Who Is My Trouble?

THE END

It took me three months to get done with everything. When I came back home, I found out that Sasha has left the neighborhood. Some say she moved to London, while others think she left the whole country for good. Whatever it is, I really missed her and wanted to know how life was treating her after I left. Leaving my job, selling my furniture, paying all my debts, and saying goodbye to friends happened quickly, yet felt like forever. After I arrived, Henry took me through the neighborhood, and both got the furniture for our new house. At first, it was challenging to adapt, mainly because I had a few nights when Henry had to deal with the emotional crises I suddenly faced. After that, I got used to it. I even got a job at a museum where I teach about politics through art! Henry and I lived together for 5 years without even thinking of having kids. We focused on travel and work more than anything else. One day, Henry got a call from the museum that I fainted after feeling extremely ill. Furious him drove me to the hospital to get the surprise of our marriage, a son! I was pregnant for 4 months without even knowing it. Everything felt just right, but no matter how right it felt, there was something spicy going on that left me restless. I still had nightmares, not regularly, but it happened.

"You'll be going to labor anytime this weekend, my lovely," said Henry as he hopped to bed and wrapped his arms around my big belly.

"I'm worried about this H, I really am," I sighed as I took my glasses off and closed my eyes.

"Knock knock, you're not going to stay there for so long, mister-" Henry was going with his typical lame jokes until he stopped at the word mister, "what are we calling him?"

"Seth," I blurted out with my eyes still closed.

"What?" Henry calmly took off his hand and adapted into a strange tone.

"I'll call him Seth," I looked at him and pulled my hand to hold his.

"He's our son," he said as he placed his other hand on mine.

"I know he is, what does that have to do with the name?"

"You didn't ask me, Marcy, you had it in mind and you didn't even discuss it with me."

"Now I am," I replied, furiously trying to figure out the reason for his frustration.

"I don-"

"Listen, Henry, my decision is made."

"I don't want our son to be a product of your past!"

"Do you really think I won't be able to mother properly?"

"No, it's not about mothering honey! It's just about-"

"About what? HA? About me undergoing medication before? Is that what you're trying to pull on me?"

"No, Marcy, that's not right."

"It better be Henry. It better be," I said as I turned away from him and turned off the lights.

After a minute of silence, while he adjusted himself to bed and turned his back to mine, he asked a vulnerable question.

"Do you think of him?"

"Who?" I whispered throughout the whole conversation.

"Him."

"Seth?"

"Yes."

"I do," I expressly replied.

"How often?"

"Sometimes."

"A lot?"

"Just triggers."

"Is that why you're calling our son after his name?"

"No."

"Do you miss him?" he asked after staying quiet for a while, which made me take my time to answer back, "Marceline?"

"Yes."

"Do you miss him?"

"I said, yes."

"Do you love me?" he asked with his shivering voice.

"Are you crying?" I turned to check on him, but I got his back, "Henry?" I placed my hand on his shoulder and slowly pulled him towards me, "why are you crying? I love you, Henry, I love you, don't think about it that way. Seth was my best friend, and he died in front of my eyes. I feel it'll be genuine to honor him if I name our son after his name.

"Take me into your arms," Henry pushed himself to me and burst in tears, which I never expected to see as a state at all.

"It's okay, let it out, I love you and don't think it'll be in any other way," I said as I tapped on his shoulder and kissed him on the forehead.

The first time I became a mother was the most emotional in my life ever. There were a lot of tears from the three of us, crying, bonding, caring, and loving. There was pain which was worth it, and love that no force on earth could separate. Henry and I had our ups and downs, but it never stopped us from being a healthy couple and an ideal parent. On our 10th anniversary, I delivered our third child to the family. We had Seth 5, Stacey 4, and Abraham a newly born. After I gave Stacey, I refrained from working full-time and preferred part-time instead. However, with the responsibility of Abraham added, I decided to go with being a full-time mother. Henry and I were never as happy as we were ever before. This time it was full of love and passion, we felt young and wise at the same time, as we didn't let our responsibilities rob us of our happiness. On the last check-up I had to do after giving birth to Abraham, Henry and the kids decided that we needed to go to the park after my appointment. Everyone was waiting for me in the car as I walked out of the hospital, but as soon as I waved for the kids from far, I noticed the same figure that has never left my mind ever before. "Could it be, could it not be?" was the only I fathomed at the moment. Henry yelled from the car, "are you okay, sweetie?" I stood there, speechless, baffled, with nothing to admit or hear.

"Could it be him? I saw him in my bare eyes that saw my kids and my husband in the car. I saw him standing, far away, under a tree, looking at me, straight into me, yes, it could be, it could be!" I thought in silence.

"What's going on?" Henry stepped out of the car to check up on me.

I tilted my head to the left to see behind Henry as he blocked my vision.

"Could it be? Could it not be? I saw him clearly under that tree, a man wearing black in black, with a navy cap. A man who loves caps, a man who I knew, a man - who was supposed - to be dead." I froze.

"Who is my trouble?..... Seth - is my trouble. Who is alive?..... Seth - is alive. Alive, Seth is my trouble." I fainted.