Unexpected Surprise

It was coming into summer, the weather was becoming a little warmer, and flowers were blooming. Camilla loved roses and carnations, and in her garden, she had a beautiful array of both.

Things between her and Steven had seemingly gotten a lot better. Steven had gone back to working for the accounting firm, but he was on very thin ice. He couldn't afford to falter not one time.

One afternoon in March, Camilla was buying a few groceries as she always did, and walking past the fisheries, she suddenly felt ill from the smell of the oil. As she finished getting the groceries and walking back to the bus stop, she felt dizzy. She regained her composure and decided to go and buy a pregnancy test.

On arriving at home, Camilla decided to do the test. She wasn't sure if she wanted another child or not as things had been rocky between her and Steven and had only just now, seemingly, started to settle down.

As she waited for the result to appear, Steven walked into the house. "Camilla, I'm home," he greeted, "what's for dinner?"

Camilla came out of the bathroom, "I'm sorry, I just got in a few minutes ago myself, but dinner won't be long," she responded walking into the kitchen to get the food on.

While dinner was on the go, Camilla walked over to her husband, sat down quietly next to him, and said, "Steven, I have some news for you."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm pregnant," she responded, looking into his eyes for a reaction, "I went to buy groceries, and when I went past the fish and chips shop. I had an overwhelming ill feeling come over me. All of a sudden, I started to feel dizzy, so I decided to go and get a pregnancy test," she continued, handing him the positive test result.

Steven looked at her in shock, unsure if this was good news or bad news. After much thought, he said, "It's good news."

She smiled at him and went to finish off their evening meal.

By this time, Marshall was just a little over a year old, a year and a half to be precise. He was walking all over the place, babbling and laughing as he did so.

Camilla had such horrible morning sickness for the next few months, something she had never experienced with Marshall. She was also more tired than she was when she was pregnant with her firstborn.

Then the problems started all over again with her and Steven. By this time, Marshall was in daycare.

One Friday afternoon, Camilla being seven months pregnant, Steven had said he had a client to see, but he would pick her up after work, and they would then pick up Marshall. She informed him that they finished at 4 on a Friday if he could please be on time.

Because this pregnancy was a more complicated pregnancy, Camilla didn't get the bus home. She would take the car. However, this particular Friday was different.

4 p.m., came, and Camilla went downstairs to wait for her husband. Camilla was exhausted, her stomach and feet swollen. All she wanted to do was get home and put her feet up and rest.

By the time 4:30 p.m. came around, Steven had still not arrived. She sent him a text message.

Camilla: Steven, where are you?

Steven responds: On my way.

Camilla carried on waiting. By the time 5 p.m. came around, Steven was no longer answering her messages or calls. Fortunately, her manager was still in the building and asked her in a husky voice, "You still here?"

"My husband isn't answering my calls or messages!" she responded.

"Don't worry, I'm going in that direction. It's a little out of the way, but I can take you home and collect your son as well."

"I really appreciate it, thank you, Mr Bradshaw," she said calmly. Camilla was very frustrated and angry at that point.

On arriving home, Camilla noticed that their car was parked in the driveway. She thanked her manager again, picked up her son, and went into the house.

Marshall walked straight to his room to go play with his toys. Camilla walked into the bedroom, and there, lying on the bed, passed out drunk, was Steven. With fury in her eyes, she slammed the door closed and went to the kitchen to make dinner.

While dinner was cooking, she ran the bath water, got out Marshall's pyjamas, and settled him into the bath. Camilla was bushed by the time she had finished bathing her son and finishing their evening meal.

Just as Camilla settled on their settee to watch the evening news, Steven woke up, "Camilla!" he yelled,"I'm hungry."

In an angry but mild tone, she responded, "Your food is in the warmer. You can heat it up." Camilla was not going to deal with him like that and carried on watching the television.

Meanwhile, Steven decided to go back to bed. While sleeping, around 2 a.m., Stevens' phone rang. She quickly answered the call, and a female voice came on the line, "Hi there, we're here at the bar around the corner. Can you come fetch us and take us to another bar?" The females laughed.

"Excuse me, this is Steven's wife. Do you have no respect for time?" she responded in a firm yet harsh tone. Not waiting for a response, she put the phone down and drifted back off to sleep.

The number kept calling a few times, but Camilla just ended the calls. She would deal with this matter in the morning when she is calmer and Steven is sober.

An hour later, Steven woke up, put his arms around his wife, and said, "I'm hungry." Quietly, Camilla climbed out of bed, walked to the kitchen, and took him his food.

While he was eating, she said, "I don't know where you were yesterday, but I do not accept that you left me waiting for you to pick me up. Fortunately, my manager was still there, and he took me home with Marshall in tow."

Steven looked embarrassed and had no answer. His behaviour and lack of consideration for his pregnant wife and their child was unacceptable.

A few times, she recalled the words of the stranger. "But why do they affect me so much? Who was that man? Where did he come from?"

She had a thousand questions running through her mind since that morning's encounter. She also hadn't mentioned it to Steven because she hadn't thought it was necessary. "After all, he was just being kind, the neighbourly type of concern," she thought.