Betrayed

Chrissy

After spending a long weekend away we returned to Gabriel's house where I planned on gathering my things and going to my rented room for a few days before starting work again.

A black Toyota corolla was parked in Gabriel's driveway when we arrived and I felt Gabriel tense next to me. Unsure who the car belonged to, I felt it safest not to question him for the time being. As usual he helped me down from the truck and placed me gently on the ground before kissing me. He made two trips to bring all of the bags inside. Chrissy was standing in the living room when entered and I felt the tension leave my body momentarily. I hadn't asked Gabriel how far along she was but I assumed she was in her third trimester, judging by her basketball sized belly. I had never given pregnancy much thought but seeing Chrissy in all her pregnancy glory got me to thinking about it.

"I've been trying to reach you all weekend!" she yelled at Gabriel, clearly annoyed.

"I was at the cottage," he replied nonchalantly.

"You brought her to the cottage?" she asked in disgust, her eyebrows pulled together and a deep scowl similar to her fathers crossed her face. Gabriel simply answered with a nod. "You've never even brought me there." she whined. "I thought you said you didn't bring your little whores there"

"Watch it," he said in a warning tone. Chrissy glared at me, and I took that as a sign to get my stuff packed. I grabbed my suitcase from the pile and beelined my way to Gabriel's room to collect my things.

"Is she living here now?" She asked her dad.

"Her name is Harper and if she feels like living here, then yes she will"

"What the hell? Where am I going to live?"

"You can stay here too Chrissy, I already told you that"

"I can't raise a baby with your mistress living here"

"CHRISSY" he said in an authoritative voice, making me flinch. "Harper is not my mistress and she is not a whore. I said I would take you and your baby in, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to have a life too"

"Dad! It's not fair!"

"What's not fair?" he demanded.

I laid on the bed, having collected all of my things and waited for the argument to be over. I put in my headphones to block out their shouting, replaying Chrissy's words over in my mind. "You brought her to the cottage? I thought you said you didn't bring your little whores there." Momentary pride flared up inside of me. I may not be the only woman he's been with but at least there were some firsts in our relationship. Would Gabriel be true to his words? Would this relationship work out? I pondered over the possibilities, and thought of my own belly swollen with Gabriel's child. Would he want to have more children? That would be a little strange wouldn't it? My head had trouble wrapping around the absurdity of my child being an aunt or uncle to Chrissy's baby. What about Chrissy, would she ever accept me, and stop calling me a whore? I became overwhelmed with all the possibilities going through my mind and was glad when Gabriel came to collect me in the room.

"Harper, I'm really sorry about that. Chrissy will come around" he said soothingly.

"I'm not worried," I lied and smiled at him.

"Stay here tonight," he pleaded.

"I think I should go home, I haven't been in a while and the landlady might think I skipped out on her." I laughed. Gabriel begrudgingly drove me to my place and helped me carry in my things.

"How much do you pay for this room?" he asked, taking in my tiny living quarters.

"Three hundred fifty" I said, feeling vulnerable to his presence in my room.