Chapter 4
I sat alone on a bench by the lake for a long time until the night quietly settled in, and I snapped back to reality.
Having been with Keith for five years, married for another five, ten years of love, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t heartbroken.
But now, I felt strangely indifferent, no longer stirred by any emotion.
Time was the best medicine.
I stood up, ready to head back, but was suddenly hit by an electric bike. The intense pain made me lose consciousness.
When I opened my eyes again, I was in the hospital.
I had an IV drip attached to my hand, which helped reduce the pain in my body.
When the nurse saw that I was awake, she spoke to me while changing my bandages. “Mrs. Beltran, you were hit by an electric scooter. Luckily, it’s not serious, just some minor injuries. A period of rest, and you’ll be fine.
“Mr. Beltran is outside the room. I’ll go get him for you. When he heard about the accident, he was so worried his voice was shaking. He really cares about you.”
As she said that, she started to head toward the door. I stopped her. “No need. Let him finish whatever he’s doing first.”
The nurse nodded, didn’t say more, and left.
M
8:44 AM
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The room was quiet except for my breathing. Even though Keith tried to lower his voice outside, I could still hear his conversation. “Is that true? I’ll be there right away.”
His voice faded as he walked away.
Struggling, I got out of bed, yanked the IV needle from my hand, slipped on my shoes, and followed Keith.
He walked briskly, and in no time, we were at the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Mildred, with her slightly swollen belly, rested contentedly in Keith’s arms, her face glowing with the happiness of expecting a child. Both of them radiated the joy of becoming parents for the first time.
In the second year of our marriage, I told Keith I wanted a child, but he refused.
He said he couldn’t bear to see me suffer through the pain of pregnancy and childbirth.
He said he didn’t want anyone else to take away his love for me, that he wanted to love me with all his heart.
But now, I could clearly see the joy on his face. He did want a child. He wanted to be a father.
I couldn’t understand his conflicting feelings. At that moment, I even felt relieved that we didn’t have any children between us.
