Chapter 4

Maybe my attitude finally pissed them off. Jonah and Liam didn't come home for an entire week.

Fine by me. I didn't need the company anyway.

The tumor wasn't being so generous, though. Every day I woke up, things were a little fuzzier. My hands didn't grip like they used to. My feet dragged more than they should.

And somehow, that made me happy. Each day I got worse meant I was one day closer to being done with all of this.

Suzanne updated her social media account every day. She documented all the places they had visited that week.

Someone commented asking if they were her family.

Liam said yes. He said she was his mom.

I stared at the screen. Then, a drop of blood hit it—right over his words.

It seemed like I was liking the post in the most messed up way.

I held my nose and walked to the bathroom. Suddenly, my phone rang from the sink.

It was Jonah. After a whole week of silence, he was finally calling.

He said there was a charity gala tomorrow night and he needed me to come. Before I could answer, he hung up. And in the background, I heard Suzanne's laughter.

Only then did I realize why he wasn't taking Suzanne instead.

Everyone knew Jonah as that devoted husband. If people saw him with another woman, his whole act would fall apart.

…

The next evening, Jonah came to pick me up.

When I opened the rear door of the car, I found Liam already sitting inside. He looked at me, then huffed and turned away.

I ignored him as well.

I caught him sneaking glances at me. His little face was all scrunched up, like he was trying to figure out why I wasn't trying to make up with him like I used to.

From the driver's seat, Jonah asked in surprise, "Why are you sitting in the back?"

I just shrugged. "It's comfortable here."

Jonah fell silent.

…

There was a huge pool at the venue. Liam's face lit up the instant he laid eyes on it. He ran toward it, then stopped and looked at me. "Mommy, can I go in?"

I didn't even look his way. "Sure. Go ahead."

His eyes dimmed.

I had always been terrified of him getting too close to water and would repeatedly remind him to be careful. Whenever he really wanted to play, I would stay by his side the entire time.

This was the first time he had ever seen me act so indifferent.

A strange weight pressed down on Liam's heart. He didn't have the words for it yet, but it was the kind of feeling that came when one's beloved stopped caring.

Just then, he spotted someone by the pool.

"Suz!"

He pulled a face, like he was trying to get a reaction out of me.

"Daddy should've just brought you instead. Mommy's never been to anything like this. She's gonna make a fool of herself."

Suzanne smiled, but she put on that fake apologetic look. "Jen, don't mind him. Kids say the dumbest things."

Jonah laughed. "Suz isn't the type to get upset over that."

He said something to me, but I couldn't hear a word of it.

Then, his face started to blur too.

Someone bumped into me, and I hit the ground. My head was spinning so bad I thought I might puke.

I could feel people staring at me.

"I knew she'd embarrass us," Liam said.

Jonah sighed and came over to help me up.

Suzanne, however, beat him to it.

She took my arm. I pulled away just a little, and she crashed down like I'd pushed her with all my strength.

Jonah's expression changed. He rushed over and helped her to her feet.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

Suzanne shook her head with those big fake tears in her eyes.

I struggled to my feet, feeling like I was about to pass out.

I just wanted to find a place to rest. But before I could even steady myself, Liam came charging at me.

"What did you push Suz for?" he shouted.

My foot slipped, and I fell straight into the swimming pool.

Liam froze in shock. He didn't mean to push me. He just wanted to teach me a lesson.

Jonah was stunned as well. Just as he was just about to jump in and save me, Suzanne caught his arm.

"Jon, I think I twisted my ankle."

Knowing that I could swim, Jonah decided to check on her first.

Then, a scream erupted from the crowd.

"Blood! Oh, my God, there's so much blood!"

His heart skipped a beat. He turned around and looked toward the pool.

I hadn't come back up, and the water around me was blooming red.

He froze for a split second, then dove in and swam straight for me.