You Broke Me First

Chapter 1 - Loss

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Bentley. We did everything we could,” The Doctor spoke out,

“No, don't tell me that,” Lara whispered, shaking her head,

Her trembling hands flew to her belly,

Not again! Not another miscarriage for God's sake!

“This is the sixth time already—When will it end?!” Her voice cracked, eyes flooding with tears,

“Tell me…What exactly is wrong with me?” She stumbled backward, choking on her own sobs,

The Doctor rushed to her side, holding her back in place before she could hit the tiled floor,

“I'm so sorry, Mrs Bentley,” He said, patting her back as her body began to shake with uncontrollable sobs,

Minutes later,

Lara gripped her purse like it was the last thing holding her together as she trudged out of the hospital.

Everything The Doctor had said to her after began to replay in her head,

“Your womb is healthy, Mrs. Bentley. But your body… rejects it. We've done all we can,”

Now in her car, Lara's fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel,

Just words. Cold, cruel words.

“We can only take it out,” The Doctor had added, like it was nothing. Like that part of her hadn't carried six dreams she never got to hold.

She remained in her car in silence—dreading going back to the home that would only add to her misery,

With a long, shaky breath, she started the engine of her car and finally drove off,

***

Meanwhile, back in the hospital,

A sophisticated-looking lady with red sunglasses walked into the Doctor's office Lara had walked out of,

“So…” She began, taking a seat without waiting for an invitation, “How did it go?”

The Doctor, Gary, shook his head with a tiny hiss, “For how long does this have to go on?”

The lady threw her head back in an irritated groan, “Ugh…Don't start,”

Gary stood up abruptly, “Irene, I could lose my license if anyone finds out about this,” His voice rose,

Irene scoffed, taking off her sunglasses,

“No one will know unless you talk, Uncle,” She spat dryly, “Quit being a wimp!”

“Remember you have a lot to benefit if I get married to Ray. Or do you no longer wish to run your own hospital?” She asked with a piercing glare,

Gary said nothing. He slowly sat back down,

“But …this is her sixth miscarriage already…” He spoke up seconds later, keeping his tone as calm as possible,

“She keeps asking what's wrong. And I keep giving her answers that aren't real. Six times, Irene. Six. It's taking too long,”

“I know…” Irene frowned, standing to her feet,

“I thought Ray would have divorced her already. I didn't know he loved her this much,” She snorted, staring out through the window,

Gary watched as she pulled a cigarette from her purse and lit it,

“I think I have to double up my game now. I'm sick and tired of still seeing her around Ray,” She scowled, puffing out a cloud of smoke,

Just then her phone began to ring,

The scowl on her face deepened as she reached for it, “What?!”

“I'm sorry to bother you Ma…” A timid voice echoed from the other end of the line,

“Speak up!” Irene snapped with annoyance,

“Should—Should I put the substance in Mrs. Bentley's food today?” The lady stuttered nervously,

Irene strolled back to her seat, crossing one leg over the other,

“Yes. Don't stop until I say so,” She professed nonchalantly, puffing out another cloud of smoke in Gary's direction.

He flinched but said nothing.

“Do your job right, Carol,” Irene commanded before ending the call,

“Such a low life,” She muttered irritatedly, leaning on the seat and closing her eyes shut, the cigarette resting between her lips again,

She stayed that way for a few seconds before abruptly sitting up again,

She picked up her phone and dialed a number, “Hey Colin, I have a deal for you,”

***

Lara arrived at the house about an hour later,

She stayed in her car for minutes, head filled with thoughts—Until a knock on the window jolted her back to life,

A smile spread across her face on seeing her favorite person, Carol.

Lara stepped out of the car immediately,

“You've been in there for a while. Are you okay?” Carol asked tenderly, caressing Lara's cheek as she often did,

Lara's smile grew wider, “Now that I have seen you…I think I am,” She leaned into Carol's arms, a familiar place that felt like that of her late Mother's,

“Oh, look who it is…” A voice broke out behind them, shattering the peace,

Lara pulled away from the hug,

Her eyes narrowed with displeasure when they rested on Colin, her husband's obnoxious big brother, and the family's biggest mistake.

“What is he doing here?” Lara asked quietly, her eyes fixed on him as he staggered towards them,

Of course, he was drunk. Typical of him.

“It's his birthday today,” Carol answered,

Before Lara could respond to that, Colin's usual nickname of her echoed in the air,

“My brother's incomplete wife!”

“Do not call me that!” Lara raged, fists tightly clenched together,

But the moment Colin stepped in front of her—Her anger turned to fear,

“What did you say, b***h?!” He spat at her face, his breath reeking of alcohol,

Lara and Carol took a step back, their faces turned pale,

Just at that moment, a car pulled into the driveway,

Colin moved away, already knowing who it belonged to,

Lara's husband, Ray, stepped out in a tailored suit, a calm but edgy expression on his face,

Lara's chest tightened the moment she saw him,

‘Her husband’—So she should feel safe now, but instead she felt more alone than ever,

Her eyes met his with a soft flicker of hope but he looked away just as quickly, positioning his gaze on his brother instead,

“Let's go in,” He said to him and walked away as if he never saw her.