Contractually Ever After

Chapter 12 - Fate unknown

I sent Wade a text the following afternoon after receiving confirmation from Diane.

Scan is booked for 3rd June at 11.45am. At your mum's clinic, please be here, Wade. Your wife x

The rest of that day, I keep picking up my phone, waiting for a reply or anything. By the evening, I give up checking. Doubt is setting in if he's going to turn up or that he even cares. I never even got the returned phone call that he promised.

I find myself counting the days to my scan, excitement about seeing my baby on the screen all thanks to Penny, for taking me window shopping for baby items. I think she's secretly praying for a niece.

The following week is back to my normal routine, quality time with Reaper walking him here, there, and everywhere. I laugh and agree with many strangers we come across who says

"He's definitely a mummy's boy."

After seeing him sit directly in front of me, guarding me from these strangers. I wonder if he can sense the little presence growing inside me.

Penny's getting close to finishing her last year of apprenticeship, so I've organised a surprise for her, between walking with my big beautiful boy, I've spent decorating the second master bedroom in the house, with beautiful greens and oranges. And ordered a new black velvet bed with faux fur black bedding. I even start moving Penny's clothes into her wardrobe, and to my amazement, she never notices.

On Saturday, we head out to ikea for a wonder and a nose. Stopping off for a Starbucks before getting home.

"I want to show you something I've been doing to the house when we get home."

I tell her practically jumping off my seat with excitement.

"You're not meant to be doing anything in your condition."

she sympathetically smiles.

"I'm pregnant, Pen, not disabled."

I joke with her. We finish our coffees and head home.

"Right come on then, show me what you've done. My mother's going to kill me when she finds out."

She laughs.

I lead her up the stairs, holding her hand, and tell her to open the door opposite my bedroom door.

She looks around the room then looks at me.

"It's beautiful Av's but not exactly the colours I'd imagine for a baby."

she chuckles nervously.

"It's not for the baby, it's for you. You already stay here nearly every night so I thought with the baby coming, you might want to, and feel free to say no. But I just thought you might want to move in ?"

I stumble.

"Oh Avs, ofcourse I will, I'll be here for you both for aslong as you need me. But you didn't have to do this. I would have been fine in the guest room. But it's beautiful, I love it, thank you, love you !"

She hugs me crying.

We walk Reaper, while deciding what to have for food, but Reaper is different this evening. Pulling, not listening, seemingly eager to return home. So after only being out for 20 minutes, we're home and we settle on a Dominos. I try soothing Reaper, gently hushing him and stroking him, all the while he's lying next to me, head on my lap, whining. We order Dominos to arrive at 9, ready for Love Island and Penny excuses herself to try out her whirlpool bath before food comes.

Reaper and I are still curled up on the sofa when a sharp cramping pain happens, and returns once again. I move from Reaper who seems to have settled into a sleep and stand to ease the pain, I assume from a trapped nerve, when I feel a gushing down my legs. I look to the floor and notice a pool of blood.

"Penny!"

I scream just staring at the floor. She runs down the stairs sliding to a stop just before me, noticing the blood on the floor. She turns and bolts back up the stairs and I hear her voice from the hallway.

"Mum, you need to get over her now...there's blood, god a lot of blood... no,I'm not being dramatic mum...I'll call him next.... I know it doesn't sound good mum, it doesn't look great either."

What does all this mean ? I worry, then busying myself I move to get the mop and clean up the blood.

I head upstairs to borrow a pad off Penny attempting to clean myself up next.

She hands me a box of pads and returns to where I found her pacing the landing, face of anguish.

"Pick up the phone, damn you."

I move into my room leaving the door open so I can hear at least half of a conversation.

"Finally... I don't give two shakes of a rats arse, what your busy doing...no you listen to me, its Ava..."

Her voice gets quieter, guessing she's moved into her bedroom.

"Oh god Wade, you didn't see the blood... we don't know... mum, who else... ofcourse I called her, your not here to take care of her... I want you to get on a plane and get here Wade... Oh f**k you, f**k America and f**k off."

I hear her shout the last part. I finish getting cleaned up and Penny sits beside me on the edge of the bed.

"He's not coming is he?"

I look to Penny.

"He'll be here Ava, he has to be."

She tries to reassure me.

"Penny, the baby?"

She goes to answer when we hear Diane calling from downstairs.

We make our way to Diane, my legs and arms feeling heavy. Diane makes me lie down on the sofa, feeling my pelvis. She asks about the pains and the bleeding, wanting to check if it's stopped.

She places what looks like a puppy training pad underneath me, while Penny puts Reaper into the Kitchen.

I remove my shorts and knickers, we all see the blood still pouring out. I look at Diane, she looks at Penny who's walking towards us and purses her lips.

"Ava, I need you to stay calm, we know nothing for sure at the minute, but I need to take you in."

Diane explains.

I pull my bottoms up, and Penny helps me to the car, we sit in the back together as her phone rings.

"What"

she answers, I'd hate to think who's on the recieveing end.

"She's going in...mum is... yes Wade, still..."

Penny looks at me briefly, wrapping her arm around me. Holding me.

"Pale, really pale...I think so...No I think, I don't want to say...okay."

Penny disconnects the call.

"Wade?"

Diane asks from the drivers seat.

Penny nods, wiping away a stray tear that's fallen.

Oh god, what's happening to my baby, I dread.