Thirty minutes later...
They sat in a comfortable silence, Rachel slowly making her way through the leftover Chinese Eddie had put in the microwave for her. She wasn't really hungry, but knew she had to eat something relatively substantial because of the baby. It would also stop Eddie being so concerned.
Eddie sat beside her on the sofa, marking the books of his Year 8 class. He wasn't really concentrating and was sure he'd ticked answers that were wrong. It was a distraction. If he didn't focus on something other than Rachel, his mind would go into overdrive. He had so many questions that he knew he couldn't ask, out of fear of her shutting down when he needed to build her trust. He wanted to start a conversation that would take her mind off things, but he didn't know what to say or where to begin.
He was pulled from his thoughts by her shifting to place her half empty plate on the coffee table.
"Thank you for that" she mumbled
"You're welcome" he replied
She smiled at him weakly, resting her head against the cushions as she sighed deeply.
"Philip called me earlier" he announced, breaking the silence
"Really? Is he ok?" she answered, surprise and concern laced in her tone
"He was worried about you"
She nodded quietly, her gaze dropping to the grey throw blanket that was covering her.
"He told me he hadn't heard from you in nearly a year. He'd been texting and calling you but you've never answered" he added
"I know. I've just been... busy" she mumbled
It was a lie, and it physically pained her to say it. She had wanted to answer every call and reply to every text he sent her. But she had refrained. Like Kim and Eddie, she didn't want to drag him into the mess that was her life. He would only try and protect her and, whilst she appreciated it, Adam was stronger than him and he would get hurt. It was for the best to keep him at arm's length.
"He told me he called Adam and he said you didn't want to talk to him. He sounded quite hurt about it, Rach"
Knowing that only added to her guilt of not getting in touch with him. She'd had no idea Adam had spoken to him. She wasn't surprised he'd told him, he was desperate to isolate her from everyone she knew and loved.
"I didn't know he'd done that" she replied quietly
"Did Adam not say?" Eddie questioned, frowning
She shook her head.
"He doesn't tell me anything" she whispered
"Right" Eddie mumbled
"I'll call him tomorrow and clear the air" she decided
"I think he'll appreciate that"
Before she could reply, a painful cramp erupted in her stomach, snaking around to her back and up through the centre of her abdomen. She had never felt anything like it before. It was extremely uncomfortable, as well as painful, almost like there was a vice wrapped around her middle that was getting tighter and tighter. She shifted uncomfortably, a painful hiss escaping her lips as the pain grew in intensity. Her hand moved to her stomach as she attempted to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth in an attempt to stay calm. The foot pressing against her hand, kicking away in response was a reassurance.
Eddie watched on in concern, unsure of what was happening.
"Rach? Are you ok?"
She shook her head, continuing to breathe deeply.
"Are you in pain?" he asked, already knowing the answer
She nodded tentatively.
"I think its Braxton hicks" she whispered
He cringed as a groan of pain escaped her lips, her grip on his hand getting tighter.
"I think we should go and get you checked at the hospital" he told her
"No, no. I'm not going to the hospital" she stated firmly as the pain passed
"Rach, you're in pain! You could be having contractions!" he argued
"I'm fine, Eddie" she mumbled, kicking off the blanket covering her
"Can I use your bathroom, please? I'm desperate for the toilet" she added, getting awkwardly to her feet
He nodded, sighing in despair as he watched her leave. He knew she was stubborn, but this seemed to be on a new level.
He understood why she didn't want to go to hospital. She wasn't the first to have a bad experience in one, and she wouldn't be the last. But he didn't think it was just that. Her fear of hospitals was only a contributing factor. Showing up at the hospital, bruised and injured with an unconvincing story of how the injuries were obtained would cause suspicion and questions from doctors, something he knew Rachel wouldn't be able to deal with.
Thinking about it now, he wasn't sure that going was the best idea. He knew if the doctors were to question him, he'd have to lie on Rachel's behalf, which would make him look suspicious. If he told the truth, he would lose Rachel's trust completely and their friendship would be over. She'd never speak to him again.
He also didn't know what the exact truth was. She hadn't even directly admitted to him that Adam was the one who was hurting her. He had just put two and two together. He doubted he was wrong, but there was a small, miniscule chance that he was. He couldn't go in all guns blazing if the doctors asked him questions and Adam wasn't the culprit.
But then he thought about the baby. The defenceless little girl Rachel was carrying. The baby wasn't his of course, but the thought of something being wrong made him feel sick. He had a duty of care to both the baby and Rachel. Not taking them to the hospital was abandoning them. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to either of them.