Fortuity

Chapter 8

Carmen

I'm standing in the kitchen in nothing but my underwear.

Tyler is still asleep. I'm hungry, but I don't want pickles, and I don't want brownies.

I didn't eat any of the brownies I made.

I want to go do something.

I take the brownies out of the fridge, wrap one pan in tin foil and put it in the microwave.

I put it in for two minutes to really heat it up, and then I start wrapping the rest in tin foil.

I hear a sound, and the microwave starts smoking.

It's one of those metal pans.

What the fuck?

Flames start licking out of the microwave.

I gasp.

"TYLER!" I scream on the top of my lungs. "HELP ME!"

Less than thirty seconds later, he comes flying downstairs in his boxers.

He grabs the microwave and rushes outside, throwing it into the pool.

I stand next to him.

He's breathing hard.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "The sun isn't even up yet."

"I just wanted to heat up the brownies!"

"You put those metal pans in the microwave!" he yells at me.

"I didn't-" I cut off. "They were metal. Tin foil isn't real metal!"

"Yes it is!" he says, exasperated. "Oh god, Carmen! When you're pregnant, you don't become stupid!"

Stupid.

I'm stupid.

I look down.

"I didn't mean to." I whisper.

"I know." He says. "I know you didn't. I think you're just tired. Come on sweetheart, come to bed."

"No, I'm not your sweetheart."

I don't even have a bra on.

I turn around and walk back into the house.

He follows me.

"Come on, Sunshine." He says. "You're not stupid, you're just acting like you are."

I ignore him, getting dressed.

"Carmen." He says.

I walk downstairs again, but I'm just winded and tired.

I stop in the kitchen. He puts his hands on my sides.

"Carmen, you're not yourself. I know it's because you're pregnant, but you're not you. I miss you, sweetheart."

He's right.

Running off when he looks disgusted at my pregnancy eating habits?

Putting metal in a microwave?

"You're right." I whisper. "Maybe I'm just tired. I can't sleep more than two hours."

"Maybe we should go talk to a doctor?"

"No. I don't want to go back to the doctor. I'm just going to go and nap."

"Okay." He says. "Please sweetheart, know I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

I haven't kissed him in over a day. I lean up and press my lips against his. He deepens it, kissing me harder.

I kiss him back for a moment, and then I walk upstairs, into bed.

<><>

I wake up to voices downstairs.

I dress and go down. All of our family is here. Tyler is here too. He's just hanging up the phone when I come downstairs.

I walk over to him, cuddling against his side.

He wraps me in his arms.

"I just got off the phone with the doctor." He says gently. "He said you should stop drinking two hours before bed, that you should avoid your phone two hours before bed, and that you need a body pillow to help you sleep, and to take a snack with nutrients before bed so you don't wake up in the middle of the night hungry. He also mentioned not to have the mentality of eating for two."

I sigh quietly, nodding.

"Alright."

"I also wanted to talk to you about this morning." He says.

"There's nothing to talk about." I mumble.

I really don't want to hear this conversation about the microwave.

"No, really Sunshine, I want to talk to you." He says.

I sigh. He grabs my hand and pulls me into the kitchen.

I struggle to get onto the counter. Usually I can, but now I can't.

He lifts me up and stands between my legs, placing his hands on either side of my face.

"The way I spoke to you this morning was completely uncalled for. I shouted at you. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I love you. Can you forgive me?"

I sigh, pretending to think about it, and then I frown.

"No."

His face falls.

I giggle.

"I'm just kidding." I kiss him softly. "It's okay. I was a fucking idiot for putting metal in the microwave to begin with."

"But I never should have yelled at you. It's not okay."

"Well I'm not upset with you." I shrug.

"Good." He smiles, kissing me. He hugs me, and then lifts me off the counter.

I grab a bowl from the cabinet, and the box of fruit loops.

I fill the bowl and then fill the rest of the way with milk. I get a spoon and wander into the living room, sitting down next to Delaney and Cameron.

She peers into my bowl.

"Are you craving that?" she asks.

I just glare at her and start eating.

"How're you feeling?" Mom asks.

"I'm fine." I say quietly.

"How's my grandbaby?" Mrs. Cerda asks.

"Fine." I say.

I eat my cereal quickly, and then I drink the milk, and then I bring my bowl to the kitchen.

Del is standing up when I walk in.

"We're going shopping." She says.

"Ew." I wrinkle my nose.

"It's not a choice." She says. "Just you, me, and Cameron."

<><>

I allowed her to drag me to the store, because what the fuck, right?

She insisted on going to Babies R Us for Cameron.

"Car, you really need to wait to buy those." Del says, worried.

I've got my hand on a blue carseat.

I know it's a boy.

I know it.

"No. I want it now."

"Carmen, you haven't looked up anything about the company, you don't know the recalls."

I sigh.

"I need to buy something, Del."

"So get something gender neutral. Like pacifiers."

I sigh quietly.

"I just want my baby." I frown.

"I know the feeling." She says.

If I could hold my little one now, I would be so happy.