Chapter 23

My eyes are glued to the small screen of the scan. I feel sick. Sick with worry and panic. "Chloe? What are you doing in there?" Unable to speak my mouth feels dry, would he leave me? We haven't discussed this so it certainly wasn't planned. The door handle pulls down and a dark figure slides through. Quickly i shove the pregnancy test into my dressing gown's pocket preventing Gary from seeing. "Babe what's wrong?" He crouches beside me placing his hand onto my knee. Do i tell him? Or do i wait until the right moment...?
"I...I..I'm...erm... i had a bad dream... that's all." Speaking with a hoarse tone i can't bring it in me to even look him in the eyes. There's nothing more i hate than lying, especially to loved ones. Gary takes my hand in his and plants a soft kiss on top gently stroking it with his thumb. "Come on... lets get back to bed... i've got a surprise for you tomorrow."  He stands to his feet still loosely holding my hand. With a nod i agree hopefully with a good nights sleep things will be better by morning.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This evening Gary's planned a surprise for me, so i've got to dress for the occasion. Whilst applying my make up in the bathroom mirror i can't help but think of what happened last night. I'm pregnant... i never imagined it to happen like this. I'm the type of person who wants to plan a pregnancy with their partner, so we can avoid the label 'mistake'. Of course i'm going to keep it with or without Gary's support never in a million years would i go down the abortion route. Gritting my teeth firmly i reach for my dress which is hanging on the door before slipping it over my head. A knee length colourful summer dress is what i'll be wearing this evening. For a few seconds i stare at myself in the mirror there's no bump yet, so i guess i can hide it from Gary a little longer. Gently i stroke my stomach soon there will be a small bump there i still can't believe it. My phone buzzes on the sink. Shaking my head from my cloud of thoughts i reach for it clicking open on the message. (1) new message- Gary x. - Babe, you need to come out and meet me on the deck... i love you x. All of sudden a huge grin appears on my face. I can always count on Gary to make me feel better. Once i've finished getting ready i huddle my purse under my arm whilst locking the door behind me.

Tonight's much quieter than the night before. Everyone seems to be in their rooms instead of getting wasted on the desk. It's much darker too there seems to be no lights in sight. What's going on? Trying my best to walk to the middle of the deck out the corner of my eye i notice some lights at the rear end of the cruise ship. Out of nowhere music begins to play. Violins? 3 smartly dressed men walk over to where the lights are playing sweet music on violins. Feeling a little nervous i walk over to their direction it now becomes clear that they're standing around a table. It has a white netted table cloth which hangs to the floor neatly placed on top. Also there's two plates with name tags on each. 'C' and on the other 'G'. Biting my lip i try my best to hold back the smile which i fail to hide, as it plasters all over my face. One of the gentlemen pull back the chair with the name tag 'C'. "Thank you..." Quietly i speak whilst sitting down. This is beautiful. A candle lit meal on a cruise ship whilst looking up at the stars.
"Evening beautiful..." A voice speaks behind me snapping away my gaze from the sky. Gary stands behind with eyes full of love looking at me. He's smartly dressed in some black trousers, white shirt topped with a black waistcoat and matching tie. His hair is a little fluffy which the soft breeze blows slightly. Wow. Not taking my eyes off him they follow him, as he walks to his seat opposite me.
"You....you look...amaz...amazing Gary..." I'm the luckiest girl alive having someone like Gary in my life.
"You too babe." He stares deep into my eyes causing me blush.

The waiter brings our food over whilst we're engaged in conversation. "What are your thoughts on marriage?" Gary asks almost causing me to choke on my chicken.
"M...Marriage?" I mutter whilst sipping a glass of water. Is he going to ask me to marry him?!
"Isn't it your thing? Don't worry i'm not going to get down on one knee at this minute." He winks sucking in a long piece of spaghetti.
"Y...Yes i love weddings... i just... doesn't matter." Blushing even more i bow my head a little continuing with my dinner.
"Well i was thinking marriage would be great in about a year or so i was thinking of extending the house and getting maybe a small clinic or something so i can work from home... what do you think?" I can't believe what i'm hearing this is amazing!
"I'd love that!" Happily i sigh. Things couldn't get any better...maybe it's the right moment to mention being pregnant... "Gaz..."
"Yes babe?" He finishes his dinner giving me his full attention.
Swallowing hard stroking my damp forehead avoiding eye contact once again. "Erm... i need... i need to tell you something..."
"Go ahead? Are you ok?" His smile drops into a worried look. Gently he places his hand on top of mine showing support calming me slightly. I take a deep breath slowly glancing my eyes to his. "G...Gary...erm... i... i'm..i'm pre-" All of sudden i feel myself being thrown across the boat along with loud smashes. The side of my face makes contact with the hard wooden floor. Pain shoots through the whole of my body. Everywhere has gone pitch black some screams sound inside of the boat.
"Chloe?! Chloe???!" Gary's voice shouts through the darkness.

The whole of my body trembles from shocking the boat tips slightly causing me to roll uncontrollable to the side of the railings. "G...Gary?!" Tears run down my face from fear. What's happening?! Someone cups my face. Using just my hands i feel touching the figures face. It's Gary. "Baby?! Are you ok??!" Panic fills his voice.
"W...what's...h...happening?!" Weakly i reply my head hurts from hitting the floor.
"The boats crashed we need to get out of here...Can you walk?" Gary helps me to my feet, but i can't stand for long due to pain in my ankle.
"OUCH!" I cry out tightly holding Gary for support. The boat tips even more allowing water to come flooding in.
"Fucking hell...." Gary mumbles seeing the water swirl around our feet. Quickly he lifts me into his arms and walks as quick as he can to the crowd of people. "What's going on?!" He asks one of the staff members.
"The boats crashed... Someone... or a group have stabbed the captain and crashed the boat... everyone needs to get off here before we all drown to death, so just listen to what we say, ok?" Sickness fills my stomach. There's murders on board and we can drown?!
"G...G...Ga..." More tears come flooding down my face even Gary looks terrified, but wont admit it for my sake.
"We're going to be ok babe..." He plants a kiss onto my forehead joining the rest of the people. A handful of people are crying others screaming making me even more scared.
"What if the killers come out and finish us off?!" One woman shouts driving me into a complete nervous state. Some people start to put on life jackets heading for some boats which the staff members begin to push into the water.
"Here put this on babe." Gary hands me an orange coloured life jacket.
"W...what..what about yours?!" I ask panicking. Almost everyone is in the boats apart from a few of people, also me and Gary.
"Don't worry about me. Just put it on." He nervously instructs. Whilst putting the life jacket on i feel myself being thrown across the boat again, but  instead of smashing my head against the floor this time i fall into the sea with water filling my mouth. My eyes search the sea seeing the boat completely turned onto it's side throwing the rest of the people off with it. Rubbing my eyes i search for Gary. He's no where to be seen.
"GARY?!!" I scream. Nothing. Someone grabs me by the arm pulling me into a boat. There's about 6 people on it. "G...Gary?!" Hoping to find Gary pulling me in it turns out to be a young gentleman.
"Are you ok?" He asks securing me into the boat.
"G...Gary... i need Gary! Where is he???!" Angrily i shout scanning the water. Maybe he's got in another boat? Or maybe he's looking for me?

"Chloe!!" A voice shouts catching my attention. Over by the boat is a person holding onto the railing of the boat whilst the rest of the body is in the sea.
"Gary? Oh Gary!" Quickly i try to get out of the boat, but the people stop me. "Get off! Get off me i need to go to him!"
"Oh Chloe...." He wipes his eyes smiling a little at me. "I love you..."
Feeling even more scared about Gary not being safely on board with us causes me to blurt out my secret. "I...I... I'M PREGNANT!"
Gary freezes no emotion shows on his face. "R...rea...really?" He asks trying to look serious, but ends up shining me with a smile.
"Yes....oh Gary.... we're having a baby!" Loudly i call failing to hold back the tears smiling back at him. He covers his mouth still smiling, as he begins to swim to the direction of the boat. I sigh happily finally being able to tell him, closing my eyes i take deep breathes. A loud crash in the water causes me to open my eyes. The boats fully tipped over in the sea. "Gary?" Looking around the sea i search for him again. "GARY?!"
"T...the boat... it....it's gone over...on him...." A woman points to the sea tears fill in her eyes along with shock.
"W....What....? No....no... you're lying... where...where's....Gary.... NOOOOOO!!!"