Putting up a fight

Chapter 6| Putting up a fight

Kimberly gaped at Bryan not believing that he couldn't even meet her gaze.

"You haven't been taking my calls or answering my messages. I was worried and now I'm here you stare at me like I'm some sort of ghost."

He didn't reply to her but only dropped his gaze on his television-inspired phone screen.

She shook her head, "You promised me forever and in just a day, you give me a complete 360° turnover of the love you fiercely proclaim." Her eyes flashed with both anger and hurt that clawed at her soul.

"They never came back, Kim." She watched him confused, "None of the women that left ever returned."

"Really? That is what you have been thinking about?"

"I'm trying to get used to the thought of you not being in my life anymore and__"

Her eyes welled with tears, "Never knew the digging intensifying pain at the thought of how fast you are willing to cast everything we share into the water, could worsen when you finally confirm my suspicions with words."

He caught her tear with his finger, "Please Kim, don't make this even more hard for me."

"Hard?" She whispered hoarsely, "Hard Is having to accept the knowledge that you just might house an alien child, you understand my body will be its frickin apartment so don't you dare lecture me about hard," Tears glided down her cheek without restraint and her roaring emotions were in contrast with her soft whispers.

"Kimberly, I can't live without you. How can I just watch them take you away to a strange land without doing anything? Don't you see how hard this is for me?" He moistened his lips with frustration as his eyes blazed with crazy highlights of all he felt.

"Am I that easy to forget? Are we so unmemorable that just avoiding me will make you forget all the late night's conversations, the giggling and naming of our children while watching the sunset together?" She arched her brow at him, a silent challenge to shatter her world by replying in firm affirmation.

"Never, Kim. Never." He dropped his head on his palm, betraying just how frustrated he was, tired, hurt, angry at any and everybody.

He was angry at God that had let this happen, the system that was used for the lot that'd fallen on the one woman he was so Keen on making his Forever, He was angry at the World for not knowing that Kim can't leave, she had the job of a lawyer in her dream firm where she was just trying to prove herself at, She was the only eyes of her grandmother who was so emotionally invested in her, and lastly, he was so angry at himself for failing the woman he loved, for being as helpless as everyone else that had failed her.

"You know," she drawled, "The thought of being held back even while a creature forces himself on me, again and again," He closed his eyes not wanting to stare at the imagery her voice provided.

"He might tear my clothes or even hit me," He choked on his breath.

"He might spit on me and cuss__"

"Please," He pleaded, using his hands to muffle the sound of her chilly eerie voice as she coldly described a rape scene, what she expected and looked forward to like it was some novel.

"But the hurt of imagining all these paled," She continued like she had not heard him and Bryan suspected she hadn't. She seemed so absorbed in what she had to say and how many scars she tended to leave on him.

"It paled," she choked as she repeated the word pale again and again.

Her tear-streaked face lit up with a bitter smile, "It'd paled when I had to watch you all declare my demise while I was still alive. Scarlet framed my picture and most times when she talks to me, makes slip ups like she calls it and uses past participle on me," Her eyes were raw with emotions, "Nana cries every minute she stares at me and you?" She shook her head then stood up, not sure she was strong enough to watch even Bryan just accept that she was gone without putting up a fight.

He hugged her from behind, stopping her in her tracks, "I'm sorry Kim. Please don't leave me now," he pleaded.

She gasped and then crouching down on her knees with him still clinging to her and going down with her, he flipped her over so she was now cradled in his arm, then she cried into his chest while he held unto her, willing himself to be strong for her and not shatter.

***

"I'll be the first woman to come back from the underworld," She repeated after Bryan, her eyes flashing with zeal and light that frightened even her.

"You have to okay?" He caressed her cheek.

She nodded. "Many people say why the women never left was because of how difficult it was to dump their children, But they made that impulsive decision because they didn't have enough to lose right here." Her gaze searched his, "I'll make more beautiful children with you okay?"

He sniffed fighting back the tears that threatened to be released from its restraint, "Yes, we'll."

"But if I don't come back in two years Bryan," she gazed at him now serious, "All these around us are rumors and we can't tell what happened to these women."

He looked away, already knowing where she was headed. "You'll come right back to me, to us," He reassured her fiercely not knowing if he was trying to convince her or himself.

"In the events that I don't," she held his hands, entwining her hands with his, "Promise me you'll try to move on with your life, you won't live a life of solitude and die a lonely grumpy bachelor."

They both chuckled with tears in their eyes.

"And lastly please," she moved closer to him, turning and freeing herself from the tight grip he used in holding her to himself like that could stop her from walking out of his life, seven days from now.

"Never forgive me for not fighting harder and coming back to you,"

Their stare clashed, "Please," She muttered again and Bryan was shaking while holding her tightly as he tried to muffle his own sob.

And that was the position they remained in even as the clock's longer hand struck on 12, announcing the midnight and even as a stream of sunlight illuminated their form announcing sunrise, they remained in each other grip sobbing while dreading a new day inwardly knowing what it now represents in their life and how much it could cost them.