Faster than the Night

Chapter 54

Hey y'all I hope everyone had a fantastic day today and that all is well! How will it go when Elaine comes back to the apartment late at night? Will Hunter be apologetic or be a "stuck in his ways" man? Keep reading to find out! Also, please comment and give a like to the chapter!

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Getting out of my Jeep in the apartment parking lot was stressful to say the least. Hunter and I hadn't spoken all day, not to mention we've never fought like this before. Not knowing what he'd say to me when I walked through that door, I did so ever so carefully. After hanging my coat up on the coat rack in the hallway, I saw him sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand, his eyes not looking away from the television.

"You decided to come back." he said bluntly.

"It is my home too." I backfired.

"Well by the looks of it I didn't know if you still wanted it." he said a tad bit angrily, now looking up at me.

"I needed air Hunter."

"Air? For eight hours without responding to any of my texts or calls?"

"Yes Hunter I needed air for more than eight hours actually but I'm not staying at some cheap ass hotel when not only am I five months pregnant, but this was your fault!" I yelled at him, not realizing how loud I was getting.

"My fault?" he laughed as he stood up from the couch, walking over towards me. "You're the one who wants to go to that goddamn rally and put our child's life at risk!"

That was all I could take before slapping him across the cheek, storming into the bedroom. How could he possibly still say that to me and have a clear conscience? He knows damn well I would do anything and everything humanly possible to keep our daughter safe, but he's still on my case about this. Why?

"Dammit Elaine what the hell!" he yelled, holding his cheek in his hands.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that Hunter!" I screamed back. "You have no right to tell me that I am putting Baelynn's life at risk! No right! You and I both know I have never put anything above her health and safety and you having the audacity to tell me otherwise?"

"Damn straight I have the audacity! We were just in a hospital because your psychotic ex boyfriend decided to beat the shit out of you, and may I add it was because of your pregnancy!" he added, emphasizing on the because.

"It's a freaking rally Hunter! Hell, Luke is behind bars so you don't have to worry about anyone kicking the living hell out of me!"

"Don't you get it Elaine!" He slammed his fist onto the counter. "You were almost kidnapped and god knows what else, you were domestically abused by Luke, then our daughter could have died because of him again! You've gone through just about the most physical trauma I've ever seen in someone who wants to be a stupid wedding planner!"

Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my cheeks as I gasped for air. I hadn't had a single nightmare about the incident with Reese at the Coke factory, and I forced myself to not think about it every single day for Baelynns sake. Continually, I forced myself to stuff all of the trauma I went through into the back of my head, not accepting or dealing with what had happened to me so I could focus on the miracle in my womb. For someone so close to me, who has been there with me by my side every time something happened, to bring up those horrible memories and use them against me was the worst thing that has ever been said to me.

"Elaine..." Hunter said softly, realizing what he had said to me. "Elaine I didn't mean it like that come on."

Before he could try and bring me in a hug, I swat his arms away from mine, as I ran to the bedroom closet. The tears wouldn't stop but my mind was quite clear. Walking back out to the kitchen, I grabbed a stool so I could stand up and reach my suitcase in the top part of the closet. I began to swing open droors and throw my clothes and toiletries in the suitcase.

"What in the hell? Elaine what are you doing?!" Hunter ran after me as I zipped up my suitcase and began to walk out of the living room, wiping my tears off my own cheeks.

"Get the hell away from me." I said coldly, making him back up in surprise before he could grab my wrist to pull me back.

"Elaine don't..." was all I could hear as I slammed the front door, walking out to my Jeep.

Once I hopped in, the tears began to fall harder than they had before. I slammed my hands on the steering wheel, as I let out a scream. When I looked up, I could see Hunter running out the door for me, but I quickly turned the truck on and sped out of the parking lot. Wiping my eyes so I could see, I decided to head to the airport. Calling Bella, I turned the radio down that I had cranked up to drown out my thoughts.

"Hey it's so late what's up?" she asked, making me look at the clock on the radio reading midnight.

Bella, like me, had always gone to bed early, especially on school nights. I forgot she was still in college, since I clearly wasn't. I was a failure, and Hunter made me realize it.

"You've gone through just about the most physical trauma I've ever seen in someone who wants to be a stupid wedding planner!" replayed in my mind before I could get back to Bella and I's conversation.

"Hey I'm so sorry for calling so late." I added, trying to not choke with all the tears still flying down my red cheeks.

"Oh my god Elaine are you ok?" she asked, always knowing my emotions without having to see me.

"No. I'm flying to Vermont." I cried into the phone, as she told me everything would be ok and she would have the guest bed ready for me when I got there before we hung up.

Arriving at the airport, I parked my Jeep in a parking garage and practically ran with my suitcase and purse flying in the air. I checked the board of flights, and luckily for me, a flight to Burlington Vermont left in a half hour. Hurrying to the front desk, I paid for a ticket and ran to the station of my flight after getting through security and bag check. Thankfully, I was just in time when I saw my planes group boarding onto the plane. Handing the flight attendant my ticket, I walked onto the plane with nothing but sadness, and a sliver of hope in my eyes.