Chapter 5: Catechize

“You’re pregnant?” Artemis asked her once again as if he couldn’t believe what he just discovered. He continued the queries when she didn’t answer.

“Is that why you ran away from the city?” he added. Kate shook her head in response. Artemis took a deep breath before bending down to hold her hands; he guided her to stand up as if she’s a fragile glass.

“Look, I’m sorry for reacting like that. It was uncalled of me.” He caresses her cheeks when he realizes she is already crying. “Shhh, don’t cry. We don’t want to stress the baby.” He said before putting one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back like a groom carrying his bride; she felt her face turning red due to this gesture which earned a chuckle from him.

“Thank you, Kristy, but this woman needs to rest.” She involuntarily rolled her eyes. She hated when she is being called a woman, it sounds so degrading but with Artemis; she felt like it’s an endearment. She can’t understand herself. Hormones maybe? She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn’t realize she is already mounted the horse.

The ride home was awkward, no one talked on the way home and the tension can be cut by a knife. When they arrived home Artemis held her by the waist and gently carried her down. He gave her a small smile before turning his back on her. She let out a breath she didn’t even realize she’s holding.

She entered the house after a few minutes and she saw Artemis by the mini house bar. She saw him drinking scotch; she approached him and sat down next to him.  She didn’t say anything, she was just there and Artemis appreciated it. The silence enveloping them was ironically comfortable—just basking on each other’s presence. She let Artemis soak it all in.

Kate doesn’t know what time they both went to sleep the next day. She refreshed herself, she went down and she didn’t saw Artemis instead she saw a note on top of the counter from him.

I cooked some food it is inside the fridge, just heat it up. Don’t wait up for me, I’ll be back late.

P.S. I left you a phone on the counter.

-Artemis

That’s when her attention was diverted at the phone near the note. The phone is already fully charged and his number is already registered. She smiled a little seeing how considerate and sweet he is; her smile faltered. She felt bad since Artemis is avoiding her, she felt more alone than ever, she put the phone down again. She took a deep breath and starts to do some chores inside the house. She cleaned starting with the living room, then kitchen and then the bathrooms except the one inside Artemis’ room. She didn’t want to disrupt his privacy; he is already kind enough to let her stay. Kate laid down the couch to rest for a minute.

Artemis felt guilty; he left Kate there all alone knowing she is pregnant. That fact gave Artemis heartache, he shouldn’t feel this way since Kate is his best friend’s fiancé. Artemis had known Kate longer than Josh but he didn’t have the backbone to introduce himself to her. When josh told him that he is dating Kate, he backed off for the sake of friendship. It took him years to move on. That’s a secret no one knows.

Before going home he passed a pharmacy first, he stayed inside the car for a few minutes contemplating. He made up his mind and entered the store. The pharmacists greeted and smiled at him flirtingly. He mentally rolled his eyes; he is used to this kind of scenario since he is always in it. He smiled back. He was actually relieved when an older woman serviced him instead.

“What kind of medicine or vitamins do pregnant woman take?” he rubbed the back of his nape shyly. The pharmacist giggled upon his gesture.

“I see you’re on your first child, sir. Excuse me.” The pharmacist went on the back; after a few minutes she came back with multiple boxes of vitamins and a can of milk. She showed it to him one by one—explaining the benefits of each one “folic acid, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12, and this prenatal milk.”

“I’ll take all.” Artemis said as he took out his debit card. The pharmacists nodded as she scanned the medicines for checkout. She gave it to Artemis and thanked him for his generous purchase. Artemis went back to his car; he is excited to make it up to Kate for leaving her alone.

Kate woke up after an hour of sleeping. She sat up and stretched; she let out a moan when she felt some of her bones crack. She felt refreshed, before she can take a step on the stairs, she remembered the phone Artemis left her. She approached the counter, she reached down to the phone but her hand stopped mid-air hovering. She’s contemplating if she should.

She saw that the phone is already connected to the Wi-Fi. She took it with her to her room; she downloaded F******k, messenger, and i*******m. The moment they all finished installing, she logged in to all of them. Her messenger is blowing up with messages from her parents, co-workers, even Raven and Josh. She read her parents messages for her; they were worried and are looking for her. She replied to them back assuring them that she’s fine. She then read Raven’s; she scoffed when she Raven said in her message that Josh is going crazy looking for her. This was all 2 days ago.

She then opened her i*******m, Raven has a private i*******m that no one in their family knew, but she found it. Raven added her a few years back and maybe even forgotten that she is friends with her. She saw raven’s story. It was Raven and Josh holding hand, their backs facing the camera on the cliff overlooking the city, Josh and Kate’s special place.

It feels as if she had fallen into a cactus, and her heart has been punctured a million times over by tiny pins. It stings at first, but now it feels as if they’ve left her numb—not even slightly painful, just numb. She is not bleeding, but she knows after she slowly start to pull these foreign objects out, one by one, the blood will come gushing out. She was heartbroken twice by the same man.

Her eyes pooled up with tears, she was clutching her shirt above her heart as if it will lessen her pain. She staggers when she tried to stand up. She fell on her knees as she cried even harder. How can they do this to her? She loved him, she gave him her everything—her first kiss, her first time, and now even her first heart ache. It hurts so much, she can barely breathe.

“Kate?!” she heard a booming voice downstairs, she knows its Artemis but she didn’t bother to stand up from the floor. She curled, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her head to them; crying her eyes out. She felt him in front of her. It felt like deja vu of when she first arrived.  She then heard him let go of some kind of package. He knelt down on her level.

“They betrayed me, Artemis. Josh cheated on me, that is the main reason why I’m here. I ran away like kid!” she confessed in between her sobs. Artemis didn’t say anything instead, he hugged her and let her cry on his chest. She felt like it’s the right thing to do, she felt like she’s safe.

Artemis lifted her chin up with his thumb and finger. Next thing she knew; his lips are on hers.