Chapter 4

"Elizabeth!" Eileen exclaimed, genuinely surprised and pleased. "And Harry! What a pleasant surprise!"

Eileen hugged them both and ushered them inside. For the first time, in many days, Eileen had a smile on her face.

Eileen hugged her back. "Tobias is busy at work," she said. She refrained from telling Elizabeth about her current domestic situation. She can do without the stress, Eileen thought.

"We were worried," Elizabeth said. "You stopped writing to us after you passed out. The other day, I followed you home from the market and decided to meet you today. What happened, Eileen?"

"Nothing serious, Liz," Eileen tried to reassure her. "Tobias is always so busy...." She trailed off at the expression on her best friend's face. She knew that Elizabeth wasn't convinced at her feeble excuse.

Harry held Eileen's hand. "Look, Eileen," she said. "You cannot fool us. Tell us. What's the matter?"

Eileen burst into tears and related her entire story to them.

"You have to leave him, Eileen," Elizabeth told her firmly. "You cannot subject your child to this....."

"I know," Eileen cut her short. "But I love Tobias. He's sacrificed a lot for us. I cannot leave him now."

Elizabeth and Harry knew that nothing they said could change Eileen's mind. "Come and meet us when you can," she said, hugging her.

"I will," Eileen said, unsure whether she would see her friends any more.

~*~

Soon after Elizabeth left, Eileen felt a stabbing pain in her lower back. Taken aback, she slumped down on to a nearby couch. She glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was nearly time for Tobias to return. She would have to go and get dinner ready for him. But she couldn't get up.

Not knowing what to do, Eileen did not move from the couch. The pain grew in its intensity and Eileen started to panic. She contemplated running out to Elizabeth's house or Tobias' factory but her legs wouldn't move. They were completely numb.

Just then, she heard the click of the doorknob. She tried to get up but felt a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Sit down, Leen," Tobias told her, gently. He gathered her in his arms and took her to their bedroom. He held her hand while she thrashed around the bed in pain.

"We need to go to a hospital," Tobias said. "C'mon Leen..."

"No..." Eileen caught hold of Tobias' hand just as he was about to get up from the bed. "We don't have enough money. And I'll be fine. It won't be long now."

And she was right. A few hours later, Eileen held a perfectly healthy baby boy in her arms while Tobias looked on at both of them in wonderment.

"what do we call him?" Tobias asked, playing with his son's fingers.

Eileen looked at her son lovingly. "Let's call him Severus."