Jewel's POV
"He doesn't think you will be a good father."
The words are out of my mouth before I have time to take them back. All the blood leaves my face, revealing a pale complexion of sickness. Eric's face is unreadable.
His hand still lays across my tummy, his fingers spread wide, almost covering my whole belly. It occurs to me now that to say he wouldn't be a good father is a naive statement. He's never been given the chance to prove himself.
I've based my opinions on how he has acted in the past and Jake did the same. I judged Eric when I had no right to. No wonder he's so distant all the time. He has to know that people question him left and right all the time.
I look up and see the slightest hint of sadness cross over his dark blue eyes and it pains me. I should never have said anything.
"But it doesn't matter what he thinks." I quickly try to recover, hoping that he hasn't become angry. Eric stays silent, resuming rubbing my tummy. His eyes linger there for a long time. He seems to be concentrating very hard, trying to figure out just the right words to respond with.
Soon, he looks back to me again, his expression blank of any emotion.
"I'm a leader. Being a father is seemingly the same thing." It's like he's trying to convince himself of this but failing miserably. I watch as I see the doubt of what he's saying settle into the fine lines on his forehead. He doesn't believe it.
It's heartbreaking to watch. I want to reach out and hug him but that doesn't seem like the right response. I've never seen Eric sad and I'm not sure if this is sadness but it seems pretty close to it.
"You'll be exactly what this baby needs." I try and reassure him. Even I don't believe that, though. I only lie in hopes of making him feel better or to try and calm the storm that could be coming.
Eric's jaw sets and I know now that I said the wrong thing. He sees through my lie. He immediately removes his hand from my skin and stands, stepping back out of the room.
Before he completely leaves, though he turns back towards me, a determined look in his gaze.
"I don't want you talking to Jake anymore."
Gone. Without another word said. No time for me to respond. I feel like I might be sick.
**************************************************
Night follows quickly and Eric does not return. I try and busy myself with small tasks around the apartment, in hopes of forgetting Eric's "warning"
I clean the kitchen counter tops, fluff the cushions on the couch, slice fruit for breakfast. Anything seems better than nothing. By the time I look at the clock, it's ten. Not too late but late enough that I think Eric would be here by now if he wanted to be.
If he's angry with me, I would hope he would stay away and keep that to himself. Let him seethe in silence.
But that thought is quickly gone when the door opens suddenly.
Eric steps through, sopping wet. Apparently it's been raining and he's been out in it. Some time after he left me, he must have changed because now he is in black pants and a vest that shows off his large biceps perfectly. I blush at the sight of his arms, glistening from the water.
He shuts the door, quietly behind and turns to look at me, perched up on the counter. Any anger that he might have had earlier, has all dissipated. A slow amused smirk forms on his lips as he watches me pop a large strawberry into my mouth.
"Late night cravings?" He is definitely amused.
My cheeks turn a darker shade of red and I shake my head furiously while trying to chew quickly.
"I get hungry more often now."
He walks forward, coming around the counter so that his chest presses into my back. Eric snakes his arms around me and places both of his hands on my belly. I realize now that every time he sees me, he always wants to touch my tummy.
"Do you like doing that?" I ask, bluntly. He tilts his head down, his lips lingering on the side of my cheek.
He presses his hands firmly against my stomach and begins rubbing large circles into my skin.
"I like knowing that my baby is in there." He presses a soft kiss to my cheek.
My body shudders with a certain kind of delight and I rest my head back against his solid chest.
***************************************************
Soon after Eric arrived back, I told him that I was feeling tired and that I needed to rest. He took me to bed, making sure that I wasn't too hot but not too cold either. I reveled in his caring side, hoping that he would stay like this forever.
He left the door cracked so that if I needed him, all I had to do was call. I listened to him out in the living room for a while, smiling every once in a while when I heard him mumbling to himself.
I soon drifted off into a deep sleep, the kind I hadn't had in a long time.
It was a dreamless sleep but something woke me.
Eric lay beside me, on his back fast asleep. I sat up right feeling discomfort suddenly.
I tried to pin point exactly what was wrong but couldn't figure it out.
Something felt damp around my legs.
I quickly pulled the covers back, revealing an awful sight.
I started screaming hysterically.
Blood covered the sheets. It was everywhere.
Eric and his mood swings.... so hard to write sometimes.
