Letting Go Of The Past, Holding On To The Future.
Part Nine.
The Aftermath
Rob carried on cradling Karen in his arms,"we better get going Rob, I need an early night. I don't feel too good" Karen lost the entire colour in her face, like her body had just been drained of all the life in it. Rob got Karen in the car and said the goodbyes and sent harry out to get in the car. Rob said goodbye jess and Aiden, and of course Baby Bella. They followed rob to the car, and said bye to Karen, Jess had calmed down a bit, but was still a struggle to keep the tears in. Karen was a bit spaced out to be honest the entire way home, Harry was completely saddened and Rob was desperately trying to look after the pair of them. He parked up and they all got out the car, "why don't you go see Ruth for a bit, take your mind off things" Rob said his hand on Harry's shoulder, "but what about mum", "I'll look after her, you just go cheer yourself up. Don't worry about being back to late just make sure you text me when your there "Karen looked over almost proudly though she felt she needed a lie down so didn't find much energy to smile."I know you'll look after her, you always will. Just hate seeing her so shaken up", "I promise you she'll be fine. Hard as nails your mum". Harry headed over to Ruth's and Rob headed over to his gorgeous fiancé,Who was dozing on the passenger seat, rob rested his hand on Karen's knee, the 5 minute journey felt like forever, when they got home, he moved her fringe off of her face, "Karen, wakey wakey, Karennnn"Rob was getting quite worried, then Karen's eyes opened and he breathed a sigh of relief,"we home already" Karen yawned. "Yes love, come on, ill run you a nice warm bath then you can go lie down for a bit "Karen felt so lucky to have a fiancé as caring and as kind as rob, he would do anything for her, and she knew it."Thanks Rob, your too good to me you know that", "I just care about you Karen", she smiled before his lips me hers and they headed into the house. Rob ran the bath whilst Karen sorted herself out he then went onto making a cup of coffee each taking them upstairs for when Karen came out. He managed to skilfully open the door with his hip to find Karen had flaked out on the bed completely exhausted emotionally and physically, he put the mugs down before pulling the duvet over her tired body and kissing her forehead. He found himself drinking his coffee and watching her sleep, there was something so mesmerising about the way she slept. Karen looked just as beautiful as when she was awake, rob put his cup down and led next to Karen and put his hand on hers. He whispered into Karen's ear, "I love you Karen, I always will, my beautiful fiancé" Karen's eyes opened, rob felt quite guilty about waking up his exhausted, heavily pregnant fiancé, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," rob said hugging her, "it fine love" Karen smiled. "Your baths ready if you are sweetheart" Rob helped Karen get up off the bed, undressed and into the bath, "ill go and make you a coffee whilst you have a bath darling," Karen was finally managing to relax in the bath, her hand finding her very rounded stomach, she couldn't believe she was going through this all again. She was so happy but she had never in a million years pictured herself in this situation it was so surreal. Rob gave her a coffee and they spent most the evening talking before retreating into bed in one another's arms, Karen had big plans for the morning, a surprise to prep for Rob while he was working. She was now on maternity leave the effects of the pregnancy taking its toll forcing her to leave earlier than planned. Karen was finding it hard to sleep, the fact she was with rob, her reality was finally better than her dreams, but the fact she was next to him and his arm around her made her drift off into deep thoughts about the future, she could barely wait. Karen was woke up that morning by the sound of the door opening of Harry just arriving in from Ruth's, Karen went downstairs, "when we said don't worry about coming home too late, we didn't mean the day after," Karen joked. "Sorry mum, I stayed at Ruth's last night, were going out today," harry left. Karen stood the overwhelmed. All her children were grown up; there will be such a big difference in age. Karen knew that this was going to be different; after all, she was with Rob now. Karen had never felt this way about someone, Charlie was nice sometimes, but he never stuck up for his wife. Rob would do anything to help her. Rob had already left to go to work it was 10:30, he left at 8am. Karen got herself a bottle of water, her secret stash of chocolates from under the TV stand and went upstairs to get all of the stuff for the baby's nursery out, she pulled it all out of the wardrobe, Karen was a very organised person, she had already put the Pole up for the curtains, and the nails in the walls for the pictures, without rob noticing a thing. Karen got the step ladders out and started hanging pictures of 'A' 'B' 'C' '1' '2' '3' on the wall, Karen went all light headed, her vision went all blurry, the next thing she knew, she was on the floor alone with a great big cut on her head and cramps in her stomach. The worst part was, rob wasn't there to comfort her this time...
She felt empty, she was hurting, with pain if falling and that her fiancé wasn't there to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be alright, she looked for her phone, it was on the bed, every little movement caused a sharp pain in her stomach, she lifted her arm up and tried to pick the phone up off of the bed, which proved difficult when you can't see where your hand is going. She got the phone and searched for robs number, "you are through to O2 mob-" Karen cut off, she let out a cry. She couldn't believe this was happening, she kept trying to call but the one voice she didn't want to hear kept re-occurring. She had called rob 27 times, he surely must of seen it by now, Karen tried once more, it was ringing,"Karen what's up love? You've called me 27 times I was getting worried are you okay?" All rob could hear from down the phone was crying and snatching breaths, "I'm on my way home, I'll be 5 minutes. Stay strong for me sweetheart, love you" robs eyes glistened with the tears making a man-made waterfall in his eyes. He had never drove quite so fast, he shot out of the car and nearly took the front door off its hinges when he came bursting in, he ran upstairs to find Karen led on the floor unconscious with a cut flowing with blood on her head. "Karen...oh my god" Rob fell to his knees beside Karen holding her head in attempt to stop the bleeding, Rob began to ring for an ambulance as Karen opened her eyes, he finished the call just as she began to speak "Rob!" "It's okay sweetheart I'm here", "the baby", Karen was scared, scared didn't even cover it she was petrified she knew how much the baby meant to him and her, she couldn't lose it not now! Rob went to open the door, the ambulance had arrived! Rob carried rob down the stairs and outside, and led her on the stretcher waiting for her,"what on earth were you doing climbing ladders in your condition Karen!" Rob was panicking,"I was trying to get the nursery ready to surprise you," Karen said drowsily."Oh Karen" he was distraught but touched, Karen only ever did things for other people but now it had ended badly. Rob got in the ambulance with her. He held her hand the whole way. "I'm scared Rob", "I'm here, I'm here Karen". A tear rolled down her cheek rob held his back as much as he could but it didn't help, he broke down turning his face away from Karen which just made her feel like he was angry with her. "You're angry aren't you?" Karen's words were teary, "no, I just worry about you and our baby. You should never have been on the ladder in the first place", he held her hand tighter in hope to reassure her. "I know ... I'm sorry Rob." "Karen, you could be seriously hurt, you shouldn't do anything like that, especially when everyone is out" rob was absolutely mortified. He couldn't believe she was doing something to make him happy and ended so badly. "I'm sorry rob, please don't be mad. I need you here with me" Karen was struggling to keep her eyes open. "Karen I'm not going anywhere, ever"
