The weeks passed quickly. At first, Darrell went about his life. He did his job, but he found he was often distracted and making mistakes. Unable to work safely, Darrell subcontracted the contracts he had open to another company, then he locked himself in his house, only ever leaving to buy more beer or to go to the bar and drink. He now spent all of his time with a beer in one hand and a shot of whisky in the other. He could not even recall the last time he was sober.
Darrell lay in his bed, drinking and staring at the ceiling, which was often spinning much as it did now. He lifted his head when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Someone was in his house. He was too drunk to deal with them. He tried to sit up as he watched Aurora reaching his loft. Deciding she was no threat, he dropped back down on the bed. “Unless you have come to give me a blowjob, please leave,” he growled.
“Fifty bucks, and I don’t swallow,” she said, coming to the bed.
Darrell lifted his head and looked surprised. “Really?” He asked with mild interest.
“No, stupid,” Aurora snarled as she pulled the pillow out from under his head and smacked him in the face with it. “You are lucky I’m not easily offended, or I would reach down your throat and pull your balls off from inside out.”
Darrell laid back down, ignoring the fact that his pillow was gone. “Then go away.”
“You have been locked in this house drunk for three months. Look at me,” she said, gesturing to her belly. “I have doubled in size since the last time you set foot outside this damn house.”
“So what?”
“You haven’t worked in weeks.”
“It is ok. I cleared it with my boss,” he teased.
Aurora sat down on the bed with him placing her hand on his belly. “Look, Darrell, I get it. You found a girl that meant something to you, and you got your heartbroken. But you can’t just wall yourself up in this house and drink yourself to death.”
Darrell looked deep into Aurora’s eyes. “Lower,” he said with a cheeky grin. Aurora looked down at her hand on his stomach, and then with her own grin, she slapped him hard in the belly. Darrell let out a painful grunt followed by strained chuckling.
“Pervert,” she laughed as she stood up.
Darrell rolled over, holding his belly in pain as he laughed. “I’m sorry, I could not resist.”
“Clearly, you don’t feel as bad as you seem.”
“Want to get some coffee in town?”
“Ok, but you are paying for the expensive one. Also, I drive.”
“No, I’ll drive,” he said, rolling out of bed and hitting the floor. He staggered in his attempt to stand, and it took a moment for Darrell to be upright on his own two feet.
Aurora folded her arms. “Oh, how are you going to drive when you see three roads ahead of you?”
“Easy, I drive down the middle one.”
“I’m driving.”
are like five of
“Deal.”
drinking whisk and hopefully sober up a bit. They walked up to the barista and ordered some coffee. While they were waiting for their drinks to be made, Aurora was telling Darrell how sick she was of being pregnant. She was due soon, and she felt fat and bloated. Every inch of her
and spotted a familiar face seated at a two-seater table in the corner. His heart almost skipped a beat when he saw Katelyn seated with another man drinking coffee and smiling.
alcohol clouding his better judgment, Darrell staggered his way over to the
Katelyn said with surprise to see him in his
the flesh, Baby,” he turned to look at the man, now staring at him. “So, you are the new guy. I see the trend. First Nigel, not this doofus. You are all about the
drunk?” Katelyn
growled. “I’m drunk.”
I said.”
mind was still foggy. “Cowboy,” Aurora said, walking over to hand him his paper cup. “Oh, hi,
“It is so good to see you. Wow, look at that baby bump you
hand over her belly with a smile. “It is
can cut out the chatter. I was trying
“So, she’s on a date. You are being rude by
man began as
you,” Darrell barked at the man, instantly silencing him. “Sit the fuck down, pretty boy.”
intervened by
floor. Darrell looked at Aurora on the floor and panicked, realizing he might have hurt her. “Oh God, Aurora, I’m sorry
my water broke in the fall,” with both hands on her belly,
came to Aurora’s side. “We should get her to
Darrell said quickly. “No hospital. We need to get
be more fitting,” the man
he helped Aurora walk to the door. Aurora could not drive while
said. “You
drive. She
have to go,” the man nodded that he understood. Katelyn held
“No,” Darrel growled.
God damned keys!” Aurora yelled at him. Darrell took the keys from Aurora’s pocket
up into Darrell’s truck. “Hold on,
Darrell said as he wedged the three of
“She needs a hospital.”
mortal hospitals. It would expose us. “Take us back to her place,” he said, taking out his cellphone. He would call the midwife
he had not drunk so much. Darrell carried Aurora to the bed and laid her down just as Gordon’s wife Melissa walked through the door. She came to the bed and began to
he might have harmed Aurora and the baby. He felt like an asshole. She had come over to make him
the baby, Katelyn suggested she and Darrell leave, giving her some privacy. As Katelyn ushered Darrell out of the house, he looked back to see Stanton knelt on the bed next to Aurora, holding her hand doing what he could to help her through
porch, Darrell proceeded to pace. “I’ll drive you home,”
hair before placing it back on
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