In the months that passed Deb stayed in her room most of the time. The only times she would get up, was to go to the bathroom. She only ate, and showered, because Jean wouldn’t leave her alone otherwise. But Jean couldn’t force her to do anything else.
The nights were even worse. Mike always waited until very late, before he went upstairs, in the hope that Deb would already be asleep, but she never was. He would get into bed, move closer to Deb, and when noticed she was still awake, he would kiss her neck.
“Don’t” she would groan then. Nothing more. Just that averse word.
This night, three months after the incident, was no different. Only now, Mike refused to be rejected, and shut out. He sat on his knees and pulled the thread above the head of the bed, to turn on the light.
“Put that light out. I’m trying to sleep” Deb complained.
“You’ve been asleep for months now. It’s time for you to wake up, and face the reality” Mike replied sharply. Then, in a softer, pleading voice: “I miss you, Deb”
He could feel Deb tense beside him. “And I miss my baby”
“Our baby, Deb” Mike corrected her uptight. “And don’t you think I miss her? I was going to be a father”
Deb sniffed loudly. “You don’t have the right to miss her” she muttered viciously, knowing every word she said was like a knife in Mike’s heart. “If you had really cared about her, you wouldn’t have ran off like that”
“You kept a huge secret from me” Mike protested aroused. “I needed time to put everything in place”
“I begged you to stay” Deb spit the words out.
“And I’m sorry I didn’t” Mike replied, his chest heaving. “I know you blame me for what happened, but I need you. I can’t do this alone. I need you to be my girlfriend again, so we can get through this together”
Without a warning, Deb turned over, crawling on him. She leaned forward and kissed him hungrily, even biting his lower lip.
Mike gripped her shoulders and held her at a distance. “What are you doing?”
“Being your girlfriend” Deb replied, acting innocent. She tried to kiss him again, but he moved away, and got out of bed. “What’s wrong with you?”
Mike turned around at her, and for the first time ever, his eyes sparkled not with love, but with hatred. Pure, undeniable hatred. Good.
“You disgust me” he let out laboriously.
“Why?” Deb panted, a little hysterical. “Don’t you want me anymore?”
“Not like this, no” Mike admitted, shaking his head. He looked away as Deb took of her shirt. She never bothered to put on some PJ’s anymore. She climbed out of bed, and stood in front of Mike. Her beautiful brown eyes stared in his blue ones, and he could almost see the conflict she was having. Deb wanted him both to stay and to leave, and she couldn’t figure out which side she was on.
Mike cupped her face and kissed her roughly, but then he let go, and took a few steps backwards. “I’ll sleep on the couch”
As he walked to the door, Deb yelled: “You’re going to Max, aren’t you? That’s why you won’t sleep with me. You’re sticking it somewhere else”
Mike walked back to her, and in an impulse he hit her with the back of his hand. She landed on the floor.
He regretted hitting her, the moment his hand had touched Deb’s cheek. He hurried to her and reached out his hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to”
“Leave me alone” Deb muttered bitterly, as she scribbled up from the floor.
“Deb, take my hand” Mike insisted. Deb jerked her head to him, and he saw a hatred in her eyes that could most definitely compete with his. “Leave me alone!” she snarled. Mike let his arms hang, and he turned around, Deb’s malicious words swung to his head.
“I hate you!” she snarled, her voice skipping. “I wish I had never met you!”
Outside the room, Jean and Richard were standing. They had heard everything, but had been tactful enough not to interfere.
“My poor boy” was all Jean said, before she pulled him in her arms, and let him cry on her shoulder.
The next day started as every other, except that this time Deb wasn’t awoken by Jean. Richard stood by her bed, and Deb’s eyes were open far enough to vaguely recognize the shape of a…
With a scream she woke up. Her chest heaved and she panted loudly.
“Mike told me you once woke him with a bucket of cold water” Richard explained. “Figured it only appropriate to return the favor”
“What do you want?” she snapped irritated.
“Get in the shower, put on some decent clothes, and put on some makeup to cover that up” he pointed at the bruise.
“Why?” Deb provoked him. “Mike gave it to me last night. It’s a token of his love”
“Watch your tone” Richard warned her, waving a finger at her. “Or I’ll give you a matching one on your other cheek”
Deb brushed against him, as she walked to the bathroom.
“If you want breakfast, you’ll have to come downstairs” Richard said harshly. “You’re done using my wife as your maid”
“I’m not asking her to do anything” Deb fired back, virulent.
“All the more reason to show some gratitude” Richard snarled now.
“Gee, thanks, daddy in law” Deb mocked, opening the door to the bathroom. “Thanks for making someone like Mike Weston, my hero”
She closed the door and locked it quickly. She turned on the shower, but didn’t get in. Instead she took a long, hard look in the mirror. “What am I doing?” she moaned.
“You’re doing penance for your crimes” Beth replied gleefully. She sat on the window-ledge, her legs swinging back and forth. “Now, come on, get on with it”
Deb opened the closet and took one of Mike’s razor blades. She put it down, and took of her night clothes, exposing a long row of horizontal scars.
Deb placed the razor blade on her upper arm, and drew a deep red line.
“I don’t hear anything” Beth reproached her, holding a hand behind her ear.
“I’m sorry” Deb sobbed, as she cut herself again. “I’m sorry you’re dead because of me. I’m sorry you had a horrible life because of me”
She put the razor blade down, took of her bra and panties and stepped in the shower. Her wounded arm stung when the hot water made contact with it.
When she was completely done, and she left the bathroom, Jean was waiting outside.
“It might be better if you stay up here, after all” Jean said, mysteriously.
“Why?” Deb asked, suspiciously.
“You’re not ready” Jean replied, and Deb could sense that she was lying.
“You’re hiding something from me” Deb narrowed her eyes, as she walked closer to Mike’s mother. When Jean wouldn’t answer, Deb walked past her and ran downstairs.
In the kitchen, Mike and Richard were sitting at table, a box in front of them. Deb could’ve sworn nothing could scare her anymore. There was nothing to be scared of anymore. But by seeing the expression on Mike’s face, she could feel the ice cold knot of fear tighten in her chest.
“What’s in the box?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know, but she knew she had to.
“Deb, please, don’t” Mike pleaded.
“Show me what’s in the package” she ordered, trembling. Richard picked up the box and held it in front of Deb. Deb looked in it, and shocked she covered her mouth.
Inside the box, there was the decomposing corpse of a really small baby.