The Broken Candle

"I just came out of the restroom. I didn't see you and thought maybe you'd gone to start the car. Who's this, someone we know?" I managed a smile, glancing at the nurse. Sean did not pick up on my panic, and I let out a silent sigh of relief.

"No, not really. I just had a question about health insurance. Come on, honey, I've got our room all set up. It's C-section time this afternoon!

"Oh, and guess what? Our neighbor Rowena is right next door. You two might end up having your babies together!"

Back in the room, Sean approached with a tray of fruit, and my hands were clammy with dread.

"Honey, we've got more fruit than we can eat. Would you mind taking some over to Rowena? It's good to share with the neighbors!"

It felt all too familiar. In my previous life, Sean sent me to Rowena's with fruit, and that's when I bumped into her husband.

Rowena's husband, Bennett Walker, was a sailor and was rarely home.

Sean had his little fling with Rowena while Bennett was away. Bennett only returned home two months after Rowena got pregnant.

To keep Bennett from getting suspicious, Rowena had delayed her delivery way past her due date.

Rowena and Sean were both painfully aware that the baby inside her had died from lack of oxygen.

They had to swap my baby for hers. If Rowena delivered a stillborn, Bennett would grow suspicious.

Soon, I would take the fruit over, and that would be when Rowena would fake a fall and try to pin it on me.

Her ill-tempered husband would have flown into a rage at such a sight, lashing out with his boots and sending me into early labor, blood and all.

In the chaos of a heavy bleed and my fainting, Sean would snatch the chance to swipe my baby.

No way was I going to play the good wife and deliver fruit, only to meet the same grim end as in my previous life.

"Fine," I said.

I kept my cool on the surface, grabbed the fruit basket, and headed for the door.

However, I doubled back, catching Sean off guard as he prepped the go-bag. I sneakily shot a video and blasted it to my social media friends.

Sean tried to stop me, all awkward. "We're an old married couple. What's there to show off?"

At that, I put on a show of fury. "I'm about to give birth, and you're denying me even a sappy post? You're grounded, mister. Time to think about what you've done!"

I darted out, then locked the hospital room door behind me, leaving Sean's desperate knocking unanswered.

Clutching my swollen belly, I rapped on the door of the room next door, where Rowena was staying.

Rowena heaved herself to the door, her belly massive from all the prenatal vitamins Sean had pilfered from my stash.

"May, you're here."

Her eyes bore into my bump with a venomous envy, as if she would slice me open if she could.

I kept my distance, wary. However, Rowena–ever the actress–took a dive and shrieked, "Help! Somebody! Bennett! May shoved me!"