- Slap
- Slap
Annie
The day to leave the hospital finally arrived. I’m sitting on the bed while my mother gathers everything from the room. My baby is in the small crib, waiting to go home.
her must be outside. The one who
starting to miss him. “What are
“Okay, I’m done.” I smile at her and stand up to sit in the wheelchai hasn’t shown up around here is Aaron. Although I don’t want to p you thinking about, my love?” Mom observes me before leaving. She knows me quite well, and I’m very
ansparent, so I think she can almost read my thoughts.
“Nothing. Well, actually I was thinking about Aaron. He hasn’t come today. Will he be at home?” Mom lets a laugh. She knows very well that we’re just friends, but she’s been asking me a lot of questions about him, and I’ve realized that I don’t know much about his life in Canada.
“I think he had something to do, but he said he would see us there.” I don’t say anything else to her, but I find it very strange. Indeed, when we go outside, Dad approaches with some papers in hand.
“Ready?” I nod, and while Mom takes the baby in her arms, Dad pushes the wheelchair.
The way home is quiet. Actually, I’m in pain, but it’s not unbearable. When we finally arrive, I see that there are several cars parked. I smile thinking that they’ve organized a party and that a certain Bones must be very
involved.
“Wow! The house is full,” my father mentions, but Mom just lets out a mischievous laugh.
As soon as we enter the house, the whole family welcomes us, and they’ve decorated the entrance with a big welcome sign. Everyone looks happy and comes over to give me a hug. They pass my son from hand to hand, and I understand perfectly. He’s everyone’s new toy. I think they’ll manage to spoil him rotten.
“Welcome, butterfly.” My godfather Lucien approaches and kisses me on the cheek. “We’re happy to see the wonderful woman you’ve become as a professional and now as a mother.”
His words touch me, and since I’m very sensitive, I soon start to cry. Aaron’s voice echoes through the room.
me for the big “Doll, if you cry you’ll get ugly. Come on, it’s picture time.” Everyone obeys and settles in next to photo. I know there are some missing, but for now, with these images, we will begin to create new memories. They take me to sit in the living room, and I make myself comfortable. Everyone is chatting and celebrating. The baby has been sleeping the whole time. Surely the rocking arms are lulling him. My Aunt Susan and Mom are talking a lot, agreeing on how they’re going to take care of the baby when I go back to work. It’s something I hadn’t thought about. I don’t want to go back to the hospital. That place doesn’t bring back good memories. I’m sure I’ll be the laughingstock of everyone, because the times they tried to humiliate me come to mind. I knew that during the time that Maria and Liam were separated, although at the time I didn’t know they were a couple, my ex went out with some people from the hospital, and that he had been engaged to me wasn’t to their liking. I’m not one to be walked all over, but if I can avoid being in a toxic environment, I will.
While I’m thinking about all this, Aaron sits down next to me. He takes my hand, and I turn to look at him. “What are you thinking?” I smile slightly. He’s learned to know me, and he knows something’s bothering me.
E
3/4
21
يااا
- Slap
“Well, I was listening to Mom and my aunt agreeing about taking care of Angel. And it occurred to me that I don’t have a job and that I don’t want to apply for a job at the hospital again.”
He’s thoughtful for a moment. I don’t know how long he’ll be by my side either. One day he must return to his
country.
“I offered you a position at my parents‘ hospital, but I imagine you wouldn’t want to be far from your family. All your loved ones are here. So find a place that satisfies you. Or better yet, create your own practice. I’m
- do. And maybe I’ll open a practice sure many of your patients will follow you. You’re very good at w
next to yours.” I look at him strangely.
But… are you thinking of staying here? And your place at your parents‘ hospital?” He leans back on the sofa and sighs.
“Tell me, doll… do you want me to go?” His question takes me by surprise. I really don’t know what I want. I think if we’re close, there could be an opportunity for us in the future, but it’s not certain either. “Aaron, I don’t want to hold you back. I don’t know when I’ll be ready to notice anyone else. I don’t want to waste your time.”
tay by my side.
The boy smiles. Apparently, he’s already made the decision to stay by
“Let me stay. We’ll see where this goes.” I nod slightly. Maybe I’m being selfish by letting him stay without promising him anything.
The rest of the afternoon passes in harmony and happiness. A little later, I go up to my room. Mom comes up to help me. When I’m lying down, she sits down next to me.
“Annie, when do you want to go home? We were supposed to come here to keep Liam from finding out, but he already knows about his son.” It’s something I’d already thought about. There’s no point in staying here when everyone has their lives elsewhere.
“I think we can leave in a few days. What do you think?” My mother smiles and says yes.
She leaves me alone in the room. I pick up my phone to check my social media when suddenly, I get a message. When I open it, I see the name of my son’s father.
“Hi, Annie. My mother told me that you had already left the hospital. I hope you are well, and hopefully you’re not upset with Rocio for unblocking me. Could you send me pictures of my son?”
I don’t know what to say to him. That traitor, my sister. But actually, he’s being nice, and I can’t be fighting with him all the time.
So I decided to answer him.
“Hi, we’re fine. Little Angel is sleeping, I’ll send you some pictures tomorrow. He’s fine, we can be in touch, as long as it’s only about the baby. I don’t want to have problems with your wife.”
I hope this last thing I mentioned makes him understand that Maria is not going to look kindly on us being in close contact. As soon as I get back, I need to talk to a lawyer to set some boundaries.
After the message I sent him, I don’t get a response. I let out a big sigh of exhaustion, I just want to have a quiet life, but something tells me that Liam and Maria are going to make it difficult for me.
O
IIL
2/4
- Stap
Liam
I’m about to fall asleep, because I told the hospital that I’m going back on duty tomorrow. I decide to send my first attempt at rapprochement with Annie. Rocio did me the favor of unblocking me so I could talk to her, but I don’t know if she’s going to be upset. I’ve written and rewritten the message I’m going to send her a thousand times. I’m nervous, thinking about her possible rejection.
I pluck up my courage and send it. Her answer is not long in coming. When I see her name on my screen, my
int of me. heart skips a beat. I’m about to read it when I see Maria standi
“Why are you smiling?” she asks directly. I don’t want to lie to
Lell her the truth.
I was asking Annie if they had already left the hospital. They’re home.” Maria makes an ugly face.
“Well, well. Now you’re friends again. I’m sure with the baby issue she’s going to want to be in touch with you. She has no shame, even though you humiliated her in front of everyone. If it had been me, I would have aborted the bastard.”
I look at her like I’ve never looked at her before.
“HOW DARE YOU CALL MY SON THAT?!” I see that she turns pale. I had never seen such a nasty way of speaking, let alone about an innocent child.
“I’m sorry, but I’m furious. That b***h is going to want to get close to you and steal you away from me again. think she thinks that’s how she can win you back. She can’t accept that you left her for me.”
nv son
I rub my eyes. I’m frustrated to know that the sweet, good girl is capable of speaking that way about my
and his mother.
“I’m not going to let you talk bad about them. Yes, I made a stupid mistake by humiliating her in front of everyone, but she wasn’t to blame. Just you and me. I don’t know what you’re complaining about, if I kept the promise I made to you.”
I see her turning red. A sign that she’s getting angry, but I feel the same way.
“You and your damn promise. If you had had enough balls, you would have refused to be with her from the beginning. But no, it seemed easy to you. Someone to screw and who would always be available. But you didn’t need to get engaged. Could it be that deep down you longed for that wedding? Ha. You don’t even know what you want. You loved me, I went away for a while, and you gave up easily. You accepted that woman, and you rejected her just the same. Now you have me back, and you don’t even care. She shows up again, and you’re besotted by her return. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!! Man up and make some decisions. If you want me in your life, try to make it work. If she’s the one you want, fight for her, but don’t come blaming me. It’s time for you to be a man and take responsibility for your actions.”
We both fall silent after her outburst. I can’t deny that she’s right. I’ve acted like a damn coward. Not deciding. just taking whatever comes my way.
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I’ve been stupid. I don’t think this is ever going to work out between us. It’s best if we give ourselves some time.”
She comes up to me and slaps me.
*i***t. You don’t deserve to be happy. I watch her grab her robe and storm out of the room. I collapse onto the bed, thinking about what just happened.
3/4
IIL
52 Living with the Conseque…
