I

In the Beginning

1999

Cecilia

Life was normal, or as normal as it could be before fate stepped in. I finished high school early with all honors and quickly enrolled in College. I completed all my prerequisites for Criminology and found Robert in the process. Robert had that handsome, bad-boy vibe with his leather jacket that pushed him over the edge of danger. His short curly blond hair fell just right on his face and his teal-like eyes were mesmerizing. 

 He always seemed to wait around for me whether it was in class or the hallway. On occasion, he would give me things like pens, coffee, or a new notebook I might have needed. I didn't reciprocate any feelings for him. I had my mind set on finishing my course, graduating with the highest honors, and moving on to my master's degree.

 Once I set my mind on something I overachieved it. And my main goal was to catch criminals ever since I was held at gunpoint a few years back. 

But my plan didn't go as I had hoped. One night Robert and I ended up going off-campus to have dinner and a few drinks, after a few more...one thing lead to another and now, well I was throwing up constantly due to morning sickness.

How could this have happened? I never planned on becoming a mom especially before I turned 25, my goals were set in stone however, I could not keep going, a baby changed everything.

Things progressed slowly as I finished my semester with a swollen belly. Robert proposed but I couldn't accept, just because he knocked me up didn't mean I wanted to marry him. As the semester ended many students left to go back home during winter and summer break.

My parents had plans to travel this year, so no one would be home even if I wanted to visit. I decided to stay on campus during this particularly hot summer. I was 6 months by May and Robert didn't want to leave my sight. But I convinced him to go home to his family and spend his summer a few states away. Robert was a local here before something happened and the family moved I still have yet to meet any of his kin. Robert agreed to leave which  I was glad about, I needed a break some peace, and quiet before the storm rolled in, or should I say the baby.

One night I had a craving for Chinese food so I left campus before sunset. It was hot and muggy, and I was thankful for a good air conditioner in my car. I arrived at the main strip of town where all the restaurants and shops were located. I parked in the first open parking spot I found which was a few blocks away. I didn't feel like walking but I was hungry for something good. Or maybe it was a craving that gave me the energy to walk. 

By the time I got to the restaurant and ordered the sun had gone down. In this small quiet town, no one stayed out late. Even with the tons of college kids, the town seemed to shut down, with no clubs or anything like the city there was no need to stay out late. Walking back to my car felt slightly eerie, no one was on the sidewalks and no cars were in sight. Most lights were off only some dim lights shined here and there, most shops had already closed down. It was dead silent and all I could hear were my footsteps as I walked down the dim path.

Before I managed to unlock my car someone came up behind me placing their hand over my mouth. I freaked and tried to fight back as best as I could but it was of no use. Whoever had a hold of me was not letting go. The grip got tighter and my legs dangled as I was lifted off the ground. It felt as if I were floating in the air as my limbs dangled. "Sorry but I must," a deep husky voice said before tilting my head to the side. I felt a sharp sting on my neck for a brief second and the pain quickly vanished causing an odd pleasure sensation to seep in.

My body melted as this man sucked my neck and my mind went blank. The intensity of it all felt orgasmic, beyond the point of exploding, it was amazing and the fear I had moments before evaporated. The pleasure was unbelievably electrifying as all my sensations erupted making me moan. My body betrayed me with arousal I had never felt this in my life. And then darkness overcame everything, not sure where I was or what was happening.

Hours later I awoke in a hospital room. I glanced and noticed I had an IV needle dug into my arm along with the sounds of monitors beeping around me. " Your up, how you feeling hon?" A lady dressed in scrubs asked. I tried to talk but nothing came out. She handed me a cup of cool water which I quickly guzzled down.

" You are at Saint Jude's, someone found you passed out near the main highway and brought you in. Looks like you lost a lot of blood hon."

" Baby?" I managed to rasp out placing a hand over my belly.

" Heartbeat is low so we are keeping a close watch on both of you. Let me hook this bag of blood up, you have had two so far and looks like you may still need a few. Do you know what happened to you?" She asked with concern. I shook my head no, the last thing I recalled was getting some food downtown by the shopping strip, everything else was a blur.

After the incident, I had been in and out of the hospital. For some reason, my energy levels kept decreasing along with my iron. The baby was in a high-risk situation. I sometimes would feel better after a few blood transfusions which were odd, it seemed like the baby was draining my blood from the womb.

I wasn't able to carry till full term, not with all the ins and outs at the hospital. By the time I hit 30 weeks the doctor scheduled me for an induction.

Robert had been there for me and truly cared for me and the baby. I figured I should marry him eventually. On June 26 we had a 5-pound 20-inch-long bouncing baby girl. Emiry Marie was beautiful, she had a head full of light red hair that reminded me of my mother. Her eyes were big and from the looks of them a teal-ish blue type color similar to her father's.

She was our light in the darkness and both Robert and I could have never imagined the life we were destined to have from here on out.