Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
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As I heard the outside door slam shut, I ran out into the main room.
"Oh Chris, They're going to a hospital. Aren't you happy, then we'll be able to leave soon!"
However Chris didn't say a word, he just stood there looking at the closed door. Slowly he turned to look at me.
"I hope with all my being, that you are right, Cathy."
"Right? Why wouldn't I be right?"
"I don't know, just...she's different, Cathy. She's not our mother anymore!"
He yelled and walked away from me towards the corner.
"We've known that for months, Chris. Now really what's wrong?"
I asked, following him.
"You ask me what's wrong? It'd be a much shorter answer to ask me what's right!" He answered back, turning and glaring down at me.
"Ch-"
"You look so much like her, Cathy. How is it that the two people I hate and love most in the world look so much alike?!"
"I'm so sorry, Chris."
It was the only thing I could think to say. That wild sheen in his eyes had come back, and I was afraid of that look.
"Tell me that you'll never leave me, Cathy."
Chris pleaded as he wrapped me in tight hug that almost stole the breath from my body.
"Chris I-"
"Just tell me that you'll never leave me, that's all I need to go on."
I sighed. No I would never leave him, but how did he mean it. Was I never supposed to go out and have my own life, my own loves? And then I remembered my unborn child. While up in the attic I had forgotten how busy life would be outside of it. My life is no longer only my own, I acknowledged with a ragged breath. All thanks to my beloved Christopher. Despite what he had done, he was still the only one I have ever been able to depend upon.
"No... I will never leave you."
------------------------three months later (around the end of March)------------------------------
"Are they getting any better?"
I heard Chris ask the grandmother for the millionth time. I was hiding behind the attic door again. I always made sure that I left the room before the grandmother came in every morning, it was getting a bit tedious. But necessary nonetheless, considering the fact that I was seven months pregnant.
"No." I heard from the Grandmother, as she slammed the door.
"At least she didn't hit you." I said to Chris as I stepped out from behind the attic door.
"Yea, at least."
Chris replied in a offhand manner as he helped me up the attic stairs. He dashed back down for the basket so we could eat our breakfast on the large old dinning room table that took up a corner of the immense attic.
The attic was very cold, but nothing that couldn't be handled after Chris and I donned layers of winter clothes that we had accumulated over the years.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked Chris as he was idly moving around his eggs.
"They're going to get cold you know..." I continued when he didn't answer.
"That's it, they're going to get cold."
"What, Chris?"
"I was thinking about what's different. Our food Has been different lately, have you noticed? The eggs are hot, the milk is cold, and there seems to be a lot more lately too."
"hmm, maybe it's just because the twins aren't here to eat their portion?"
"No, it's more than that. This is just...different."
"Well you should enjoy it while it lasts then." I answered, helping myself to a second portion of eggs.
"Well at least I don't have to worry about your appetite." Chris replied, brightening as he watched me eat.
"Hey, I can't practice my ballet even if I wanted to at this point, so why shouldn't I take advantage of the situation and eat to my heart's content?"
"Do whatever makes you content, I say! and as for not being able to dance, I'm sure you could manage an easy waltz for me?" Chris asked with a grin as he got up and made an extravagant bow."
"I guess...I could manage that." I replied and laughed, moving my plate out of the way.
Chris took my hand and led me to the middle of our attic playground, the flowers rustling under our feet. He turned on the old record player and the music filled the room. As we gently swayed to the music I could feel him staring down at me. I looked up at him.
"What are you thinking?"
"Just how beautiful you are."
"Oh don't say that, how I can I be beautiful now?" I replied, blushing.
"But you are, I love you Cathy."
Every day I felt him growing more and more dependent on me to give him a reason for going on. I felt helpless to stop it, when in reality I needed him far more than he would ever need me. I try to tell myself sometimes, at night when I can't sleep, that what he felt for me was inevitable, that I had no control over it. But I know that's not true, I did encourage him, in order to turn him away from momma. It's only that it went to far. Farther than I would have ever imagined it to have gone.
All of these thoughts ran through my mind as I reached up and kissed Chris passionately.
"Chris, nothing you feel is wrong if it's true."
"You really believe that, Cathy?"
"I have to."
"We have to." Chris said as he embraced me once more as if I were the only thing he had to hold on to. I suppose, in a way, we were the only things each of had to hold on to anymore.
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More to come on how our favorite grandmother is doing next chapter! So thanks for all the reviews, please continue. They do make me very happy! Any comments or criticisms are welcome, thank you!