Chapter 3
The doctor came in an hour later.
Dr. Chen.
She’d been my OB throughout the entire pregnancy.
She knew Ryan.
Knew our story.
“How are we doing, Emily?” she asked, washing her hands.
“Ready to get this over with.”
She checked the monitors.
“Baby is handling this well. Your contractions are five minutes apart. We’re going to keep you here. If they get any closer, we’ll start talking about delivery.”
She looked toward the door.
“Where’s Ryan? He was glued to your side at the last appointment.”
I took a deep breath.
“He won’t be joining us.”
Dr. Chen paused.
“Everything okay?”
“Nothing that can’t wait until after the baby comes.”
She nodded.
Professional.
Discreet.
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll check back in thirty.”
She left.
I was alone again.
The contractions were getting stronger.
I breathed through them the way we’d learned in birthing class.
We’d.
Ryan and I.
Another thing he’d probably done with Vanessa too.
I reached for my phone again.
Still no calls.
No texts.
He was probably in the waiting room.
Or maybe he’d gone back to the mall.
To Vanessa.
To explain.
To comfort her after I’d slapped her.
The thought made me furious.
I texted him.
If you’re with her right now, don’t ever bother coming back.
The reply came instantly.
I’m in the waiting room. Alone. I promise.
I didn’t believe him.
But I didn’t have the energy to fight about it.
Another contraction.
I counted to ten.
Breathed in through my nose.
Out through my mouth.
The door opened.
I looked up expecting a nurse.
It was Ryan’s mother.
Margaret.
My mother-in-law.
The woman who’d welcomed me into the family with open arms.
Who’d knitted three baby blankets already.
Who called every Sunday after church.
She rushed to my bedside.
“Emily! Ryan called me. Said you’re in labor. Oh, honey, look at you.”
She took my hand.
Her hands were warm.
Familiar.
I almost cried.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“Pacing the waiting room like a caged animal. He’s terrified.”
I almost told her everything.
Right then.
About Vanessa.
About the other baby.
About the seven months of lies.
But I didn’t.
Not yet.
Not when I was hooked up to all these machines.
Not when her grandson or granddaughter was about to be born.
“I’m okay,” I said. “Just ready.”
She smoothed my hair back.
“Ryan told me something happened at the mall. That you two had a fight. That it might have brought on labor.”
Of course he’d told her that.
A fight.
Like we’d disagreed about paint colors or something.
“Did he tell you what the fight was about?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Said you were stressed. Being eight months pregnant and all. That you’d gotten upset about something silly and overreacted.”
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Classic Ryan.
Never his fault.
Always someone else overreacting.
“Emily?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Just a contraction.”
She held my hand through it.
“I’ll go get you some ice chips. Be right back.”
She left.
I stared at the ceiling.
So that was the story he was telling people.
I was the hormonal pregnant wife who’d flipped out over nothing.
Perfect.
I grabbed my phone.
Texted him again.
Your mom says I overreacted. Nice story.
Three dots appeared instantly.
I didn’t know what else to tell her. I’ll explain everything. After.
There is no after, Ryan.
Don’t say that. Please. We can fix this.
I threw my phone on the bed.
How dare he?
How dare he act like this was something we could “fix”?
Like I could just forget the other woman.
The other baby.
The seven months of double lives.
The door opened again.
Margaret was back with ice chips.
And behind her…
Vanessa.
My blood turned to ice.
She was standing in the doorway.
One hand on her very pregnant stomach.
The other holding a stack of papers.
Her face was still red where I’d slapped her.
Margaret turned around.
“Oh, are you lost, honey? This is a private room.”
Vanessa’s eyes locked on mine.
“I’m not lost. I’m looking for Ryan.”
Margaret followed her gaze.
“Ryan? My son? Do I know you?”
Vanessa stepped into the room.
“I’m Vanessa. Ryan’s… friend.”
The way she said “friend” told Margaret everything she needed to know.
My mother-in-law’s hand tightened on the cup of ice chips.
“Friend,” she repeated flatly.
“Ryan and I have been seeing each other for seven months,” Vanessa said. Her voice was steady. Stronger than it had been at the mall. “I’m five months pregnant with his child.”
The cup slipped from Margaret’s hand.
Ice and water went everywhere.
She didn’t even look down.
She stared at Vanessa.
Then at me.
“Emily? Is this true?”
I nodded.
Tears spilling over.
“I found them at the mall today. Holding hands. Shopping for her baby.”
Margaret turned back to Vanessa.
Her face was purple with rage.
“Get out.”
“Not until I speak to Ryan.”
“I said get out of this room. My daughter-in-law is in labor with my grandchild, and you have the nerve to waltz in here—”
“Your grandchild?” Vanessa laughed bitterly. “I’m carrying your grandchild too. Or did Ryan forget to mention that?”
She held up the papers she’d been carrying.
“Paternity test results. He took one last week. Confirmed it. His baby. A girl.”
Margaret swayed.
She grabbed the bedrail to steady herself.
“Ryan knew?”
“He’s known for a month,” Vanessa said. “He told me he was leaving Emily. That they were done. Turns out he was lying to both of us.”
She looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Emily. For everything. I didn’t know. If I had—”
“Save it,” I said. The pain was coming faster now. “You found out I was pregnant three hours ago and you still came here. To my hospital room. In the middle of labor. Don’t act like you’re the victim now.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
“I’m not the victim. But neither are you. Not entirely. We both believed the same lies. We both slept with the same man. We’re both carrying his babies. That makes us the same, whether you like it or not.”
“Get out,” Margaret said again. Her voice was low and dangerous. “Before I call security.”
“I just want to know where I stand,” Vanessa said. “Ryan owes me answers. He owes our daughter answers.”
“Then go find him,” I gasped through another contraction. “He’s in the waiting room. Go ruin his life. But leave mine alone.”
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she turned and walked out.
The door clicked shut.
Margaret looked at me.
Her face was ashen.
“Oh, Emily. My poor girl. I had no idea. If I’d ever suspected—”
“I know,” I said. “You would have told me.”
She grabbed paper towels and started mopping up the ice.
Her hands were shaking.
“I’m going to kill him,” she said quietly. “I’m actually going to kill my own son.”
A small, hysterical laugh escaped me.
“Join the club.”
She finished cleaning.
Then she pulled her chair closer.
Took my hand in both of hers.
“You listen to me. Whatever happens with Ryan, you are my family. This baby is my grandbaby. Nothing changes that. Do you understand me?”
I nodded.
I couldn’t speak.
I was sobbing too hard.
“I’ll handle Ryan,” she said. “I’ll handle Vanessa. You just focus on having this baby. Let me take care of everything else.”
Another contraction hit.
Longer this time.
Stronger.
The monitor started beeping rapidly.
“Nurse!” Margaret called.
The door burst open.
Dr. Chen and two nurses rushed in.
“Okay, let’s see here,” Dr. Chen said, checking me. “Oh. Well, that’s progress. You’re fully dilated, Emily. Time to have a baby.”
She looked at Margaret.
“Are you staying?”
“Damn right I’m staying.”
Dr. Chen looked at me.
“Ready to push?”
I looked at the door.
Half expecting Ryan to burst through.
Half hoping he wouldn’t.
May you like
I squeezed Margaret’s hand.
“I’m ready.”
