Thrice Breaker

“It's just a cold. That’s all it is. Just a cold.” She recited to herself as she paced up and down the procelian white tiles floors of their bathroom, pausing every so often to take the slighest glance nervously at the object placed upon the counter top. Impatiently waiting for it to reveal its answer.

“That’s all it is Alicia. It’s just a cold, nothing more.” Trying desperately to reassure her overcrowded mind of thoughts and possibilities, she paused to stare at the fragile figure reflected off the pure surface of the bathroom mirror. The frail, young woman stared worringly back at her. The jet black locks of her hair contrasting against the pale skin of her delicate body, caused by this ‘sickness’ she’d been experiencing. Making her appear as if she was just another white tile on the bathroom wall.

Alicia Way had not been well for the past week. It had all begun with the sleepless nights and rough mornings spent with her head hung over the toilet bowl, safely locked away inside the bathroom. Her husband had suggested that it was just a side effect from eating the Christmas pudding he had attempted to bake, and had served to the rest of his family on Christmas eve. But she was sure that this was not any form of food poisoning caused by her husband’s lack of cooking skills. No, this was more serious. The symptoms had persisted, and the monthly visit of a not-so-welcome friend, was long overdue.

The routine buzzing of an alarm she’d set, sounded from the small clock which she had placed on the counter, declaring that one minute had passed and the answer she’d been waiting for would now be announced.

“Just a cold..” Her shaky voice recited once more as her slender hand reached out to take the object and read the results of her test. The tips of her fingers tingled with anticipation as she finally clasped it tightly in her hands and raised it to eye level.

“Oh dear god…” All suspiscions were now confirmed by the thin blue line which presented itself to her on the pregnancy test. Now there were two choices left. Either to scream at the top of her lungs and express the joy, or, to secretly regret and not tell anybody.

Placing the test back down onto the counter top, she dragged herself out of the bathroom and out into the open spaces of their modern furnished lounge room. Walking towards to the slightly frosted over window from the winter’s icy chill, she looked down into the street below where people were wandering around the snow covered streets, with the bright yellow glow radiating from the street lamps to guide their feet.

A baby. What a wonderful blessing for any parent, and what a wonderful way to start the new year, but Alicia was confused. One part of her was telling her to be happy about the news, be happy and tell the world. While the other part of her was worried and scared. She, Alicia, was going to be a mother. Was it the right time? She and Mikey hadn’t even been married a year and he’d been through a lot. Maybe this baby would make everything better. Make or Break the Relationship; as they say.

Quietly watching as the people wandered below through the lit streets, decorated for the New Years festivities, she realised that Mikey would be home soon and she’d be facing two options. Tell him, or wait. Fiddling with the hem of her black shirt she waited nervously for him to return, as other feelings emerged in the back of her mind. She glanced over at the framed photograph on the side table of Mikey and his brother.

Both with their dark hair and handsome looks. Mikey, tall and slender, slightly thinner than his brother. Alicia had heard their band’s guitarist, Frank, once reffer to him as being as thin as a rake. He was a quiet man, never let to much emotion be shown to anybody, it was Gerard his brother, who knew Mikey the most. Even more than she. Narrowing her focus onto the man standing next to Mikey in the photograph, smiling with his dorky smile. Gerard was different to Mikey, more out there in some ways. Alicia couldn’t really find the words to explain him. He had this kind of aura which surrounded him everywhere he went. An aura which made the fans go wild. Lately, Alicia had felt it too, he was different…mysterious- No. No, she couldn’t think that of him. He was Mikey’s brother. She loved Mikey, with all her heart. But Gerard lingered in the back of her mind, provoking thought’s she knew she shouldn’t be thinking. Was she really ready to have a baby?

There was a small click at the door as she heard a key slip into the lock and announce that Mikey was home. Glancing back at the hazed reflection in the mirror, Alicia made some attempt to fix her hair. I’ll tell him. I will. Taking one last deep breath as she heard the front door open, she turned around and waited- Waited to spill the news.

“Alicia?” Mikey's voice echoed through the apartment as he rushed in, his bass case slung over his shoulder which he quickly disgarded onto the wooden flooring by their mauve couches as his figure appeared in front of her. Clearly in a rush as he stopped briefly to stare at her, a smile grew upon his slender face.

Now or never.. She told herself, again her hands found their way back to the seams of her shirt, fumbling with the stitching under her pale fingers as she opened her mouth nervously to speak, but nothing came out. Her voice had escaped her, that was unusual.

“What’s wrong?” The smile had dissappeared, he could sense something was wrong. He took a step forward, she froze. She couldn’t move.

“I..uh…well..” She couldn’t find the words to form the sentence she had in her head. It was as simple as three small words, I am pregnant, but she’d never expected it to be this hard to tell him. Mikey raised his eyebrows with concern, expecting a response.

“Alicia-“ He took another step forward.

“-Nothing. It’s nothing.” She stammered nervously, releasing the seams from her grip and swinging her arms so that they’d rest behind her back where she her shaking hands met and gave a weak smile. She couldn’t find it in herself to tell him.

I’ll tell him later, It’ll be a surprise. She convinced herself instead.

He smiled weakly in response, not convinced but with no time to waste.

“Come on, we have to go.” Issuing to the silver watch around his wrist, the small hands informing her that it was almost 8pm. She’d almost forgotten. The New Years party they were going too, with the rest of My Chemical Romance, her husbands band in which he was the bassist.

“Oh, right.” Nodding quickly, she ran over to the steel coat hanger by the wall and grabbed her black jacket, pulling it over her figure and buttoning it up around her waist. Her right hand gently grazed her stomach and she rested it there for a brief few seconds. Inside was another life, an innocent life with no idea of the concerns it brought her. Maybe this wasn’t the right time, but there was no way to avoid it. Alicia knew she’d have to accept the truth and tell Mikey.

Mikey hurried her out the door and down into the car where they would soon arrive at their destination. As he drove, Alicia stared blankly out the window as the bright assortment of blurred city lights reflected themselves against the pure glass of the car window and into her eyes, forming shapes as the lights blended together as they sped through the snow covered streets.

Daring herself to glance at her husband, a smile crept it’s way onto her face. She knew that she loved him, and he loved her. He’d be so proud to find out he’d be a father. But lately, those strange feelings had made Alicia doubt her love for Mikey. They meant nothing though, right? Right.

They arrived across town an hour later after driving through the heavy traffic, almost in silence. She’d known him for a while now, and she knew him well. Well enough that sometimes there was no need for conversation, but to just sit comfortably in eachothers silence and contemplate her thoughts, and he could contemplate his own.

“Mikey! Alicia!” Frank Iero greeted them excitedly as they entered the brightly lit room. Music pumped through the crowded room, decorated with streamers and banners which read Happy New Year. Frank took her hand and shook it, a large smile spread across his face before he wandered off with one arm around Mikey across the room.

“Alicia!” Another voice shouted out, she turned around to see the black haired man she wasn’t suppose to think about. The similarities between him and his brother easily flaunted to the world as he wore his black jeans and his hair was that typical mess.

“Hey Gerard.” She smiled, as he took his soft hand in her own. That same aura still lingered about him, confusing her.

“How are you?”

“Oh yeah, pretty good. The usual.” Keeping the smile across her face as she watched him take a drink from the soda inside his glass just as Mikey came towards her with a glass of sparkling champaigne in his hands.

“Here hun.” Extending the glass towards her. Alicia knew she shouldn’t take it. She needed an excuse, fast.

“No thanks Mikes. I think I’ll pass.” His arm retreated as he arched his eyebrows, puzzled by her response but accepted it none the less and soon returned to do his rounds around the room, and she followed him. Arms linked fondly together as they chatted to the other guests, the news she had been keeping secret completely slipping her mind as she settled into the routine New Years socializing, with a secret glance every so often in the direction of the forbidden.

Before Alicia knew it, 12am was quickly upon them and the excitement in the crowd grew as they gathered in the middle of the room, each with a glass of assorted beverages as they laughed and cheered with each other.

”Ten, Nine, Eight...” In the excitement of the moment as the crowd began to count down, Alicia had lost track of Mikey. Glancing desperately around to find him, wanting to celebrate the New Year together. Afterall, it was their first New Year as a married couple. Now was would be the perfect time to tell him the news, like something from the one of those cheesy Hollywood films.

”...Seven, Six, Five..." Their voices gew louder, shouting in unison as they counted down the seconds. She raised herself onto her toes, to try and look over the heads of others, gripping the glass of orange juice she’d decided to drink tightly so it wouldn’t spill as other bodies of the small crowd brushed against her own.

"...Four, Three, Two..." There he was, his back turned to her. She hurried through the crowd, pushing through the gathered bodies towards him. He was so close now.

“Mikey”

"...One..." Reaching out infront, she grabbed his arm and gently tugged to turn him around to face her.

Happy New Years! The crowd screamed, and in the midst of the excitement, Alicia quickly closed her eyes and moved towards him, their lips meeting feircly as the crowd cheered around them, raising their glasses and cheering.

“I’m Pregnant…” She whispered between the kiss, her lips against his own, then pulled away. An excited smile now appearing across her own face for the first time this evening, but it quickly vanished as soon as it appeared and she opened her eyes.

They say, the person you spend the New Years with, is the person you spend the next year of your life with.

If their words are true, then this year will be unpredictable.