Chapter Six

Florence struggles to control her emotions while being pregnant, this doesn't go down well with her parents and her brother. The life of Florence, continued.

Chapter Six:

A few days later, and there hadn’t been any reply or calls from Eve or Wayne. She hadn’t specifically said that she was going to call, but for some reason, I hoped that she would. I crossed my fingers and toes that she would, because it was either her calling or Wayne, and he’d just have a go at me for telling her. 

But it wasn’t my fault, she deserved to know.

I did what was best right? I didn’t know, but in my heart it felt right, though that was just a personal feeling. 

It was a few weeks before October half term, and for the first time in months, myself, my parents and Leo were sat in the same room, together.

The silence was awkward, uncomfortable and unwanted. I was waiting for someone to speak, and I knew it wasn’t going to be me.

Out of no where, Leo’s voice made an entrance. ‘Mum?’ 

‘Yes Leo.’ Mum replied, not even taking time to look up from her magazine. 

‘Can I have an Xbox for Christmas?’ He asked, enthusiastically. I watched and rolled my eyes. ‘Christmas!’ Mum exclaimed, her facial expression horrified. ‘That’s ages away Leonardo, we’ll have to think about it. Christmas may be tight this year, we’ll be spending more on Florence and the baby…’ Mum stated, then went back to reading.

I was already becoming just a little irritated by the way Mum was talking about me, as if I wasn’t even in the same room. Then it became even worse.

‘Oh right. Yeah, baby clothes and all that stuff…’ Leo said, his tone as sad as his expression. He rested his elbow on his knee and pressed his chin into in, as if he was sulking. 

I wanted to say something but I knew it wouldn’t help. ‘It isn’t fair!’ Leo exclaimed, I stared at him, totally infuriated. From the corner of my eye, I saw dad watching us, knowing that I was about to snap. Mum however, was unbothered, and carried on reading.

‘You know what Leo? I didn’t want this to happen. Sometimes things just do happen. I didn’t make this happen on purpose.’ I said, trying to control my tone level.

‘Just saying, you don’t really deserve it…’ He said, sounding more like my older brother than a eleven year old.

‘Since when are you my older brother! You have no idea what I’m going through and all you care about is what you’re getting for bloody Christmas!’ I exclaimed, my voice beginning to rise.

‘Florence, that’s enough! Both of you! Cut it out.’ Dad suddenly stepped in, slapping his newspaper down on the floor. 

There was another silence. Leo sunk into his chair, and I sat back. ‘You always ruin everything Flo.’ Leo murmured.

‘Leonardo! That is enough. I’ve had it from both of you. Leo upstairs NOW!’ 

‘Why me?’

‘Because, you don’t talk to your sister like that!’

‘HA! That’s what you get for being a git Leo!’ I blurted, and suddenly all the attention was on me.

‘Florence. You should know better.’ Dad told me, his cold eyes watching me.

I shrugged. ‘Upstairs, now Leo.’ Dad pushed Leo out the door gently, making sure he’d go up to his room.

Dad returned a few minutes later, sat back down and picked up his newspaper again.

‘You really need to learn to control your emotions. I know you’re pregnant but don’t wind your brother up. He’s only a kid.’ Dad told me, his way of telling me off.

‘Sure, so it’s always my fault. Just because I’m older…’

Another silence, ‘Why can’t you just understand that Leo is young Florence, he doesn’t mean what he says…he’s young.’ Mum had suddenly interrupted the peaceful silence.

‘Because mother, he’s a git. But you can’t see it. You think he’s so perfect and he’s just being a spoiled brat because instead of you buying him an Xbox you have buy me baby supplies!’ 

Mum stared at me, her eyes wide and confused. ‘That is ridiculous Florence. Absolutely ridiculous.’ She said, walking out of the living room and into the kitchen, laughing.

‘Why are you laughing! It isn’t funny!’ I followed her.

‘Because it’s just….hysterical! It’s so stupid, you just can’t understand.’

‘He doesn’t like you giving me extra attention because I’m pregnant, though to be honest, you never give me attention!’ 

‘Florence, can we end this now please?’ 

‘No.’

Mum sighed, pottering about the kitchen and getting food out for dinner. ‘Your brother is only young Florence, you have to understand that. You can’t react like this all the time, he doesn’t….understand everything.’

‘But it still isn’t fair for him to say all that. He shouldn’t be allowed to say those things, he’s the one that winds me up.’

‘Your dad has sent him up to his room. He knows he’s done wrong, okay? Now just, leave it be.’

I stood back and watched her, carrying on like nothing happened. I was sick of Leo getting away with things, he isn’t that young, he’s eleven and he’s very intelligent. He must know something about what he’s saying.

‘God, I need a holiday.’ I moaned, collapsing onto a kitchen chair with my face in my hands.

‘You need a holiday? What about your poor parents!’ Mum laughed, stirring something on the hob.

‘I’m pregnant Mum. I’ve got all these thoughts and feelings going on and I don’t even know what they are!’

‘It’s just hormones love. It’ll get better, but this isn’t the hardest part.’

Just then, Dad came into the kitchen. ‘So, has the discussion stopped?’ Dad smiled, ruffling my hair. ‘I heard you want a holiday Florence?’

‘Are you going to tell her?’ Mum grinned at dad, and suddenly I felt very left out.

‘Tell me what?’ I said softly, frowning. I looked from dad to mum then back to dad again. ‘Tell me what!’ I exclaimed, after no one had spoken for a few minutes.

‘Your mother and I are going away for a while…’

I stared at Dad in disbelief, ‘Away? What do you mean, away?’

‘It’s a business trip, but at the same time, it’ll be a great holiday.’ 

‘A business trip?’ I kept staring, totally horrified.

‘It’s on one of those big cruise things, and it turns out both of us are needed to meet some very important clients. So, you and Leo will need be looked after…’

‘Dad, I can look after myself, and I can look after Leo too.’ I said, just a little bit offended.

‘Pffft! You wouldn’t last five minutes, you’d burn the house down or something!’ Mum laughed, as if this was just one huge joke.

I actually wishing it was.

‘No we wouldn’t!’ I tried to defend myself, but then Dad gave me his ‘knowing’ look and I kinda had to shut up.

‘Anyway, we weren’t sure what to do with you and Leo so we decided it would be nice for you two to go visit your Grandma…’

My whole body relaxed, my Grandma Rose was such a lovely person, she bakes with us and read stories to us as kids. She was a perfect role model.

‘But not Grandma Rosie…’ Dad added, ‘Grandma Veronica.’

‘What!’ I shrieked, feeling the relaxation leave my body and be replaced with fear and nervousness. ‘You c-can’t! You can’t send us to her!’ I wailed loudly, my voice bold and absolutely terrified.

‘Oh don’t be so silly!’ Mum giggled, ‘You make her sound like she’s a witch.’

I looked at Dad for help, ‘She is a witch?’

‘Florence! That’s my mother you’re on about!’ Mum shrieked with defence.

‘Well she is…’ I shrugged innocently.

‘That is enough! You are going to Grandma’s okay? That is final.’

‘But Mum, she’s insane! She’ll go absolutely berserk when she finds out I’m up the duff!’

‘She doesn’t have to know…’ Mum murmured, and to my disbelief, I realised what she was saying. ‘You’re asking me…? Not to tell Grandma?’

‘Please.’ 

‘Claire, that really is ridiculous. Florence already has a bump!’ Dad finally spoke, after leaving me to deal with this on my own. ‘Thank you Dad.’

‘Her bump is tiny and c’mon Richard, you know what my Mother is like!’ Mum said, waving her hands about.

‘Claire, that really isn’t fair for Florence…You can’t send her to Veronica’s without telling her she’s pregnant, Veronica will tire her out! It’s bad for the baby. She needs good food too, she’ll know if we don’t tell her.’

‘Fine! Tell her!’ Mum exclaimed, setting plates onto the table, ‘But I’m not going to be the one that tells her, never in a million years.’ Mum said, giving me ‘that’ look.

‘No! You cannot do this! I’m not telling her either..’

‘Well that’s settled then. No one will tell her.’

‘Why do we even have to go! I can look after MYSELF!’ I slammed my hand down on the kitchen table.

‘I’m sorry Flo, but your mum is right, it wouldn’t be fair on you to look after yourself in your condition and your brother…we couldn’t do it.’

‘But you can easily, with no guilt, send me to Grandmas? You are unbelievable dad! Seriously.’ I stood up and walked to the door, ‘I’m not going anywhere, you’ll have to force me out to her house.’

Mum and dad stared at me, ‘Oh fine we will darling.’ Mum shrugged, still grinning. She’d never stop.

I stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room, but Dad followed me. I fell onto my bed and Dad knelt down beside it. ‘Florence, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do. It’ll be good for you, get out of town? Into the country side, breathe for a while?’

‘Dad, shut up. You aren’t helping.’ My voice was muffled because my head was pushed into my pillow.

‘Well I’m sorry. Dinner is ready, do you want some?’

‘No, go away.’

‘Florence, don’t be like that…’ Dad stroked my back, it was soothing. I loved my Dad, I knew he was sorry. He didn’t have any choice, he was a little controlled by my mother.

‘I’ll have something later, I want to rest.’

‘Alright, I’ll be back up later.’ He said, kissing my hair before walking out of my room.

I fell asleep half an hour later, Dad had come up to see me but I was still half asleep so I wasn’t aware enough to answer. He didn’t speak, he knew it would wake me up, so he shut the door and went back downstairs. After that, I fell into a deep sleep…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Florence! Florence are you in there?’ A demanding, scared and rushed voice shouted my name from the other side of my bedroom door. 

The voices were only muffled sounds as I began to awake, and I was still very unaware of the fire that was now ablaze downstairs. 

‘Florence!’ The voice shouted again, more and more terrified by the minute.

I opened my eyes, to see that my room was now filled with smoke, and then I began to cough, like crazy and my throat began to dry up and I was unable to breathe.

Terrified myself, I covered my mouth with my hand and tried to cough slowly and calmly, tried to be calm, but I couldn’t hide the fear within myself.

‘Help!’ I screamed, ‘Help!’ I coughed more, feeling vulnerable and exposed. 

I knew that I was going to die here, I just knew. 

My throat began to hurt, I coughed more and more, trying not to breathe in the smoke. 

‘Florence! Are you in there?’

‘Help!’ I screamed, ‘Who is that-’

‘It’s Naomi, quick come to the door! Get out, come on!’ She screamed.

‘Naomi?’ I coughed, ‘W-What are you doing here?’ 

‘No time for your questionnaires Florence! We need to get you out of here! The baby Florence!’

And at that moment, I remembered I was six months pregnant, ‘Oh god!’ I screamed, as the baby answered my thoughts and began to kick, ‘Okay, I’ve got to get out of here.’ 

I rushed to my bedroom door, but for some reason, there were boxes and a chair against it, and some kind of lock. I figured that I must have had a fully blown out argument with my parents again or at least my Mum. I really regretted it now!

‘I can’t open the door!’ I screamed with terror, because I was so certain that I was going to die and my baby was going to die inside me. ‘I don’t know…I don’t know where the key is!’

‘Okay Florence calm down!’ Naomi shouted, paused to cough and then added, ‘Get away from the door, I’ll get someone to knock it down!’

‘Wait!’ I shouted, ‘Where’s my parents? My brother?’

‘I don’t know, I think Leo is at his friends or maybe with your grandma. But I don’t know-’

‘Okay! Just go get someone!’ I screamed, coughing away my thoughts.

‘I’ll be right back.’ Naomi said, ‘Stay there, and try not to breathe any more smoke in, try open the window!’ She said, and then rushed down the stairs so hard, I could hear each step she took so loudly.

‘HURRY.’ I screamed, because I knew that if didn’t get out of here soon, then I’d never survive. I rushed to the window, trying to find my way through the thick smoke. It began to make my eyes sting, it was that thick. I used all my strength to try open my bedroom window, but I hadn’t opened it in so long, it was stiff. 

‘Open!’ I whispered hoarsely to myself, and to the window, ‘Open!’ I scowled, at only myself, my determination to get this window open, to let myself and my baby breathe.

‘Please..’ I began to sob helplessly, ‘Please, open.’ I pulled and struggled, trying any way I could to open the latch.

‘Florence!’ Someone screamed my name, and without thinking, I instantly rushed back through the smoke to the door, ‘Naomi?’

‘No, it’s James, your next door neighbour..’

‘Okay.’ I cried, so emotionally drained. ‘Hi.’

‘Florence, I’m going to get you out of here okay? Just stand back, right back!’

‘Okay.’ I answered quickly, still coughing, trying to relieve my throat from the smoke.

‘Ready?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Okay, one…two…three!’ James had waited until I’d answered, and then began to rip down the door, though I couldn’t yet see what he was using.

‘Florence? You okay?’

‘I’m fine, just keep-’ I was unable to speak as I kept coughing, ‘Just keep going!’ I told him, quickly before the cough hit again.

Next thing I knew, there was one loud bang, and the door fell to the floor.

James rushed over to me, pushing away the giant pieces of my door laying awkwardly on the floor. ‘Florence, can you hear me?’ His voice asked, because my eyes had now been forced shut, and I was literally gasping for air, but even so, I could still hear his voice….I still had one piece of hope left inside me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drips of sweat began to slide down my forehead, my eyes popped open, and I automatically sat up in my bed, and screamed.

‘Mum! Dad!’ I screamed, ‘Leo? NAOMI? DAD!?’ Hysterically, I kept screaming, wanting someone to rush to me. 

‘Anyone!’ I screamed again, began to sob and then slid back down into my bed. I didn’t scream again after that….

Author's Note

May be typos, not completely edited. I totally rewrote this chapter. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Finally the moment has come...
wait a minute...
no?! ...
not yet?...
ahhhh the cliff hanger! I'm looking forward to the upcoming drama! Can't wait! Great job!

[paradise]

YAY I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep writing more!!!!!!!