A great loss

Elaine’s POV

The sharp pain that shot up to my spine awakened me faster than the brightly lit room. The scent of lavender air freshener quickly hit my nose as I sniffled hard.

The previous night’s event replayed freshly in my mind. Gary shielding Elizabeth. The chandelier is crashing on me. The evening vanishes into thick darkness.

“You should be more careful.” The doctor standing next to me said.

I sat up, scanning the room, but there was no sight of Gary anywhere.

“This could have been fatal. You could have lost your baby.” The doctor said calmly.

Baby? Whose baby?

“You didn’t know? You are six weeks pregnant.”

I wanted to jump at the news. Gary and I had been trying for a child in recent times, but nothing had worked out right.

“You are currently malnourished and stressed. Your blood pressure has gone up; this could harm both you and the baby. You need to take a rest and ensure you eat well too.” He said, took a look at my chart, then walked out of the room.

Just then, Gary burst into the ward. He had changed into a fresh set of clothes from the previous night. He looked like he had just gotten out of the shower. Fresh. Tall. Handsome.

“You scared me, Elaine. How do you feel?” The genuine worry on his face reminded me of the man I had fallen in love with.

The man who had promised to always be there for me. The man who had gone down on one knee to ask me to be his woman.

But before me stood the man who had gone back on all of the promises he made to me.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. Everything happened so fast, I wasn’t thinking.” He said as he pressed my hand to his cheek.

“I understand Gary… I…have something to tell…”

The buzzing from his phone interrupted us. He looked at the screen and turned to me. He needn’t tell me who it was as the guilt on his face gave it away, Elizabeth.

“Hold on. It’s Elizabeth, she… she is having a panic attack.” He said, asking for my understanding.

Who on earth would understand her husband leaving her just to tend to his childhood sweetheart?

“I have to take this, Elaine.” He didn’t even wait for my response and was soon out of the doorway.

I could hear the worry in his voice as she asked her to take a deep breath, and that he was on his way to her.

“Elaine!!” Laura screamed as she rushed into the ward, genuine worry and concern plastered on her face.

“I left the courthouse as soon as I got your text. Are you okay?” She quickly hugged me.

“I’m fine, Elaine. The doctors said I was lucky to have only sustained some bruises.” I said automatically.

Laura looked around the room, as if expecting to see someone. “Where is he?” She hissed.

“Who?”

“Who else? Gary, your HUSBAND.”

“Oh, he had to attend to something urgent.” I wish I were the something urgent he had to attend to. I turned away from Laura, towards the window.

“Don’t tell me… Elizabeth is the “Something urgent?” She yelled.

“What could be more important than his wife in the hospital. Don’t tell me… Elizabeth is the “Something urgent?.”

“No… he had work to do, Laura.” I was tired of covering up for him.

 “I have told you, you are too good for him.” She said.

“You have given this man ten years of your life, Elaine. Ten years!” She crossed her arms as she tapped her feet on the floor.

“Let’s just go, Laura,” I said in a low voice. I was too exhausted. Too heartbroken to keep talking.

I had a life growing inside of me; I had to worry about now.

“Can we just go over to your apartment?” I knew that Gary wasn’t returning to our home, seeing as it was the weekend already, and Elizabeth had called.

****

By the time we got to Laura’s apartment, the pent-up frustration came rushing down my cheeks. I collapsed on the couch in the living room as I wailed uncontrollably.

“Don’t let them both ruin your day, okay.” Laura hugged me tightly as she stroked my hair, her warmth shielding me.

“You need to leave him, Elaine. He doesn’t deserve you.” She said.

“I can’t, Laura, I’m pregnant.”

The silence that followed was deafening. We both sat on the couch for the next fifteen minutes in silence.

“Does he know?” She finally asked me.

“I tried to tell him…”

“He doesn’t know? Your husband is probably cuddling another woman elsewhere while you lie here.” Her veins shot up in her neck.

Her face was red now, and she was trying hard not to lose her temper.

“He will be happy once I tell him. I just need the perfect time.” My voice was calmer now.

“There is no perfect time, Elaine. You need to protect your home, now that you are carrying a baby.”

“I know Laura… but” my throat closed up again.

There was an uncertainty in my voice. I couldn’t hide the doubt in my heart. With Elizabeth’s presence in my marriage, I wasn’t so sure what would make Gary happy.

“ You need to tell him. Only then can you decide whether your marriage is still worth saving.” Laura said.

I agreed with her, but I couldn’t just give up on my marriage just because of a new presence. Our families had given so much for our marriage to happen.

“I will tell him tomorrow, then decide what to do next.”