Catrina
“WE’RE HAVING A GODDAMNED BABY together!” Elliot shouts as I pull article after article of clothing off their hangers and shove them into my suitcase while Helen quietly handles my drawers. She knows better than to say a damn word. Her look earlier made her opinion known and I made mine known as well. I. Don’t. Care.
“You’re a heartless asshole and I don’t love you. I never loved you!” I zip my suitcase closed and drop it to the ground, popping the handle up. “Helen, grab this one as well.” I leave the suitcase behind and scamper down the stairs, ignoring the growing pain in my back.
“And you love that peasant? He’s married to my sister!” he shouts after me. “And in case you haven’t been paying attention, she’s been begging to come home for nearly a year!”
“I don’t care.” I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and gulp it down, trying to tamper down the dizziness I’m feeling.
Elliot steps directly in front of me, this time being smart and not touching me. “I’ve given you everything, Catrina. Everything. You want to leave? Fine. But wait until after you have our baby.”
“So you can try to keep it from me?” I hiss. “Not a chance.” My palms come down onto the kitchen island and my head drops as I try to take a calming breath. My eyes close and I wish away the now searing pain that’s radiating through my body. I just need Heath. Once he’s here and takes me away from this place, everything will be okay. I hear the sound of a door slamming shut and I lift my head, the room spinning. My body sways slightly and I will it to stop. Then I stumble to the foyer, stopping just in front of him.
My Heath.
My love.
All mine.
He’s going to take the pain away.
Make everything better.
His presence comes in like the growing storm outside. Fierce, impenetrable, harsh. And I love it. I want to get swept up in him. To lose myself along with him and never return. When his intense gaze bores into me, I nearly collapse. The relief is almost too much to bear.
“Take me away from here now!” I beg, throwing my arms around him. My oversized bump prevents us from getting as close as I crave. His wet hand grips my chin and tilts my face up to meet his hardened eyes. His cheeks are wet from the rain and he’s visibly shivering because he’s completely soaked. I run my palms up and down his drenched jacket and realize water has pooled at his feet on the floor.
“My love, you need to calm down. The weather is horrendous outside. I was forced to come by horse because the roads are flooded.” The lights flicker and my gaze shoots up to the crystal chandelier above us. “We’ll never make it out of the drive.”
“No,” I cry. “We have to leave now.” My head falls to Heath’s chest as angry tears stream down my face.
“You will not be going anywhere,” Elliot demands, making his presence known. I feel Heath’s hands, which are now holding me, tighten before he releases me from his hold and moves toward Elliot.
“The lady has made her choice, now I suggest you accept it and run back into whatever cave you’ve crawled out of. You are not wanted nor needed.” Heath’s tone is calm and devoid of all emotion. He steps even closer to Elliot, his voice now merely a whisper. “I would hate to have to take everything from you the same way I did from Hunter.” He chuckles darkly. “Oh, who am I kidding? I would love to. Just give me a reason.”
Elliot’s eyes widen in shock, his face turning beet red. “Get out of my house now!” His voice is trembling, his eyes refusing to meet mine.
“Gladly, as soon as this storm passes.” I can’t see Heath’s face with his back to me, but I can hear the grin in his words. “Helen, why don’t you make yourself useful and put on a pot of coffee for me…for old times’ sake?” The lights flicker again. “It’s going to be a helluva storm. I hope you’ve checked your generator and supplies,” he says to Elliot, who is visibly shaking in anger.
Then he turns his attention to me. “C’mon, love. Let’s find a cozy corner in this place so we can discuss where we’ll travel first. You mentioned Canada. But I know you’ve always wanted to go to Paris. I’m thinking we can do one better and experience all of Europe.”
“She’s not going anywhere!” Elliot hisses, but Heath ignores him. Wrapping his arm around my waist, Heath guides us into the sitting room. Just as we’re sitting down, the pain in my back becomes so unbearable I let out a cry.
“Catrina, what’s the matter?” Heath edges closer to me, his arms wrapping around my back and waist, the rain from his jacket soaking through my clothes. His hand covers a small portion of my belly.
I try to speak but the pain increases and I’m left feeling breathless. My eyes close and I groan in agony. “My-my back,” I choke out.
“Oh shit,” I hear Elliot whisper. My eyes shoot open and follow his gaze down my body to see what he’s looking at.
“What is it?” I ask, not understanding why his face has turned pale. When Elliot doesn’t answer, but instead stays standing in front of me, frozen in place, I lose my patience with him. “What’s wrong?” I demand. “Fucking tell me!”
But before Elliot can answer, Heath yells, “Catrina! You’re bleeding. Helen! Get in here now.”
I look down over my large belly and see Heath is right. Blood is trickling down my thighs. My stomach tightens, and I double over in pain.
“Heath, something’s wrong,” I whimper, my hands wrapping around my stomach. “My baby.”
“It’s okay, my love. Breathe for me.” Heath lifts my legs onto the couch and I lie back against the pillows. The pain increases by the minute.
“What should we do?” Elliot asks worriedly.
“How about you make yourself useful and go get some goddamned towels!” Heath barks, and Elliot scurries away down the hall.
“It hurts,” I sob. “I need to go to the doctor.”
“I called for an ambulance,” Helen announces, “but the entire town is flooded. The roads aren’t safe. They said it could be hours before they can even attempt it.” My stomach tightens again, and I scream out in distress from the blinding pain.
“There’s no time,” I hiss. “I think the baby is coming now.” The pain hits again in full force and this time I feel a pressure in my groin that has me needing to pee.
“Her water broke!” Helen says. Her voice is shaky, but my lids are too heavy to look at her. I’m tired and the pain is too much, too all-consuming. I feel an ice-cold hand come across my forehead. Oh, it feels so good. I didn’t realize how hot I am.
“Heath,” I mutter. “I’m not feeling too well.” My heart is pounding against my chest.
“Shh, it’s okay, my love. Everything is going to be okay.”
“We have to get this baby out of her,” Helen cries. I can feel hands between my legs, but I can’t pry my eyes open. I’m just so tired.
“Catrina, you have to push, dear,” I hear Helen say, but I’m too exhausted.
“Heath, I’m…tired.”
“Push,” he growls.
I try so hard until I black out. When I’m shaken back awake, I can hear Helen sobbing about all the blood. But they can see the head. They can see the baby’s head.
“Come on,” Heath urges. “Almost there.”
I notice Elliot standing in the corner watching. Fear shining in his features. This is nothing new, though. He’s always worried about something. But then I look over at Heath and see the concern around his eyes. The frown marring his beautiful lips. Heath is never scared. He fears nothing, no one. But right now, I can see it. He’s frightened and that has me scared.
I put every ounce of energy I have left into pushing. This time, I don’t black out, but I feel as though my soul is leaking from my body. I don’t know how to pull it back in. At least it’s in his hands. He’s always taken care of every part of me.
“No! Catrina, stay the fuck awake!” This time it’s Heath speaking or maybe he’s yelling. He sounds so far away. “You need to meet your baby girl, goddammit!”
My baby. A sweet baby girl. I have a little girl…
“Open your eyes and stay with me. Please, love,” Heath begs, but I can’t. My eyes won’t open. My chest is heavy, but the pain is finally gone. “I love you.”
And it’s the last words I hear before the blackness takes over my body and I succumb to the darkness.
I love you too.