It Happened To Me- Chapter 5

[DragonLadyKira]

As usual, I own absolutely nothing.


It Happened To Me- Chapter Five

A month or so passed with little contact between the ?lovely? couple. They?d been to a few social functions were they appeared to be normal newly weds. But appearances can be deceiving.

James was a work-aholic no show, and Relena? she was an anti-social alcoholic. Once they returned from their honeymoon James hit the office and Relena hit the bottle. She couldn?t remember most of what had happened due to the fact she was usually passed out somewhere. James had no idea what went on in his own home, not only because he wasn?t there most of the time; but also because when he was there, he turned a blind eye.

They fought when they saw each other. Horrible, angry, spiteful fights that usually ended with slamming doors and broken hearts. But to make matters worse, Relena just found out from her doctor that she was pregnant. She had racked her brain for a time when she could have gotten pregnant. Through her alcohol induced haze she remembered the night that she had James had gotten drunk and? it had been enough?

The first thing Relena did was rid her home of it?s liquor content. She poured every last drop down the drain. Not wanting to lose herself to the alcohol again and do damage to her unborn child. Though she figured all the times she?d wound up drinking just over the past month would be enough to make it?s mark on her baby. Relena tried not to think of what she may have already done and focused on what needed to be accomplished in the immediate future. She sighed; James would have to be told tonight. So Relena set forward to make a nice homemade meal and in between steps she called James?s office and left a message to have him home at 5:30 this evening.

At 5:26 PM the table was set, the food was ready, the sonogram picture was placed under his glass. Relena was dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a midnight blue sweater. The top of her honey blond hair was swept back and clipped into place. With minimal make-up and other fuss, Relena looked beautiful. And she sat to wait for James. She twirled her thumbs and paced the kitchen. But hours passed and no James. How she wished for a bottle of something toxic. Something to give that sweet release that sent her soaring above all of her difficulties; something to consume the rage that boiled with herself and make her cool again. But anything of the sort would be fetal abuse and she knew it.

It was 7:42 when the door opened and an unsuspecting James walked into his own home. He hung his coat and removed his shoes and padded sock footed to the kitchen for supper, trying to avoid the puddles that the melted February snow made on the floor in the foyer. Not much had happened, he had stayed behind again to finish some last minute paperwork. Now that he thought about it, his secretary, Ilene, told him he?d had a message but he never retrieved it from her. James shrugged; he?d get it in the morning. But when the kitchen door swung open he was greeted by a near head on collision with a fist aimed at his face. He caught his wife?s arm just before her hand connected with his nose. ?Relena? What the hell??
She looked absolutely terrible. What little mascara she wore was now trailing down her face and leaving rings beneath her eyes. ?I left a message for you to be home at five thirty! Where the hell were you??
James stared at her, his confusion written across his face. ?What? I never??
He didn?t finish his statement. So that would be the message Ilene had taken for him. But Relena took his confusion for hesitation. ?Where were you? Wait? I don?t want to know what you were doing this evening.?
And with that she turned on heel and stormed from the kitchen. James watched her retreating form and sat at his place at the table. So many things were askew here. Why was Relena suddenly playing housewife and when did she care when he got in? But it was then that he found the piece if black paper Relena had placed under his empty glass and everything became a little clearer.

Relena curled up in the corner of her bathroom, her heart breaking in two. How could she raise a child in this dysfunctional family? No child deserved a life like the one she was leading. But she couldn?t help feeling a small amount of happiness at the child?s impending birth amidst all the pain and longing tugging at her insides. Maybe he or she would be her beacon of light out of this hellhole.

Heero stared blankly at the screen; he watched the two people he was supposed to protect tear themselves apart. He saw it every day with Relena?s drunken rages and James?s obsessive work attitude. And now they were bringing a child into this. He had known; he knew that one union would cause a new life. He couldn?t shake the feeling of overwhelming sadness that came with the joy of a new baby. It almost seemed that a child made everything so permanent and set. That he could never win back Relena?



I think I finally know where I?m going to take this. Most of the time I know what happens beginning, middle, and end- I fill the details in as I write. But this time, I knew how it started and I was completely blank from that point on. And judging how I want it to end? we may be in this for the long haul. But anyway? thanks again to those who have been reviewing. I think I?m gonna dedicate my entire story to one of them, I mean other than the one who?s experiences fuel this fire. But that?s a whole other story?
~*~Jess~*~
`Dreams are answers to questions we haven?t figured out how to ask yet.`

[Desert Bloom]

I don't care if you don't know where this is taking you....that's the best way to write fics...when they write themselves. And this one is done with such sweetness and caring that I can't help loving it. Anxiously awaiting when Heero saves Relena, and that poor little child. ^^

[kmf]

You are writing about a very difficult subject and I applaud you for it. I find it difficult to see Relena hitting the bottle even when pushed to the limit as she has been in this story, but then I suppose that is the appeal of it. Secret drinkers are just that - secret. They are clever and can hide the fact that they have a problem.

Bravo for Relena having the guts to throw away the booze in this chapter, even though she wishes that she didnt. The baby might have been an mistake, but it gives her a focus in life, an incentive to try and put her addiction behind her.

Heero feels very detached from all this. I think that Relena has distanced herself in a major way from him (not sensing that he is watching when on the plane as she once would have done). He is a watcher, noting what is happening but apparently powerless to intervene. I await with more than a little interest to see what happens next ^_^

[goddesswing]

Though its really hard for me to see Relena as an alcoholic, you really make it in character. It seems like alcohol can get the best of us. I wonder how our Heero is going to fix this situation. He seems emotional about the whole thing, but its still Heeroish. (Yes, Heeroish.) And Heero is right the baby sorta pulls everything together and makes it permanent. But of course, that's not always true.

I hope the baby is okay from the mother's alcoholism. My neighbor was an alcoholic and her baby was born with mental problems, but he's grown up to a nice little boy. But he's really limited. Poor, Relena's baby...

Oh I haven't said how wonderfuly you wrote this fic. Your style is perfect for this piece. And don't worry about not knowing an ending, just... go with the flow. Ideas come from everywhere. And I'm here, anticipating and waiting your next chapter!