When it rains

Chapter 9

Hours later, Gabriel entered the living room. His steps, heavy with the weight of his sorrow. The old wooden floors creaked with each footstep, echoing like a mournful dirge. The weight of his emotional baggage weighed down the floorboards, causing them to crook and croon. The air seemed to thicken with his sorrowfulness, enveloping the room in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere, polluting more and more each second.

Charmain rose from her chair and approached him apprehensively. Her voice tender, carefully hiding her desperation. "Hi darling. How are you holding up."

Gabriel mumbled, "fine," and tried to bypass Charmain. His thoughts a turbulent sea.

Distressed, Charmain took a deep breath, and then blurted out, "I'm pregnant," hoping this would bring out the best in the man she loved so deeply.

Gabriel halted. For the first time he noticed Charmain sweating profusely and looking unusually disheveled. A river of sweat trickled down her face. Her pores were like a leaky faucet that drenched her clothes. He wondered, how long had she been burdened by this back breaking secret alone. He knew he had been on autopilot for the last couple of days because of his mother's anniversary, but he thought he would have noticed his beloved looking so out of sorts.

Unbeknownst to Charmain and Gabriel their living room was not empty. It hosted uninvited, ethereal guests, who were invisible to the human eye. To the left of Gabriel stood an angel, whispering messages of hope and unity, and to his right, a demon whispered poison into his ear. These envoys from the otherworld communicated inaudibly, their influence reserved solely for the intended recipient's mind.

The demon hissed in Gabriel's right ear, "she is trying to trap you. You told her from the start you didn't want children. What's wrong with her?" The angel leaned in to Gabriel's other ear and countered. "That's rubbish. You love this girl, and she clearly loves you. This is beautiful news. It will only bring you closer together."

Gabriel's mind swirled with doubt as he pondered what he could offer a child. He already believed that others would be better off without him; adding the burden of a dependent baby felt overwhelming.

Charmain held Gabriel's hand. The touch of her clammy palm sent shivers down his spine. Her fingers trembled, and reached out further. A physical manifestation of her inner turmoil, and her desperate scrambling for her lover's support.

Gabriel asked, "what are you going to do?"

Charmain flung his hand away. "What am I going to do? Really! What am I going to do?"

The demon smiled, leaned in to Charmain and said, "forget him. He's a waste man and he'll always be a waste man. Look how much you've sacrificed for him so far, and he has the audacity to talk to you like this".

Panicked, the angel whispered to her, "give him a chance. Be patient with him. You know he's had a hard child hood. You -"

Charmain wondered how much more patient can I be. She thought, I give and give and give, but it's never enough. I always put his baggage and problems first, so much so that since I've been pregnant, I haven't put my, or more importantly my child's wellbeing first. I need to be thinking about how this is harming my unborn child, instead of nursing this man baby. She felt like she had absolute clarity, as if a dense fog that had been surrounding her for ages, had finally let up. She knew she was about to experience pain, suffering and heartbreak, but she also knew that this was what was better for her unborn child. If she had the choice of being struck by either an emotional rock or something harder. Well, she would choose the lesser of the two perils, and she would choose it bravely. She had real responsibilities now, someone to put before her or anyone. Her anxiety and paranoia, replaced by strength and resilience. Steadfast, she realized she had probably already sacrificed to much for Gabriel. Not probably. Definitely, and she wasn't willing to sacrifice anymore.

Charmain said, "what am I going to do. I'll show you what I'm going to do." She turned around. The lush greenery in the feng shui-designed living room, once a symbol of their tranquil relationship, now stood as a stark contrast to the turmoil within, which was like a tempestuous ocean. The carefully arranged plants, which were meant to promote harmony and balance, felt out of place amidst the emotional chaos. Gabriel felt a drowning sensation overpower him. Disorientated, a whirlpool snatched him, and repeatedly flung him around. He couldn't make out up from down. He knew he had to say something, but what. He knew he couldn't afford to say another stupid thing, and he knew he needed his anchor, but his anchor was leaving. He knew without his anchor he would be a wreck, but instead of acting he just watched. He wondered whether Charmain and their child would truly be better of without him. Apart of him thought they would be, but he couldn't help thinking that this was the gravest mistake of his life. Him allowing his anchor to leave would inevitably lead to him being shipwrecked. The lush vegetation in the room, did nothing to alleviate the suffocating atmosphere. He felt as if he had been entombed in a wooden box six feet underground or locked in an airtight vault. Light-headed and befuddled Gabriel couldn't think straight. The room, with its perfect arrangement and peaceful aesthetics, had lost its soothing charm. Instead, it seemed like an alien landscape, mirroring the alienation between Gabriel and Charmain. Their relationship, once as meticulously balanced as the room, was now in disarray. As Gabriel's disorientation mirrored the confusion within their bond, the living room became a powerful symbol of their emotional discord.

Charmain stormed out of the room, with an air of calm determination and called Tyra on her mobile phone. "Can I stay with you ty?"

Tyra replied, "of course. I'll be there in fifteen minutes char. I got you"

Left behind, Gabriel, crumbled to the floor. Tears streaming down his face, as he mourned like a baby who had just lost its favorite comforter.