Generations: The Long Game

The Breakdown

With Carly and Eric settled into their new home he thought he would feel less anxious, but the relief hadn't come. He could tell that Marjorie was starting to worry about him and that made him feel even worse. He just didn't know how to still his thoughts.

Marjorie woke for work, but just couldn't get out of bed. Sorscha was out for school so her only recourse was to call Char and ask her to cover while Deliah ran the sister nursery.

Reece had already left for the restaurant, so she snuggled back under the covers and drifted back to sleep. When he arrived after lunch, he found her still sound asleep and something in him snapped. He shook her so violently to wake her that he frightened her. "Reece what are you doing?" He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Gorgeous I thought ... I thought ..." He broke down and sobbed.

"Reece, my love, what is it?" She was more worried now than scared or angry. He was sweating again. Reece what is wrong?"

"You were so still I thought for a moment that you were ..."

"Reece, you thought I was dead? Why would you think that? I was just tired. I think I might have over done it this weekend at Carly's, but I am certainly not dead,"

He felt the heat rise in his cheeks. "I'm sorry Marjorie. I didn't mean to frighten you." He didn't know what was going on in his head, and what he didn't tell her was that this was not the first time he had made this assumption. He was fixated on all the ways she could die from this pregnancy. Long after she went to sleep at night, he laid awake researching maternal mortality rates and deprivation of care.

He couldn't tell her any of it. The added stress on her would leave him feeling more guilty. Itcertainly wasn't an option at this point in her pregnancy. He needed to figure it out on his own.

"Have you eaten?" She shook her head, and he stood up to go to the kitchen to whip up a quick meal for her. "Stay here. I will be right back with some food for you. You need to eat."

As he got to the bottom of the stairs he scrolled through his phone and dialed Veronica. "I need to see you. As soon as possible. Yes. No. No. Something new. Yes, thank you."

He quickly made her some lunch and headed back upstairs. "Here, Gorgeous." She looked up at him with something between worry and anger in her eyes.

"Who was that on the phone? Who do you need to see, Reece?"