'Til Death - Chris Motionless Love Story

Chapter Twenty-Five - Happily (n)Ever After?

SALEM'S POV
"Salem," I heard a voice whisper, "I'm going into the office for a bit," it was Chris in his attempt to wake me up. I just groaned and rolled back over. He chuckled lightly, then gave me a light kiss on the cheek, and pulled the cover back up over my shoulders. I kept my eyes shut as I listened to him leaving the room, not quite ready to actually wake up yet. I had a tough time sleeping last night, and didn't actually fall asleep until around 4am. I knew it was just stress, so I wasn't too worried about it.
After getting in some extra sleep I finally decided I needed to get up and at least make some breakfast for myself, and maybe do my hair and makeup. Over the weekend Chris had set up my art stuff and my easels in his office at home so that I'd have something to do. I connected to the Bluetooth speakers and started working on the floral piece I had been doing. The playlist varied wildly, from Måneskin, to Eminem, to Slipknot, and even a few Beyoncé songs.
After a few hours of painting I turned my back to the door to put mor paint on my palette, but continued to sing my heart out to Beyoncé's "Love on Top".

"I don't think it's every day that you see a goth artist singing Beyoncé," Chris startled me as I turned back around, causing me to fumble with my paint palette. He was propped against the door frame, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his arms crossed.

"Wha-what are you doing home already?" I asked him as I looked at the clock on my phone. He chuckled and walked in, then turned to look at my painting.

"I figured since nothing was going on at the funeral home I'd just come home, spend the day with my beautiful fiancée," Chris wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, "The painting is looking really good. Are those skulls in the center of the flowers?"

"Yeah, I figured it needed more of an edge to it," I added one last highlight, then put my brushes down and turned to face Chris. His hands rested lightly on my hips as he held me close to him, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "How were things at the office without me? Better?" Chris shook his head then pushed a stray hair out of my face.

"It's boring without you there to crack jokes. I knew the moment I heard your voice on the phone you'd brighten up the office."

"Did you ever imagine you'd be in this moment with me?"

"Well, you see, this was supposed to just be a fling," Chris had a sarcastic tone and smile, "but I guess I ended up falling in love, and now you're stuck with me for good." I rested my forehead against his chest, hiding my blush.

"I wouldn't say I'm stuck with you. I think I'm willingly with you."

"And why is that?"

"Well," I bit my lip, "you treat me better than I've ever been treated. You make me feel loved, you don't just say it, you show it," I let some silence linger for a split second as he smiled from ear to ear, "and that cock is a huge bonus, pun intended." He threw his head back and laughed a little, then rolled his eyes.

"These pregnancy hormones are really crazy aren't they?" Chris said, tugging me closer to him by the belt loops on my jeans.

"A little," I shrugged, "but it is lunch time, and I'm starving so I'm only concerned about food right now." Chris smiled and chuckled.

"That's a problem I can fix, why don't I take you out on a lunch date?"

"That would be nice, I wouldn't mind that," I sat my brushes in a mug filled with water, then shut the cap on my paints. Chris watched as I sat them back in order, all color coded, then sorted by medium. I was very meticulous about the order of my art supplies, but sometimes that's okay, even if he didn't understand it. He watched as though he was trying to learn, trying to grasp why I did it, like he was taken with every movement and specification I had. Like I myself was the art. Oh, to feel as though I'm the Mona Lisa to someone... what a wonderful feeling it was.
Chris and I sat at the restaurant, making small chatter as we waited for our food. How the office is, how I'm doing staying home, how Jim continued to bargain with him on selling.

"He wants how much!?" I exclaimed. Chris laughed and shook his head.

"He wants me to sell for one million. I'm telling you, he's a mad man. He can't handle the competition." I do hope he wasn't actually considering.

"Chris, you can't do that to Lilith. You know that." I know Chris loved me, but there was no doubt in my mind that if he could turn back time and keep Lilith, he would have, and I was okay with that. I understood that. Chris reached across the table and gripped my hand.

"I know, I bet she's rolling in her grave right now over the situation. Jim tried and tried for months, years, to get her to sell. She never would, so I won't either. I have a family to care for now, and this kid will be a funeral home kid, and we will be some awesome funeral home parents." Chris was excited about the future, and that's what made me know he was ready to move on, to commit again. I smiled at him and ran my thumb across his knuckles. We had come a long ways from where we started, for sure, and I couldn't wait to see what was ahead for us.
After lunch we headed back to house, and Chris and I went into his office. He wrapped up a few things on his computer, and I started working on my painting again.

"Babe, do you think I should add more blues?" I asked him as I stepped back looking at the floral piece before me. He looked up, his chin resting on his hand.

"I think it looks beautiful," he complimented, "almost as beautiful as the artist herself." I smiled at his comment and playfully flipped my hair.

"Not to brag, but I'm pretty bad ass artist." Chris chuckled, turning his attention back to the computer, and I turned back to my painting to add a few highlights. As I stood there I could feel some slight discomfort, but nothing alarming. When I turned to pour out more white, though, I nearly collapsed. Chris shot up from his chair, and rushed over to me.

"Salem, what's wrong? What's wrong, babe?" He asked urgently. I squinted from the pain, and squeezed his hand.

"I just hurt, it's almost like a period cramp times ten, what the fuck," Chris helped me stand up and then I felt it, a rush of blood. Oh fuck.