by R.A Cullison
Chapter 16
Rough
Matt’s first couple of months home was great, he hated the crutches. He said they hurt his arm pits. But he used them to get around. We havent made love in a month and I could tell Matt was wanting to. He would make little naughty comments about my butt or what I was wearing.
“Nora?” Matt said my name. I was cooking dinner, a real dinner no fast food or gas station stuff. I was making meat loaf and mash potatoes and the fixings.
“Matt, please, I am busy.” I started to make the plates. We sat at the table and ate. It was nice to be able to have a romantic dinner with him.
After Matt got his cast off, that night, there was a loud knock on the door. I got up to see who it was. I looked out the peephole. It was Ken, “He is asleep, Ken.”
“I want to talk to you.” he sounded normal. Before I could open the door all the way he bursted through it. He grabbed my throat and pushed me against the wall.
“If your not in the picture, then my baby brother will come with me.” I started choking.
“Let me go!” he squeezed harder, I started to blackout. “Matt!” I yelled, I got a good one out. Next thing I knew Matt pummeled Ken.
Ken’s body flew into the wall on the other side of the room.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Matt was pissed, he reminded me of his old werewolf self.
“She is poison to you, she needs to die.” I was on the floor holding my throat. Matt seen me and was more pissed.
“After everything she done for you and your wife you will treat her like this.” he stood protective over top of me.
“She….” before she finished, Matt punched him, and he was out. Matt called the police and Ken was arrested, then we found out he had a warrants for his arrest in Texas for murder and armed robbery.
Matt got more protective over me then before. I had bruises on my neck for weeks.
I was feeling really sick to my stomach, not the flu or food poisoning kind of sickness this was different.
Matt went off to work at the docks. I drove to the drug store for a pregnancy test, I didn’t want to admit that it was possible. I bought two, I wanted to make sure.
I took them both at the same time, the first one took almost 10 minutes. I dipped the second and it changed right in front of me, I started to cry. I sat it down and stared at it. I wasn’t going to get to upset until the second one was done and it was digital. I went out to grab my cell phone, just in case I would send a copy to Matt.
It took forever, so it seemed. I went into the bathroom and there it was big bold letters PREGNANT. I sat on the edge of the bath tub with my head in my hands. I took picture of the tests and sent it to Matt with the text Hi Daddy. I knew he would be on his way home once he got it.
I was watching tv when Matt came in. I looked at him and he had the biggest smile on his face I had ever seen.
“Daddy, huh?” he sat his lunch box down along with his jacket.
“Like that huh?” I stood up and we hugged.
“Both test?” I shook my head, “We should get you into the doctor.” we sat down together.
“Way ahead of you, I have an appointment at 3 today.” I looked up at him, “I want you to come with me.” he smiled.
“Of course, I will be holding your hand, but first I got to get a shower I smell like fish.” he got up and disappeared into the bathroom.
I got dressed, I was scared. I found myself touching my stomach a lot.
We got to the doctors office, I was called back right away.
The nurse took us back to the ultra sound room, “Ultra sound? Isn’t that alittle early?” Matt asked
“Since we don’t know exactly how far along she is, the doctor wants me estimate on it.” she helped me lay down, “and you had a pretty rough couple of months.”
“Ok, so this is tell us exactly if I am and how far along I am?” I asked.
“Yes.” she pulled up my shirt and pulled down my waist band and put a paper towel under the waist band of my pants, “This is going to be alittle warm.” she squirted some gel on my stomach. She began the ultra sound. “See that?” she pointed to a tiny little fluttering. “That’s the baby, see that fluttering, that’s the heart.” I started to cry. Matt stared
“How far along is she?” Matt asked.
“9 weeks, almost 10, and it looks perfect.” she took some measuring and gave us a picture.
After the last few months I been through I was thrilled to see that it was doing good.
We got the mommy packet and my vitamins, I was pregnant. The thought didn’t seem to catch, it felt like a dream, to Matt felt like he was in heaven. We didn’t tell anyone about the baby, yet. We were going to wait.
Matt and I were excited about the baby. We talked about it a lot, I couldn’t believe that I was going to have a baby. Matt was getting what he wanted, a child.
I went to the doctor twice, both times things were good. Morning sickness was bad for me. I couldn’t wait for that to be over. I couldn’t eat or move more than 10 feet from the bathroom, which meant work would be interesting.
Finally the weekend, Matt could stay home with me, I didn’t like being alone when I was sick. I found myself sleep the whole time he was gone. I knew he had to work but it was terrible for me.
Friday Night, sitting home with Matt I decided to call Nikki and tell her about the baby. I got up from next to Matt on the couch.
“Where you going?” he asked, while shoving a chip in his mouth.
“I’m going to call Nikki and tell her.” I said sweetly, still feeling the effects of the morning sickness. I went into the kitchen and got my cell off the charger. I pulled up Nikki’s number and pressed send.
5th ring. “Hello?” she answered out of breath.
“Hey Nikki!” I said excitedly.
“Hey Nora! Whats up?” she giggled alittle.
“Well…. I.. am.. Pregnant” I said it slowly.
“For real? Wow! Congrats to you and Matt… Matt is the father right?” she asked teasingly.
“Of course.” I could hear her tell Kyle.
She began to go on about throwing a baby shower and a bunch of other stuff.
“Whoa! I’m not 3 months yet, so we have to take things slowly. Ok?” I interrupted her. She agreed and we said our good byes and got off the phone.
Saturday, I was on the couch watching tv with Matt. He was sitting back relaxing, he has been working double shifts, so he need the break. I felt a tiny cramp, nothing to big, it was like I needed to go to the bathroom. I got up calmly and went into the bathroom. I pulled down my panties and there was blood, still nothing too scary. I wiped and there was a lot of blood, I screamed for Matt he came running.
“What?!” he looked startled, he seen the blood.
“Something’s wrong.” I was crying, I knew what was going on, he helped me to the car. The cramps were getting worse, they got so bad I started to cry. I was beginning to bleed so heavy it was soaking my pants.
We pulled into the ER, Matt ran and got a wheelchair. I stood up and felt a gush, there was a puddle of blood around my feet.
“Oh my God!” Matt sounded scared, he wheeled in. They took one look at me and took me back right away. I got up on the table they hooked me up to a fetal heart machine, there was no sound, it was heart breaking. A nurse started an iv and began pulling my pants off.
“What’s going on here?” a doctor asked while running in.
“Miscarriage.” a nurse said. That word pierced me deep right in my heart. I started to cry more, I just laid there quiet, watching the nurses move around me. The doctor did an ultra sound.
“Looks like a second trimester miscarriage.” he put my legs up in stir- ups.
I was in shock, I could feel them pushing on my stomach and I felt something come out of me, something hard. I watched them place it in a metal bowl and cover it with a blue pad. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
The doctor s
tood up, “Ms. Treeman, We are so sorry for your loss, but it looks like all of the fetus was expelled.” I stayed quiet and cried. One of the nursed cleaned all the blood off me.
They put me in room, I waited for Matt. He walked in and all it took was for him to see my face.
“Oh, hon, I am so sorry.” I wrapped my arms around him.
“I cant believe this, is happening.” I pulled back from him, “did I do something wrong?” Matt just stood there shaking his head.
“Don’t do that to yourself, this isn’t your fault.” he smoothed my hair.
“I had to do something wrong.” I started to cry more.
A nurse came in with my release papers.
“Ms. Treeman, the doctor said check with your ob/gyn. After your next normal period or if you develop a fever over 101.” she handed me some papers and I signed my release forms.
We finally got home, it felt good to be there. I walked into the kitchen and there was the ultra sound on the fridge. I stood there staring at it.
Matt placed his hand over it, “Don’t do this to yourself.” I looked up at him, he pulled me into his chest, “Lets go to bed.” we went to bed. I fell right to sleep.
I heard my name, it sounded like it was far away. I opened my eyes and looked around, I was in my bedroom. I heard my name again, this time it was coming from outside my bedroom door. “Corbin?” I called to the voice.
“Nora.” the voice called again. I got out of bed and I walked to the door. I slowly placed my hand on the door knob, trying to steady my heart. I knew the voice from the other side, it was Corbin. I turned and looked over at Matt sleeping soundly in the bed. I opened the door.
There was a bright light coming from the other end of the hall, I squinted to see through it. There was figure appearing in front of it. I gasped, it was Corbin, looking so perfect. I started to walk towards him but stopped myself and looked back at Matt.
“Corbin, I cant leave him, I love him” I started to back up.
“It alright Nora, I’m not asking you to leave him, I am asking for you not to forget me.” he stepped closer, “Your Grandma is here with us.”
“Us?” I asked, I was confused.
“Me and your son.” he smiled, “ We will take good care of him, please don’t worry, you will have more children. We love you more than you know.” Then there was a loud growl, Corbin turned and looked toward the sound. This massive black creature leaped on him and was beginning to tear him apart. I heard ripping and tearing, the creature stood up turned towards me, with blood dripping from its mouth smiled at me. I scream, I felt being shaked.
I darted straight up in the bed. “Shhhhh baby its ok.” it was Matt next to me. I placed my head in my hands and began to ball. He wrapped his arms around me. “Shhhh, its ok?” we laid back down, Matt’s arms around me. I felt myself shaking through him.
“it was only a dream.” I dozed off again.
I got up to an empty bed, I looked around for Matt.
“Matt!” I yelled.
He came in from the living room, “I’m here babe. I didn’t leave you.” I got up
“Good, I need to be by you right now.” I hugged him.
I went into the bathroom to take a shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. “Whats wrong with me?” I asked myself, “this isn’t like me, I am stronger than this.” I jumped in the shower and let the water run down my body. I put some body wash on my luffa and washed myself up. I still had alittle blood on my legs, I chose to ignore it. I dressed and went out to the living room where Matt was watching tv.
“Hey babe, how do you feel?” he reached for me.
“Ah better, alittle sore.” he frowned, “It kinda feels like a bad dream you know.” I kissed Matt, “ I love you Matt, you know that right?”
He smiled, “I know, and I love you too, more than you know.” he stroked my cheek.
The phone rang, I got up to get it. “Hello?” I answered it.
“Nora? Hey” it was Nikki, “ I wanted to come by, I have some stuff for the baby.” I began to cry. “Nora, whats wrong?” I handed the phone to Matt.
“Hello?….Nikki…… We lost the baby last night… I know, its ok…. I will.. Thanks.. Bye” he hung up the phone. I was at the other end of the couch. I didn’t realize how heartbroken I really was over everything.
“I’m losing my mind.” I whispered.
“No your not, all you been through the last year or so, I wouldn’t blame you for being alittle out of it. But it will pass, whats that saying, This to shall pass?” I looked up at him, “What? So I’m not a philosopher, but you know what I mean.” I chuckled alittle
“Yes and your right, but I think I might need to see someone.” Matt handed me a tissue
“If you think that’s what you need.” he sat beside me.
“Yes, I really think I do.” I laid my head on his arm.
Several weeks later, I went to the doctor and she gave me all clear, I didn’t need a D&C or anything like that. She also said I could try again if I wanted to. Matt and I decided to wait alittle bit, we refained from sex, we thought that what was best for now.
