Shadows in the Hallway
When I woke the next morning, the memory of the previous day felt like a bad dream, blurry and distorted. Except it wasn’t. I pressed my hand against my belly, still swollen with reminders of an empty cocoon.
My husband, Ethan, hadn’t called. I half-expected his familiar voice to break through my daze, but the buzzing silence only amplified my anxiety.
“Madison?” Claire shouted from the kitchen, her voice tinged with concern. “You need to eat something.”
I sat up slowly, the weight of the sheets heavy. The hospital linens were stark white, but my mind painted everything in shades of gray. I could still feel the sterile air brushing over my skin, the rhythmic beeping of machines echoing in my ears.
After she knocked again, I shuffled into the kitchen, avoiding my own reflection in the mirror by the door. Claire was pouring cereal into a bowl, her fidgeting a poor disguise for the worry etched across her face.
“You look awful,” she commented lightly, but I could see her eyes searching for signs of life behind my own. “How can I help?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. Nothing felt real. Not the lingering pain in my abdomen, not the shards of glass still scattered across the floor, and definitely not the fact that I was a mother now. A new mother, if that title could even extend to me after yesterday.
“Where is he?” I finally murmured. “Doesn’t he care?”
“Madison,” she sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You know the answer.”
But deep down, I wasn’t sure. Maybe Ethan would show up; maybe he was just lost in thought. Or maybe—
“He’s chosen his family,”
I whispered, cutting off my own thoughts. It should have been an easy realization to accept, but the weight of it sat heavy on my chest. I clutched the table, reminding myself to breathe.
But as Claire poured almond milk over the cereal, I felt the phone vibrating on the counter. My heart raced. Please let it be him.
I snatched it up, only to find a message from a number I didn’t recognize.
“Are you okay? I’ve been worried,”
it read. My fingers hesitated over the screen, but without my consent, I pressed ‘reply.’
“Who is this?”
I felt a sudden surge of anxiety. The walls seemed to close in, and I pushed back against the cold hard surface of the counter.
Claire turned, sensing my distress. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” I mumbled, feeling the need for answers creep into my veins. The phone buzzed again.
Shattered Illusions
The response from the unknown number arrived swiftly.
“It’s Ethan’s sister, Carla. I saw what happened. I’m here if you need someone.”
My thoughts tangled in disbelief. Ethan had a sister? I had known about his mother, of course, the one who had dismissed my concerns more than once. But a sister? The revelation felt like a slap to my already raw emotions.
“Are you serious?” Claire’s eyes widened. “Your husband has family he didn’t mention?”
Fury bubbled within me, threatening to spill over. “Why wouldn’t he say anything?”
