Status: Complete - Check out the sequel :)
When Duty Calls
Chapter 14
Andrea lay in bed, perfectly still with her hands placed gently on top of her barely there bump as she listened to the muffled noise of the morning routine going on downstairs. She had a day off and she knew exactly what she was going to do with it. That’s why she was concentrating hard on not going down to join them all for breakfast, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to sit there with the family she’s grown to love knowing that it would be her last morning with them. She’d been emotional enough over the past couple of weeks as it was, if she broke down crying at the breakfast table they would all know that there was something wrong.
The decision to leave hadn’t come easily. In fact it was probably the hardest decision she’d ever made in her life. But she couldn’t think of anything else to do. She’d known from the moment she thought she might have been pregnant that aborting it or giving it up for adoption were not options. That only really left the options of running away with only Rhian knowing where she was and why she’d gone. The only problem with that being Rhian was getting serious with Jimmy and Jimmy was Brian’s best friend. He already knew that they’d been having an affair so if he found out about the baby, even if it was years down the line, he would immediately put two and two together and tell Brian.
Her other option was of course to stay, and she couldn’t see any way that doing that could be the best thing to do. If she stayed she’d obviously have to tell Michelle and Brian about being pregnant, and Brian would know straight away that it was his. What would happen then? Would he leave Michelle and help her bring up the baby? Would he freak out and tell her to leave? When Michelle found out she would obviously be kicked out of the house, she may kick Brian out as well, and the whole family would be broken up and heartbroken.
With all that in mind Andie had made the decision to leave, and the sooner the better. She would start to show soon and that would obviously lead to questions that she didn’t want to answer. Also the longer she left it the harder it would be for her to walk away from the children she loved. It was breaking her heart has it was leaving them so abruptly and without a word or a reason.
The previous day Andie had gone, with Rhian to the doctors again for her scan to tell her exactly how far gone she was. It turned out that she was eleven weeks. After her appointment she told Rhian about her plan and made her promise not to tell anyone. At first Rhian had tried to talk her out of leaving but Andrea was adamant that it was the only way and that she’d just have to deal with Jimmy finding out when it happened, with the hope that she would be able to convince him, for the sake of Connor and Ella not to tell Brian.
She continued to listen carefully to what was going on downstairs and when she was sure she’d heard everyone leave the house she slowly got up and headed for the bathroom. She showered and quickly made her way back to her bedroom and got dressed. She didn’t know how long she had before someone came back and she was planning to be gone before they did.
She took out her large suitcase and the carry on bag out of her closet and began to pack her belongings into them. With tears steaming down her eyes she placed the photo frame Connor and Ella had given her on top of her clothes. She wiped her eyes and looked around her room; almost everything she would need immediately was packed. The other stuff Rhian told her she would pack up and get to her once she was settled wherever she ended up.
With a sigh she headed back across the hall to the bathroom, gathering up her toiletries. She almost dropped the entire bag as she stepped out of the room, the sound of her breath hitching in her throat catching Brian’s attention as he reached the top of the stairs.
“Sorry babe did I scare you?” he asked with a smirk as he continued towards her.
“I um, I thought you’d left?” she replied trying to calm herself.
“I did, I took Connor to school and Ella’s with my mom, I was hoping that you’d still be here.” He replied as he reached her, placing his hands on her hips to bring her closer to him.
“Brian, I –“ she began.
“Come on baby, I’ve barely seen you these past couple of weeks, we never seem to be able to get some time on our own any more.” He replied with a pout. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to smile. She may have taken the decision to leave but she couldn’t deny how much she liked Brian, how she’d miss the way he made her feel, how he could make her smile when all she wanted to do was cry.
Seeing the corners of her mouth twitch upwards Brian dipped his head to her neck, sucking at the soft skin as he gently and slowly ushered her back towards her bedroom. As they entered the room he stopped abruptly, Brian slowly raising his head at the sight of a fully backed suitcase and a half empty room.
“Baby what’s going on? Why are you packing?” he asked his eyes moving from the suitcase to her.
“Nothing I’m…” she started in a quiet whisper, her heart pounding quickly within her chest.
“Were you planning on leaving?” he asked a saddened look on his face. Andie opened and closed her mouth to say something but she failed to find the words she needed. “You were weren’t you? You were going to leave. Were you even going to bother to say good bye?” Brian continued, his voice growing with anger and volume.
Andrea flinched at his words, taking a step back away from him. “Brian please, don’t get mad, I have to…”
“Don’t get mad? Andrea you’re about to walk out on this family without even a word. What if I hadn’t have come back when I did would I have come home later with the kids to find you gone? What would that have done to Connor?”
“I’m sorry, I thought it would be easier this way” Andie defended.
“Easier on who? Why are you leaving anyway?” he retorted.
“On everyone. I can’t do this anymore Brian. I just can’t, I’ve got to get out.” she replied frantically.
“But why? Why all of a sudden? What’s changed? What’s happened?” he demanded in a loud voice.
“I’ve just got to leave; I’ve made up my mind Brian. I’m leaving.” She replied feeling tears pour gently down her face.
“No, there’s something else, you wouldn’t just leave, not without saying good bye, especially not to Connor, something’s happened. What is it Andie? Tell me.” Brian retorted angrily, gripping hold of her shoulders.
“I’m pregnant Brian. Ok? I’m pregnant. That’s why I have to leave.” she suddenly yelled into his face.
The decision to leave hadn’t come easily. In fact it was probably the hardest decision she’d ever made in her life. But she couldn’t think of anything else to do. She’d known from the moment she thought she might have been pregnant that aborting it or giving it up for adoption were not options. That only really left the options of running away with only Rhian knowing where she was and why she’d gone. The only problem with that being Rhian was getting serious with Jimmy and Jimmy was Brian’s best friend. He already knew that they’d been having an affair so if he found out about the baby, even if it was years down the line, he would immediately put two and two together and tell Brian.
Her other option was of course to stay, and she couldn’t see any way that doing that could be the best thing to do. If she stayed she’d obviously have to tell Michelle and Brian about being pregnant, and Brian would know straight away that it was his. What would happen then? Would he leave Michelle and help her bring up the baby? Would he freak out and tell her to leave? When Michelle found out she would obviously be kicked out of the house, she may kick Brian out as well, and the whole family would be broken up and heartbroken.
With all that in mind Andie had made the decision to leave, and the sooner the better. She would start to show soon and that would obviously lead to questions that she didn’t want to answer. Also the longer she left it the harder it would be for her to walk away from the children she loved. It was breaking her heart has it was leaving them so abruptly and without a word or a reason.
The previous day Andie had gone, with Rhian to the doctors again for her scan to tell her exactly how far gone she was. It turned out that she was eleven weeks. After her appointment she told Rhian about her plan and made her promise not to tell anyone. At first Rhian had tried to talk her out of leaving but Andrea was adamant that it was the only way and that she’d just have to deal with Jimmy finding out when it happened, with the hope that she would be able to convince him, for the sake of Connor and Ella not to tell Brian.
She continued to listen carefully to what was going on downstairs and when she was sure she’d heard everyone leave the house she slowly got up and headed for the bathroom. She showered and quickly made her way back to her bedroom and got dressed. She didn’t know how long she had before someone came back and she was planning to be gone before they did.
She took out her large suitcase and the carry on bag out of her closet and began to pack her belongings into them. With tears steaming down her eyes she placed the photo frame Connor and Ella had given her on top of her clothes. She wiped her eyes and looked around her room; almost everything she would need immediately was packed. The other stuff Rhian told her she would pack up and get to her once she was settled wherever she ended up.
With a sigh she headed back across the hall to the bathroom, gathering up her toiletries. She almost dropped the entire bag as she stepped out of the room, the sound of her breath hitching in her throat catching Brian’s attention as he reached the top of the stairs.
“Sorry babe did I scare you?” he asked with a smirk as he continued towards her.
“I um, I thought you’d left?” she replied trying to calm herself.
“I did, I took Connor to school and Ella’s with my mom, I was hoping that you’d still be here.” He replied as he reached her, placing his hands on her hips to bring her closer to him.
“Brian, I –“ she began.
“Come on baby, I’ve barely seen you these past couple of weeks, we never seem to be able to get some time on our own any more.” He replied with a pout. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to smile. She may have taken the decision to leave but she couldn’t deny how much she liked Brian, how she’d miss the way he made her feel, how he could make her smile when all she wanted to do was cry.
Seeing the corners of her mouth twitch upwards Brian dipped his head to her neck, sucking at the soft skin as he gently and slowly ushered her back towards her bedroom. As they entered the room he stopped abruptly, Brian slowly raising his head at the sight of a fully backed suitcase and a half empty room.
“Baby what’s going on? Why are you packing?” he asked his eyes moving from the suitcase to her.
“Nothing I’m…” she started in a quiet whisper, her heart pounding quickly within her chest.
“Were you planning on leaving?” he asked a saddened look on his face. Andie opened and closed her mouth to say something but she failed to find the words she needed. “You were weren’t you? You were going to leave. Were you even going to bother to say good bye?” Brian continued, his voice growing with anger and volume.
Andrea flinched at his words, taking a step back away from him. “Brian please, don’t get mad, I have to…”
“Don’t get mad? Andrea you’re about to walk out on this family without even a word. What if I hadn’t have come back when I did would I have come home later with the kids to find you gone? What would that have done to Connor?”
“I’m sorry, I thought it would be easier this way” Andie defended.
“Easier on who? Why are you leaving anyway?” he retorted.
“On everyone. I can’t do this anymore Brian. I just can’t, I’ve got to get out.” she replied frantically.
“But why? Why all of a sudden? What’s changed? What’s happened?” he demanded in a loud voice.
“I’ve just got to leave; I’ve made up my mind Brian. I’m leaving.” She replied feeling tears pour gently down her face.
“No, there’s something else, you wouldn’t just leave, not without saying good bye, especially not to Connor, something’s happened. What is it Andie? Tell me.” Brian retorted angrily, gripping hold of her shoulders.
“I’m pregnant Brian. Ok? I’m pregnant. That’s why I have to leave.” she suddenly yelled into his face.
♠ ♠ ♠
So Andrea decided to run away, but now Brian knows...how will he react? Will she still run away? Hmmmm.....?!?As always thanks to all my readers, subscribers and to all who take the time to comment.... :)
I'm hoping to get another chapter posted before Christmas, but if not, with Christmas being such a busy time for me it may mean you're waiting until the New Year for the next one.... I hope it won't come to that though :)
Andie