Chapter Three

''Mom, it has been a week. I can carry my own suitcase,'' I laughed as she struggled with my two suitcases. We have barely moved forward since we started walking outside the hospital.

''I'm managing," she breathed, securing the bigger bag around her shoulders once again.

Sighing, I grabbed the smaller suitcase from her hands and sprinted to the car, trying to escape the slap I saw coming.

''No, what are you doing?'' she scolded, finally catching up with me in the process.

''I can manage,'' I laughed.

''Fine, but be careful,'' she finally gave in and walked beside me. I still wondered what she told John after she left the hospital room because he has been absent ever since they had their little chat.

We reached our blue range rover in the parking lot and my mom opened the door for me. She refused to let me do it on my own, mumbling something about me putting my health in danger. Our ride across town felt longer than usual because the traffic lights were being little bitches. They all turned red just before we reached them, meaning we had to stop at every single one of them. We settled on a comfortable silence after a while because we did not know what to discuss. I lost my memories of the past six months of my life and the ability to have a conversation with my mom along with it.

''We have a small surprise for you at home,'' my mom beamed at the road ahead, clearly the happiest she has been in a while.

I smiled at my mom, ''Really?'' I was not in the mood for surprises now, but I know that she had good intentions.

''Yes, yes!'' she sang, '' I hope you like it.''

I grabbed my phone when I heard the beep, ''I will,'' I said, scrunching my eyebrows in confusion, ''Mom, does Erin know about the baby?'' I asked.

The car came to a halt at yet another red traffic light. ''I think so, it was on the news a couple of weeks ago.'' She stated, grabbing her sunglasses from their case. I gaped at her answer.

''What?'' I choked, ''How can you say that so casually?''

My mother looked at the road, clearly struggling to look at me, ''There was nothing I could do, baby. I saw you in the ambulance on the news, and that's when I got the call from the hospital. After that the reporters had comments about you and our situation almost every day."

She looked left and right, making sure that it was safe before she made a right turn, ''The police were already waiting for me when I arrived at the hospital. They bombarded me with a bunch of questions before they even allowed me to see you,'' I swallowed the lump in my throat, realizing for the first time how hard it must have been for my mother.

''I'm sorry,'' I whispered, touching my mother's hand that rested on the gear. She swallowed before she took her sunglasses off, revealing her tear-stained face.

''I'm simply happy you're safe, Ara,'' she hugged me, almost suffocating me.

''Mom,'' I groaned, ''can't breathe.''

''Oh, sorry,'' she laughed, her bright blue eyes lighting up once again.

The car came to a stop and only then did I realize we were in our driveway already, ''Thank God, no more bitchy traffic lights,'' I smiled.

''It was bad, wasn't it?'' she asked, grabbing my two suitcases.

Sudden pain in my abdomen made me freeze in place. Normally I would just ignore the pain until it goes away, but this pain was unbearable. My sides began to burn as I tried climbing out of the car. I grabbed my sides and flinched as the pain increased.

''What's wrong?'' my mother asked, clearly concerned. I flinched a few times, keeping my eyes closed, desperately trying to ease the burning sensations.

''My sides, they're burning," I wheezed.

She dropped the suitcases on the ground and stormed to my side of the car, grabbing my shoulders, ''What can I do?'' she reached out to touch my waist and I flinched again.

''Don't touch it,'' I groaned.

''I am not. I am just going to look,'' my mom carefully lifted my shirt, looking at my hips. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw what I have been hiding underneath my clothes, ''What is this?'' she asked, totally shocked.

''I've had them since I woke up," I shrugged, still clinging to the car seat for dear life.

''Fresh claw marks?"

I looked towards the house, seeing John through the kitchen window. He had a look of total disbelieve on his face, ''Can we go inside now?'' I asked once the pain was bearable again.

''Fine, but we're talking about this later,'' she said with worry in her eyes. I nodded my head before carefully climbing out of the Range Rover. What she did not know was that they are the same claw marks I have had in the hospital. It just does not want to heal or look better.

My mother grabbed my suitcases again and made her way into the house, turning her head every now and then to make sure I was still following her. John opened the front door for us and took the suitcases from my mom, ''Hi, Arabella. How are you doing?''

I thought about staying quiet for a while because he saw the pain I was in a few seconds ago and frankly I had absolutely nothing to say to him' 'Fine, thanks,'' I whispered, barely audible. I did not want to come forth as rude because he has been helping my mom all his life.

''I assume you're still mad at me and you have every right to be, but please just remember that I meant nothing by it,'' he stated, putting the suitcases down on the ground right next to the fireplace.

I bit my lip and nodded my head, looking at my mother's reaction. When I saw nothing but appreciation on her face, I grabbed the smaller suitcase and dragged it all the way to the bottom of the staircase.

''Thanks," I mumbled, avoiding any eye contact. I still have not forgiven him for what he did at the hospital, ''I'm going up to my room,'' I huffed, making my way up the many stairs to my bedroom.

''Honey, we still need to talk about those marks.''

Turning around in the middle of another step, I glared at my mom and then at John, ''Well I'm going to watch a movie tonight, we can talk about it tomorrow,'' with that said, she let me go.

I think she wanted to have a word with John anyway. They have been best friends ever since I can remember, he was like the father I never had. The thing that hurt her the most was the fact that he always found a way to hurt me.

My room was just as I had left it, clean with a soft smell of vanilla. I secretly had a thing for vanilla ever since I started reading my mom's books. They always reminded me about nature and the finer things in life, like appreciating the smells of different scents.

''Erin?'' I asked seeing his figure on my bed.

''Hi.''

I looked at the door and at him again, ''What are you doing here?'' he looked me up and down, taking in every inch of my body. His eyes finally landed on my slightly rounded belly.

''So, it is true then?''

''What's true?'' I asked, playing dumb. I was trying to avoid the conversation for as long as possible. It is not easy to tell your boyfriend you are pregnant with a stranger's child, and it was even harder since I was still a virgin six months ago.

''You're pregnant and going to keep it?'' he stood up and walked closer to me, eyeing my every move. Straight away I felt offended by his words, he had no right to question me about my situation. It was not his body; I could do whatever I wanted to.

I rested my hand on his chest, slightly pushing him away and out of my personal space, ''Yes, I am pregnant, and I am going to keep it.''

''You cannot just keep it, it involves me too, Arabella. You are my girlfriend for God's sake,'' he yelled, pulling his short hair in frustration.

I flinched at his words, ''You are supposed to support me, Erin," I whispered looking at the ground. He harshly grabbed my chin and lifted my head.

''Abort and I will," he barked, pinching my chin between his fingers.

''How can you say that! I will never abort." I yelped, pushing his hand away from my face.

He snickered, "I didn't want to believe it, but I guess it's true. You are a slut."

By now the tears were falling down my cheeks, creating a few shiny lines on my face.

"How can you say that?" I marveled.

He walked closer to me, taking my hand, " I'm sorry, but- "

"Leave," I said, pulling my hand out of his grasp, "I don't want to see you anymore."

"Don't be like this," he cursed, pointing his finger at me.

I walked over to my bedroom door and opened it, "Leave," I commanded with slight hesitation in my voice.

Slowly he stalked closer to me, "You can't be serious," he snickered, "I was the only one who gave you the time of day and that was only to get into your pants. And this is what you do to me? You leave me for some stranger?'' he grabbed me by the throat before I had any time to defend myself.

"Stop," I gasped, barely getting enough oxygen into my lungs, "You're hurting me."

"Sluts burn in hell," he howled with murder written in his eyes.

I spluttered for words, my hands tugging at his around my throat, but he was too strong for me. I was still slightly weak, and the pregnancy did not help with that at all.

"What the hell!" John blurted.

This was by far the happiest I have ever been to see John. He landed a punch right on Erin's nose, successfully cracking it. He fell to the ground, clutching his nose with both hands. The blood seeped out of his nose and created a puddle on the ground.

"Leave this house and don't even think about coming back," John yelled at a stunned Erin.

He got up and stumbled his way down the steps and through the front door.

"Are you alright?" John rushed to me and inspected the bruise on my neck.

"Please don't tell mom," I whispered with tears in my eyes.

"How can you ask that of me?"

"Please, just promise," I pleaded.

"Fine," he turned around, but stopped in my door, "but If she asks, I'm telling her."

After John left, I only had my thoughts left and they were not the best. I have never felt more alone and violated as I did at that moment.

The only comfort I got before I drifted off to sleep was the slight smell of a dog that lingered on my skin. I could not seem to get rid of it, no matter how many times I took a shower. After some time I made peace with it and now it is the only comforting thing about the pregnancy.