Babies and Departures

That night, Quentin returned to our bedroom early, hugging me from behind like he always did—like nothing had happened earlier.

I pretended to sleep and didn't return to his embrace, though a second had barely passed when Kelly called his phone, and he left again.

The next day, I opened my eyes to find no one around me, and I started packing my things.

When I went downstairs with my suitcase, I found Quentin sitting beside Kelly, carefully feeding her soup.

He sprang to his feet when he looked up and saw me, panic showing on his face.

Still, he quickly put down the bowl, rubbing his hands nervously as he said, "Good morning, Jolin. Now, don't get the wrong idea here. Kelly wasn't feeling an appetite, so I made her some soup to help."

I nodded calmly and continued toward the door with my suitcase, and Quentin's face darkened when he noticed it.

He leaped up, snatching it off my hands as he snapped, "What do you think you're doing?! Are you really leaving over something so trivial? Can you stop behaving like a petty child for once?! Kelly's here all alone and helpless—it's only right that I take good care of her!"

I stayed silent, but that only made Quentin even angrier as he bellowed, "I told you that she's just staying here for a while! Stop being so jealous!"

He slammed the suitcase on the floor right then, causing me to jump and instinctively clutch my stomach, terrified that it shocked my baby.

Quentin seemed to realize something was wrong, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.

But before he could speak, Kelly came running, holding her bowl of soup and pleading meekly, "Calm down, Jolin. I know it's all my fault, but this soup is really good. You can have some!"

She held out the bowl to me, and my stomach churned when I saw the distinct smear of lipstick on the rim.

Having had enough, I tried to push her hand away. "I'm fine! I don't need it!"

I was as gentle as I could, but the bowl dropped somehow, shattering with a resounding clang even as Kelly screamed dramatically, "Argh! It burns!!!"

She held out her hand, and there wasn't even a smudge on it, but Quentin was panicking anyway and rushed to her side.

Once he was done calming Kelly down, he strode up to me and grabbed my arm, then started dragging me toward the basement.

"You've gone too far this time!" he bellowed. "Kelly is being nice, and not only did you refuse to accept her, but you had to hurt her too! You had better start reflecting on yourself right now!"

"Argh!" I screamed in pain, tears welling up in my eyes as I struggled against his grip.

Along the way, I knocked over the dining table, spilling the soup that scalded my legs and left them burning red.

Even as excruciating pain overwhelmed me, I curled up and collapsed on the floor, trembling uncontrollably.

"Sorry! It's just an accident! Look, you wouldn't be hurt if you just stop struggling!"

Quentin promptly defended himself even as he whipped out his phone to call an ambulance, pursing his lips apologetically when he saw my tears. "Just hang on. I'll get the doctor…"

He hesitantly reached out, intending to pick me up when Kelly cried out in distress from the other side, "Oh, Quen… my stomach hurts so much! Help!"

Quentin's face turned pale as he promptly left my side, sprinting away while telling me, "The ambulance will be here soon. I have to check on Kelly first..."

Exhausted, I collapsed to the floor when I felt a sharp pain tearing through my abdomen.

I reached down and felt the blood streaming down my thighs…

My face turning pale, I cried, "Quentin! The baby… The baby's hurt…"

Quentin turned to look at me, not seeing the blood on the floor as the couch was in the way.

He promptly frowned and snapped, "Did you just threaten me with our child?! How dare you curse your own child like that! Well, let me give it to you straight—your cheap tricks won't work on me!"

And with that, he scooped Kelly up in his arms and soon disappeared.

Even as I lay on the floor, writhing in agony, I pulled out my phone with what strength I had left, calling 911 even as my fingers trembled…