Gracia Hughes was awoken in the middle of the night by the phone ringing. She put a robe on and tied it around her before patting down the stairs.
When she reached her phone that was hanging in the kitchen she picked it up and whispered sleepily, "Hughes residence, may I ask who's calling?"
"Gracia…it's Roy.." She heard. She smiled to herself.
"Oh what a pleasant surprise." She said instantly perking up. She never got to speak to Roy since he was always at work. "Maes isn't here right now, you should know that."
"It's about him…" Roy trailed off.
"Is something wrong, Roy?" She asked. She heard the sound of Roy's throat clearing on the other end, and it sounded as if he were trying to stop tears.
"Something happened.." Roy said.
"What happened? Is Maes alright?" She was panicking. She heard Elysia from her bedroom ask, "Mama?" in a quiet voice.
"I'll be in there in just a moment, sweetheart." Gracia said before going back to listen to what Roy was saying.
"He was murdered. I'm…so sorry, Gracia. He was trying to call me, if I hadn't gotten on that damn train-"
"Roy. It isn't your fault. I…I have to go." Gracia interrupted before hanging up suddenly. She felt tears go down her face, and she sobbed.
She put a hand on her abdomen and thought of the early pregnancy test result she had received the following morning.
She was planning on telling Hughes. Before he was murdered. She walked to Elysia's room and hugged her daughter. She couldn't believe what was happening.
"I'm sorry, sweetie." Gracia said. She tucked Elysia in before walking back up the stairs and standing at the top.
All of the sudden, Gracia fell. On purpose.
She didn't want the baby that Maes didn't know about. She cried when she hit the bottom. She didn't know if the baby was dead, but she was regretting what she just did.
"Mama!" Elysia yelled as she ran down the stairs. Elysia-had been taught what to do in emergencies by her daddy-ran to the kitchen, grabbed a chair, and called 911.
The next day Gracia got out of the hospital, and was told that her child was dead. Gracia felt like a murderer. Just like the person who killed her husband.
She rocked her daughter to sleep last night feeling horrible. Maes would be ashamed of her if he could see her.
But for now, she would just have to keep moving forward.
It's amazing how I didn't feel bad at all writing this...well, I guess I'm just a mean, numb, person. Well, it's three in the morning and i'm going to bed!