back up until she was standing. How long had that taken? A few minutes? Hours? She braced herself against the laundry room door. When the room stopped spinning she took a step, stumbled, and caught herself. She leaned against the wall for support, it seemed like hours had passed, but maybe it was only minutes; He hadn't come back to check on her.
Could she leave? Just run out the door? She had left her purse on the dining room table. She could grab it on the way out, but how far would she get before he caught her? What would he do then? Beat her? Kill her? He could do any number of things if she stay
ed. She decided to try to leave. The dizziness had passed, but not her head throbbed with pain; she could ignore pain though, she had been doing so for years now. She took a deep breath and stepped away from the wall. She held her balance and the vertigo stayed at bay. She wanted to run, but knew she had to walk so it would not rouse his suspicion. She grabbed her purse and walked into the living room. He was sitting in front of the game like nothing had just happened.
"Where are you going?" He asked when he noticed her.
"I have to run out to the store real fast, I forgot to get green beans to go with dinner." She lied. Why she had lied was beyond her, as if her intuition knew not to start another fight. Did he know that she was lying?
"Let me get my wallet and I'll go with you."
"Oh you don't have to, dear, I will only be a minute." She knew in that moment that he knew she was lying.
"Nonsense, it's getting dangerous out there with that disease going around."
She wasn't really concerned with a disease. She just wanted to leave this apartment and him behind. She could handle clumsy, disease ridden, flesh eating people. All she had to do was lay low until she got somewhere safe. She didn't know where that was yet, but she would find somewhere.
She watched as he went to the bedroom. Now was her chance, but could she make it? Her head was still pounding and she was still dizzy. She pushed the pain aside and bolted toward the door.
"What the-” She heard him yell, but she kept running. She ran down the hall and took a sharp right toward the stairwell, she knew that the elevator doors would be too slow. An unsuspecting Joe was standing in between her and her escape route, but she didn't slow down. He had probably just gotten off work and was walking to his apartment. Now he stood staring at her. She dropped down and slid between the man's legs. She jumped up and continued to the stairwell door without looking back. She didn't have to; she knew he was still chasing her. She threw open the door to the stairs and launched herself inside. She descended the stairs two at a time. If she could just get out to the street. He slammed in behind her. She had a good lead on him, but would it be enough? If she could make it outside she could lose him in a crowd or maybe down an alley.
She heard him stumble and roll down to the next landing as she reached the last flight of stairs. She was breathing heavy now, but adrenaline had kicked and she knew she couldn't stop to rest. He was back up again, she could hear him cursing her. He was drunk and sluggish, but alcohol inhibits your ability to feel pain. She jumped the last three steps and hit the door to the lobby with her shoulder. She heard yelps of surprise as people jumped out of her way; she kept running. She ran out the door and took a left to run uphill. This would slow him down, but not enough to lose him. There wasn't enough people on the street for that tonight. People were staying in more since the epidemic started. Right now she didn't give a damn about an epidemic. She turned down an alleyway and realized she made a mistake. It was a dead end. She was sure he had seen her come this way. She has been certain this alley had led to the next street over.
She ducked down behind a dumpster and tried to control her breathing as he stepped into the alley. Now she was trapped. He wasn't speaking, but she could hear his labored breathing. Maybe, just maybe, if she stayed quiet enough he would walk past her and she could run back into the street. The closer he got, the more afraid she became. What if he saw her and she couldn't escape? Would someone come to her aid if she screamed? She held her breath and tried to blend into the shadows as he walked past her hiding spot.
The next thing she knew, he had her by the hair and hauled her into a standing position. She screamed in pain.
"Shut up!" He yelled and tossed her further down the alley.
She landed on bags of trash and flipped backwards. She scrambled backwards trying to put distance between them. He was furious. At six feet two inches, he towered over her five feet one frame, but now with her on the ground he looked like a giant.
Suddenly, someone fell on top of him. She stared as he struggled with this unknown person. This person wasn't very big in comparison to him, but it was obviously stronger. She couldn't even tell if the assailant was a man or woman. She didn't know where it had come from, it was as if it had jumped off the roof. To her horror it bared its teeth and with an inhuman hiss sank its teeth into his cheek. She watched frozen as it ripped a chunk of his flesh from his face. He dropped to the ground, covering the hole in his face with his hand. The thing bit into the soft skin of his neck, ripping out another hunk of meat. Blood poured out of his neck over his white shirt as he fell to the ground. The thing didn't stop, it pulled his ear off and started to chew on it. She backed up some more and her hand landed on something cold and metal. An iron rod. It would come after her next if she didn't run. She grabbed the rod and jumped up. She hit the creature in the head. She had to get it off him. There still may be a chance for him. The first strike didn't do much to the thing, so she swung back and tried again putting as much force as she could behind it. She struck side of its skull so hard that it decapitated the creature. It's severed head smashing against the wall of the alley.
Then she realized what the thing was. The epidemic! Jon had been attacked by someone with the sickness! He would become one of them soon. She had to run. Had to get away before he woke back up. She ran out of the alley and didn't stop until she was back in her apartment. She bolted the door and then wedged a dining room chair under the doorknob. Then she sat on the couch and cried herself to sleep.
# # #
Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer?
Thanks,
Angela Prince
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