Geric | An Inspector Calls fanfiction

10

Eric sits at a small round table, watching Sheila unload a box of tinned food with a blonde haired boy. Rain splatters down on the roof of the town hall. The windows are streaming with raindrops and a damp smell lingers in the air.

Anxiety creeps up Eric's spine. He's missing a days work to be here, which didn't sit well with Mr Birling, so it better be worth it. Gerald decided not to go, using the excuse of work, when really he doesn't want to face the outcome of today.

The entrance door to the hall swings open with a loud creak and a crowd starts piling in. Eric rises from his seat and smooths down his trousers, his eyes scanning the herd for Eva. He steps closer to the serving table, his teeth nibbling down on his bottom lip. A sickly taste rises in his throat as butterflies dance inside him.

"Eric?" Sheila says, noticing that her brother has gone the colour of a sheet. "Come and stand round here with me, you can get a better look at everyone that way." She guides him round the table before dunking a ladle into a large pot of stew.

Eric stands as stiff as a pencil, eyeing up everyone who passes by the table. He can't help but feel sympathy for them all, they all look so grubby and weak. It makes him feel bad that he'll never know what it's like to go hungry. A pain shoots through him as a young boy, practically skin and bone, walks past. Has Eva been living like this all her life? Practically starving when she's carrying a baby. Eric lowers his eyes, grief taking over him. He wishes he had tried harder with her.

Suddenly Sheila coughs and nudges Eric in the ribs with her elbow. He looks up, giving her a confused look. But then he spots her over Sheila's shoulder. Coming through the doubles doors, dripping from head to toe, is Eva. She removes the plum coloured hat from her head and unbuttons her coat, revealing a swollen stomach. Eric watches as she hesitates by the door, his heart is racing. Eventually, Eva moves towards the serving table, her eyes darting around apprehensively.

Eric's palms start to sweat and a watery sensation forms in his mouth. What is he going to say? Will she recognise him? What if she takes one look at him and runs? He takes a deep breath in and steps closer to Sheila as she serves the man stood right in front of Eva. Somehow Eva hasn't noticed him yet, her eyes are glued to her fingers fumbling with the edge of her hat.

Sheila hesitates as Eva steps forward and picks up a bowl. She doesn't want to scare her again, so she puts on a warm smile and greets her with a soft 'hello'. It makes Eva look up at Sheila but her eyes wander to Eric. She gasps and makes a quick getaway but Eric grabs her arm across the table. Their stares lock and everything around them seems to blur.

"Eva." Eric says, his voice barely a whisper.

"My name isn't Eva anymore." She yanks her arm free and rushes to the door.

"Whatever your name is, we need to talk." Eric quickly follows her. His heart is beating inside his ears. He reaches out his hand and grabs her once more before she can get through the door. "You're carrying my child." He looks her dead in the eyes and sees a slight fear in them. Eric loosens his grip on her arm. What must he looks like to her? A drunk boy eager for the attention of a woman? He'd most certainly looked like that those nights he lay with her. He was so forceful with her and now here he stands forcing her not to leave. He lets go of her arms entirely, thinking that the Inspector didn't visit them for him to repeat his actions.

"I thought you were dead." Eric lowers his eyes to his feet. Two shiny black shoes stare up at him.

"Why would you think that?" Eva asks, her voice wavering.

"It's a long story." Eric sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He looks up at Eva and gives her an apologetic look. "I'm...I'm just...I'm just glad you're okay."

A frown forms on Eva's face. "I'm not okay! I have no job, no money and I'm living in damp room with no furniture! This is the only place I can get a decent meal and be out of the cold for a few hours." She throws her arms about in anger as she speaks. "And on top of all of that, I'm pregnant, no thanks to you."

Eric blinks at her, taken aback by her words. It only makes him wish even more that he tried harder to make her take his money or marry him.

"I offered to help you." Eric says. He's so scared of losing her again that his voice is weak and only a whisper, making him sound like a young boy confessing his crimes to his mother.

"It would have only made things worse. If I married you, you'd have been shunned from your family and then we'd have nothing. If you kept taking money someone would have eventually found out, which doesn't make anything any better."

"They did find out." Shame appears on Eric's face and he looks away again. "My father found out. My whole family know about the money and why I took it."

"You told them?" The frown melts from Eva's face and is replaced by curiosity.

"Not exactly, someone else did."

"Someone else knew about us? I never told anyone."

"Neither did I. Like I said, it's a long story." Eric sighs, puffing his cheeks out and letting some stress escape his body. "The point is I've been looking for you so I can help raise our child. My eyes have been opened to the world of the poor and I want to support you in any way that I can. I didn't try hard enough before and it's been weighing down on me for a long time."

This time it's Eva that looks away. Guilt fills her veins as she fails to meet Eric's eyes. "I don't know if I'm going to keep it." She says.

A soft but painful gasp escapes Eric's lips. "What?" He stares at her in disbelief, his mouth open and eyes wild.

"I don't have the money to raise a child...and...it's not easy living like this, mentally I mean, and I want this baby to have a good life." Her right hand rests on her bulging stomach.

"But that's what I'm here for, I can give you money!" Eric's voice comes out a little louder than he intended. Anger and confusion bubble inside of him, it's like she's not listening to what he's saying.

"From where? The money you gave me before was stolen so I know you don't have any."

She's right. Eric hesitates for a moment. He lives off his parent and has nothing to call his own. Mr Birling definitely isn't going to give him any money.

"I'll get you some money somehow." Eric says firmly, determination in his eyes.