THE VISIT

Always keep an open mind and an open heart, babe.

***

CHAPTER LXVIII

*****

“YEAH.”

“Haha. Yeah.”

He scratched the back of his neck and I looked at anywhere else but him. Suddenly he perked up and reached for the bag.

“I brought you a book,” he said, pulling an average sized novel and handing it to me.

Moat of the cover was white ahite snow covered tree tops and iced over roads, but in blood red writing read the title 'Winter Wars'.

“I know it's sounds like some horrific thing from the past or something,” Derek said, making me look up at him with an amused smile. “But it's actually really good. Here, look.”

He took the book from my hand and flipped the book open, skipping all the way to inside the back cover were the blurb was. He sat beside me and held it up as if I didn't have hands of me own let me silently read the blurb myself.

“The author covers a whole load of diverse topics. And it's fantasy. So expect magic.”

“Thanks, Derek,” I said, sighing tiredly. “I will.”

He placed it on the nightstand beside me before reaching for the bag again.

“I also brought a couple fruits because Morgan said you need them. I also brought some candy because what's the point of eating fruit if it isn't to combat the junk?”

I actually laughed, taking the bag from him and placing it at the side. “I don't think that's how it works.”

“Of course that's how it works. Fruits were made for a reason, right?”

I looked up at him, finding myself bursting into a fit of laughter after realising that he was only joking. “Derek, stop. I'm actually starting to believe you actually believe that.”

“But I do.”

I looked up, the smile slipping from my face as I took in the serious look on his. He was being serious?

“Derek, I—”

“Just fucking with ya,” he said, a careless smile breaking out onto his face as I let out a sigh of relief. “Believe me, I'm smarter than I look. There's actually brains in here.” He knocked on his skull before rolling his eyes. “Somewhere.”

The nurse walked in on me mid-snort and her lips quirked into a humoured smile at the sound of it.

“The psychologist is here to see you, Araceli,” the nurse said, opening the door for a tall brunette woman to walk in. Her skin was brown like she was from India or somewhere around that area and her dark hair was in ringlet curls that reached her mid back. On her body was a grey pencil skirt and a white, button up blouse with black six-inch heels on her feet.

All I could think was I wanted to have what she was having.

“Hi, Araceli. I'm Anita Khatri. How are you doing today?”

“Um,” i murmered, looking to Derek for help, but the nurse was beckoning him out, leaving me and Dr. Khatri alone in the room. “I'm fine. And you?”

Stupid idiot, why did you ask that? Did she ask you to ask that? This is an analysis on you, why are you asking the questions?

“I'm doing okay,” she smiled brightly, not sharing the same negative opinions about my fuckups with me. “If you don't mind, I'm act going to ask you some questions now.”

“Ask away...”

***

“How was it?” Derek immediately asked once Dr. Khatri had finished her assessment and left.

“She asked a bunch of deep questions like how is your outlook on life and stuff.” I sighed and shook my head. “It was weird.”

“It tends to be,” he said, agreeing with me.

“You know, Derek, you're actually nice.”

He looked at me with a brow raised in confusion at my declaration. “Did you think I was mean?”

“You look mean. I mean, you've got an RBF.”

“A what?”

“An RBF. A resting bitch face.”

He stared at me in confusion got a couple of seconds before bursting out into a fit of laughter. “You have a resting bitch face,” be said after finally composing himself. “Did you see the way you glared at me when I walked in?”

“It's a defense mechanism!” I defended. “Do you know how many creepy guys it scares away. It protects me!”

“So I'm a creepy guy now?” he asked, raising a brow as I rolled my eyes and slumped in my bed. “Alright, got it.”

“You only hear what you want to.”

“Bold of you to assume I hear anything at all when I talk.”

I glared at him before narrowing my eyes as I watched him tear through a pack of jellies he'd both for me. “Aren't those for me?”

“You weren't eating them and I'm hungry,” he said with his mouth full of sticky gelatine sweets, making me scrunch up my nose. “The only reason why I brought them here is so I can help you eat them.”

I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. “And now you're going to tell me that the only reason you came here is so you get to skip work too, huh?”

He froze in his tracks and looked at me with wide eyes. “How did you find out?”

I froze too, not expecting for my joke to actually be true. “I—”

“Just fucking with ya,” he said again, humour dancing in his blue eyes that held so much seriousness in them only a couple seconds ago. “I'm my own boss. Day offs are whenever I say they are.” she looked at again and smiled. “Unfortunately, though, uni doesn't work that way.”

“You're in Uni?”

“Morgan is,” he said, making me nod my head in understanding. “And she's doing her internship at a vet that's for out from here so it can be a struggle. That's why wasn't able to come with me today although she wanted to. Oh, by the way, she told me to tell you that she was sorry and she would try to come later tonight.”

“Oh no its okay.” I said, waving my hand back and forth. “Tell her she doesn't have to.”

“As if that's going to stop her.”

He made a good point.

In that moment, the nurse that I met the other - who asked me about flowers - popped her head in through the door and smiled at me.

“Hu, Araceli. We want to bring you down for your antenatal appointment if you're ready for it,” she said softly.

I nodded and sat up, but that was when Derek perked up too.

“I brought clothes for you,” he looked to the nurse. “Can you give her a few minutes to change into them?”

“Of course! I'll be back in five minutes.”

After she had left, he picked up the duffle bag and emptied the contents of it put onto my lap. “Morgan guessed your size, but the hardest bit was trying to find clothes that you might like.”

I picked out a pair of jeans and a plain white long sleeve top along with the unopened pack of under and a grey sports bra that came in a twin set. My favourite part of the outfit was the fuzzy socks that I got to wear.

“Thanks, Derek. This is fine.”

I pulled myself out of bed, finally being able to walk on my own but not really for long. In the bathroom, I freshened up without needing to brush my teeth or take a shower since I had already done so that morning.

Pulling on the clothes brought a warm feeling to my stomach and I smiled when I looked in the mirror. The top was body hugging and showed my tiny baby bump a bit. To an average person, it just looked like I had eaten quite a bit, but to me it was as clear as day.

How long did I spend on that truck - in that container? Four months already?

I sighed and shooing my head. There was no point in swelling on that matter now. I had more important things to be thinking about like my life her in New York.

I wasn't going to go back home so that meant I had to find a home here. I obviously couldn't stay with Morgan and Derek forever. I also needed to find a job, but who would want to hire a pregnant high-school dropout?

Ah fuck.

My situation was truly hopeless.

I stepped out of the bathroom and looked at Derek he smiled up at me. He was sitting in the armchair that Morgan was in, book in hand before I came out.

“How do you feel?”

“Great!” I answered, feeling more energised than before. “The clothes really bring back a sense of normality.”

The nurse peaked in again and smiled once she saw me with the normal clothes. Letting herself into the room fully, she spoke. “You look beautiful.”

“I bet you tell all your patients that,” I said, making her laugh as I carefully walked up to her.

“Only the pregnant ones,” she winked as she linked her arm with mine for support. She then turned to Derek. “Is the gentleman coming with us?”

Derek looked up, looking like a deer caught in headlights as I also turned to look at him. “Do you want to come?” I asked, but he shool his head profusely.

“No. I wouldn't want to intrude like that.”

“Nah, it's fine if you want to come. I wouldn't want you here alone for however long I'll be gone,” I insisted. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel like he had to wait for me.

“Araceli, it's fine. Go. Enjoy your antenna.”

I looked at him in confusion for a second before I began laughing and shaking my head. I wasn't sure if he was joking or if he actually thought that was what I was going to do but I didn't bother finding out because that was just what Derek was like.

He was smarter than he'd let people think.

The nurse guided me down the hallway to the lift, never failing to engage me in conversation. I learnt her name was Elaine, but people called her Ellie because Elaine was too formal.

“How old is your daughter?” I found myself asking once we drew nearer to the common area. I gripped her arm tighter, gritting my teeth and forcing myself to focus on our conversations instead of the intrusive thoughts that were forcing their way into my mind.

“Look at me right now or I'll fucking shoot her.”

“No, please don't make me do it.”

No one's going to save you. You'll always be in this box. No matter how many times you dream, you'll be in this box with me, with that blonde, with all these people until the day you'll fucking die.

My vision blurred as I looked around my surroundings. It was dark like the container and I could see the face of that evil twisted man in everyone I passed.

They were going to take me again. They were going to bring me back to that place again and force me to watch—

“Araceli,” the nurse called out, briefly pulling me out of my panic with her soft voice. “My daughter is eleven years old. Her name is Jessica. What are you going to name your baby?”

My thoughts went from the crowded room to my baby and I found a smile appearing on my face just thinking about him. I was going to assume it was a him because I was tired of referring to him as 'it'.

“I don't really know yet. Maybe after I found out the gender,” I said, placing a hand on my stomach.

The conversation carried on about my baby with her asking me questions and me answering them. Her questions always remained about the future, never about the past and I remained surprisingly hopeful about it.

Before I knew it, we had reached the prenatal department and she guided me into the room where the same doctor from yesterday was.

“Now, Araceli, let's get this appointment started,” she smiled as I sat myself on the bed in the middle of the room. She took out her stethoscope and places it in her ear before smiling at me. “We're just going to get to know your baby a little bit more.”

*****

Uh, I can't wait to take this book down and start editing. So many things need to be fixed.

Anyways, what do yall want for a Christmas bonus? I can't think of anything.

I'm posting another chapter again as well to make up for the missed update so keep that in mind.