Babies and Departures

When I was six months pregnant, I was visiting the hospital when I saw my husband with his childhood friend, who had recently returned to the country.

I was left holding my own prenatal checkup report, watching as they celebrated their soon-to-be born child.

Still, Kelly Wallace appeared worried and even sounded guilty. "Quentin, you didn't have to come with me—I'm fine alone. If Jolin finds out, she'll definitely have a fight with you. She's pregnant too… it'll affect her mood and the baby."

Quentin Smith was confidently nonchalant. "No, she won't—she always obeys me and loves me too much. If she does argue, I'll just divorce her!"

My heat broke, tears of misery rushing down my cheek.

But it was true. I loved him so much that I couldn't even bear to argue with him and always obeyed him.

Even so, that didn't mean I was going to maintain this sham of a marriage after learning about his deceit.

Since he didn't want me and our child, then I could raise my baby alone.

Wiping away my tears, I called a number I hadn't called for five years. "Dad, can I come home?"

"Oh, Jo! You finally called. Of course you're always welcomed home!"

Hanging up, I booked a ticket for a flight to Switzerland that was due to depart a week later.

I'd be out of his hair, so why was he losing his mind when he couldn't find me?

When I was six months pregnant, I was visiting the hospital to get my prenatal checkup results when I ran into my husband, Quentin Smith.

He was accompanying a woman for her prenatal checkup—she was his childhood friend, Kelly Wallace.

"Quentin, won't your wife mind?" she asked with a hint of distress.

"Don't worry, she'll never find out. Even if she does, she wouldn't dare do anything." Quentin smiled, taking Kelly's hand and squeezing it.

Kelly remained anxious. "But she's your wife after all. I'm afraid she'll get upset if she knows…"

"I'll just make sure she never finds out," Quentin replied, shrugging. "I would've told her in the first place, but she's been emotionally unstable lately, and you're pregnant, so I can't let her cause you any trouble. If she dares to cause trouble, I'll just have to divorce her!"

Hearing those words left my heart broken.

Whipping out my phone, I called my father whom I hadn't spoken to in a while, telling him as soon as he answered, "Dad, I want to go home."

My father was delighted nonetheless. "I guess you've finally figured it all out, sweetie. Don't worry—you're always welcomed home. And no matter what happens, your mom and I will always have your back."

After hanging up, I remembered that I had asked Quentin to come with me to my prenatal checkup when I left the house earlier this morning, but he said he had something else to do.

As it turned out, he was accompanying Kelly for her prenatal checkup instead.

In fact, I was already six months pregnant, but not once did he come to the hospital with me.

On the other hand, Quentin had been meeting Kelly frequently after she broke off her engagement a few months ago and returned to the city.

In fact, he was always there to be at her beck and call.

I tried to get through to Quentin, reasoning that if he didn't love me anymore and had fallen in love with someone else, we could get a divorce.

He simply snorted. "Kelly has just broken off her engagement—she's in a bad mood, and she's pregnant on top of that. As a friend, shouldn't I support her? We've known each other for years, and I have a moral obligation to help!"

I was left staring at him in disbelief. "Friend? What kind of friend meets every day of the week and is always ready to help at every second?"

He promptly snapped at me, "Don't push it, Jolin! Kelly's going through a difficult time and needs help! Can't you stop being so unreasonable? You're making a mountain out of a molehill!"

At first, I was really convinced that Kelly's baby wasn't Quentin's, because she was already pregnant when she returned to the city a few months ago.

I tried to be indirect as I probed Quentin on who the father was, but Quentin would either brush it off or snap at me, telling me not to ask too many questions.

When he realized he overreacted, he'd just tell me again and again that he and Kelly were really just friends—that I shouldn't let my imagination run wild.

His sincerity had once convinced me that he was just being kind to Kelly—that they really were just friends, and I was the only one he loved.

But now, seeing the way they were pressing against each other, I finally understood that Kelly's child was his.

Even my own pregnancy was just a smokescreen to hide the real father of Kelly's baby.

I certainly didn't miss the flicker of glee in Kelly's eyes when Quentin threatened to divorce me if I didn't submit, but she remained distressed, as if blaming herself.

"No!" she cried. "You can't let your marriage fall apart because of me… If only my fiance didn't call off our engagement, then none of this would've happened. I wouldn't have survived with you, y'know… There were suddenly so many problems as soon as I came back."

With that, she started sobbing like a classical damsel in distress, while my own husband was the gentleman who would ease her troubles.

Patting her back, Quentin's voice was soft as he comforted her. "It's alright—no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you. When we were kids, if it weren't for you..."

He trailed off for a moment but soon continued earnestly, "Anyway, I'm helping you and taking care of you because it's what I should do. As for Jolin, she's my wife and she should be more understanding about what I'm doing. So what if she finds out? I'm on your side no matter what happens."

My heart hurt even as I watched them frolic, with tears flowing down my cheeks.

I hence told myself that it was just a week until my divorce papers would be finalized, and I'd be gone from this city forever in two—and finally be rid of them.