Chapter 4 — A Love Discharged

Renee's POV

I woke up from a dreamless sleep, surrounded by pale, off-white-colored walls, and the sound of a monitor beeping rhythmically. For a moment, I couldn't recognize where I was, but it didn't take long for the memories to come rushing back. 

The hurtful words. 

The betrayal. 

I shielded my son from certain harm, but I didn't even get a thank you or an ounce of concern. I was overlooked, and treated like nothing more than gum stuck beneath their shoes. 

I knew I wasn't a perfect mother or wife, but I tried everyday to show them just how much I loved them.

From staying up all night because Julian was sick with a horrible fever, to reading to him every night, and even painting his room his favorite shade of blue…

And for Gregory… God, I made sure he had a warm, home cooked meal for lunch because too much grease from fast food joints always upset his stomach. I would even make sure his suits were steam pressed, and his leather shoes were always waxed and shiny.

Maybe those things didn't matter in the end… Being skinny, beautiful, and a world-class musician and soon-to-be model was what was more worthy of their love and praise…

I'd never felt so small and insignificant in my life until this morning. To know that I would always choose them, but that the feeling wasn't reciprocated made it feel like my heart was being actively ripped apart. 

"Miss?" 

My head jerked towards the sound, and that was when I noticed the nurse standing at the doorway. I recognized her blue scrubs and cap immediately. "Wait, are you the nurse from the school?" 

She nodded her head. "Yes, I am." Sadness and guilt laced her next words. "I'm sorry for leaving you in the classroom... Your husband was too insistent on wanting me to care for that other woman instead of you despite your injuries." 

"Husband?" I tried to play it off like she was mistaken; especially since Gregory had made it clear that I wasn't allowed to associate myself with him or Julian. "I think you're mistaken. He's not—" 

"I recognized you from the week before whenever parents were supposed to come in to sign paperwork for their children." She stated. "I know you're Julian's real mother, and that man's wife." 

I took a deep breath, but I didn't know how to respond. 

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so pushy." She let out a huff. "I just don't see how it's fair that both your son and your husband don't seem to care about your injuries... Neither of them cared to check up on you, so I ran back to get you here myself." 

"T-thank you..." I muttered pathetically. How was it that this random stranger cared more for me than my own family? 

She shook her head. "I don't need to be thanked for doing the right thing. How do you feel now?" 

"Somewhat better. I've been given something for pain, but I can feel it wearing off."

"I can get your nurse if you'd like."

I nodded my head. "I would appreciate it."

As I watched her walk away to go find my nurse, in leaving my door open, I happened to see Gregory and Julian standing right outside my room.

A flutter of hope made my heart skip a beat.

Maybe they had been concerned about me after all. Were they coming to check up on me?

Just as I was about to call out for them, someone in green scrubs walked up to them while they were pushing someone in a wheelchair.

It was then I saw her, looking frail and pathetic.

Camille.

"Are you Mr. Bennett?" The woman in the green scrubs asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Good. These are the discharge paperwork for Miss Camille." She smiled. "She's good to go home now."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

My heart began to rise in my throat as I watched Julian wrap his arms around Camille like he was afraid to ever let her go.

"I-I'm so sorry…" Julian began to cry. "If I d-didn't ask you to come t-today, you wouldn't have g-gotten hurt…"

Camille hugged Julian back and stroked his hair lovingly from his face. "Oh, sweet boy. You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm always willing to be your fake mommy anytime you ask."

Julian looked up at her with teary eyes. "YOU should be my real mommy! I don't want a fat, loser pig as a mommy! I want you!"

Then he whipped his head towards his father with anger in his eyes. "Why can't you marry Auntie Camille? Why can't you make her my mommy?"

"It's not that simple, Julian." Gregory sighed. "My marriage to your mother is still valid, and it's a very long and complicated process."

"That's dumb…" Julian muttered. "Why can't the pig just go away? It'd be easier if she didn't exist!"

Whatever thread of hope I held for the innocence and sweetness of my child was cut with a jagged knife and plunged into my still-wounded chest.

After seven years of loving him… This was what he thought of me.

I couldn't even bear to watch them leave as the rest of my day in the hospital flew by in a blur. At some point during the evening, the doctor had cleared me to get discharged, which I should've been happy about.

Instead, I felt dread creep up my spine at the thought of going back to the home where I clearly didn't belong.

If this wasn't my wakeup call to let them go, I didn't know what else would be… but the thought of dying alone, with no family surrounding me, terrified the hell out of me.

As I mindlessly wandered past the hospital lobby, the sounds of someone crying broke me from my trance. When I listened closely, I came to the conclusion that it was a child crying.

I froze, not wanting to investigate the sound any further. At first, all I could think about was how those cries sounded like Julian's. And instead of feeling pain at the thought of him crying, all I could feel was the pain of him looking at me with disdain, and him wishing I didn't exist.

But there was no use in fighting my maternal instincts as I followed the sound to a small deadend hallway next to a storage closet.

A little boy sat hunched in a corner. His little shoulders trembled as he tried to stifle his sobs.

He must have felt my approach as he turned around cautiously.. When he saw me, the tears stopped immediately.

For a moment, this strange little boy looked at me with disbelief like he'd recognized me from somewhere.

Then, before I could even blink, the little boy jumped to his feet and threw his arms around me as he squeezed tight.

"Mommy!" The little boy cried out. "I can't believe it, you came back to me!"

Mommy? Why did he call me that? Who was this strange little boy?