Chapter 34 - Crashing Down

Chloe drove home, worried about how to break the news to Brian. How will he take it? Will he be upset? This isn't something they have discussed yet. She pulled into the driveway and called Brian as she promised to do. "Hey baby, I wanted to let you know I made it home. I'll tell you about the appointment when you get home. Love you." "Okay baby, I'm glad your safe. I'll talk to you later. Bye." When Chloe hung up the phone, she felt her heart in her throat. She still hasn't found a way to tell him yet, and she had just a few hours to figure it out.

Ryan showed up at the office in a panic, trying to figure out what was so urgent. "Brian, is everything ok? I couldn't figure out what the problem could be." " Ryan, someone knows everything." Ryan looked confused and uncertain of Brian's words. "Ok. Slow down and tell me what happened." So after a short explanation, Brian sat dazed. "I have security looking into it, but what do I tell Chloe? If something happens to her, I'll go crazy." "Brian, calm down. No one knows what happened. This could be bait. Someone probably wants to see how you will react and go from there. I bet they don't even have proof." "Yeah. You are probably right, and I need to calm down. It will be okay." "Feel better?" "A little. But I will be much happier when I find out who is doing this, and what exactly do they want?"

About that time the office phone rang. "Sir. This is Bruno from security. We found the footage you requested. All we could get is a male dropped off the letter. He was wearing a hoodie and had his head down the entire time. So no clear vision of his face." "Damn it!!! What the hell is going on? Why did I think it would be this simple." "Brian, calm down it will be ok. We will find out who this person is and what they want. For the time being, don't tell Chloe and go about business as normal. It doesn't seem to be a threat for now. We will solve this." Brian hung his head low. After all this time, he and Chloe had on understanding, and that was no lies or secrets. Yet, this was the largest one of all. This could make everything fall apart. However, he somehow knew Ryan was right. For now, he won't say anything.

Chloe paced back and forth in the bedroom. She was trying to find the best way to tell Brian. She was worried about how he will react. She still wasn't sure how she felt about children, let alone how he would feel. All she could do was hope for the best. If he refused the child, what would she do? Would she keep it? Have an abortion? Give it up for adoption? Questions like these ran through her mind all day, and all she could do was wait to have them answered.

When Brian made it home, the events from earlier that day played in his head like a broken movie reel. He knew he had to put on a brave face. Just when it came to Chloe, all his barriers seemed to disappear. "Chloe! I'm home, baby!" He shouted. Hopefully, she wasn't home yet. Then he heard the sound of footsteps coming from upstairs. He followed the sound and opened the bedroom door to find Chloe pacing. "Baby, What's on your mind? It seems something is bothering you." Chloe looked at him with a sullen look, tears forming in her eyes because she knew it was now or never. "Brian, you may want to sit down. I don't know how you are going to react." With a worried look, Brian sat on the edge of the bed. "Baby, you're scaring me. What's the matter?" "Brian, Baby, when I went to the doctor today... they told me something big... I don't know what to do or how to take the news. I'm still in disbelief." " Chloe, it'll be ok. Just spit it out." Brian growing irritated, half because she was rambling and the other half because he was expecting the worse knew possible. "Brian, I'm... pregnant." Chloe paused to look at Brian and see his reaction. He sat motionless on the bed. Processing and trying to understand her words. "You're what?" "Pregnant." "That's what I thought you said." Brian stared at Chloe, trying to find answers written in her face. "Chloe, I never wanted children. I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. I love you, but children was never an option. Are you sure your pregnant?" Chloe broke into tears. Her worst fear came true. " YES! YES, I'M PREGNANT!! Why would I make this up? Do you think it's fun for me to stand here and tell you, the man I love, that I'm pregnant and to hear that you never wanted children? Do you think I do this for sport? If you can't, accept that I'm pregnant with your child. A child that is half you and half me. Then I don't know what to do. I do know one thing, after today, I've had plenty of time to think about it, and I do want to keep it. With or without you." Brian was bewildered by her words. As he sat there, Chloe watched as his bright blue eyes turned dark. His face showed no emotion at all. She was scared for the first time with him. She was terrified of what he might do. Brian suddenly stood up, causing Chloe to jump back out of fear. "If you think I'm going to allow you to choose this thing over me, you have seriously lost your mind. I refuse to allow you to go anywhere. I will not allow you to have a child."

"ALLOW? YOU ALLOW? I'M SORRY, BUT YOU NO LONGER GET THAT CHOICE. YOU MADE YOURS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU DONT WANT KIDS. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING CHILDREN BUT THIS? BRIAN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO? BEAT ME LIKE PHILLIP DID TO SALLY??" Chloe was filled with rage. The one person she thought was different, the one person she thought would be by her side no matter what and through everything, is the person to hurt her the worse. She didn't want to hear anything else. She didn't want to be around him any longer. Without another word, she ran out of the room. Brian was surprised by her actions. He stood there for a second then realized what just happened. He chased after her calling for her to stop. She ran out the front door, climbing into her car and left. "DAMN IT CHLOE!!!" Brian knew he had messed up. He shouldn't have said those things. When she told him she was pregnant, he should have jumped for joy. This he knew, he just couldn't bring himself to do that. Not when this threat looms over their heads. He couldn't imagine bringing a child into this world, not knowing if the threat is real or not. He watched as her car left. Dread filled his heart, and he fell to his knees in tears. The first time he could recall crying since his parents passed. What was he supposed to do now? He has just lost the woman he loves and his child all in one afternoon. All he wanted to do was take everything he said back and explain the situation calmly to Chloe. But now, he felt he would never get the chance.

As Chloe drove off in a hurry, she was furious with Brian and how he reacted. How could he despise children so much that he couldn't even be happy for the child they were going to have? Chloe needed to talk to someone. She needed to vent and think. Her emotions were all over the place. She went to pick up her phone to dial anyone who would listen but realized she had left her phone at home. "What am I to do now?" She found herself driving toward her old house, to Nathaniel's. She pulled into the driveway and sat in the car. "What am I doing? I should go back and talk to him. Make him see what I see." She became startled by a sudden knock at the window. Nathaniel was standing there confused. She opened the door and climbed out of the car. "Ms. Chloe, what are you doing here so late? Is everything ok?" She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, crying into his ċhėst. "Nathan, it's bad. It's all over, and I don't know what to do." Nathaniel led her inside and served her tea. "Calm down, dear. Tell me everything." So, Chloe spilled her tears and told him everything that happened. When she finished, he sat thinking. "First, I want to say you are a brave woman. Second, congratulations on the little one. For now, why don't you go to sleep in your old room? I never changed it. Get some rest and well discuss this in further detail tomorrow." Chloe nodded her head in compliance and headed to her old room. She laid on the bed and almost instantly fell into a deep sleep.

-Sirens blared, and lights flashed. She saw the blood almost liquify in the rain. A passing car squealed by, and a flash of a man laid on the ground. Brian? What is he doing here? Why is he laying there bleeding? She tried to yell for him, but no sound came out. She cried, but it didn't matter how much she cried, the rain continued to wash away her tears. She sat in the back of an ambulance, waiting for someone to explain what happened. Explain why Brian laid on the ground wet from blood and rain. Waiting to find out if he was ok. She tried to run to him, but an officer stopped her. "Whoah little one. You don't want to see that. He is badly injured. He saved your life just now. Where are your parents? Why are you out so late?"