𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮 // Fillie

01

"Baby, could you see who's at the door?"

"Sure!"

The boy with raven curls jumped off of the couch and ran towards the door. Twisting the doorknob, he pulled the door open, a wide grin etching on his face.

"Uncle Caleb! Uncle Caleb!" The young boy chanted in joy, jumping up and down, causing his uncle to laugh at him.

"Hey, Kai! Are you all packed for school? Where's your mum?" Caleb questioned as he picked up the young boy and entered the house.

Caleb heard some bustling and then a low thud. A muffled "ow" reached his ears and he laughed. A few seconds later, Millie walked out of the bedroom in a pair of black jeans and a white blouse. 

"Hey, Mills," Caleb kissed her cheek in greeting.

Millie returned the kiss and said, "Hi."

Millie's face was solemn. They knew what that day was, and they hated it. It had been six painful years for the both of them, and they just wanted to sleep through the day. No matter how much she tried, Millie's heart was still shattered in pieces. No matter how much he tried, Caleb could not help her pick her pieces, and himself. 

"Are you okay?" Caleb asked, his brown eyes wide with worry.

Millie sighed and looked away. "I mean, I guess." She scoffed and continued, "I miss him. I mean, I just can't believe that it's been six years since-"

There was a lump in her throat and she could not swallow, and tears burned her eyes.

It was no news to Caleb what had happened on that very day, six years ago. He was there when it had happened and he had held Millie throughout all of it.

Tears fell from her eyes.  Caleb let Kai down and whispered at him to go play or watch some television. As soon as he was out of earshot, Caleb wrapped Millie in a warm, comforting embrace as she sobbed harder.

"I was so excited that day. I was so happy and so scared." She whispered through her tears. "I remember leaving the doctor's office and walking to my car when I got the call."

She sniffled, "It was an unknown number and the two of you used to warn me about them - and I never understood why you guys did that or why you still do, but I didn't care. I was so, so happy."

Caleb rubbed her back soothingly, as he waited for her to continue. This was the only day in the year when she allowed herself to cry about him.

"I picked up and I remember smiling when the lady said that I was his emergency contact." She gulped, trying to breathe in as much air as she could and then continued, "And- and then my whole world came crashing down. Like, someone had kicked the only pillar away that was holding my whole world and it all came crashing down and breaking into a million tiny pieces."

Millie's mind was cruel. Flashback after flashback went through her mind like a movie that was being played on loop without a pause button.

"And then I rushed back in, and I was screaming at the nurse to tell me where he - where his room was and then I was running and when I reached there, you were already there and - and," Heavy sobs took over her body, and she cried just like she had six years ago. She cried in Caleb's arms back then, and now she cried in his arms again.

"Shh, Mills. You're okay, you're okay now. I've got you," Caleb whispered in her ear. He ran his hand through her hair as she buried her face in his chest, hoping to meet the same warmth she got from him.

"I never got to tell him that - that I was pregnant. I - I never got to tell him that he was going to be a father! He - he was already gone by the time I was there. I never got to tell him about - about Kai," She stuttered. Her heart was hurting and she broke all over again.