Shadows in the Dark

Chapter 19

Wendy didn't make it through her morning shift without running to the bathroom. She was certain the sound of her retching escaped the small lav. When her alarm went off at five-thirty she was in Harry's arms just as she had been the past two mornings. If she wouldn't come home with him, Harry decided to stay with her.

He made the decision even before she involuntarily winced, as he played with her breasts. Harry had been very eager when they conceived before and spent hours reading symptoms. The moment he discovered her tender breasts, he knew. She thought of denying it but told him the truth.

"I haven't dared to take a test, but I've felt sick in the morning."

Harry's smile was so large Wendy thought his lips might rip. "But that's good! You weren't sick before."

"I'm afraid."

"You're not alone. You have me."

Wendy believed him and as if he knew she was thinking of him, he walked in and took his place in the coffee line. Her heart had a habit of skipping a beat when she saw him, especially dressed in his suit.

She watched as women turned their heads to look at him. Some whispered and others smiled. Harry ignored them as his eyes found hers. Alice was hovering around Wendy concerned she was ill, so Rick waited on Harry. She heard him as he started a conversation the way that only Rick could.

"You don't look like you're on vacation."

Harry laughed. "No holiday for me."

"You sound like Wendy, my best employee."

Harry just smiled. "Is that so?"

Rick handed him his coffee and Harry waved. Only Wendy knew the wave was meant for her. Letting him back in her life, felt right, but she was afraid. She was less afraid of him straying as she was of disappointing him if her body failed again.

Thankfully, she had an hour between shifts to have a lie-down. Her rest was interrupted by a knock at her door. Groaning she got up not certain who would be on the other side.

She opened the door to find her friend Andrew. "Oh hello, I don't work until half past?"

"I came to see you."

"What did you want?" Wendy was surprised by her visitor. They chatted in the market, but that was the extent of their friendship.

"I want what everyone else has been getting?" he said, in a voice that missed its mark on alluring.

Suddenly she realized what had brought him to her door. Those bloody rumors she thought he hadn't heard. "Sorry, but you've been hearing lies."

"Sweetheart, you know that's not true you've been playing games with me for weeks."

He pushed his way past her into her apartment.

"I thought you were my friend nothing more." As he started to approach her shaking his head, she said, "I want you to leave."

"I'm not going to do that. I know you want it." He grabbed her and pulled her against him.

"No!" She tried to push away, but he just held her tighter. Her heart was racing and her breath was rapid. Her blood was pounding into her head. She was rigid as she tried to come free.

As he tried to kiss her she did the only thing she could and bit his lip hard. He jumped back in shock and pain.

Angrily he snarled, "You bitch!"

He lunged for her and Wendy fell down and he fell on top of her and knocked the wind out of her. She tried to fight him off as he started grinding himself into her. She tried to free her leg to kick him where it counted. Instead, she pulled his hair and tried to poke at his eyes and started yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Help! Help! Help! Todd! Help! Todd! Help!"

His hands were groping her roughly and he kept repeating through clenched teeth, "I know you want it, baby. You give it to all the rich ones."

She kept trying to bite him and pull at his hair and ears. His anger escalated and he slapped her across the face. She just continued screaming fearing she would be hoarse before anyone came to help her. He hit her twice more across the face and the third time was close-fisted.