FRAGMENTS ; Simon Riley

Chapter 21.

ROSALIE.
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"...."

"I'm pregnant."

He didn't even have time to drop his bag or his mask, he stood there at the entrance of our apartment, eyes locked onto mine in a tensed gaze.

"Baby, April's fools was yesterday."

His comment made my face fall. I tightened the grip around the two sticks before I dropped them on the kitchen's table, my legs getting wobbly right after. "Simon, you knocked me up. I'm not joking."

Another wave of silence hit us, I never liked when he wasn't expressive, when he wore that damn mask.

"Say something.. please.." My voice quivered, panic surging through my body. Tears welled up in my eyes, for a moment I thought I had ruined our marriage. We were still living our honeymoon phase, everything was going perfectly.

But seeing him, right now, unresponsive and glaring at the proofs on the table wasn't helping me at all.

"Simon—"

"I'm going for a walk."

With that, his presence left the house, the door closing with a loud slam. And before I knew it, I fell to my knees, hands gripping tightly the edges of the table as a support, my sobs echoing in the whole kitchen.

I hadn't closed an eye for hours, I was curled up in the bed, Simon's side empty and cold. It was nearly midnight and I haven't heard from him at all. Not until I finally heard the front door open, then close softly.

Quiet thuds approached the bedroom, slowly, before the door opened with a tiny creak and Simon's cologne invaded the space of the room.

I laid still, under the sheets, tears running down my cheeks once again. My heart was beating a marathon, aching constantly, "Baby?" He whispered through the silence, a little sob escaping from my lips at the tenderness coating his words. Guilt and pain laced his tone, I heard it.

"I know, I know.." He was so quick to wrap his arms around me from behind, his weight bringing the mattress down. He nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck, planting tender kisses on it. "I know, I acted like a dick. I know, I'm so fucking sorry, Rosalie. I'm so sorry."

His apologies soothed my ache, pushing away my torments and doubts. "We'll get through this together, I promise. I love you, I'm so sorry."