All Chapters of The Fathers of My Child?: Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

#Dorothy’s POV#“I have cancer…”My breathing steadies even though the sight of his narrowed eyes makes me nervous.The words hang there, sharp and strange and foreign even to my own ears. The silence that follows is too loud—too thick to breathe in.“What?” he says and pushes himself off his seat, taking just two steps to reach my radius. The tie dangling loosely from his strong neck is the only thing that distracts me momentarily and gives me the relief to say the next sentence.“That’s what the doctor said… and… and…” my words falter, and so do my legs. My knees weaken, pulling me faster than gravity to the floor as I collapse. I’m unable to bear the news in my heart or resonate with it, talkless of me telling it to my wayward husband who’s been sleeping out since we got married two years ago and has not noticed his wife's slow health decline.The marble floor underneath me is cold. I don’t even try to hold myself up anymore. The weight on my chest is heavier than my bones.I stare

#Dorothy’s POV#“Your cousin?” I say, blinking. “Wait. You have a cousin?!”He doesn’t even glance at me. He’s by the bar, pouring himself a glass of something dark. Neat. No ice. Typical Joel.“Yes. His name’s Rico.”He says it like it’s nothing. Like he’s not talking about inviting someone else’s DNA into my womb.His hand swirls the glass lazily as he sips. Mine clenches into a fist.Rico. His cousin. This man has a cousin. That he’s never once mentioned. Not in two whole years of this silent, suffocating “arrangement” he calls a marriage. I haven’t met a single member of Joel’s family, not even at the courthouse. Not even when the documents were signed. Not even when my parents handed me off like livestock.And now… a cousin.Coming to get me pregnant.I turn away from him before I do something I’ll regret.I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours trying to breathe past the lump in my throat. He hasn’t even asked when my cancer treatment starts. Hasn’t spoken to the oncologist again.

#Dorothy’s POV#It's already the next day.Sunlight streams in through the translucent curtains, falling across my face like an accusation. There's breakfast spread on the table and a shape already seated beside me.Rico.He’s shoveling toast into his mouth like he hasn’t eaten in three days. Shirtless, of course. Always shirtless. I’ve stopped reacting.Joel walks in, stretching. His hair's tousled, eyes puffy from sleep. He stops in his tracks when he sees us.We’re already eating.“What were you two doing last night?” he asks, rough.Rico looks up mid-chew. I raise an eyebrow.“We were asleep,” I answer plainly.Joel doesn’t respond. He just stands there for a second too long as he stares between the two of us like he’s trying to catch something in the air. Something unsaid. Something dirty.He glares at Rico.Then finally, he exhales and straightens up. “We’ve got tests scheduled today.”I lift my mug of tea. “Tests?”“For Rico,” Joel replies, clipped. “Hospital visit. Need to con