Pyramid
Chapter 10
This should be a crime. Here I was dragging two kids through the store and 4 months pregnant. Nick was going to get an earful when I saw him later. He convinced me that it would be a good idea to have another baby. Well we were and I was exhausted and trying to get the last of the shopping done for Jessica's 1st Birthday. It was just a small family thing, but still I was planning it alone and that wasn't easy with a nearly one year old and a nearly 3 year old.
"Mama look!" I heard James' voice. He was standing on a display of Pepsi.
"James get down now! " I shouted. He simply giggled and continued to jump on the display of soda. I was going to pull my hair out. While he did that Jessica sat in the basket opening the pack of sprinkles I'd just put in the basket. "Jessica please stop and James DOWN NOW!"
I needed to get out of this store now. I quickly grabbed James and held his hand tightly as I used my other hand to navigate the shopping basket through the store. I was frustrated and very tired. I guess this was life with 2 and a half kids. I was going to be asking my mother-in-law for some advice, she managed to raise 7 kids and I was barely managing as it was with the two I'd given birth to already.
I was so grateful to get both kids and my groceries into the car and drive home. When we arrived at home I noticed the front door open. This would be ok if Nick's car had been in the driveway, but it wasn't. I then tried to think back to when I left, could I have left the door open? I knew my pregnancy brain had been getting bad, but it seriously couldn't be this bad. I turned off the car.
"Mama will be right back." I said as I got out of the car. I walked to the front door and looked inside. The house was trashed. Lamps were on the floor and knocked over and furniture pieces thrown. Paintings off of the walls, but everything important and expensive was in its place. I rushed back to the car and grabbed my cell calling Nick right away.
"Stokes." He answered.
"Hey it's me. I just got home from the store with the kids and our front door was open. Our living room is trashed, but all of the electronics are fine and there." I said trying to not sound panicked when I was.
"Ok I'm on the way. I'm going to call some uniforms to head by there. Are you and the kids okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine and they are fine just get here." I said.
It didn't take too long for officers to arrive, followed by Nick, and then followed by my dad. I sat in the yard with the kids. I tried to keep them occupied and blissfully unaware of what was going on. Nick came outside and sat with us. I could tell he was as confused as I was with the situation. Who would come in and trash our home? He put his hand on my swollen belly and rubbed it.
"Anything?" I asked.
"Nothing so far." He said simply.
"Baby in Mama's belly." James said as he also placed his hand on my belly. I smiled at my son. We only had a few weeks before we learned the sex of the baby. We were hoping for another girl.
"Today was not a good day for me to have dropped Sam off at the groomers." I said looking at Nick.
We then looked to see my dad walking towards us. He was on the phone as he made his way down. He seemed to end his call as he made it to where we were sitting.
"Grandpa!" James said happily.
"Hey James. Grandma Alice is coming to get you and your sister." My dad sad to James.
"Thanks dad." I said. "We're going to have to move the party."
"You can do it at our house." My dad said.
"If you don't mind." I said.
"No problem it's my granddaughter's first birthday." He said as he picked up Jessica who giggled.
"Papa!" she said happily as she pulled at my dad's beard.
"So I also got word that your old nanny has been out of the psychiatric facility for a couple weeks. Apparently staying with her parents. Sending some officers over just to check out if she has an alibi." My dad explained. I could only hope it wasn't Chloe. I needed need another psychopath trying to ruin our lives, we'd already been down that path and I was over it.
Nick and I worked to clean the house as best we could. When I grew exhausted I sat on the couch. I watched Nick was he finished the living room. He sat next to me on the couch and pulled me close to him. I didn't know what to think about the entire situation. Nick placed his hand on my belly and rubbed. I looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.
"Hey it's all going to be okay." He said trying to reassure me. I didn't want to go back to that place, that place of being afraid. It had been so long since I was in that place. I just couldn't go back. I refused to go back. "We will all stay at your dad's tonight. Jessica's party is tomorrow. We will figure it out."
"I'm just stressed." I said with a sigh.
"Don't stress about this." He said.
"It's not just this. It's the pregnancy; it's the kids, then the thought of having 3 kids. I'm alone most of the day with the kids. James is getting out of control and Jessica is on her way there. I don't know how I can survive when this baby arrives. I just feel like we've bit off more than we can chew." I explained to him. He placed a kiss on my lips. He knew that kissing me always instantly calmed me a little bit.
"We can survive. My mom raised 7 kids. I think we will live with just 3." He said. I sighed.
"I need you call your mom." I said.
"You know she is always there to talk." He said. I nodded. It was true.
Our sleep wasn't the most comfortable. We slept in my old bedroom at my dad's house and both kids decided they wanted to sleep with us. Our family of 4 with my pregnant belly all crowded into the bed together. I awoke with James' feet in my face. It wasn't comfortable, but it was perfect. I had my family alive and well all in one spot as a mother I couldn't ask for more. Once we got the kids and ourselves dressed I walked downstairs and helped Alice with the cooking. My brother, his wife, and two daughters were coming to the party along with Amanda, her husband Jake, and Kelli. Then there was Kyle, his wife, and son along with Naomi and her daughter. We were keeping the party relatively small because Jessica was only turning one. It was nice to be able to get everyone together for my little girl.
I then remembered something I left at our house. Nick and my dad were in the backyard standing over the barbeque. I didn't want to disturb them. I grabbed my purse and my keys and slipped out. I'd bought Jessica a special dress just for today and I really wanted her to wear it. I'd completely forgotten to pack it when we left the house. I pulled up to our house and unlocked the front door. I went to shut off the alarm system to find it was already off. I figured we must have forgotten. I went into Jessica's room and grabbed the dress. As soon as I went to leave I heard something. It was a noise coming from our bedroom. I then walked slowly down the hall. I pushed the door open. Standing in my room wearing one of Nick's shirts was Chloe.
"Oh shit." She then said. "Nick was supposed to meet me."
"No he wasn't Chloe." I said disgusted. I went to reach in my purse for my cell phone. "I'm calling the police." Suddenly she ran towards me. She pushed me against the wall grabbing at my wrist. My phone fell to the floor. She picked it up. She looked me in the eyes. The look in her eyes was of pure rage. I was instantly afraid.
"How dare you take him from me!" she screamed. "He loves me!"
"Chloe…" I tried to sound as calm as possible.
"Chloe nothing… look at you. You are having another one of his babies… I was supposed to have his baby. I am having his baby. See!" she lifted up her shirt to show her perfectly flat stomach. She was having delusions. My heart was beating I needed to get out of here. I looked at the door. I began to try and slowly move towards the door. "You aren't going anywhere you bitch!"
I was pulled to the floor. She started to hit me and kick me. I did what I could to protect my belly. I wasn't going to allow her to kill my baby in the process of her delusions. I cringed with each hit. I needed to get out. I started to crawl towards the bedroom door. Suddenly I saw the door closed. I looked to see her standing in front of the door.
"You aren't going anywhere!" she screamed. I suddenly wished that I'd told Nick I was coming to the house. I wish I'd told someone. I hadn't told anyone I was leaving. I thought this would be quick. I never imagined this. "You dumb bitch!"
Chloe was screaming. She threw the wedding photo I kept in our bedroom to the floor. The glass shattered. I was shaking in fear. I then remembered in Nick's side of the bed he kept a gun in the drawer. I needed to be at that drawer. I needed that gun. I took a deep breath. The bedside table was so far. I knew that my best way there was to try and reason with Chloe. I needed to talk her down.
"Chloe…" I said sweetly. "Chloe I need you to calm down. Talk to me."
"Why should I talk to you?" she asked still obviously enraged.
"What's going on with you Chloe? Why are you here?" I asked.
"I'm here for the man I love. He loves me. He wants to be with me. I am going to marry him and I will have his babies." She said. She picked up another photo. It was a photo of our family all four of us. She then threw that one to the ground smashing it. I closed my eyes. I needed this to end.
"Alright Chloe… you can have him." I said trying to get her to stand down. She looked at me. I think she believed me. I could see a glint of what I knew was hope in her eyes. I was getting her there. "I will divorce him. You can have him. He is all yours."
At once my cell phone started to ring. I looked and saw the screen. A photo pooped up. It was Nick's photo. He was calling me. I went to reach for the phone, but Chloe then stepped on my fingers. I let out a scream. She picked up the phone from the ground and looked at the screen.
"Hubby." She read the screen. She then slid her finger across the screen answering the call. "Hello dear." She said happily.
"Chloe?" I heard Nick's voice question. It was on speakerphone.
"Yes dear. It's me. I've been waiting for you to come home so we can make sweet love." She said as she smiled.
"Chloe where is my wife?" Nick asked his voice stern.
"I'm here. Babe please!" I screamed out.
"Shut up bitch!" Chloe screamed at me. She kicked me in my face. I grew dizzy. This was my opportunity. I started to crawl. I needed to get to the table with the gun.
"Chloe let my wife go." Nick said.
"Your wife is going to die… say goodbye to her and your little baby." She said as she started laughing.
"Chloe!" Nick yelled out. She then threw the phone against the wall. It smashed into pieces.
She then saw me trying to crawl. She grabbed a piece of glass from the floor. She came to me and pinned me to the ground. I tried to fight, but she started cutting me with the glass. I remembered this feeling of being stabbed. I remembered in clearly from that night in the cabin with Mark stabbed me. This really couldn't be happening to me. I felt the glass go into my stomach. My only thought was my baby. She then stabbed me somewhere I hadn't been stabbed. The glass went into my neck. In moments I could taste blood. I knew this wasn't good. I needed to get out of here. With all of my might I pushed her off me. I scrambled to the cabinet and produced the gun. With the kids here I knew Nick had the safety on. I struggled with it for a second. I was starting to choke on my own blood. I managed to get the safety off and BANG BANG BANG!... I shot her. I saw her fall to the ground and then my vision went hazy.
I heard noises I recognized. I was in a hospital. I knew it. My breathing was easy. My eyes fluttered open. I looked to see Nick standing in the doorway talking to a man in a white coat. I knew it must have been the doctor. Nick turned to me and he smiled. I couldn't help, but smile back at him. I'd survived. I was so happy to be alive, but then I realized something. My hands went straight to my belly. I felt Nick grab my hands.
"The baby is fine." He said at once. "The baby is fine." I felt myself relax. I was so glad. "Chloe is dead. You're a good shot."
"Thanks." I whispered weakly. My throat was sore.
"Yeah she cut you up good. You lost a lot of blood. You nearly bled out from the neck wound, but they got you to the hospital in enough time." He explained. "The doctor does want you to remain in bed rest. She got you good and nicked your uterus. They don't want to take any chances. So this is your new home until the baby is born." I simply nodded.
"Your dad and Alice will bring the kids by when you are looking better. Don't want to frighten them. They've had too much parent in the hospital time this year." He said with a chuckle. I nodded.
"I love you." I whispered.
"I love you too." He said running his fingers through my hair. I smiled. He planted a kiss on my lips. Everything was back at peace. It was over…it was all over. I relaxed. I was simply grateful.