They Abandoned Me But It Was Her Diagnosis

The night wind was chilly when I stepped out of the taxi, heavy and exhausted from the night duty at the hospital. Hidden in my bag, something even heavier weighed on me.

From outside my family's home I could see the lights and the sounds of revelry. Tonight was a birthday celebration for my mother and everyone including my husband was there. I was the only one left at work yet none had called me.

As I entered, the warmth and glowing lights filled my vision alongside the view of the harmonious family. My mother and father were smiling, raising toasts. My brother Ryan was joking and laughing whilst my husband, Kayden, was chatting with my best friend Rachel.

As usual, they looked like a harmonious family and I, an outsider.

A dull ache gripped me.

When I entered the room, none of them paid me any mind aside from a cursory glance, but that was the least of my problems. I moved towards Rachel, interrupting them.

“Rachel, I need to talk to you.” I whispered. For a moment something glinted in her eyes before she smiled.

“Emma, welcome back. What's going on?”

“I can't say it here.” I whispered, “can we speak? Alone?”

I could already feel my family's eyes on me as I tried to lead her, bringing out the file with my free hand to show her privately, but before we could get anywhere, she pulled away.

“What are you talking about Emma? If there's anything you need to say, say it in front of the family.” She looked down at what I was holding and frowned.

“A hospital report? What is it?”

“Wait!”

Before I could stop her she snatched it, opening up the file. In my panic, I only managed to grasp the top half of the paper but it was too late.

She gasped.

“You have a terminal venereal disease!” she loudly announced. My blood ran cold.

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, bathing the entire room in silence. All eyes fell on me.

I hurriedly snatched the papers back into the files.

“No. It's not like that-” I tried to explain but was interrupted.

“Emma, what have you done?” Rachel gasped, a mix of shock and heartbreak in her eyes as she shook her head, “Kayden has been good to you and you've been messing around? How could you do this to him? To your family? I thought I knew you but I never thought you'd be like this. Even if you told me in secret I wouldn't dare hide this from them.”

“Stop.” I shouted, heart racing. Facing Kayden I rushed to talk to him.

“Kay, let me explain. This report, its-”

SMACK.

Pain bloomed from my cheek before I found myself sprawled onto the floor blinking back tears. Disbelief filled me as I looked up. My husband, the man I loved, was now staring at me with disgust as he wiped his hands.

“Don’t lay your dirty hands on me.”

Tears ran down my cheeks.

“Kayden, how could you-”

“What do you expect? Thank goodness we haven't slept together for months now. All your talk about work was just to cover up your whoring. I won't stay in this marriage any longer.”

“We don't want someone like you in our family either.”

Before I could process his words my parents spoke with Ryan alongside them, completely surrounding me.

“Mom...dad...”

“Don’t call us that. You're a disgrace.” My father frowned, “It's bad enough how useless you are but you've brought dishonor to this family. We've tolerated you for long enough. From now on you're no longer our daughter. We have only Ryan and Rachel.”

Their words hit harshly. I turned to my younger brother, Ryan.

“Ryan, help me-”

“Don’t touch me.” He snapped, kicking my hand away, “you don't deserve to be part of this family or my sister. Rachel is a thousand times better than you.”

I barely felt the pain on my hands compared to their words.

Rachel.

Standing up, I turned to find her looking at me with a detached face.

“Rachel. You're my best friend. This is a mistake. Please for the sake of our friendship let me talk to you privately.”

I reached out to grasp her hand. But soon I was suddenly pushed aside by Kayden, hitting the nearest corner. Pain bloomed like stars.

“Don’t you dare touch her. Do you want to infect her?”

I looked up. Kayden was holding Rachel in his arms, glaring at me. Rachel's face in fear, buried herself into his arms comfortably .

Too comfortably.

A realization slipped in.

No. This couldn't be true.

“There’s something between you two isn't there?” I asked, voice trembling.

They didn't refute it. My heart fell as Rachel snuggled further against Kayden.

“Yes.” Kayden said. Those single words made my heart shatter.

I stumbled back. My husband and my best friend had betrayed me.

“For how long?” I cried out. Rachel didn't answer, but Kayden did.

“A year and two months.”

My mind went blank. We had been married for only two years.

I turned to my parents, expecting them to be engaged. However they didn't look surprised.

“You knew?” I breathed out.

“And so what if we did?”