Shattered

Heart Strings

"Mommy?" Ethan asks when he spots me.

"Gemma? When did you come dear." Mrs Hart asks.

But I'm still staring at Nathan, hoping that he will ask again. And when he does what would I say? There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I want to spend the rest of my life with him.

"I said will you marry me? Be my wife, we could be one big family full of love and happiness. Marry me." He says again.

And now we are surrounded by pin drop silence, everyone is waiting on me.

"I'd understand if you dont want to marry me because of all the mistakes you think you've made. We can start planning for co-parenting and all of that it's alright. Just–"

"Yes." My voice says.

"Yes?" Janice asks as if she is the one that proposed to me.

"Yes." I repeat. Nate breaks loose and hugs me.

"You'll marry me?" He asks.

"Yes. I'll marry you Nathan." I nod.

He surprises me by kissing me. The kiss is slow and passionate. His lips tell me everything I want to know, they tell me that they love me. They tell me that they care. They tell me that they understand.

Everyone rumbles into cheers.

He let's me go and I look around.

"So you guys are good now?" Charlotte asks.

We nod and she smiles and cheers.

I swear Charlotte feels like my first child.

"What does it mean auntie?" Ethan asks.

"They're getting married." Charlotte tells Ethan and now they're both cheering.

A part of me is at its happiest but another is filled with anxiety. Questions that are running in my mind.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asks, a look of concern masks his face.

His eyebrows dip in questioning as he waits on my reply.

"Nothing." I huskily say.

"Okay, come on let's get to the room then. Get you some rest." He says pulling me up with him.

Everyone turns to us as we stand. The room is layered with torn pieces of gift wraps.

"We're going to sleep . She needs a nap." He tells them.

Mummers sound but we're already at the staircase and too far to hear.

"I wont lie to you, I dont like that you came all the way here in only your nightwear." He says.

I nod with a small smile.

He cuddles me in the warm bed and the silence lulls me to sleep.

I wake up to food piling up in my throat. I push Nathan off me and run toward the bathroom.

My eyes are closed in hopes that I can easily go back to bed after this.

I then remember,  this isnt my apartment. The bathroom isnt on the left, this is the closet.

But by the time the realization hits, I've already spilled my guts out.

"Gem? Are you okay? That's not the bathroom baby." Nathan says turning the closet lights on.

I look up to him with tears on my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. " I cry. Suddenly filled with the urge to cry .

"Baby, are you crying?" He asks kneeling to be level with me.

"I promise I didnt mean to v– " I begin.

"Gem, dont cry. I understand that you've made a mistake, I'll clean it up okay. Just get a bottle of water and head back to sleep, it's two in the morning." He says.

I nod, feeling more food pile up. I run the opposite direction this time and find the toilet pot in time.

I spill my guts once more before rinsing my mouth.

No words could explain how glad I am to finally be moving from my first trimester. I am tired of this throwing up.

I walk back to the closet to find the latter puddle of puke all gone. And Nathan picking a bucket up.

"Thank you." I tell him.

"No problem. Go back to sleep." He says kissing my forehead and passing by.

I head back to tuck myself up. Soon I feel little hands on my cheeks and a kiss on my forehead.

"Goodnight mommy." The little voice says.

The bed dips again and this time much bigger hands caress my cheek and kiss my forehead.

"You sleeping with us champ?" He asks.

I dont hear a reply but I suppose he shook his head yes because silence fall into the room and we all soon fall asleep.

This time I wake up to the God awful smell of eggs.

I love eggs normally, but right now? No thank you, this smells awful.

I trot down the stairs and find everyone engaged in conversations.

"But I bet none of you knew she would say yes." Charlotte says.

"I just knew that she wouldnt say no." Janice says.

"Me too." Elizabeth joins, with her daughter clipped on her boob.

I cant wait.

"Okay Janice I believe, you sis? Not much." Char says chuckling.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Elizabeth asks chuckling.

"I dont know, but I sure as hell am not calling you a truther." She says and everyone roars in laughter.

Including Mra Hart, whom I hadn't noticed was there.

"Are you just going to stand there?" My favourite velvet voice asks in my ear while pressing a kiss on it.

"I was just absorbing the happiness." I say chuckling.

"Aunty! Aunty! Cocomelon is done, can you put something else for me?" Ethan asks.

Nathan and I walk further into the kitchen and I remember why I came down here in the first place.

To tell them not to get me any.

I throw up, and that's when everyone notices me.

"Oh my God,  Gemma. I'm so sorry baby, I forgot you were here, I shouldn't have made eggs. It's the eggs right? Or is it the coffee?" Mrs Hart is immediately says.

"The eggs." I manage before I feel a gag running up.

"I'm sorry, normally I can get to the bathroom on time." I apologize as I sit on the barstool next to Elizabeth.

"Wow! That's a beautiful ring." She says.

"What ring?" Both Charlotte and I say. Before we notice the ring on my hand. A large diamond ring.

Janice tears up.

"Wow Natie, now you make me wish that I had married you." Elizabeth says and we all laugh.

"Thank you honey, its gorgeous. " I say kissing his cheek.

He moved very fast, how did he get next to me?

"Anything for you love." He says kissing me.

"That's the ring!" Janice says.

We all turn to her with questioning gazes.

"Its Nathaniel's ring to me. I remember he saved up for an entire year, we wouldnt even eat some nights. I didnt know what he was saving for until the night he proposed. " she says crying.

"It is. Dad told me to keep it safe." Nathan says.

"That is a beautiful ring son." Mrs Hart says.

He plants a more passionate kiss on my lips.