Chapter 4

LAURA — 04

His mask lay cracked on the tile. I barely registered the sound, rage was all I could hear.

Michael kept his eyes closed. When he finally opened them, something flickered there but it was gone before I could name it.

Regret? Guilt? Maybe shame…it was gone, replaced with an emptiness that made me shiver.

“I don’t know what you think this is, Laura — his eyes held a tiredness I had never seen before. Dark circles and eye bags —  but I never asked you to come.” His tone was cold.

I shifted back a bit, taking him in. This wasn’t my husband. Not the man I knew. Not the man I loved.

“What has gotten into you, Michael? We always come to these things as a couple. We’ve been doing so for four years. How could you do this to me?” I questioned, my voice shaky.

He remained stoic, his hands firmly in his pockets. 

“Michael?’ I pushed, needing him to say something. Anything but he stood motionless for more than a minute.

He suddenly pinched the bridge of his nose “Go home, please,” his voice leaned into pleading but I stood there, shocked that my own husband was kicking me out.

“Who was your date?” I suddenly questioned, turning my attention to what was really hurting me. I watched his face grow an emotion for a minute before vanishing.

“Who did you pick instead of your wife!?” I asked bitterly and Michael scoffed.

Was this who I married? Had I really not seen this in him?

“You’re acting like it’s a big deal. If I didn’t pick you up, Laura, that should’ve told you I wasn’t coming. Plans change.I even asked you not to stay up. Why on earth are you even here Laura!?” He asked in frustration. His brows knitted so deep I could see wrinkles.

But it is a big deal! I was his wife for fuck’s sake.

“You didn’t answer my question Michael. Who is your date!?” I questioned again and he grunted in frustration.

“Go home!! Kayla!” He shouted and the bathroom went stiff.

Kayla…? Did he just call me…Kayla?

My vision blurred. My hand drifted to my belly before I could stop it.

I heard Michael utter a curse word but no words of comfort. No hugs of reconciliation. It was like he was a new man…a man I didn’t know.

“Just…go home laura. I don’t want you here,” his voice reverberated across the bathroom walls just as the loud click of the bathroom door closing echoed.

My head was throbbing, I was trying to catch my breath but it wasn’t working. I braced a hand over my chest as my breaths spiraled too fast.

My mind was in shambles. How could he do this to me? How could he take everything we had and throw it to the wall?

Like I didn’t matter. Like our marriage didn’t fucking matter!?

My hands dusted my dress, tightening around my belly. I was carrying a miracle and all I wanted to do was to tell him that I was making us a family. That I was finally making us complete.

My tears were drying on my face, my heart finally calming down but the weight of the situation hanging heavily on my shoulders. 

Maybe there was a reason. Maybe he would come back and tell me the truth. So when the door to the bathroom creaked open, I whipped around instantly.

I turned, ready to forgive him until I saw her. Standing by the doorway with a smirk on her face.

The hollow feeling in my chest returned as she stepped into the bathroom fully and her eyes flashed gold so fast I almost doubted it.

I have never met Kayla but something about her made the hairs on my neck stand. Something about her was dangerous. 

“I’ve been dying to meet you, Laura,” her voice was almost melodic if I didn’t catch the hint of superiority in her tone. The way her eyes gave me a quick disdainful look in a split second.

“I can’t say the same about you, Kayla. After all, who expects to speak to ghosts?” I fired despite’s every inch of my body telling me to get the hell out of there.

She gave a wry laugh, dry and stiff like.

“For a placeholder, you’ve got a tongue,” she replied and I scoffed.

“Placeholder for whom? I hope you don’t think I’m going anywhere for anybody, most of all ghosts?” I said and I saw her eyes turn to slits before giving a small smile.

“Oh, I hardly doubt that,” she suddenly rubbed her stomach and I frowned.

“He can’t even love your kind. You really believe you were anything more than convenience?” She insulted but I stood my ground.

She shook her head, gave me a look over and sighed sorrowfully.

“But a piece of advice? Maybe pay attention to your surroundings better. I didn’t need a soothsayer to know when I’m not wanted, most especially from the man I claim to love.” She said and I ignored her, going straight to wash my hands.

“You don’t know him, Laura. Not really. You don’t know what he likes. Or why. Or when. I do. I always have and maybe if you opened your eyes, you’d see I’m doing you a big favor” she chuckled sharply but I ignored her, drying my hands even as I tried to hold my anger in check.

Michael was an asshole. A stranger wearing my husband’s face but I knew the man I married and even if what she was saying had an atom of truth to it, I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of destroying my marital bliss.

I was going to fight for Michael even if he couldn’t fight for us. It was for better or for worse.

I finished and was about to leave when she blocked my path.

“You wouldn’t want to cross me, little bumpkin. I’m not the ghost you’ve heard about. I can be dangerous especially since you’re trying to deprive my son from meeting his father,” she warned and rubbed her stomach again. 

My eyes widened. Son? Was she…

“Yes. I’m pregnant and it’s Michael’s,” she answered as though she read my mind.

I couldn’t breathe.

“So, I’d suggest going back to your worthless family and think about this; a ghost who’s been away for years spends one night with her man and gets pregnant on her first try, as opposed to you,” she mocked while my eyes filled with tears.

I pushed past her, not knowing where else to go. Michael had betrayed me completely. Driven a stake to my heart and loyalty.

I ran from the bathroom, downstairs where the music came to an abrupt end as I kept running. Anywhere was better than here.

I bumped into someone and hands came around my waist “what’s wrong laura?” Michael’s voice, his tone concerned and caring floated to my ears but my brain shut it out.

How long have I been a fool!? How long has he been cheating on me with Kayla?

I shoved past him and continued to run. I didn’t feel my legs anymore. I only felt the need to run. To get away from the lights, the whispers, from Michael’s voice calling my name like he still had the right.

The air outside was colder than it should have been. It slapped my face, stung my eyes, blurred everything and everyone. People were shouting behind me, voices tangled, muffled, unrecognizable.

I just kept running.

My tears were hot trails down my cheeks, mixing with sweat, my breaths uneven and sharp. My chest ached with every inhale. My vision wouldn’t steady; the world kept tilting till  I pushed through the last set of doors and—

Blinding headlights swallowed my world.

A horn blared, tires screeched against asphalt. The sound tore the night in half instantly.

I froze.

My feet rooted to the pavement. My stomach lurched. My arms lifted on instinct but I knew I was too slow. What was going to happen to my little miracle?

 For a heartbeat, the world held its breath until  something moved. It was fast, dark but yet familiar.

“Laura!”

His voice cut through everything but it was already too late. The force had sent me to the ground with force but before I slipped into unconsciousness, I thought I saw Michael with his arm outstretched, stopping the car like it weighed nothing.

But that was not possible. Michael was human. Like me.