Reaping Me Softly

Chapter 50 - Hang In There, Baby

Ending everything at all once was something I’d wish to happen.

It’s tiring to be emotionally drained as everyday passes, thinking of the things left behind. The problems, conflicts with my parents that has never ended, the stress they have caused me, and a lot more.

It’s frustrating. Being emotional at all times during pregnancy for something that should not matter anymore.

I was okay...

For the past months, everything was okay. What was left behind will stay behind. It may be part of me but I have chosen to not bring those frictions in the family we were slowly building. I wouldn’t let it affect me especially that there’s a life inside me that was expecting to be born soon, in a healthy state. Without complications...

But guess, the fate will not let me be at peace. It wouldn’t let me live my life in silence. Away from everyone who might caused troubles in me.

“Lia, stay behind me.”

Simeon put me in place behind him the moment we went out of the restaurant after I calmed down. Meanwhile, Tita Astrid step forward, bravely faced my parents who were standing near their car, and they were with a bunch of men.

I clutched his shirt. My legs were getting weal. Seeing them with those men... I know what they were up to.

“You will not going to leave with that poor family, Lia,” my mother said firmly. “I’m not going to allow you! After everything I have done to give you all the luxurious things in life one can’t easily have, you still chose to stoop down to their level.”

It was painful... I don’t want to hear them insulting Simeon’s family.

They may not be the richest family in the world, I would still choose them over and over again out of anything, even over my own parents.

“I don’t need those things!” I replied weakly. “I’m sick of you, Mama! You didn’t even ask me even once if I’m okay! All you wanted was money, not caring about how I felt whenever you talked about marriage I never wanted!”

“You were okay with us, Lia!” She uttered. “You were fine with us! Giving you those material things you had was enough for you to feel damn fine! You don’t have a problem, Lia. It’s just on your mind.”

A tear left my eye. And now she’s invalidating my feelings.

I am human, too. I felt emotions, too. My heart is capable of feeling something.

Despite the material matters that I have received from them, it won’t be the basis to tell if someone was okay just because she get everything anyone wish to have.

Luxuries.

I might be fed in those aspects, but emotionally, no.

Shaking my head, I sent glares to their direction.

“Those are nothing to me now,” I rebuked. “I don’t need your money, even a single penny from you! You can take it all, Mama. I won’t mind.”

I don’t care about the stares that were thrown to us. I wanted to end it once and for all as I’m really tired of my parents.

“Come again, Lia?” Her face doesn’t seem to believe me. “You clearly don’t know what you were talking about, Lia. You are talking about your future! You’re not gonna choose him that will probably give you nothing but debts!” She shouted in despair.

“I don’t care...” I said wearily. “You are so tiring to handle, Mama. And I’m exhausted being tired because of your selfishness.”

Simeon reached for my hand and held it tightly. I step aside to show myself, facing them who were looking at me furiously. On the other hand, my father was just silently watching us.

He’s always silent when it comes to our family issue anyway. He never scolded my mother for being strict to me, for being an evil mother, as I’ve felt that just like me, he was tired of handling her.

I absolutely shared the same sentiments with my father.

People might judge me for abandoning her, saying that I’m such an ungrateful child like my mother described me. For choosing love over family, yet I’d rather pick the first one than stick with her. I don’t feel safe with her around, I’m not me when I’m in our house, my actions were limited when I was still under their roof.

In the past six months, that was when I felt better. Like I have built the better version of myself... The independent Lia, the me that was out of her leash... It felt good and it was something I could never ever replaced by anything.

No matter how good life is with them, materialistic speaking, I wouldn’t give up my emotionally contented self for money.

I said it a lot of times already, but I will choose my own family over them.

“You left us with no choice, Lia...” Mom gritted her teeth. “If you’re not going leave with us in a peaceful way, we might as well use force against you all. Do you want that, Lia?”

I tried to remain calm. “You can’t do that.”

“Of course, we can...” Her finger move, pointing at us— rather me. “Bring that lady over here.”

Shaking my head, I pushed my body more close to Simeon.

“If something happens to my baby, I swear to God, I will not forgive you.”

“Your baby is the least thing I wanted in life, Lia. I wouldn’t mind losing a grandchild.”

My legs got wobbly. How can she say such thing?!

“Try to touch her,” Simeon threatened when the men started to walk near us. “You won’t like what I’m gonna do to you if you touch her.”

I grip on his hold. I’m frightened. Even though I still don’t see how Simeon transform from being a human to a vampire, I know... Deep inside me, he could hurt someone that would try to harass us, especially me...

Simeon was overprotected. It doubled when Leighton came. Now that they were trying to take me away, I’m scared... I don’t want him to hurt someone, or anyone of us.

Tainting his hand for me is the least thing I wanted to happen.

I want no fight...

“We settled this already,” Tita Astrid sighed deeply. “As a mother, Laura, you should accept the consequences of being not a good mother to Lia. I’m judging you early, yes, but basing how you threw words at her was enough to tell that you are not fit to be her mother, or anyone else.”

My mother pointed her finger to Tita Astrid’s direction.

“How dare you question me!”

I swallowed hard.

“I bet you don’t know what motherhood is...” Tita smiled mockingly. “You just got pregnant, you brought her alive, and that was a good move of you. But after birth, you suddenly forgot your responsibility. As you can see, your obligations as a mother does not stop the day you give birth to your daughter. It continue, Laura... It has no ending.”

I lowered my head, biting my lower lip hard to stop the tears from coming out. I hope... I wish my mother has the same view with Tita Astrid.

I’ll be a mother soon. Certainly, I understand what Tita Astrid was talking about. My obligations would not stop on the day I’d give birth to our son. I’ll have to teach him, the good manners, anything related to it.

As for my mother, she just fulfilled my materialistic needs. Other than that, nothing.

I learned everything with myself.

My hands went to my belly when I felt a kick. I’m sure it was not from my baby... I felt pain.

My face crumpled.

“You don’t have any rights to preach me, Astrid. You are not in the position to!”

“I have the rights to do so!” Tita Astrid shouted. “You are harassing my daughter-in-law! She’s pregnant, can’t you see?! Then, you brought these men for what?! Force her to leave with you?!”

I groaned silently. Simeon noticed it and he quickly attended to me, holding me tight as worried started to scattered all over his face.

“No, no...” I tried to keep my voice straight. “It’s painful, Simeon. Everything is too painful... My belly... Damn it... Simeon, I’m scared, baby. I’m scared,” I cried.

Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. I winced in pain when I felt it again. I can’t understand it... The pain and all...

I don’t know where it was coming from.

“Baby, I’ll get you to the hospital...” He glanced at his mother. “Mama, let’s go! Lia is in pain. We need to go to the hospital.”

“Alright, alright...”

I closed my eyes as I lowered my head down, trying to kept myself from wincing in pain. But the moment I opened my eyes, I paled.

My body froze as wave after wave of fear surged through me. Even my eyes widened, tears forming again as I saw blood rushing down my legs.

I shook my head. “No... No! No! Simeon!”

My heart raced as blood continued to covered my inner tighs. Simeon cursed! I even heard Tita Astrid uttered something I couldn’t hear. I can’t catch up with noises surrounds me. It felt like I have lost my sense of hearing, I was only focused on the blood rushing down my legs, with my heart beating rapidly as waves of unwanted thoughts creeps inside of me.

“Simeon!” I cried in ire.

It was as if the situation just sunk in his mind. He quickly lift me up from the ground and run, cursing.

“S hit! F uck! Lia!”

“Our baby, Simeon... Please... Save Leighton no matter what happens, Simeon. Save our son!”

I felt like my whole world stopped. I fear that something might happen. The possibility...

“Hang in there, baby...” I whispered.