Hiding Place || Tori Kelly

The Storm

23 Weeks
(Nov. 16)

10 PM

Tori sat on the couch with her head in her hands. She couldn't believe her eyes. She had just gotten Irie to sleep when she accidentally picked up André's phone to see a message she did not expect. Tori stared at the phone, waiting for her husband to come home.

10:02 PM

André unlocked the front door and every part of Tori that she thought she had under control left. "Hey baby,"

"Why?" Tori asked, getting up and grabbing his phone.

"Oh you found it. Thanks," he said, reaching for it. Tori pulled it behind her out of her husband's reach.

"You have to be kidding me, André? After everything we endured and, and everything we fought through? I-I fought my father for you!" Tori stuttered, trying to hold back tears. André stared at her confused.

"Baby," he said taking a step closer, forcing Tori's hand between them.

"Do not get any closer. I swear, Dré, Do not get closer," she growled. André had never seen such a ferocious side of Tori. It was sort of sinister how dark her eyes got. "Why would you do this to me? And now! You had all that time to call it quits. You had all the opportunities to leave. But you waited until now! You got me pregnant! You talked me into keeping your daughter! For what? So you could trap me into not leaving while cheated on me?  I carried this ring on my finger with pride. I was proud to be your wife!" Tori yelled.

"Was? Cheated? What are you talking about?" André asked. Tori showed him the messaged and watched his eyes change.

"Vanessa," Tori said. "I'm 23 weeks pregnant with your child. The child you were so desperate to have. I gave up a lot to do this for you. You were so selfish and so blind and I kept this child despite that. But this André," Tori cried. "Did you even think about that little girl downstairs who finally got the father she deserved? Or me? Or our child?" She asked. André grabbed Tori's arms only for him to be shoved away. "I can't do this right now. I'm going to my moms house tonight and I know you have a class tomorrow morning, so I'm gonna take Irie and I'll bring her back after your class," Tori said, dropping his phone on the couch and moving away from him. André quickly hopped in front of his wife.

"You're not taking my daughter and your not going anywhere!" He yelled.

"Give me a reason to stay! Because I can't come up with one on my own!" Tori yelled. André stood at a loss for words. He couldn't get his thoughts in order. Everything was happening to fast and before he knew it, Tori was down the stairs packing up and Irie's stuff. André dropped onto the couch. It felt like nothing was happening and everything was happening all at once.

10:15 PM

Irie sleepwalked behind Tori out of the house, not noticing that her dad was sitting on couch watching her leave. Tori glanced at André partially hoping that he would run to the door, grab her and kiss her like he hadn't done anything wrong. Like she was just overreacting. Like he was still the man she married.

Tori shut the door behind herself, and popped the trunk of her coupe as Irie crawled into the back. "Where are we going, Mommy?" Irie asked. Tori slid in the front seat and placed her hands on her stomach as a Braxton-Hicks contraction hit. It wasn't painful but it was definitely uncomfortable.

"Sit back, Irie. Put your seatbelt on. We are going to Grams tonight. Mommy and daddy need a break from each other right now," Tori said, wiping a tear and starting her car.

"We can't leave daddy! I don't want you guys to break up! Mommy, we can't leave him," Iriella screamed. Tori ran her hand through her hair.

"Irie, baby, please. I can't right now. Daddy and I aren't breaking up we just need some time apart," Tori said. Irie cried louder, refusing to put her seatbelt on.