Geric | An Inspector Calls fanfiction

14

The Brumley General Hospital was host to a tiring silence, it's white washed walls and ticking clock not seeing so much as a scratch for several hours. Behind a wooden desk, a dozing brunette sits with her chin in the palm of her hand. It's late at night, possibly early hours of the next morning, and there's nothing she wants more than to be at home in bed.

Suddenly the double entrance doors swing open and the receptionist jolts up. Three men hurry over to the desk, one of them carrying a woman bridal style.

"We need a doctor!" Cries the one carrying the female. "She's having a baby!"

The receptionist looks startled and she dashes through a set of doors behind her, returning seconds later. "This way please." She says and she leads them down a sterile corridor.

Eric lays Eva down onto a bed of fresh white linen. She has turned worryingly pale, her body limp and her voice weak as she lets out another cry.

A nurse ushers the three men out of the room, firmly closes the door in their faces, leaving them oblivious to what's happening.

Eric let's out a huff, his cheeks puff out as far as they can stretch. He rubs the palms of his hands in his eyes and paces a shot distance in front of the closed door.

Gerald has turned completely white, he's almost as pale as Eva was. Cold beads of sweat dampen his hairline. His heart is racing and he's short of breath, though he doesn't know why. 

Above, the rain is still heavy, hammering down on the roof of the hospital, concealing any chance of silence. The kind man who drove Eric, Eva and Gerald to the hospital clears his throat. Gerald looks up from his feet at him, while Eric continues to pace, now muttering to himself. 

"I think maybe I should go." The man sounds unsure, as if he's afraid his exit might unsettle Eric or Gerald. 

Gerald nods with a thankful smile. "Goodnight." He says. The driver's features relax and he sets off down the corridor. 

Minutes pass as the two men linger silently in the corridor, anxiously waiting for any kind of peep from the room just behind them. Then it seems like hours. Neither of them have spoken a word to each other and Eric has not stopped pacing. Not once has he looked at Gerald, which Gerald has done many times, his worry about Eric's state of mind increasing with every look. 

"Eric stop, you're going to make yourself ill." He says but Eric ignores him. Gerald sighs and seizes Eric's right arm, forcing him to stop moving. "Please." Gerald stares deep into Eric's eyes, hoping it will make him listen. Eric stares back, his face hard and his nostrils flaring with his rapid breathing, then suddenly his face drops and his head falls, landing on Gerald's arm. A small sob escapes him. 

"What am I going to do?" He whispers. Gerald pulls him closer to his body and wraps his arms tightly around Eric's shoulders. Body shuddering sobs come from Eric as he buries his face into Gerald's chest. Gerald stares hard at the wall infront of him, trying not to break down too. 

"I can't look after them." Eric cries. "I have no money and my parents certainly won't let us live at their house, so I have no home to give them." 

"This is my child and I'm only just realising how much responsibility has been put on me now. It's so easy to say that I will help raise the child, but I don't know how I'm actually going to do that."

Gerald plants a small kiss on the top of Eric's head. Just as he open's his mouth to speak words of comfort, the door behind them opens. Gerald quickly pulls away from Eric and takes a step to his right. Heat rises in his cheeks and he awkwardly tries to look like he has no interest in Eric. A dark haired man wearing a long sleeved white apron steps out of the room. His front has blood smeared over it and his forehead glistens with sweat. 

"How is she?" Eric steps infront of the doctor. Eric's eyes are wet and he looks extremely panicked. Gerald stands to the right of them, looking equally worried. The doctor looks from Eric to Gerald and takes a breath. He looks tired and there's a hint of sorrow in his green eyes.  

"I'm afraid she didn't make it. She lost too much blood and there wasn't much we could do. I'm awfully sorry."

A single sound comes from Eric, a mixture of a gasp and a choke. His mouth hangs open as silent tears start to trickle down his face. Both Gerald and Eric are frozen to the spot, completely aghast by what they've just heard. 

Something tugs at Eric's heart, something painful. Although he wasn't with Eva and he loves Gerald with all his heart, he still had love for her. There was a time when he thought he was madly in love with her, she brought comfort during his sad, drunken nights. She was the mother of his child which automatically made him feel protective and respectful of her. 

Suddenly Eric snaps out of his trance-like state and steps towards the doctor again. "What about the baby? Is the baby okay?" He fumbles his words as the rush out of him. It might just be the tipping point if anything has happened to his child. 

"The baby is fine." The doctor says and Eric lets out a sigh. "I'm guessing you're the father?" The doctor look at Eric and he nods. "Would you like to meet your new child?" Eric looks at Gerald, apprehension suddenly dawning on him. Gerald thinks how drained Eric looks and gives him a loving smile, knowing that meeting his child will finally give Eric some happiness.

They follow the doctor back into the room he just came from. It's small and there are no windows. Three other nurses are in the room, dressed the same as the doctor and wearing white surgical masks. Then in the middle of the room is bed. The sheets are messy and covered in blood. On top lies Eva. Her mouth is open and her glassy eyes stare at nothing. Eric doesn't look at her, though he can see her body out of the corner of his eye tempting him to look. 

One of the nurses at the other side of the room approaches Eric and Gerald, who are lingering by the door. She's carrying a small baby bundled up in a yellow blanket. Eric moves towards her and eagerly holds out his arms.

"It's a girl." The nurse whispers as she hands the baby over to Eric.

The air seems to be knocked out of Eric. He can't believe what he's seeing. This tiny sleeping things in his arms is his own flesh and blood. She looks so pure and so innocent. 

"Hello." Eric chokes, a lump has formed in his throat and he's crying again, though this time it's with a smile. He dips his head down and lightly kisses his daughter's forehead. Her skin is soft and warm.

In that moment, Eric makes a promise to himself, and his tiny daughter, that he's going to sort himself out so that he can properly raise her and give her a happy life. And he promises that he's never going to let anything hurt her.