Limelight

Chapter Thirty Five: Valentines Day Party (Part One)

Chapter Thirty Five: Valentines Day Party (Part One)

February 14th, 1911, 8:00am

Valentines day! A day dedicated to love! Yet, it seemed no different than the norm for Erik and I. Erik believed that a man needed to treat his woman like a queen every day, to love her passionately every day, not just one day out of the year. There were two causes of celebration that week, one, Valentines day, and two, the day of my birth.

My birthday was on February 16th and my friends were becoming increasingly irritated with me for not giving them a list of the things I wished to have. "Things for the baby" I would reply "I've got everything I've ever wanted! A loving, all-around-wonderful husband, a great occupation, and in a month I'll have a baby!" Of course, with only one month until the child's arrival, Erik and I had a decision to make, what in god's name would the child's name be? Erik and I had talked constantly about it, he would have the ultimate decision, of course, the child was a boy and he won the agreement.

If you recall the agreement was that Erik would name the child if it was a boy, and I if it was a girl. Erik won. That day, Valentines day, I woke to being surrounded by roses and rose petals circling my huge tummy. Of course, with being pregnant, you get all the symptoms as well, I had learnt to control many of them such as the smells and the mood swings, but some I had not yet mastered. Such as the cravings, and morning sickness absolutely destroyed me!

At around six or seven in the morning I would become queasy and by nine o'clock I was huddled over the toilet yakking my guts out, but, Erik was always there. He held my hair, cleaned me up, and carried me into the kitchen. Poor, poor Erik! I demanded such strange dishes from him! I could not cook meals myself, for; I couldn't even see my own ankles!

Much less know if I would hit something when I walked! If I walked, that is, every time I attempted walking I would fall backwards, the load of our baby made me off balance, but Erik would catch me. Eventually, he just decided to carry me everywhere. This is how I figured out how strong he really was! Surprisingly, he was quick on his feet even when he carried my burden, sometimes he had to rush me to the WC so I didn't throw up every where.

"I'm sorry" I said softly one day as I was hunched over the toilet, Erik was kneeling by my side.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, my angel! You are no burden to me and I will do anything for you, just say the word and it shall be done. Do not hesitate to ask me anything, darling, alright? Good, now, come, let me finish your breakfast." He answered as he cleaned me up, he lifted me from the floor and carried me into the kitchen, placing me at the wooden table and bringing over my requested breakfast.

Chocolate chip pancakes with spicy sausage and eggs scrambled with four different types of cheese. I clapped happily and kissed his nose as he sat across from me, a gentle, tired smile on his face. Yes, tired, during the night I would need to use the WC, I tried to stifle the urge as much as I could, for as long as I could until I felt I would wet the bed! For, I hated waking him, he needed his sleep, regretfully I would tap him and he would wake with a start, asking if everything was alright. I would smile sadly and ask him to take me to the WC, he would nod sleepily and carry me over to the small room, standing in the doorway and smiling at me.

His hair was often messy from the pillow and his shirt hung over his trousers. But never would he remove his white half mask, that morning, Valentines day morning, I asked him why. "I've seen your wonderful face before, my lovely, you need not cover it, I love it." I said happily staring dreamily at him as I dug into my breakfast which consisted of a crescent covered in cinnamon and butter and a boiled egg doused in hot sauce. Erik smiled.