Chapter 2

Elmer's eyes flickered, then instantly went cold. "Deidre, Sadie and I only have a simple mentor-trainee relationship. How can your mind be so filthy?"

I twisted my lips. "Only you know whether it's filthy or not."

With that, I turned to leave.

Elmer grabbed my wrist and gave a soft laugh. "Deidre! Don't tell me you keep going after her again and again because you're paranoid and think there's something between me and Sadie?"

My expression stayed flat. "I'm not going after her. Everything I said was the truth."

Elmer smiled as if he hadn't heard me. "All right, I know you're jealous. But can't you be a little more generous about it? We've been married almost five years now. There's no need for jealousy like this. Sadie and I really have nothing going on."

As he spoke he stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, his fingertips lightly rubbing the side of my waist. "Are you upset because I've been too busy lately and haven't spent enough time with you?"

"If that's it, I can have someone arrange time off for us tomorrow. Tonight we can enjoy ourselves."

He lowered his head to kiss me.

I turned my face away. "It's not a good time for me today."

Elmer frowned. "Isn't your period over already?"

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

He made a move to lift my skirt.

In my panic, it slipped out. "I'm pregnant."

Elmer stared blankly for several seconds before it sank in, his eyes full of excitement.

"You're pregnant?"

We'd been married five years.

We'd started trying for a baby a year ago.

Nothing had ever come of it.

Now that there was a child, he was surely thrilled.

It was just a shame.

Too late.

I looked at his joyful face and poured a bucket of cold water over it.

"But I've already gotten rid of the baby."

His whole body went rigid.

As if he couldn't believe it, his voice shaking. "You... what did you say?"

I straightened up, took a step back, looked at him, and said each word slowly and clearly. "I said, I had the abortion. The baby is gone."

"Why?" Elmer's eyes went red in an instant, and he seized my wrist. "Deidre! You just told me you were pregnant, and now you say you got rid of the baby! What kind of joke is this?"

I kept my lips pressed together. "I'm not joking. I found out yesterday. I'd meant to tell you after the surgery, but then I decided there was no point."

Something suddenly occurred to Elmer. "So, just because I threw you off the operating table, you got rid of our child?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"On what grounds?" Elmer's eyes were bloodshot. "Deidre! What right did you have? That was my child too! What gives you the right to not discuss it with me, to not even tell me, and just get rid of it!"

I smiled. "There'll be plenty of women wanting to have your children later on. Elmer, let's get a divorce!"

Elmer's pupils quaked.

I had no interest left in wondering what he was thinking.

I just felt so tired.

I wanted to rest.

"Tomorrow we'll draw up the divorce papers."

I turned and went into the bedroom and lay down on the bed.

Outside came the sudden sound of a door slamming.

I closed my eyes.

My lower abdomen was still cramping, pang after pang.

Only when I curled up into a ball did it ease a little.

Elmer didn't come back all night.