Author's note: Still taking a little while with updates, aren't I? My apologies. Thanks to the reviewers, and very sorry to anyone who feels they relate to this story. You probably have all noticed the high rating and possibly been curious as to why..well..next chapter will explain it. I feel it's only fair to give everyone warning in case they don't want to read a scene like that.
"Cynthia?" Mrs. Vortex pushed the door open, feeling like an intruder in her own home. Cindy appeared happy whenever Matt was awake, but the charade ended the minute he closed his eyes. Mrs. Vortex didn't even have the heart to chastise her daughter for marrying Jimmy when she had whole heartedly disapproved.
But to see her once strong daughter like this...
It broke her heart to pieces.
Cindy sniffled, pulling her covers up to her chin as though to hide her from some childhood boogeyman. Some foreboding shadow had grown over her heart, making her more fearful then she ever remembered being.
She could go back to Jimmy, of course. But if he didn't change his ways, what would be the point? Matt needed an attentive father to look after, not some unfamiliar man who only appeared for dinner, then went straight back to crunching numbers or working on experiments.
Or she could stay here. Her mother had told her to stay as long as she liked. It was so hard to be away from Jimmy like this..she still loved him so much. Too much to kill it over night.
And he didn't know her secret..she was going to tell him that week sometime, but with all the work he was doing she had never gotten the chance. It was becoming harder to hide now, though. Her mother had pointed out that she was gaining weight, but hadn't thought to ask about pregnancy.
How could she continue to raise Matt while bringing another child up without a father? She didn't want to do that, it wasn't fair to Matt or the unborn child.
But even after all these years, Cindy had retained her stubborness. To go back to Jimmy would be to be the first one to give in. To roll over and let him win. She couldn't bring herself to do that, no matter how much she loved him, how deeply she cared for him.
Still, she had to wonder what he was doing now...