I Sent Him Our Child’s Remains with the Divorce Papers

Jesus hadn't been home for long before he left again. Catalina had called, saying she was running a high fever once more. As I continued packing, my heart clenched when I saw the box containing the prenatal check-up reports. I picked up the 3D ultrasound on top and looked at it closely, tears falling onto the paper. This was from last month's detailed scan, where we had clearly seen the baby. But now, the baby lay alone, merely a memory in a box.

I quietly placed the box in my suitcase when my phone buzzed with a message from Jesus. I played the voice note, his anxious tone filling the room:

"Cali, you need to drive over to that little chapel on the north side of town and ask for a blessing card for Catalina. She's burning up again, just like last time. She's probably scared again!"

"You know Father Roger well. Make sure to get one of those special cards he blesses himself. Catalina is so upset she's crying. Hurry up, get it, and deliver it straight away."

I didn’t respond. In the past, I would answer his calls immediately and reply to messages right away. An hour later, Jesus called.

"Why are you so slow, Cali? Where’s the blessing card?"

I used to visit that chapel often, well acquainted with Father Roger. During my preparations for Thanksgiving, I once caught a cold and had a fever. Unable to take medication, I climbed the hill to ask for a blessing card for peace of mind. Maybe it was the placebo effect, or perhaps the illness was mild, but I recovered quickly after that visit.

Later, when Catalina had a persistent fever, Jesus remembered this incident. He couldn’t bear the thought of his beloved climbing the hill, so he ordered me to fetch the card for her. He claimed that since I knew Father Roger, the card I got would be more effective.

I refused to go, and he lashed out, calling me heartless, eventually forcing me to climb the hill. I was newly pregnant, and after the climb, I had a scare. Fortunately, a hospital visit and a timely intervention ensured everything was alright.

Since that incident, Catalina frequently claimed to have high fevers, saying she felt frightened each time. And each time, Jesus would insist I go fetch a card, ignoring that I was heavily pregnant with his child. He assumed I’d go this time after seeing the message, and when he realized I hadn't, he was furious.

I casually lied, "My stomach hurts. I can't climb."

His angry voice pierced the room.

"If you couldn’t go, why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll have to go myself now! Catalina suffered an extra hour because of you!"

"Cali, I truly regret not making you terminate the pregnancy back then. And even more so, I regret marrying you!"

I replied with a simple "Oh," and ended the call.