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I sat on my couch that unnaturally quiet night, holding a mug of herbal tea that was going cold. I had been off all day, feeling some sort of gnawing anxiety inside me that I couldn't shake. Seth was supposed to come over after work, and all day I had looked forward to seeing him and hoped his presence might soothe my restless mind. Earlier, I had tried to call him, needing his voice, needing to tell him how much I needed him, but all my calls went directly to voicemail. I told myself maybe he was driving and would soon be here. The feeling was uneasy, sitting in the pit of my stomach.As the hours trudged on and the clock crept ever closer to midnight, concern began to give way to fear. I began flipping through the channels of the TV, looking for a distraction, but nothing seemed to interest me. My mind kept reverting back to Seth. I had dialed his phone number so many times, hoping against hope that I perhaps had missed his call or he had sent a text, but nothing was there. There was
Days since Seth's accident had drifted by in a blur of hospital visiting hours, sleepless nights, and helplessness that just wouldn't leave. I held vigil hour by hour at his bedside, holding his hand, and praying for his recovery. His condition was stable, they said, but he wasn't really improving, and not knowing was tearing my heart apart. Every time I left the hospital, my apartment seemed unbearably empty and lifeless, so very opposite of the big, full-of-love home Seth and I had been building together.It was on one of those lonely nights after I had returned home from another long day at the hospital, that I heard somebody knock on my door. My heart jumped with that fleetingly hopeful thought that maybe, just maybe, it was Seth, miraculously recovered and back on his feet. Instead, it was Noah, his face a mix of concern and something else indefinable."Noah," I said, surprise and confusion plain in my voice. "What brings you here?"He didn't wait for an invitation but stepped ins
The call from my parents had come early in the morning, a brusque and abrupt summons that brooked no argument."Come home tonight," my father said. "There's something important we need to discuss."There was a tone in his voice that sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn't have the energy to argue. I needed to keep my focus on Seth's recovery, not whatever new drama my parents had dreamed up.By evening, I stood at the front door of my childhood home, with a weight of anxieties from that day weighing on my skin. The house looked the same as it had, yet there was something cold in it. I pushed open the door, and the smell of my mother's cooking hit me—familiar, yet filling me with dread."Christie, you're here," my mother called from the kitchen. Her voice was tight, flat-not welcoming."Yeah, I'm here," I returned, working on a smile as I entered the dining room. "What's so urgent?"My father was already seated at the head of the table, his expression light. "Sit down, Christie," he s
The day Seth finally came home was one of happiness, relief, and some residual apprehension. I had planned everything to the last detail and wanted everything to be perfect for his return. Fresh flowers were in the living room, perfuming the atmosphere well with their fragrance, which combined well with the aroma of the meal I had cooked all morning. The apartment was warm and inviting, a far cry from the antiseptic and impersonal feel of the hospital where he had spent many weeks.When Seth walked through the door, his strides were slower, more deliberate; but that same smile greeted me—among those that I had fallen in love with. I rushed to him, wrapping my arms gingerly around him since his injuries still needed time to heal. "Welcome home," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion."Good to be home," he said, and he squeezed me close. "I have missed you so much, Christie."Afternoon time merged into a haze of catch-up—so much had been missed. We laughed, reminisced, and enjoyed th
The evening with Seth was perfect. Lying back in bed, wrapped up in each other's arms, with the burdens of the world ebbing off with the warmth of our connection—it was all very nice. His fingers were drawing lazy patterns on my back, and for one moment, I allowed myself to believe that it was really going to be all right.My phone rang just then and broke the silence. The caller was Anne. My heart sank immediately, since Anne never called at this hour unless there was some terrible problem. I answered, and her sobs filled my ears."Christie, he threw me out!" she sobbed. Her voice was frantic. "Noah told me to leave. He found out about Mom and Dad's scheme to hook you up with that old man, and he's blaming me for not stopping it. Please, you have to come. I don't know what to do."I sat up, my heart racing. "Anne, calm down. I'm coming. Just hold on."Feeling the urgency, Seth sat up beside me. "What's wrong?""It's Anne," I replied, already getting dressed. "Noah chucked her out, and
The days all began to run into each other as Anne's due date loomed closer and closer, with Noah still nowhere in sight. The silence from him was both a relief and constant tension. Anne was devastated, which often broke her into tears whenever she thought nobody saw. I was trying my best then to be there for her, to carry the weight which she shouldn't have had to bear alone.Well, every morning I got up first to make sure breakfast was ready, that she had a good meal to start the day. I started picking up overtime at work, keeping her expenses covered, and quietly paying her bills so she wouldn't worry about it. It was exhausting, but seeing the faint glimmer of gratitude in those tired eyes of hers made it worthwhile.That evening, after another day was done, sat there on the sofa Anne and I, watching some brainless television show. She leaned back on me; her swollen belly was pressed against my side. I could feel the baby occasionally kicking and wriggling. The feeling was bittersw
These were hectic days of preparation and last-minute rushes, fueled by a sense of excitement and anticipation, right before my wedding to Seth. Invitations were all out, the arrangements were being finalized, and the house was abuzz with energy in anticipation of a celebration. Seth and I would finally tie the knot and solidify our bond amongst a loving family and great friends.Anne had moved back to our parents' with Emily, hoping for their help in tending to the confusion of being a new mother. I missed her, yet I knew she needed a stable environment to acclimate herself to life with her daughter. But even so, there existed in the air almost tangibly the sense of hope and renewal.One afternoon, while Seth was out doing errands, I lay at home alone. The house was quiet, and for one moment, I enjoyed the peace in the midst of wedding mania. I stood at the stove, stirring a pot of soup absent-mindedly, when I heard the noise from the back of the house. My heart jumped, and my stomach
Life with Seth had fallen into a comfortable rhythm following our wedding. Content, in love, and ready to start our life free from darkness—this was what we were. But Noah's presence still loomed over my head like some dark cloud that refused to dissipate. Even after marrying Seth, there came frequent bouquets of flowers, each bearing a card attached in Noah's handwriting. Those cards had different words, but their meaning remained the same: his longing to see me, that I was supposed to be with him.We had asked security in detail to prevent anyone from entering the premises without our express permission, and it did the trick for some time at least. The flowers and cards arrived at the gate, where the staff would dump them, preventing them from reaching me. Still, Noah's relentless pursuit was more than a little unnerving, this sense of always being watched, always being waited for.No sooner had we begun to breathe a little easier, thinking maybe Noah had finally given up on his purs