Unexpected

Chapter 4: What?

Baby.

Baby?

Baby!

Backing into a chair, Norman has to sit down from how queezy he feels. He bends forqard so his head is almost in his lap. He feela so damn sick to his stomach right now.

How long had she known? Is it even mine? Did she even know?

As he calms himself, Norman gazes at her from across the room. She looks so peaceful, laying there in a hospital gown, blanket covering her up to nust below her breasts. Looking closesly at the blanket, Norman tries to find the bump that gives her away. How far along is she? Three months?

"Mhmmmm..." She slowly opens her eyes and they catch Norman's instantly. A small smile crosses her face, until she notices that one hasn't come to his. She slowly sits up and readjusts herself so she's sitting firmly on her bottom. The blanket has dropped into her lap and Norman still can't find the bump.

Maybe it's not mine.

"Norman...are you okay?" She sweetly asks.

"Funny how yer the one in the hospital bed and yer asking me if I'm okay." His voice is slightly laced with anger and she can hear it very well.

"Did...did I do something wrong?"

Sweet as ever she is...but that still doesn't erase the fact she never told me.

"I don't know. Did you? Why haven't you been eating?" He bites and she looks at her hands in her lap. "Emily."

He growls and she looks up at him with tears in her eyes. Right now he seems like an angry father scolding his child.

"I don't know...I'm sorry..." She starts getting teary eyed as her voice wavers with her answer.

"I don't know' is not an answer Emily. It's inexcuseable." Her tears start falling even harder. She never heard him so angry before- not even when he is acting. That's the thing. This isn't an act- it's real anger and frautration. "Why haven't you been eating?"

"I've just been depressed lately...I haven't had my head on straight... I'm sorry. I know it's stupid not to eat..."

"Especially when yer pregnant." He snaps and Emily sinks in her seat. She seems confused by the comment. "You put an innocent baby at risk and you don't even have a cause for it."

"Norman...what are you talking about? I'm not..."

"You are. The doctor told me. He's prescribed you prenatal vitamins- luckily the baby's okay from yer little incident." He's so bitter and for some reason he's enjoying it- just a bit. Looking down at her stomach, Emily slowly puts her hands around where her bump should be and she looks at Norman shocked before she starts crying harder. It occurs to Norman- that if she truly did know- she would never hurt something as precious as a baby. She wouldn't hurt any innocent thing. "Oh God.... You really...you really didn't know. Did you?"

Emily shakes her head and holds herself around her waist sobbing. Getting up out of the chair, Norman goes over to her and sits on thw edge of the bed. Emily immediately climbs into his lap and lays her head on his shoulser with his face in his neck.

"I'm sorry..... Norman... I'm...sssooorrryyy... I hurt... Our...baby...."

Our baby. So she didn't sleep with anyone else after those two times with me.

Wrapping his arms around her, he holds her close and kisses her temple. He rocks her back and forth and hums to her like before and eventually she calms down. When she is finally done crying, Norman looks at her deep in her eyes and can see the fear in her eyes. Laying his hand on her stomach slowly, he feels that warm buzz that he felt with Mingus. Looking down into her eyes again, he notices something different in her eyes this time- security.