The Coming of the Quiet Rain

Gertrude looked at me in surprise. When she saw no signs of anger on my face, she relaxed a little.

“I’m glad you understand. After all, we can’t let the Green family end like this. Thank goodness Jake is a man who cares about his friends. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to have a grandchild so soon.”

As she spoke, Gertrude caressed Winnie’s stomach with joy on her face.

I found it all ironic.

Cared about his friends, she said.

If Henry learned that Jake took care of his wife so much that she was pregnant with his baby, he might be so angry that he would end up crawling out of his grave to kill Jake.

When I said nothing, Winnie gave me a fearful look.

“Luna, are you still angry at me and Jake? I really just want a baby of my own. I’m just too lonely and scared alone.”

As if she had just been bullied, Winnie started sobbing.

Quickly, Gertrude grabbed some tissues for her to wipe her tears before glaring at me.

“Luna, if you can’t get pregnant, then you have no right to kick up a fuss. Winnie’s baby is part of the Green family. She must give birth.”

As I watched them working together to hurl insults at me, I said coldly, “Sure, I’ll step back for Winnie. Once she gives birth, the baby can openly declare that Jake is his father and doesn’t have to live in shame of being illegitimate.”

I wanted to say something else, but Winnie suddenly knelt in front of me and cried as she tugged at my trousers.

“Luna, I know that you’re still angry, but the baby is innocent. You can’t just kill an innocent life like this!”

Did Winnie even understand English? I frowned and wanted to pull her up, only to hear a furious roar.

“Stop!”

When Jake came in, he saw Winnie crying while kneeling on the floor as she talked about how the baby was innocent, and he immediately thought that I was asking her to abort the baby.

He did not even think. Jake kicked my stomach, and I crashed on the floor along with the chair.

My womb was still fragile since I had just undergone an abortion, and I could not withstand that kick.

At that moment, chills wrecked my entire body, as if I had plummeted into icy water. My vision turned black, and my stomach hurt.

Even so, I could still hear Jake yelling at me.

“Luna, I can’t believe you’d ask Winnie to abort her baby! Aren’t you satisfied after attacking her in the hospital?! You’re so evil!”

While clinging to the last bit of my strength, I stood up, grabbed the divorce agreement from my handbag, and threw it at Jake’s face.

“I’m divorcing you, Jake!”

Then, right before Jake’s disbelieving gaze, I stumbled toward the door, but soon after I started walking, my vision turned black entirely, and I fell forward again.

Right before I lost consciousness, I heard shouting.

“Mrs. Green is bleeding!”

“Call the ambulance!”

“Luna!”