Safer to Hate Her

Rupert pushed open the door, leaving his suitcase near the couch. He moved into the kitchen, not surprised to see Jersey speaking with his mother, he moved closer to her throwing his arms around her and kissing her cheek. He pulled back concerned, when he noticed the tears in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Jersey turned to look at his face, placing a hand on his cheek and smiling at him. It wasn’t until now she realised how much she had missed him this time. Each time he went away it got harder to be without him. His mother moved out of the room, leaving the two alone sending a reassuring smile towards Jersey.

“You might want to sit down.” Rupert could hear the pain in her voice and he expected the worst. He noticed a piece of paper in her hand, his mind began to wander and he hoped with all his heart that she wasn’t going to tell him that she was ill too. He didn’t think he could cope with it.

He held her hand tightly in his, urging her tell him, “I went to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling too well.” Rupert’s heart sunk and he pulled her closer to him, “I wasn’t sure what was wrong and then she told me that I was pregnant.” Jersey examined his face and repeated herself, “I’m pregnant.” She whispered it this time, afraid of his reaction.

“Pregnant.” He nodded his head and pulled his hand away from her, “Pregnant,” he ran his fingers through his hair and opened his mouth again.

“Yes, pregnant Rupert. How hard is it for you to understand?” The sound of her shouting had caused Mrs Grint to come rushing into kitchen. He jumped up quickly from the chair as if it had scolded him and walked outside not speaking to anyone.

Jersey stared at the seat he had been in, tears building up in her eyes threatening to fall. Mrs Grint rubbed her back and followed her son outside; closing the door behind her so Jersey couldn’t hear them.

“Oh, Rupert, I thought you’d be happy about this?” She took a seat next to him.

Jersey couldn’t look at him anymore; she rounded the table and headed for the stairs. The day finally taking its toll on her, sleep would be welcome she thought. She walked into the guest room after retrieving the clothes she would leave in Rupert’s room, not wanting to be in the same room as him. As soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep, she hadn’t realised how exhausted she really was.

“I should be but it’s too soon.” He placed his head in his hands, “We can’t be ready for this.”

She laughed beside him, “That’s exactly what I thought when you came along. I wasn’t ready, but when you came along I was so happy and well, then your brother came along and hell broke loose.” She shook her head at the memory.

“You might think you won’t be able to do it, but that’s what I’m here for. But, you’ve got nothing to worry about, son. You pick it up, trust me.” He hugged her and sighed.

“I think it was a bit of a shock,” he smiled at becoming a dad, a mini-Jersey running around the place, she would be a real heartbreaker.

“Go and make it up to her, she was as scared as you, even more so now.” He nodded and walked back into the house. He regretted reacting like that; he hoped that she would forgive him. He jumped up the stairs and into his room, confused when she wasn’t there.

He moved silently into the guest room, seeing her fast asleep a small smile on her lips. He moved around the bed, pulled off his t-shirt and trousers and joined her. He smiled at her sleeping frame and placed a hand on her stomach. Smiling at the thought of their little family.