7
When I woke up I was in the hospital.
My stomach ached.
I was shocked that my stomach was flat, the
baby was gone.
I rang for a nurse.
The nurse that came in looked at me with pity.
“Your premature labor was caused by an
outside force. It’s bad that you didn’t go to the
hospital in time. The baby suffocated and was
born dead.”
“We removed the fetus and barely saved your
life. Your body is in bad shape and you have to
rest, or you’ll have trouble getting pregnant.”
After Mark and his friends left the club, the
cleaning crew found me on the floor of the
bathroom, covered in blood.
They had called 911 and took me to the
hospital.
My husband hadn’t even thought of me.
He was with Lily, living the high life.
The nurse asked about my medical history.
“Your phone is broken, we can’t contact your
family. Give me your husband’s number. You
can’t be left alone.”
“You know, your wife’s life and kid are in
<
8:43
uanger, anu ne s not even nere.
85
I gave her Mark’s number, but he didn’t answer.
I asked her to call the other number I had, she
waited a long time, and finally someone
answered.
“Hello, are you related to Mrs. Bennett? She is
at the hospital…”
I could hear Lily making those gross noises.
“Mark, it’s Shawna.”
“Shawna are you out of your mind? Can’t I have
one day to myself.”
He hung up and the nurse got mad.
“He’s trash.”
Seeing that I was upset, the nurse changed the
subject.
“Rest, okay? If you need anything just press the
button.”
A total stranger was a better human being than
my own husband.
My heart hurt.
It was too high a price to pay to see a man’s
true colors.
Before leaving the nurse I asked.
“Was my baby a boy or a girl?”
<
The nurse sighed.
“She was a pretty little girl.”
I couldn’t stop crying.
I’m sorry, mom couldn’t protect you.
I hired a nurse to help me, I also bought a new
phone.
The first thing I did was text Mark.
“Let’s get a divorce.”
Mark called immediately, I could hear the anger
in his voice.
“Shawna, women who are dramatic are not
cute. Are you playing around with our
marriage?”
“Our baby is dead, our daughter is dead. Mark,
you don’t deserve to be a father.”
Mark sounded frustrated.
“Shawna, stop being so dramatic. You just want
me to feel bad because I didn’t spend the New
Year with you, right? I’m on my way home right
now, and I’ll spend the rest of the holiday with
you, okay?”
Before I could talk, I heard Lily’s voice.
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8:43
85
“Mark, I’m sorry. I didn’t know Mrs. Bennett
cared so much…”
Mark replied.
“Stay home, I’m hanging up.”
Before he hung up I heard a plastic bag being
opened.
I threw up.
I felt sick.
