Never There ~ A Jelsa Story~

36; I told you so

"Michael, Michael!" I exclaimed, running into my house with the children. I threw my bag onto the kitchen table and yawned. Stroking Amber's hair, I wriggled the little blue band off my wrist and twisted my own hair into a ponytail. "My sister's alive!"

As I walked closer to the living room, my ears detect hurried footsteps. I hestitated, glancing back at Amber, who was sitting down now, fiddling with her dress. I sighed, and began to walk closer, when I heard three simple yet disturbing sounds: Michael gasping, the back door closing and lastly, some sort of rustling bag being crumpled. I wondered if something was wrong... or perhaps my 'pregnant' mind had distorted my perception somehow. I decided to follow through with my plan and stepped into the room.

"Michael?" I asked, surveying the area. "Is everything alight? You seem a little distracted. What was going on?"

Michael ran a hand through his hair, blinking a few times. He shrugged, "Nothing...?"

I felt a little suspicious, but I had to believe him. He would never lie to me. "Oh well." I smiled at him, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Anna's fine. Well - probably not the standard definition of feeling happy... but not dead, anyway."

Michael scoffed, ruffling my hair. "Just as I said, El."

"Hmm?" I questioned, not really paying too much attention. "Sorry, I zoned out."

"I told you so, I knew she would be fine!" Michael grinned, proudly, as if expecting me to congratulate him on knowing my own sister better than me. "You went to check it out, and found that you were being overemotional!"

I turned my head and rolled my eyes, so that he would not see. "Yes, you did. And you... you were right," I replied, not wanting to contradict him anymore, or to make him angry.

"By the way, the baby's doing well... as far as I know," I nodded, going in for a hug.

"Oh, that's cool," Michael answered, avoiding my hug.

I let out a deep sigh. He had wanted to have a child badly, and now it seemed as if he couldn't be bothered. "Are you sure everything's normal? You're acting.... strange. You can tell me if there is anything wrong," I told him, holding my hand in his.

Michael chuckled, turning away from me and walking towards the window. "Elsa, I have told you many times before. You are being over sensitive! You shouldn't hide the natural consequences of having a child from the baby's father!"

After everything that has happened, I started to wonder if he was right. I hadn't experienced this oversensitivity before, though. Perhaps it happened after quite a few pregnancies. Or maybe Jack lied to me about that, too? Whether it was the trip, the pregnancy or just the fact that I was having some sort of an existential crisis, I suddenly felt tired. I sat down on the sofa, and pulled the blanket over myself. As I did so, a brightly coloured, women's style underwear fell out from underneath the wooly blanket.

I started to breathe heavily. I wasn't an idiot. As I spoke, my voice had several emotions in it: confusion, anger and despair. "What is this?!"

Michael put his hand to his head. "Are you serious?! Elsa, you doubt everything! Why can't you listen to what I am saying?" he retaliated, his flesh turning an odd shade of red with anger. His tone suddenly changed to a slow one that you might use to a child who was learning the alphabet. "There is nothing going on, and you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms!"

I made some weird noise out of frustration. "And I've told you! I know I am pregnant! I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I know what my own clothes look like! That's not mine. Or are you about to suggest that... pregnancy distorts the eyes too?"

Michael sat next to me. "Is it not? Maybe it's Lily's?"

"Lily hates pink," I retorted, shortly.

"Perhaps it is Flee's?"

I thought of a comeback, however nothing came. I picked the neon pink clothing up between my thumb and index finger, to inspect it. I sighed, trying to calm myself down. After a while, I replied, "Actually, she did like pink a lot. Most of her clothes were that colour..."

Michael nodded, looking slightly uneasy.

I put my hand to my head. I felt a little sweaty, after that argument. I hoped I hadn't disturbed the baby. I stood up, placing the underwear beside me. "I'm going upstairs to have a bath..."

"Sure, Elsa, you do that. How long will you be?"

I raised an eyebrow, and itched my arm. "Probably about an hour, to get changed before and after... why?"

"No reason! I'll see you in an hour. Love you!"

"Bye!" I made a few cups of hot chocolate, then climbed the staircase. My children were on Michael and my bed, watching some videos on my phone. I handed the drinks to them, and grabbed a towel and a pair of pyjamas. "What are you watching?" I asked, smiling, turning the phone to double check it was not inappropriate. "Ah, Octonauts. My favourite."

I closed the door of the bedroom, so that they could watch in peace. Octonauts was in fact my favourite children's cartoon. It was educational yet fun. I remembered watching something similar to this sea-themed show when Anna and I were younger. I looked back fondly on those days, when nothing was complicated. It was just my parents, my sister, and I. Now I had ex-boyfriends, ex-husbands, boyfriends, stepchildren, children... and a new child to look forward to. The runt of the litter, as some might say.

I must have been standing on the landing for a while, because I heard Michael talking. I tucked my hair behind my ear so that I could hear better. Not everything was audible, though I could get the gist of the conversation.

"Elsa... bath... come round now... we can get... each other... love... bye!" Michael spoke into the silent downstairs, and I widened my eyes. I certainly was not an expert, and I might have been wrong. However, after everything I had heard that day, I was slightly suspicious that Michael... was unfaithful. I bit my lip, as I hurried into the bathroom.

I could not concentrate on anything else whilst I changed.

Michael was the love of my life.

He would never.

Would he?