EPISODE FIFTY TWO.
HAZEL.
I woke up a few hours later with Stefano beside me. His hands were interlocked with mine and his head beside me, sleeping.
I decided not to wake him up but the slight movements I made did.
“Hey. You’re awake.”He managed to say.
I nodded slightly with my lips pressed together.”The doctor said you can go home. I got the drugs for you.”
Then, my heart skipped a bit. The drugs are surely pregnancy drugs and that means he knew about it already. But, why isn’t he saying anything? Why?
“I would like to go home now.”
“Same here, I have lots of things to do.”He replied. He walked to where my bag was and picked it up. Then, he came to help me down the bed.
“I can walk on my own.”
“Don’t refuse it. You’re still weak.”He shushed me gently.
Our ride home was very quiet and intimidating. I almost pushed him to talk but he was hush making calls.
Getting home, It was already 10PM which is past our sleep time, Stefano helped me to the room by giving me a piggyback ride, it was such a sweet one that i didn’t wish it ended.
When we got to the room, He placed me carefully on the bed and tried leaving but I held him by his sleeves.
“Stef. I’m pregnant.”I said almost in a whisper causing him to scoff.
Oh. This won’t end well.
“I learned from the doctor.”
“What are we going to do about it?”I asked in a shaky voice. God. Why is he not looking at me?
“You already planned to have it. Does my decision matter at all?”
“It was unexpected. I didn’t know how to tell you. You hate pregnancies. You hate babies. You hate child upbringing.”
“I thought you were on birth control pills. You didn’t use one?”He queried, he was already raising his voice slightly.
I slowly let go of his shirt and he turned to me. I can see through his eyes how angry and betrayed he is. Why’s he holding back? He should vent all his anger on me.
“I wasn’t. I don’t know anything about them. You met me untouched. And I-”
“Even women that don’t have sex used birth control pills.”
“You didn’t use protection either. You discarded the one you wanted to use during our first time. And that’s what caused the pregnancy.”
“You hid my child from me for three months. And we live in the same house. You connived Amanda and the doctor. Y’all lied to me that the reason for your swollen belly is because of food reaction. I took extra care in choosing the food I purchased just because of this.”
“I don’t know how to say it. Or what to say. I don’t-”
“We had sex almost everyday. I’d pin you to the kitchen walls roughly, bang and fuck the hell out of your brains. Cage you into the bathroom tube and explore your body to the extreme not knowing you were carrying my baby. My own child. Why did you let me do all those things to you? Why?”He roared angrily making me burst into tears.
I started sobbing until my knees gave up on me, I slide down to the floor, crying.
I don’t even know where to start from or how to apologize to him. What’s my excuse? I don’t have any.
“Jamal. I’m sorry.”I managed to say under my breath.
“Don’t call me that name, Hazel.”He warned before entering his closet.
He came out with a duvet and pillow minutes later, I quickly stood up and blocked him from passing by.
“Move, Hazel.”He warned sternly.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m sorry but I can’t stay in the same room as you. It will be very hard for me to sleep.”
“Then, let me leave. I wronged you. You don’t have to avoid me. Let me avoid you instead.”I argued, I attempted to collect the pillow but he stopped me.
“Sleep here. It’s warmer.”
“I don’t care. I don’t.”I stomped the foot angrily, bursting into another round of tears.
He left amidst our argument and didn’t come back for the rest of the night.
*
I woke up very early the next morning. I didn’t know when I slept off All I remembered is that I argued with Stefano and Amanda called later to comfort me.
Since there’s nothing to do around, I prepared breakfast and lunch for Stefano. He came down minutes after I was done, dressed casually.
“Good morning, Stef.”I greeted, walking towards him.
“I will be meeting with Luca today. I’m not coming back soon so don’t wait for me.”
He didn’t even reciprocate my greetings.
“Your breakfast and lunch.”I stretched the bag to him but he shook his head.
“I will turn it down, sorry.”He said crankily and tried leaving but I stopped him.
“I will abort the baby. There are safe clinical methods I can use.”I said but he said nothing.
He stared at me for a while then cursed.”Shit. This is fucking messed up.”
“Stef.”
“Are you nuts or what? Why would you abort the baby? Why didn’t you do that when it was still dew days old. Do you even know the complications?”
“Then what do I do since you don’t want it?”
“Just have it. You want it. Then, have it.”He yelled at me.
“I’m so tired of this argument. And I don’t want to hear about the baby from anyone anymore. You have the baby, I will support you with everything that you need. Don’t piss me off, Miss.”
He warned sternly and stormed out of the house, I ran after him with the bag, crying.
“Take the food, at least.”I urged him softly.
He didn’t collect it until I dropped it in his car.”What do you mean by supporting me?”
“Give you all the money that you need to take care of the baby. Isn’t that enough?”
“You think all this is about money? How am I supposed to carry a baby that you’re not in support of?”
“You caused this. I don’t want you to go through the trauma Amanda went through. And I won’t lose you over this.”
“I won’t be hurt. I won’t die. I won’t be sick. Just let me.”I pleaded desperately.
“Trust me. You don’t know how excruciating the pain is. And I don’t want you to experience it.”He shook his head vehemently before sliding into the car.
Maybe aborting the baby without his knowledge would work.