Unforeseen

Chapter IV

"You look beautiful today," Nicholas said as his eyes bore into mine.

Walking past him but maintaining our eye contact I huffed in a disgusting attitude. "What are you doing here?"

I could feel a shadow from behind, hovering over me.

When he didn't answer I said, "I don't mean to be rude but if you are not here to purchase flowers then I must ask you to leave at once." 

Seeing as Nicholas always had to be in control it came as no shock that he was quick on his feet to respond. "You don't mean that. You don't really want me to leave. Besides isn't there anything else in here that's for sale...besides flowers?"

Catching on to the meaning of his comment, I could feel the heat rising from my body as my temper raged. I spun around so quickly to face him that I made my own head spin in the process. Raising my hand in response to strike him across the face for his disgustingly rude comment, he caught me by the palm, halting me before I had time to make contact.

"Now, now," Nicholas said as he waved his pointer finger back and forth at me. All while 25making a disappointed clicking sound with his mouth like you would when you are telling a child no. "There is no need to over-exert yourself, you'll upset the baby. Besides I was just kidding, it wasonly meant to be a joke."

Breathing heavily, my mouth began to utter words I couldn't even hear before it stopped itself. I then continued to stare at him without a word for a minute or two. "How do you know about the baby?"  

"Well, even before Danny spilled the beans about it, I knew. People talk and people listen when they talk, after that word starts to get around, andyou become watched more closely, you know how it goes."

"I'm sorry what are you doing here, you failed to mention that part?" I could feel the anger rising within me once more and I made sure to clearlyproject that in my voice.

Turning from me, Nicholas walked halfway across the room before answering. "Unfortunately, I have some bad news to share. I hate being the one to break it to you, but I thought it best to come from me and not from someone else."

"Bad news..." The very breath caught in my throat and all I could do was mutter the words.

"Danny was killed today in a shooting not that long ago. Strangers tried reviving him but26combining the location where he was shot with the amount of blood he had lost, no one was able to keep him stable enough to make it to a hospital, he died on the street. Also, as you well know, my men had to dispose of the body before police arrived and could expose what was going on. Besides, I doubt you would've wanted your husband's name drug through the mud. I'm truly sorry you didn't get to say goodbye."

My heartbeat so fast it felt as if it would explode. A rush of emotions hit me all at onceturning my body into a tornado. I began to sway slowly, unable to control myself. My arms went numb, my knees buckled, and all of a sudden, I could feel myself uncontrollably falling right before blacking out.

The soft sound of crickets accompanied by a cool breeze welcomed me back to life. I had difficulty opening my eyes as they were heavy from exhaustion, I fought to get them open and keep them that way. Slowly peering around at my surroundings, it became clear I was in a hospital room. Flowers could be seen filling a vase on the table in front of my bed. Before long I remembered what had happened just before losingconsciousness. I had been given the worst news I had ever known. The love of my life had been killed. He would not be coming home to me tonight,or any other night for that matter, ever again. Beginning to cry I realized just how much I was aching. My body, my mind, my head, everything hurt in the worst way. Hearing a soft knock at thedoor I tried to wipe any remaining tears away to hide my true feelings.

"Hi there, I was beginning to worry since you hadn't awoken yet. How are you feeling honey?" a nurse asked. She had a gentleness about her, a warmth that made me feel safe.

"I feel okay. I hate to admit it, but I am a little groggy, maybe it's just because I'm really tired."

"How is your pain level? Do you want me to get you anything? From what I've been told you took a very nasty fall; do you remember that?" the nurse asked.

"All I remember is feeling very overwhelmed after receiving horrible news. Then after that, it all went black as if I passed out." Trying to explain to someone something that you don't completely recall is one of the hardest things. I wanted so desperately to remember but my mind wouldn't allow me.

Handing me a small cup that held two little pills the nurse got up and walked towards the bathroom. "I'll get you some water, to wash those down withhoney."

"What do I need the pain medicine for?" I asked her, eyeing it suspiciously. "I would rather not take any pills. I don't want to harm the baby. I can deal with the pain." Wincing as I stretched to put the cup of pills aside.

"Oh honey," the nurse said, with sadness hanging in her voice. She came and took a seat next to me on the bed once more, quickly grabbing my hand and rubbing it lightly. "After you were brought to the hospital you remained unconscious for several hours. The man that had brought you in said he was a family friend and demanded we check you over immediately. He told us about your nasty fall, and that you were in an early stage of pregnancy. So, we took it upon ourselves to rush you back right away and do a checkup on you both,for the child's sake." Pausing she looked down at our intertwined hands. "The baby...didn't make it.We believe that between the hard spill you took and the roller coaster of emotions your body was feeling at the time that it may have caused you to...lose the child. I'm so sorry miss, that's why I asked you about the pain medicine to try to numb anydiscomfort that came with the miscarriage."

All that followed was screaming, intense screaming. My cries of agony filled the room andcould be heard throughout the halls of the recently quieted hospital. More nurses followed by a doctor rushed into the room once my episode began. The nurses held me down tightly against the bed to restrain me from rolling around and kicking. It was all I could do to watch as the doctor stuck a needle in my arm flooding my vein with fluid.

But, before slipping into the blackness, I was met by the doctor's kind words, "Now, now, you've had quite a day. I think you need some morerest. Relax, relax, relax..."

That five-letter word echoing through my thoughts until I was overcome by the darkness.