Whispered Promises

Chapter Eighteen

   "Can I tell her? Please, Auntie. Let me tell her.", I hear Alijah's muffled voice. I can feel someone rubbing my hands. "Alijah, please. This is no laughing matter", I hear my mother's voice whimper out. I slowly opened it to be met with blinding hospital lights. I looked down at my hand being helped by my mother. "Mommy?", I whispered out. As soon as I talked, a sting traveled through my throat burning it.

My mother looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "Oh, my baby. Are you okay?", she held my face.

"I'm okay, Mama", I sighed.

"Let's get you some water. Alijah, go get her some water.", Alijah poured the cold water into a yellow plastic cup and handed it to me. After finishing the cup of water, my thoughts went immediately to Daryl.

"Where's Daryl?", I coughed out.

"Daryl is fine, but I have to tell you something", My mother spoke with concern all over her face. "What's wrong? Where's Daryl? Is he hurt?", I vomited out the questions with every breath.

"Elizabeth, Daryl is okay. It's not about him, it's you.", she grabbed my face to calm me.

"What's wrong with me?", I looked between Alijah and my mother. While my mother had a distressed look on her face, Alijah had an amused look on hers'.

"Yall, what is wrong?", I was getting worried at the stark difference in their expressions.

"You're pregnant!!!", Alijah screamed out in excitement. It felt like my stomach dropped to the floor, and my ears filled with water.

"Where's Daryl?", was all I said next. Alijah moved to sit on the bed by my legs, "Last we heard, he's at the police station. He's not under arrest, just making a statement.".

"Don't worry. David is gonna take care of all of it", my mother adds.

"Okay", was all I could manage. With all this new information being thrown at me, I felt like I was gonna vomit. A baby? How was I supposed to take care of a baby? I could feel the tears coming and my chest was starting to tighten.

"Hey, Auntie Dee. Why don't we go check on Mama E and tell her Libby woke up? I'm sure she's worried. Maybe bring you back something, Elizabeth?", Alijah suggested.

"Sure, maybe a candy bar or something", I muttered.

"Yeah, let's go. We'll be back", My mother taped my leg and then left with Alijah.

As soon as the room was empty, I threw the blanket off my legs and put the slippers by my bed on. I had to get out of there, check on Daryl, tell him about the baby, and let him know I was okay. I went to stand up too fast when my legs went weak and my head, was woozy. I knew I was about to fall but I was too weak to do anything about it. I close my eyes to brace for impact when I feel someone catch me. They smelled of straight whiskey and cigarettes, I became nauseous. I opened my eyes back and was met with the face of Merle Dixon. He didn't have his normal smug look on his face but actual worry. "Let's get you on the bed.". He helped me get back on the bed. "Thank you". He sat down in the chair beside the bed. "Um, Merle. Why are you here?".

"Heard about what that bastard did to you, came to check on you.".

"Did Daryl ask you to?".

"Daryl? No, your step-dad called me".

"No offence but why would he call you?".

"Non-taken. But Daryl is missing. They took him to the police station to take his statement but ran off before they could. Your daddy thought he would've shown up here to check on you.".