I miss Hailey immensely. Her scent lingers in the car, and I wish she were here with me.
It will be two very long days, but then I finally come back, seeing her.
The due date is approaching. That means within six months, she’ll ask for a divorce, and I’ll be able to claim her as mine. Hailey is mine and always will be.
Hailey
Knowing that Danny doesn’t around makes me anxious.
He doesn’t live nearby but knowing he’s at home makes me feel comfortable. Now I feel like crying. Zoë sits next to me, and I hug her.
“At least I have you, baby girl,” I say between sobs.
I lay down and fall asleep.
I’ve been having nightmares lately. Regarding the birth, Danny left me, Jeremy taking my baby away and then killing me. My fantasy has no limits, it seems, and it’s all the fault of the hormones.
I feel hugging and kissing on the neck, and I wake up instantly.
As always happens, I imagine Danny instead of Jeremy. But I can’t refuse to indulge, as he’d still take me.
I wake up. Light is filtering through the window, and I have the urge to go to the bathroom.
On the pillow, I find a message from Jeremy.
“I ran to the office. Call if you need anything. Thanks for the beautiful night. I love you.”
No, I won’t need you.
I keep my day busy. I write, read, and stay on social media.
At 4 pm, Ingrid arrives. We spend the afternoon gossiping and talking about how my life will change with the baby’s arrival. Inevitably, she asks me about Jeremy, and I tell her that everything is fine.
When Jeremy comes home with a floral scent, I’m not surprised at all, and it doesn’t bother me. I’ve lost count of the women he’s slept with.
The next morning, I feel tired and slightly sore when the doorbell rings. It’s only 8 am. When I open the door, I find Danny with a bouquet of roses and croissants. The smell is delicious.
“Good morning, love,” I greet him.
“Good morning, baby. How are you?”
“Not very good. I’m sore all over,” I say as I make coffee for Danny and juice for me.
I begin to feel small pangs.
“Hey, you’ve gone pale. Are you okay?”
“No, I’m starting to have contractions.”
“Come sit down. Maybe they will pass.”
After I take only three steps, my water breaks.
“Fuck, don’t give birth here, baby,” Danny says. “I don’t know what to do.”
I burst out laughing. “Take me to the bathroom, please.” I clean up quickly and change into a loose dress. We take everything we need and head toward the hospital.
During the trip, the contractions increase in intensity. I breathe as they taught me in my prenatal class. Danny is calling Jeremy, who doesn’t answer.
