Chapter 7: The Darkness of His Return

The silence of the night was shattered by the sound of the front door creaking open, followed by the heavy thud of footsteps making their way up the stairs. Ashley's eyes slowly opened, and she groggily sat up in bed, her heart racing with a mix of anxiety and frustration. It was 3am, and she had finally managed to drift off to sleep after hours of crying and worrying about her future with Gerald. As the footsteps drew closer, Ashley's instincts told her that something was off. The way the stairs creaked underfoot, the slow and deliberate pace, it all seemed to suggest that Gerald was not himself. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and waited, her body tense with anticipation. The door to her room creaked open, and Gerald stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on her with a glazed-over stare. Ashley's heart sank as she took in the sight of him, his shirt disheveled, his hair mussed, and his eyes bloodshot. He reeked of alcohol, and Ashley knew that he was drunk. Gerald swayed slightly, his eyes never leaving hers, as he made his way into the room. Ashley could smell the whiskey on his breath, and her stomach churned with disgust and worry. This was not the first time he had come home drunk, and it was a pattern she had grown tired of. As he stumbled towards the bed, Ashley felt a surge of anger mixed with sadness. How could he do this to her, to them? Didn't he care about their future, about their unborn child? She pushed aside her tears and looked at him, hoping that in the morning, he would feel differently about the pregnancy, but deep down, she doubted it. Gerald collapsed onto the bed beside her, his eyes still fixed on hers. He stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Ashley waited, her heart pounding in her chest, wondering what he would say or do next. But for now, he just lay there, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath, his eyes slowly losing focus. The darkness of his return seemed to swallow her whole, and Ashley felt a sense of despair wash over her. She didn't know how much more of this she could take, how much more of his anger, his drinking, and his emotional abuse. As she lay there, frozen in uncertainty, Ashley couldn't help but wonder if she was already losing him, and if their relationship was beyond repair.