Ghost of You

Ten

Lindsey arrived home in the afternoon, his work day being shortened by his productivity. He walked in to see Stevie making herself lunch, and dancing around to the radio.

"Hey!" he said with a wave. She continued on as if he went there. "Can you turn that thing down?" She huffed and turned it off. "Why didn't you call me? I was waiting for you."

"You said to call you when I calmed down."

"And?"

"I'm not calm." she said, her tone sharp.

"I'm sorry, Stevie but you have to understand how all this sounds. So did something happen today while I was gone?"

"Yes actually."

"Alright then..." He motioned for her to continue and she stood at the counter with her food, picking up one half of her egg salad sandwich. "Go on" She placed her food back down, knowing she couldn't eat at a time like this, especially with him giving her the third degree.

"I saw the ghost, a woman, in the mirror again so I smashed it."

"You did what?! Are you hurt? Stevie..."

"Then I heard laughter and the lights were going haywire...I got this horrible pain and I swear to you I heard voices whispering and someone was talking about the baby...they know I'm pregnant Lindsey, someone is here" she said, increasingly more panicked as she continued.

"Wait a minute, go back. Pain? What kind of pain?"

"It's like this thing is attacking my body! What if it wants me to lose our baby?"

"Stevie, this is serious." he said, going to the phone. He started to dial, waiting for someone to pick up.

"What are you doing? Calling men in white coats to take me away?"

"No, the doctor. We have to check on the baby. Did you have any bleeding? I need to know details when they ask"

"Do you not give a shit about me here?!" Stevie said trying to take the phone away

"No, I care more about that baby staying right now!" He told her truthfully, stevie stood back a little shocked

"Hi, yes I'd like to make an emergency appointment for my wife...yes, just over eight weeks...she was getting a lot of stomach pains...great, thank you!" He hung up and turned to Stevie.

"They can fit us in now, but we need to leave straight away!"

"Lindsey, I'm terrified of my own house and you don't care about me!" She cried, still being over sensitive

"Look, we need to leave, you should of told me the second you got the pains!" He practically dragged her out the doors and into the car.

In the car, Stevie cried the entire way there. He reached out to touch her thigh and she moved it away, physically removing his hands from her when he continued to try to make contact. "Stop!" she wailed.

"I'm sorry, but can't you see my point of view?" he asked, parking in the lot of the doctor's office. "My beautiful, pregnant wife is home alone all the time, and while I'm at work, she suffers severe stomach pains. We have suffered infertility our entire relationship and we are finally pregnant, Stevie. I'm scared to death, not just for the baby, but for you too." Stevie turned her head to look at him and he was clearly concerned, tears evident in his eyes.

"Will you come to the attic with me later?"

"Yes, I swear I will if we get the all clear from the doctor. Will that make you happy?" She nodded. "Let's go check on the baby."

"Okay" she said, getting out of the car.

Despite how she'd acted with him earlier she still took his hand, terrified that she'd lost the baby, and he would hate her forever

"Baby, it's alright, they will be fine I'm sure..." he told her but she kept quiet, afraid that she would completely destroy herself

Walking in they were called in pretty much immediately, stevie laying down on the bed as they set her up for an ultrasound, placing the gel on her stomach the nurse moved the transducer around, Stevie turning her head away from the screen, not being able to look.

"Ah, there we go" the technician said. "Healthy, measuring almost nine weeks. Perfect!"

"Steph, look" Lindsey said. "They're so beautiful in there." He rubbed his palm over her knuckles and she dared to look.

The technician flipped a switch and a strong heartbeat filled the room. She immediately burst into tears. "My baby!" she wept.

"I'm so proud of you" he said, kissing her hair.

"Would you like a print out?" the tech asked and they both nodded vigorously. She smiled and told them they could pick them up after speaking with the doctor.

The rest of the appointment went amazingly, everything was fine, stevie not needing to be given anymore extra vitamins or anything, they collected their prints before walking back to the car

"I promise I'll be more carful in future." She assured him and hugged him

"And I promise I'll come into the attic with you, as soon as I get home" he kissed the top of her head and got her into the car.

Arriving back home, Stevie entered the house and Lindsey went upstairs to change his clothes. From above, he heard a loud dragging sound, like someone was moving furniture. "Great! Now she's got it in your head!" he said to himself, shaking his head. He pulled his tee shirt over his head and tied the drawstring on his jogging pants, going back downstairs to meet up with his wife. "You weren't up in the attic, were you?"

"No" she said, taking a long sip of her tea. "Why?"

"No reason. Why are you so out of breath?"

"I was cleaning."

"You were told to rest. Are you sure you weren't up there alone again?"

"I told you no! Why are you interrogating me?!" she shouted.

"I'm sorry, calm down...I just don't know how else to explain it."

"Explain what?" she asked, seeing he was deep in thought.

"Nothing. Are you ready?" he asked and she nodded reluctantly. Now that his curiosity was piqued, he too wanted to get up there and find out what was happening.