Gone The Story of an Addict

Chapter Four: Finding Hope

I spent the next hour going over details of everything a pregnant woman would need during her pregnancy. Mason's mom suggested I get prenatal vitamins and a book about expecting a baby. She had also called her friend to set up an after hours appointment for this evening so CeCe and I could find out how far along she is. 

Things were really starting to look up. I was starting to become a little excited instead of afraid. i was feeling good again and I couldn't wait to tell CeCe the news, stopping by the drug store to get her vitamins and a bouquet of flowers. I knew it was corny but she would love it. I just wanted to brighten her mood. I wanted her to know it would be okay. 

She didn't need to be scared anymore. 

I decided to make a quick stop by the restaurant too. I was hoping Selma could help me set up a surprise date for CeCe and me. I wanted to make her feel as good as possible tonight.

"Of course I'll help you sweetheart. Go flip the open sign real quick." Selma said excitedly.

"It's two o'clock." 

"I said go flip the damn sign. I need to have time to make this place look decent." She smiled. 

I smiled back before flipping the sign from open to close, locking the door, and walking back to her. 

"Good. Now go home and have Cecelia get ready. Make sure she's blind folded when you bring her and sit her in the corner booth." She began her instruction. 

I nodded and listened carefully to everything she said. This was going to be a very special night for us and I couldn't have asked for more. I hoped she would start feeling more comfortable with the whole idea of having a baby. 

I entered the house expecting to see our house mates but they were gone. The house was quiet and dark. I was starting to shake from nervousness as I walked back to our room. It was unnaturally quiet. Eerily quiet. I grabbed the door knob and waited a moment to open it. Too scared of what I might find on the other side. 

"Are those for me?" CeCe asked from behind, startling me. 

"Yes. And these too." I said handing her the flowers and vitamins, not even bothering to ask why she had the house completely dark. 

She smiled as she smelled the flowers. I loved her smile. 

"I'm really sorry Aaron."

"Doesn't matter now. We just get to have another fresh start." I smiled at her. 

She nodded and hugged me. I could feel her smiling into my chest. I couldn't help but smile myself. This was going to be a big change but we we're going to be alright. Everything was going to fall right into place. It had to. 

"Will you go on a date with me?" I asked breaking the hug. 

"Sure." She smiled at me.

"Go put on your nicest dress." I said kissing her forehead and walking into the kitchen. 

I could hear her going through her clothes. I knew it would take at least twenty minutes if not longer just for her to find an outfit. Probably another twenty minutes for the make-up. And a good half hour for her hair. 

I wanted to make sure she took as long as possible so Selma would have time to get the restaurant set up the way we talked about. It was going to be perfect for CeCe. I hoped anyways. I just wanted to get her mood up. According to Mason's mom she was going to have a lot of mood swings for the next few months. Maybe longer. 

I took a dollar out of my wallet and put two of the hydro's in it, crushing them into a fine powder. I pulled a straw from the drawer and cut it in half, snorting as much of the powder as I could in one go. 

"No fair." CeCe said standing the doorway still in her jeans and t-shirt. 

I picked up the dollar and straw and walked over to her. She took the straw from my hand with no hesitation and snorted the rest of the pill. 

"I have nothing to wear." She said once she finished. 

"Then let's go shopping."

"No we can't spend the money we still owe on rent."

"I've got it covered. Let me take you out. We never go out. I don't even think we'e had our first date yet." 

CeCe looked down sadly. 

"Let me take care of it okay?" I said pulling her head back up. "I promise it will all be okay." 

She sighed and finally nodded knowing I wasn't going to give up. 

"Do you really think we can do this? Have a baby I mean." She asked suddenly. 

I nodded and smiled. 

"I think we can do anything we want, together." 

"Do you love me?" She gave me the evil grin she had been missing for a few days. 

"Always."

"Forever and ever?"

"To the end of the universe."

"Promise?"

"With every ounce of life in me."

"I love you too." She said kissing me on the cheek. "Give me a couple minutes to fix my hair and grab my purse."

I nodded as she went back to our room, quickly getting myself together. I put my wallet back in my back pocket and the pills back in my front. We we're probably going to need these later, the high never lasted long. I proceeded to sit down on the couch and wait for CeCe to finish getting herself ready. This was going to be the perfect night. 

We we're going to start fresh. Starting now. Nothing was going to stop us. Nothing was going to bring us down. We we're going to move to the top of world and live there forever. We would make a family, move into a big house, with an even bigger yard for our children to play in. We would host neighborhood barbecues. We would be the perfect picture of the perfect family. 

Right?