Ashes in Hand, Divorce in Tow

My baby was gone—while Peggy was pregnant with the child Gerard actually wanted.

It felt like my chest was being crushed from the inside.

Barely keeping it together, I signed the death certificate, then took Nadine to be cremated.

She was already so small. Now, she was nothing but ash in a palm-sized urn.

That was all I had left.

I stumbled back home in a haze.

Gerard's father, Christopher was on the couch.

He started to say something, then froze when he saw what I was holding.

"Wh-What happened?"

A while later, Gerard walked in. Peggy, of course, was right behind him.

***

Peggy waltzed in like it was a meet-and-greet.

"Mr. Busch, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Peggy Madoff."

Christopher's face dropped. He turned to Gerard, voice tight.

"Gerard, where have you been? Do you have any idea that Nadine, she..."

He was about to say it—about to say Nadine had died.

But Gerard was too busy fussing over Peggy, guiding her to the couch like she was made of glass.

In the process, he bumped the table.

Nadine's urn hit the floor.

Shattered.

Ash spilled out, scattered everywhere.

I froze.

Then everything inside me snapped.

I walked up and slapped Peggy—hard.

Gerard instantly jumped in front of her and shoved me hard. I hit the floor.

"Danielle, are you insane? It's just some broken jar—why are you freaking out? Do you even care Peggy's pregnant? If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you!"

His fists clenched, eyes burning with warning.

Peggy pressed closer to him, fake sweet.

"Gerard, your dad's right here. Don't fight with Danielle because of me. I'm pregnant—of course she's upset. Let her take it out on me."

Gerard's knuckles cracked.

He grabbed me by the collar, dragged me to my feet.

"What right do you have to be angry? I'm telling you—get on your knees and apologize to Peggy. Or else—"

Christopher cut him off. Voice like ice.

Then—crack.

A slap that echoed.

"Gerard, how the hell did I raise such a disgrace of a son? Do you even know what was in that urn? That was your own daughter's ashes! Nadine is dead!"