What Would've Happened

I Can't

Nine months later

Mac:

I was jolted awake by a hammering on my door. I was in the Charmer Motel for the past nine months. Angie had called me, begging for me to come back. But Maria never wanted me. I knew Angie was due soon.

I got off the bed, dead cigarettes and empty beer bottles falling off the bed, and made my way over to the door. I opened it, surprised to see Mike standing there.

"Mac! You gotta get to the hospital! Angie is going into labor, and she needs you!" He declared frantically. I shook my head. If Maria was there, I knew she wouldn't want to see me. "Mac? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Mike demanded.

"She'll be fine without me." I muttered, going to shut the door. But Mike's foot stopped me.

"How could you say that? She's your fiancé! Having your kid! She fucking needs you! Who cares if Maria doesn't want you there? You're the adult, not her!" He declared, his brown eyes blazing with anger.

I sighed. "If I go, will you leave me alone?" I demanded.

"Yes. Now let's go!" Mike declared, grabbing my hand and leading me into the sunlight. I shielded my eyes from the sun, it's brightness giving me a worse headache than I already had. Last night had been like all the others; beer, smoking, and a little fucking from some whore. I knew Angie would probably hate me when she found out. But at this point, I didn't care.

...

Mike drove us to the hospital, and led me into the Emergency Room. He led me down the hall, towards a room where screams could be heard. Suddenly, slightly sobered up, I realized what Angie was going through. I quickened my step, until we got to the room. A nurse stood outside, holding two hospital uniforms.

"Sirs, you're going to have to wear these." She stated, handing us a uniform.

Once we were changed, she let us into the brightly lit room. Angie was screaming on the bed, clutching the hand of someone I didn't recognize. They wore a black uniform, that went down to their feet. Ignoring the mysterious stranger, I rushed to her side. The moment I clutched her hand, she let out an agonized scream. The doctors fussed at her feet.

"Push! Push!" They screamed. Angie screamed again, and I turned my attention to her feet. The doctors looked grimly down, while another one pulled out a child.

"It's a stillborn." She declared, a look of sorrow on her face. My heart dropped, and I glanced down at Angie. To my horror, her eyes were staring blankly at the stranger. I glanced up at him and my breath hitched. It wasn't a hospital uniform he was wearing, it was an evil black hood. Where his face should've been was a skull instead with blood red eyes, gazing down at my love. Angie wasn't clutching flesh, she was clutching bones. A scythe was leaning against the bed.

It was Death.

"No!" I screamed, watching in horror as Angie stood up. But her body remained. She went over to our stillborn infant, and grabbed it too. It was lifted up, and she gently rocked it. Then she turn back to Death.

"I'm ready." She stated in a faint whisper.

"Angie! No!" I screamed, tears running down my face as my love took Death's hand, and let him guild her to the pits of Hell. "No!"

...

I sat up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. I clutched it, trying to steady my breathing. Was that a dream? What the hell kind of dream was that?

Shaking my head, I grabbed my phone. Flipping it open, I'm blinded for a moment. After my eyes adjust to the bright light, I read the date.

May 21, 2005. 2:13 am.

I let out a sigh. It was still the same day, for the most part. Shutting the phone, I sat up and turned my light on. I was in the Charmer Motel, with nothing. I didn't pack before I left. Which was a good thing after all.

Angie. I needed her. She was as essential as air. And she needed me.

...

Standing outside our house, I lifted up one of the rocks on the porch. Angie kept a key under it for Maria after school. Grabbing the small golden key, I insert it into the lock. Turning it to the left, I heard the click. Pushing the door open, I set the key back down under the rock. Carefully shutting the door, I made my way to Angie's room. I need her to forgive me. Even though I was a complete dick. Saying that I didn't want the baby. What the fuck? I did want the baby, more than anything.

Standing in the doorway to our room, I could see the figures of Angie and Maria curled up on the bed. Maria was snuggled closely to Angie.

"I don't even want Daddy here!" Damn. That hurt. Shoving Maria's hurtful words out of my head, I quietly went into the room. Turning to the dresser, I searched for some pajama pants and a wife beater. While I was pulling those one, the lamp light flicked one.

"Mac?" Angie asked. I turned to her, a small smile on my face.

"Hi honey." I murmured.

"What're you doing here? I thought you didn't want anything to do with your baby." She stated, glaring at me. Going over to her, and leaned down. Giving her a deep kiss, I gently stroked her cheek.

"I didn't mean it. I'm sorry I hurt you. I do want this baby. I love you." I murmured past her lips.

Her fingers curled up in my hair, gently tugging it. When I pulled away, she was smiling. "I'm glad you came back." She mumbled.

"I am too." I wasn't gonna tell her about the dream. I went over to the other side of the bed, and carefully crawled in. Maria didn't stir, but her light snores filled the air. I pulled the covers over us, scooting as close to Angie and Maria as I could without waking my daughter up. Angie draped an arm over her, and intertwined our fingers together.

"You know she didn't mean that, right?" Angie murmured.

"I kinda figured. An' even if she did mean it, I ain't leavin'." I declared. Angie smiled slightly, before closing her eyes. I closed mine too, exhaustion flowing over me.