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Chapter 3
thanks to dad having a friend over so I can't sleep, Tori and the muses got together for this...
Chapter 3
December 31, 1981-11:40 PM
“You really should go to sleep.”
James rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around his wife as she sauntered back to the bed.
“Stop worrying about me. I’m fine. My fever’s gone and I’m feeling a lot better.”
“I know, I just…”
“I know” he kissed her forehead, running a hand down her side.
“I’ll turn out the light at 12:01, okay? I’ve just been so out of it lately that I’d like to make it up to you.”
She smirked, snuggling into his embrace.
“All right. But you’re sleeping in tomorrow.”
“You make it sound like it’ll be torture to stay in bed with you until noon.”
“Mmm” she nuzzled deeper into the material of his shirt, eyes growing heavy as the warmth of his skin seeped through her.
James tangled his fingers into Mandy’s hair, running a hand down her back.
“Hey, did I give you my cold?”
“Don’t think so, why?”
“You’ve just seemed a little off lately. Is it my turn to start worrying?”
She laughed softly, kissing his chin.
“No. I’m fine. In fact, I went to the doctor last week just to make sure.”
“Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“Because you were sleeping and because I wanted to surprise you.”
James raised an eyebrow, glancing at her.
“Surprise me? What the hell?”
Mandy shook her head, smirking. She kissed his neck gently, tangling her fingers in his hair.
“Another reason I’ve been worried about you. I want to make sure you’ll be around for quite awhile because…” she blinked a few times, cursing softly when she felt tears. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t get emotional.
“I’m pregnant.”
James jaw dropped slightly and he pulled away a little, putting his hand against the side of her face.
“Oh….oh Mand…”
“You’re happy, aren’t you?”
He smiled, nodding and kissing her just as the clock dinged and the firecrackers and screams sounded on the television.
“Of course I am.”
She kissed him back, resting her forehead against his shoulder.
“Promise me something?”
“Anything.”
“You’ll make an appointment with the doctor.”
“But Mand…”
“Look, I’m sure I’m worrying over nothing, but you were sick long enough I think something might be wrong. Just go to shut up the little voice in my head, okay?”
James nodded, kissing her hair.
“Okay. I promise I’ll see the doctor.”
“Good. Now, turn out the light and go to sleep.”
“Yes Ma’am” he laughed softly, shutting off the lamp and pulling the blankets around their bodies, drifting off into warm comforting dreams.
January 15, 1982-9:30 AM
The second she walked into the house, Mandy knew something was wrong. The music coming from the bedroom wasn’t the typical bright, optimistic stuff James was known for. This was dark, incredibly melancholy. This worried her. He’d gone to the doctor last week, and had some blood drawn. The results had been due back any day now, and…
She forced the thought to leave her mind. Maybe he was trying out something new. Nevertheless, she walked quickly to the bedroom, heart sinking when he stopped immediately and looked at her. His eyes were gloomy, sad. This wasn’t good.
“Something wrong, luv?” she tried to keep her voice bright, hoping he was just having a bad day.
He set his guitar down, patting the bedspread.
“Sit down.”
She swallowed tensely, feeling her skin prickle when she smelled his sweat. It wasn’t the way he had smelled when he was sick, that sweat had just been fever induced. This was fearful, cold sweat. She sat by him, shivering when he took her hands.
“The doctor called after you left…” he blinked, eyes filling with tears.
“I um….I’ve got the virus.”
Her heart stopped for a second, then start again at a wrenching pace. Her breath quickened and she swallowed, shaking her head. No. No he couldn’t…even in her worse moments she hadn’t expected this. Maybe cancer, that could be cured now. Not this virtual death sentence. It had to be a dream. And even if it wasn’t, she couldn’t face it. Without a word, she broke away and tore out of the room to the back door, feeling the change happen without urging it, her sobs quickly changing to whines.
Chapter 3
December 31, 1981-11:40 PM
“You really should go to sleep.”
James rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around his wife as she sauntered back to the bed.
“Stop worrying about me. I’m fine. My fever’s gone and I’m feeling a lot better.”
“I know, I just…”
“I know” he kissed her forehead, running a hand down her side.
“I’ll turn out the light at 12:01, okay? I’ve just been so out of it lately that I’d like to make it up to you.”
She smirked, snuggling into his embrace.
“All right. But you’re sleeping in tomorrow.”
“You make it sound like it’ll be torture to stay in bed with you until noon.”
“Mmm” she nuzzled deeper into the material of his shirt, eyes growing heavy as the warmth of his skin seeped through her.
James tangled his fingers into Mandy’s hair, running a hand down her back.
“Hey, did I give you my cold?”
“Don’t think so, why?”
“You’ve just seemed a little off lately. Is it my turn to start worrying?”
She laughed softly, kissing his chin.
“No. I’m fine. In fact, I went to the doctor last week just to make sure.”
“Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“Because you were sleeping and because I wanted to surprise you.”
James raised an eyebrow, glancing at her.
“Surprise me? What the hell?”
Mandy shook her head, smirking. She kissed his neck gently, tangling her fingers in his hair.
“Another reason I’ve been worried about you. I want to make sure you’ll be around for quite awhile because…” she blinked a few times, cursing softly when she felt tears. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t get emotional.
“I’m pregnant.”
James jaw dropped slightly and he pulled away a little, putting his hand against the side of her face.
“Oh….oh Mand…”
“You’re happy, aren’t you?”
He smiled, nodding and kissing her just as the clock dinged and the firecrackers and screams sounded on the television.
“Of course I am.”
She kissed him back, resting her forehead against his shoulder.
“Promise me something?”
“Anything.”
“You’ll make an appointment with the doctor.”
“But Mand…”
“Look, I’m sure I’m worrying over nothing, but you were sick long enough I think something might be wrong. Just go to shut up the little voice in my head, okay?”
James nodded, kissing her hair.
“Okay. I promise I’ll see the doctor.”
“Good. Now, turn out the light and go to sleep.”
“Yes Ma’am” he laughed softly, shutting off the lamp and pulling the blankets around their bodies, drifting off into warm comforting dreams.
The second she walked into the house, Mandy knew something was wrong. The music coming from the bedroom wasn’t the typical bright, optimistic stuff James was known for. This was dark, incredibly melancholy. This worried her. He’d gone to the doctor last week, and had some blood drawn. The results had been due back any day now, and…
She forced the thought to leave her mind. Maybe he was trying out something new. Nevertheless, she walked quickly to the bedroom, heart sinking when he stopped immediately and looked at her. His eyes were gloomy, sad. This wasn’t good.
“Something wrong, luv?” she tried to keep her voice bright, hoping he was just having a bad day.
He set his guitar down, patting the bedspread.
“Sit down.”
She swallowed tensely, feeling her skin prickle when she smelled his sweat. It wasn’t the way he had smelled when he was sick, that sweat had just been fever induced. This was fearful, cold sweat. She sat by him, shivering when he took her hands.
“The doctor called after you left…” he blinked, eyes filling with tears.
“I um….I’ve got the virus.”
Her heart stopped for a second, then start again at a wrenching pace. Her breath quickened and she swallowed, shaking her head. No. No he couldn’t…even in her worse moments she hadn’t expected this. Maybe cancer, that could be cured now. Not this virtual death sentence. It had to be a dream. And even if it wasn’t, she couldn’t face it. Without a word, she broke away and tore out of the room to the back door, feeling the change happen without urging it, her sobs quickly changing to whines.