Love Like This

Reasons Why I Can't

Chloe's POV

I just took a huge risk; challenging my husband head-on could be potentially dangerous, not just for me but for everyone else who had helped me. For people like Gabby, she helped me to escape her son. If he found out, things could be bad for her.

Gabby and I didn't get along at all. First; I can even go as far as saying that she didn't want me to marry her son; of course, at the time, I had no idea why. That was until three months ago when I knocked on her doorstep.

She was surprised to see me. To be honest, I was just as surprised. I needed help, someone who could get me money without my husband knowing. We had a joint account. He would have known something was up if he saw a large withdrawal on our joint account. I knew that I was taking a risk by involving her, but I had no choice.

" Chloe, what are you doing here?" she asked me.

" Gabby, I need to talk to you, may I come in?" I said to her.

" Sure, come in," she said and moved from the door. I went inside and sat on the couch in her living room.

" I was about to make some tea. Do you want some?" she asked me.

" No, I don't think that I can stomach anything right now," I said to her. I could already feel the nausea.

" Why? Are you sick?" she said and sat down. She looked at me.

" You don't look too good. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked me.

" Yes, I am fine," she said to me.

" So, what brings you by?" she asked me.

I looked around, and I saw the pictures in the living room; it was just the two of them, no pictures of her late husband back home in England, at least until Derrick was about sixteen, just their pictures and maybe two with me in them. Gabby and Derrick might have a strained relationship, but that is still her son. Why would she help me?

I was about to ask her something no woman should ask another woman to do, and that is to betray their child; I felt like I was making a mistake; I had to get out of there.

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come," I said and stood up.

" Sit down," Gabby said to me.

" Yes ma'am," I said and sat down.

" I don't think that you drove for an hour just to greet me; something brought you here; what is it?" she said to me.

" I don't even know where to begin or how to tell you," I said to her, looking at my hands, I was shaking. It has been scary living with that man, so much so that I was even scared to talk about him.

Whenever I closed my eyes, I could see his face, but I had just been told that I was pregnant, I needed help, someone he wouldn't even think of, that would be his mother.

" Chloe, I know that we haven't been as close as we could have been, but I promise you that this is a safe space. Talk to me. What's wrong?" she asked me.

I was conflicted, wondering how she was going to take the news. Would she even believe me? My husband is a man with a double life. Everyone thinks highly of him, and no one would believe me, but I believe that his mother would, at least I had hoped his mother would.

" It's Derrick. He hits me, Gabby, like all the time," I said with tears running down my face.

" I knew something was off; I was at your house a few weeks ago; I asked you about that bruise underneath all that make-up; you lied to me; you told me that you ran into a wall," she said and stood up.

" You knew?" I said to her.

" Of course I knew; I know the monster I gave birth to still doesn't explain what you want from me; Derrick is a grown man, and I cannot interfere with his marriage; maybe you should try a couple's counseling," she said to me.

I was disappointed; I didn't expect her to tell me that; I had hoped that she would tell me to leave him, say that she would talk to him, anything but this.

" I'm sorry, coming here was a mistake," I said and stood up.

" Sit down! We are not done talking," she said to me.

" Does that mean that you are going to help me?" I said to her.

" Depends on what you need me to do. What do you want from me?" she asked me.

" I am leaving Derrick, I need money to disappear," I said to her.

" Child, you think that you can leave a man like that? I tried that once, but it didn't help me. My son is just like his father. Precision is their greatest power. He will find you," she said to me.

" Then what do you suggest that I do?" I asked her.

" Stay put for now, I'll think of something," she said to me.

" Gabby, I don't want to be in that house anymore. He will kill me," I said, and my hand went to my belly.

" Why now? Why are you so eager to get away now?" she asked me.

" Because this is not just about me anymore. It's about my baby, I am pregnant, and Derrick can not find out about this. If he finds out that I am going to have his child, I will be trapped in this marriage forever; I can't do it anymore; my child can't see me go through that," I said to her.

" You are right, you know, I wish I was as brave as you. I wish I had left the moment I found out that I was pregnant; I regret it every day; I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially a woman carrying my grandchild.

You have to make me a promise Chloe, you have to promise me that you will keep Derrick as far away from that baby as possible, that you will protect that baby with your life, that you will be a better mother than I was," she said to me.

" I will, I promise you, I'll do better," I said to her.

" So, do you at least have a plan?" she asked me.

" Yes, I need you to find someone for me, a friend of mine, I need her help as well," I said to her.

"Okay, I have things I need to move around to get you enough money for you to get away, I would take it out of my account, but you know Derrick, he oversees my finances, he cannot know, don't worry, I'll find your friend for you," she said to me.

" Thank you, Gabby, thank you," I said to her.

That day, I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, a way out. True to her words, Gabby found Tessa and arranged for us to meet at her house. We had a few more meetings after that.

When I left, I promised to call her in three weeks and let her know that I was safe. Yesterday, it was that day. I called her on her burner phone, and I had no reply. I thought that she would call back, but she hasn't.

" You are going to burn a hole in the floor. You need to sit down," D said to me.

" I know, but I am worried; Gabby hasn't called me back; it has been over twenty-four hours, which means that he found out that she helped me out," I said to D.

" We don't know that for sure. You should try to relax," he said to me.

" Maybe I should call Tessa. Yes, I should do that," I said and took my phone to the table.

" Chloe, wait! Call her and say what? If something happened to Gabby and Tessa started to ask about her, she would be in danger too," he said to me.

" So what am I supposed to do? I can't just stay here and do nothing. First, it was my mother; now it's Gabby; he is not going to stop; maybe I should just go back to him," I said to D.

" No! That's the last thing you need to do; you ran away from him; of course, he is going to try and smoke you out; this is just another one of his tricks," he said to me.

" This is all my fault," I said with tears running down my face. He stood up and wrapped his arms around me. I melted in his arms. I felt so safe, but I fear that it might be more than that.

Like last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and went into the bathroom, I suppose I should have knocked because then I wouldn't have walked in and seen him naked.

The man has the body of a Greek God, toned muscles, a six-pack, and a very long D. If I am being honest with myself, I have caught myself drawn to him for some reason. Last night was only part of it.

I was shy and embarrassed. I hadn't seen another man like that in a long while. Haven't been held like that in a long time, either. Up until this moment, I just didn't think that I would find myself in a position like this.

" I have to tell you something... The real reason I don't want you to go back to your husband," he said to me.

" What is it?" I asked him.

" I know that it has only been a week, that we don't know each other that well, but I am falling for you," he said to me.

" What?" I said he loosened his arms.

" I know that this is a lot to take in, especially with the situation with your ex, but I want to see where this goes, I want to explore what I feel," he said to me.

" You can't say things like that; you don't even remember who you are; these feelings that you think you have for me are not real; D, you might have a wife and kids; until you know that, you can't be sure of anything," I said to him.

The man doesn't know who he is. His feelings for me are nothing but gratitude; I was there for him, and I saved his life. That is all there is to it. Why would he have feelings for me when I am in the middle of what is going to be a messy divorce?

On top of that, I am pregnant. I haven't told him that I am pregnant, I have a little bulge that he hasn't noticed because of all the sweaters I have been wearing.

" Chloe, I might not remember much, but what I am sure of is the way I feel about you," He said to me.

" I am not even divorced yet. My life is a mess. Everything is a mess!" I said to him.

" I know, and I will help you with that. Let me help you, I want to be with you. Give me a chance," He said to me.

" I am pregnant!" I blurted it out.