Over The Weekend

by Rachel Lenna

  Chapter 7

  “What hurt?” Hugo sounds close to hysterics again.

  “The kick.”

  “Kick? What kick?” Hugo sounds puzzled. “Is that some funky dunk new term for labour or something?”

  “What?” I laugh looking at him like he has two heads. Then it clicks. “Oh no Hugo.” I grab his hand and place it on my belly. “The babies are kicking. At this late stage it hurts when they do that’s all.”

  “They are kicking?” He seems awed as he gently rests his hand on my belly. “You can feel it? Really?”

  “They kick all the time, but sometimes it hurts because they are quite strong now and can give a good jab.”

  “So I would be able to feel the…” He stops as the babies kick again underneath his hand. His eyes grow wide and a goofy look appears on his face.

  I smile at him and let him enjoy this moment with his babies. “It’s awesome isn’t it?”

  “That’s so cool!” He grins putting his other hand on my belly. We stand there for several minutes in the dark night. Babies kicking, Hugo with both hands on my belly and my realising that this is the best moment ever in my life.

  “The babies are calming down.” I say a few minutes later. “They must be going to sleep.”

  “Babies sleep in there too?” He asks, he looks genuinely surprised.

  “Of course.” I smile, knowing I was surprised by that too. “They sleep from very early on. The cycle is just a lot shorter than an adults.”

  “That’s so cool.” He looks goofily at my stomach before growing serious. “Anna I’m sorry I tried to force you to marry me.” He whispers quietly, dropping his hands to his side. “You caught me so off guard I didn’t realise half the stuff I was saying.”

  “That’s okay.” I say patting his arm. “It really is.” I repeat when he raises an eyebrow. He looks half convinced and I stare him down. I. will. Not. Show. Fear.

  “What are we gonna do?”

  “About?” I ask dumbly, standing is really starting to hurt me now. I automatically start rubbing my back.

  “Are you in pain?” Hugo asks immediately catching on.

  “Standing for too long and not moving around hurts after a while.” I reply.

  “So that’s a yes?” He asks as he opens the back seat. “Stupid me should have asked you to sit straight away.” He gestures for me to get in but as I line myself up with the S.U.V. we both realise there is no way I am climbing in on my own. The back seat is at my shoulders and I won’t be able to hoist myself up.

  “May I?” He asks gently, gesturing at me to let him pick me up. I am torn between not wanting him to pick this giant whale body up and wanting to get off my feet. “Anna you’re beautiful and you won’t be too heavy. I promise to keep my hands to myself too.” He says as if reading my mind.

  “It’s not that.” I lie, heat rushing to my cheeks.

  “What is it then?”

  I stare at him blankly. Unable to answer. How do you tell your babies dada that you’re scared that if he touches you, you won’t want him to let you go? How do you explain that if he found your roundness repulsive it would be the end of you? How do you explain that you don’t really know why you don’t want to be picked up, just that this crazy insecurity came over you and you freaked out? How do you?

  “Anna?” He questions when I don’t respond.

  “Umm…”

  “Don’t you want to get off your feet?” He asks. I scowl at him. “See? So let me do it. You will feel better.”

  I let out a grunt in response and he takes it as my yes. He scoops me up effortlessly but ever so gently and I won’t let myself like the feel the way his arm muscles flex with every movement. Or the way that the heat from him soaks through his clothes straight through to me, making aching saw muscles relax and I defiantly won’t let myself breath in the way he smells… That just brings back memories that I have supressed for almost a year.

  He gently places me in the seat and its comfort instantly hugs me. I think I purr with contentment. He closes the door and walks around to the other side, getting in the back seat too.

  “You know this could look really bad if I weren’t already knocked up.” I grin as I close my eyes and lay my head back on the rest.

  Hugo chuckles. “It could hey.” I feel him shift next to me. “Anna?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I still want you to marry me.”

  My head snaps up and I pin him with a look. He raises his hands in surrender.

  “Wait. Before you bite my head off let me finish.” I clamp my mouth and any nasty insults shut and gesture at him to continue. “But I know you don’t want to so just think about it okay?”

  “There is no need for me to think about it.” I reply.

  “You’re not even going to give it a chance?” He sounds… almost hurt?

  “There’s no need.” I reply. “We can raise the babies without being married. I won’t marry a guy for anything less than love.”

  “That’s for fairy tales.” Hugo puffs out before he thinks.

  My head snaps up and I pin him with an ice cold stare. “I will not marry anyone unless I can’t live without him.”

  “What?”

  “I will only marry once. There is no way I will ever just settle like my parents did. He has to be the one I can’t live without.”

  “But we have babies.”

  “I know that.”

  “So how could you think of marrying anyone else?”

  “Hugo it’s not going to be for a long time.” I look at him like he’s a little dense. “I’m eighteen. About to have twins. Men and relationships are a long way off.”

  Hugo goes to respond and then clamps his mouth shut. “Oh.” Squeaks out.

  “So I understand where you’re coming from, I get that you want to do the right thing but you can without the piece of paper.” I pat his arm. “It’s not necessary. We will work it out.” I flinch as I move back and automatically start rubbing my back.

  “You’re in a lot of pain aren’t you?” He says after a moment.

  “It isn’t always pleasant.” I agree indirectly.

  “Can I help in any way?”

  “You happen to have a masseuse stashed away in one of these fancy smancy pockets?” I joke referring to the luxury of the car. I don’t know what it is but I know it’s the top of the line of the best of the best. Would have been worth a small fortune.

  “Will I do?”

  “I’m sorry what?”

  “Maybe I can do it?” Hugo seems nervous, but assured. “I have been known to give pretty damn good massages before.”

  “I’m sure you have.” I agree able to read between the lines. “But that’s not the type of massage I need.”

  “What?” He looks at me puzzle before it clicks. “Oh Anna no. I don’t want to do any funny business I just want to help.”

  “Oh so now that I’m pregnant I’m too gross to see like that.” I huff knowing I am over reacting but unable to help myself. I blame it on the pregnancy hormones.

  Hugo recoils looking at me like I have two heads.

  “What?” I snap. “I’m good enough when I’m all hot and cute and skinny but the moment I have two beach balls shoved in front of me I'm hideous.” I scowl at him like all the world’s problems are his fault. “And to think you were worried I was going to meet another man! I’m carrying your babies and you’re behaving like that. Could you imagine another man’s react…” Hugo shuts me up by leaning over and kissing the words right out me. It’s not a gentle kiss but forceful and passionate and at first I am too stunned to move. Then he lays a big warm hand on my cheek. I melt like butter.

  What am I doing? I ask several moments later when his hand starts sliding down. “Hugo no!” I gasp pushing him away panicking.

  “It’s okay Anna.” He says breathing heavily. “I’m not going to ask you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He leans back against the door handle, eyes glazed and staring at me with an od
d expression.

  “What?”

  “I shouldn’t have done that?” He says more as a question then a statement.

  “Oh.” I say deflating.

  “You’re pregnant.” He reasons. “You don’t need me mauling you. You need a bed and food and somewhere safe to stay.”

  “I have somewhere safe to say.”

  “You told me you only just met these people.” He frowns at me. “How long have you known them?”

  I look at him unwilling to answer.

  “Anna-Beth?” He growls.

  I look at the clock on the car’s dashboard. “About eight hours.”

  Hugo goes still. “Eight hours?” He asks again with thinly veiled rage.

  “Yes.” I mumble. “Do not judge me.”

  “How can I not?” He squeaks. “You’re staying with people you don’t even know and you’re pregnant!”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” I throw back at him, tears welling in my eyes.

  “Then tell me.” He orders.

  “No.” I scream, twisting to get out of the car. I open the door and kind of slide out.

  “Anna what are you doing?”

  “Getting away from you.” I hiss. “This was a big mistake. You’re a macho judgemental pig.”

  “What?” He says leaning out the car to try and grab me.

  “You’re a bossy macho pig.” I hiss at him getting in his face. “You have been so judgemental of me. I made a mistake coming here. Leave me alone.”

  “You know that won’t happen sweetheart.” He threatens outright. “Their my babies’ too!”

  “I have done it this far on my own I will continue to do it without you.”

  “This is the easy part Anna.” He tosses at me as I walk away from the car. “When they come you won’t have as much control!”

  “Hugo Baker you are not the person I thought you were.” I whisper with my back to him. “To threaten me like that? Really? Because that’s so going to help you get your way. I been threatened and abused my whole life by my family. You do not scare me.”

  I hear him gasp as if what he just said clicks. “Anna wait!” He tries to grab at me but I move out of his grasp.

  “No.” I say. “I’m done for tonight.”