- 2.
I knew it sounded crazy. I wasn’t sure if it was
all just a bad dream.
But I couldn’t take that chance.
I told him everything that happened last time.
The more he heard, the more serious he got.
He pulled out his phone and started calling
his college friend who worked at First
General.
Their OB ward wasn’t as crowded
Г
Their OB ward wasn’t as crowded.
He got me a room right away.
Mark didn’t hesitate. He packed our stuff and
got me out of there.
But as we walked out of the hospital, we ran
right into Jessica’s mother–in–law, who was
carrying a huge bag of snacks.
She saw us with our luggage and asked,
“Where are you going? Jessica said you were
both about to have your babies!”
I frowned. This was not good.
I lied.
<
“Oh, the hospital’s stuffy. Just going for a
walk. We didn’t want anyone to steal our
stuff.”
I couldn’t let them know I was switching
hospitals.
Not yet.
I was afraid Jessica would follow me.
Her mother–in–law couldn’t hide her
smugness. “Yeah, Jessica said you guys are
struggling. Gotta save where you can! I’ll go
see her now!”
As soon as Jessica’s mother–in–law was
gone, we jumped in the car and raced to the
new hospital.
く
Jessica’s mother–in–law calling us “poor” was
just because we ran an online business and
paid for everything ourselves.
Jessica’s family had steady jobs, so they
always thought they were better than us.
They didn’t know we made six figures a year.
We were doing fine.
But I didn’t feel like competing with her. She’s
always been like that.
We got along because I usually let things go.
I knew she wasn’t a true friend.
We got to the new hospital and got checked
- in.
Soon after, Jessica called.
I ignored her and blocked her number.
In all the commotion, I’d forgotten something
important.
“After the baby’s born, let’s move the
warehouse. I’m really scared.”
Mark was staring at his phone.
He handed it to me.
“See if you like any of these locations.”
I was surprised.
He was way ahead of me.
Mark and I met in college.
It wasn’t some fairy tale romance.
We just ran into each other after graduation,
started dating, and got married.
As if reading my mind, Mark looked up and
asked, “Last time…where was I?”
He should have been in the hospital, watching
over us.
Jessica wouldn’t have been able to get near
the baby.
But our relationship wasn’t all that deep.
く
His ex–girlfriend was in the hospital, too.
He said he wanted to visit her.
I didn’t stop him.
We were adults, after all.
Mark’s face clouded over. He looked at me
and said, “Don’t worry. This time, I’m not
going anywhere.”
I felt something stir inside me.
But I never thought that right before I went
into surgery, I’d see Jessica standing at the
operating room door.
She was hugely pregnant.
く
“I switched hospitals, too!” she said. “We
promised we’d have our babies together! Why
did you lie to me?”
The nurses were laughing about our close
friendship.
But I was terrified.
Was my baby doomed to die?
