Unpredictable Love II

Chapter 118

Chapter 118

Karleigh's POV

Hysterical sobs are the only noise coming from me as I drive back home, following the directions Aunt Joc gave me in reverse. Both of my hands grip the wheel and I can feel my bottom lip trembling so hard, that I have to bite down on it for it to stop.

I'm trying to maintain a steady speed, the last thing I need is for another car accident, especially after the last one.

Harry's watery, green eyes flash through my mind, and I see an image of him kneeling on the ground in front of me. My head throbs and my heart pounds, I feel as if I cannot breathe in the confined space of this car.

I feel dizzy, but I keep the car steady on the road. My head is starting to spin and I can't focus on the road ahead of me, flicking on my blinker I pull off to the side of the road.

Autopilot takes over my body and I quickly climb out of the car, and rush around towards the back of the vehicle. I hunch over, my hands gripping my knees for support, and release a stream of vomit. Gagging sounds come from my throat, and I try to stop them but my stomach is in knots.

When I can finally stand again, I swipe the back of my hand across my mouth and get back inside of my car. I don't rush to get back on the road, instead I turn my hazard lights on and lean back in my chair. I flip open the visor above my head and look into the mirror.

My eyes are puffy, and my make up is smudged. I'm reminded of my layered hair and highlights and immediately feel a twinge of disappointment. Harry didn't even mention my hair, although I had forgotten about it too with the pressure of dropping the news on him.

The rapid pace of my breaths starts to slow and I try to relax as much as possible. Stress isn't good for the baby. I mentally remind myself.

Not that it matters, I'm not keeping it. I've never been the motherly type anyways, I doubt I even have a mother's instinct. But still, something about Harry's pleading and the look in his eyes, makes me want to protect the unborn child. Not from him, but for him.

Harry's POV

The needle on the speedometer is rapidly inclining and my car is lurching forward by the second. Finally the needle that dictates my speed, idles around 85mph and I don't even care that the speed limit is 60. I really couldn't care less.

For a while after I tried to leave the restaurant, I couldn't seem to budge. I held the crumpled sonogram image in my hand, staring at it blankly until I could find a way to move.

And I knew as soon as I started my car, I couldn't go to Jocelyn's house. Karleigh won't want to see me after our eventful lunch date, and Jocelyn wouldn't let me in if it was the last thing I did.

My mind drives the car on its own, part of me is conscious of my surroundings, but most of my brain is focused on Karleigh's repeating words telling me about the pregnancy.

I don't realize where I've driven to until I turn my car off and look up at the house.

Warm beads of water are still rolling down my cheeks as I ring the doorbell. It takes a while, but eventually the door opens to reveal Robin.

"Harry?" He sounds concerned, but I push past him in search of my mother. It doesn't take me long to find her, she's lounging in the living room with the television running.

"Harry?" She repeats Robin's reaction from just seconds ago. I know what they're thinking, they're worried because I'm crying.

I can't seem to form a complete sentence that will make sense, so instead I pad towards my Mom and sit on the couch beside her. Naturally, her arms wrap around me in a comforting gesture. She coos to me that everything will be alright, but I can't help but wonder how she could promise me something so uncertain when she doesn't even know why I'm upset yet.

My strangled cries pause and I lean off of her shoulder looking at her intently. Her green eyes, that mirror mine, search my face for something I'm unsure of.

"She told you?" Mom whispers.

Only now, in this time of desperation, pain, and anger does my mom speak quietly; any other time she wouldn't hesitate to be loud and heard.

My brows furrow together and I feel my posture tense. "You knew?"

She sighs. "Yes."

"You knew, and you didn't tell me?" I demand, my hoarse voice raising in volume.

"Harry, please. It wasn't something for me to tell."

"Easy for you to say! You've always been good at keeping secrets, huh mom!" I snap, jerking upright to my feet. A hand is clamped down on my shoulder and I turn to see Robin looking at me worriedly.

"Harry, don't talk to your mom this way." He calmly states.

I shrug his hand off of me, and face my Mom again. "You didn't tell me." I say in disbelief this time, rather than a question.

I want to be angry and throw shit, I want to run away and force karleigh to remember everything. I want to tell her how it used to feel when we kissed, how it felt when she scraped her nails down the length of my spine. I want to do all these things, but I know I need to stand my ground; and deep down inside of me, I know my mother is right. This wasn't her secret to tell, I needed to hear it from Karleigh.

Words won't come out of my mouth, and I sink to my knees letting the sobs take over.

My vision is blurry, but I know Robin left the room. Mom stands and pads over to me, sitting beside me and rubbing small circles in my back.

"She's putting it up for adoption." The words come out sounding strangled and choked, I sound pathetic.

"Harry, you're sick and Karleigh is suffering from memory loss. As much as you want her to, she doesn't remember what a beautiful relationship you two had together. How could you two possibly raise a child together? You have enough obstacles as it is." Mom says softly to me.

"C'mon." She instructs, helping me stand up and guiding me over to her couch.

A pillow has been laid out and some covers are now draped a cross the furniture. "Sit, you can stay here for tonight."

I do as she says, and lay back into the soft cushions of her couch. Mom vanishes, but reappears moments later with a steaming cup. "It's hot." She whispers, handing it over to me.

I bring the burning mug to my lips and swallow down a few sips of my Mom's signature honey tea. The liquid soothingly burns as it glides down my throat, settling in my stomach. Emptying the cups contents, I hand it back over to Mom.

"Good night." She calls out from the kitchen, then the lights go out and I'm alone in the dark.

I'm glad I drank that tea, because it settled a feeling of comfort over me. I wrap the covers around my body and allow my eyes to shut on their own.