Chapter 3

"Can you have my mom go with you to the checkup? I'll head straight to the hospital as soon as I'm done here."

Emma again. Her emergencies always came at such convenient times.

I looked at his anxious face and asked calmly, "Is it that important? More important than our child?"

He froze, as if he had not expected me to ask that.

"Cece, how can you say that? These are two completely different things. This is a safety hazard. There could be danger! The prenatal checkup is just a routine examination. With Mom there, you'll be fine. Be good and don't overthink it."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll be back soon."

With that, he grabbed his car keys and left without looking back. The moment the door closed, the living room fell into dead silence. He said to have his mom go with me, but his mother was on vacation in the tropics. Zachary knew this better than anyone.

Half a month ago, he had personally driven her to the dock, smiling as he told her to have fun. He said he would take care of me at home, so she should enjoy herself without worry.

My chest tightened. I could barely breathe. I leaned against the wall and took slow, deep breaths. I could not get worked up. Not for the baby's sake.

It was fine. I could do this without him.

I picked up my phone, about to call my best friend, Leah Palmer, to come with me. However, I remembered she had an important contract negotiation today. I did not want her distracted because of me.

I would go alone. I changed my clothes and headed down to the parking garage.

I walked to our usual parking spot and stopped short. The space was empty. My white sedan was gone.

That car had been a gift from my father on my 20th birthday. He said he hoped my journey through life would always be smooth and easy.

That car had been with me from college graduation to my marriage to Zachary. It was one of my most treasured possessions.

Zachary had said that now that I was pregnant, I should not drive, so I had not checked on my car in nearly six months.

A wave of intense unease washed over me.

With trembling hands, I dialed Zachary's number. The phone rang for a long time before he picked up. In the background, I could hear the chaotic sound of rushing water and Emma's delicate sobbing.

"Hello, Cece? What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Zachary's voice sounded impatient. "I'm dealing with a situation here. The shutoff valve is stuck, and water's going everywhere."

I forced myself to stay calm and asked, "Zachary, where's my car?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Oh, the car." His tone was casual. "Em lives in a remote area. It's hard to get rides there. I let her use it to get around a while back. I forgot to tell you. Did you need the car today? Just hail a cab to the hospital. It's easy enough."