TOO LATE TO BEG, EX-HUSBAND

After three long years of trying I was finally pregnant with Jack’s baby I held the report in my hand while sitting alone in the restaurant where we were supposed to celebrate our anniversary Jack still hadn’t arrived. The candles had almost burned out When I checked my phone it was already 9 pm two hours past the time we planned to meet I called him again and again before he finally answered. “My love are you coming? The food’s getting cold.” I said softly. “I can’t talk right now Mia.” Jack’s voice sounded annoyed “Something happened at the office and I’m trying to deal with it You need to stop being so needy.” “But Jack it’s our…” I started but the line went dead before I could finish. I tucked a twenty dollar bill beneath my water glass picked up my bag and walked out into the cold night My stomach felt full but I hurried toward the bus stop I just wanted to get away. If Jack was working so hard to save his company the least I could do was understand him and support him When he got home from work I would show him the report It could change everything Jack would be the happiest man on earth He would pull me into a hug and say “My sweetheart God has finally answered our prayers.” Maybe then he wouldn’t be angry all the time. The bus ride took twenty minutes My hands stayed over my belly keeping it safe from the bumps in the road When I got off at our street the front windows of our house were open Jack had told me he was at the office so I wondered why the windows were open I reached the house and reached into my pocket for the key The door stood open I slowly pushed it wider and stepped inside quietly Jack’s briefcase rested beside the couch and his blue tie lay nearby on the floor Honestly the whole place felt wrong. Then I heard laughter coming from inside I knew that laugh immediately It was the same laugh I had heard in our house when my dad brought home his new wife and her daughter Nina. My heart slammed against my ribs My legs felt heavy but I forced myself up the stairs At the end of the hall the bedroom door stood slightly open. I reached the door and pushed it open. Jack sat on the edge of our bed his shirt hanging open Nina sat on his lap her long hair falling over his shoulder She wore the silk robe my husband had given me for my last birthday My husband’s hands rested on her waist and he was wearing that warm smile the one he hadn’t given me in more than a year. Nina looked up Her brown eyes met mine and she gave me an ugly smile She didn’t try to hide Instead she rested her head against Jack’s chest and dragged her nails down his arm “Well look who finally came home from her sad little dinner” Nina said rubbing her cheek along his chin “You were always so slow to figure things out Mia.” Jack turned toward me He didn’t look frightened or even sorry He only looked irritated Jack lifted Nina from his lap stood and fixed his shirt “You lied to me” I said My voice barely sounded like mine “You told me you were at work.” “Work is boring” Nina said She twirled a strand of hair around her finger “He was with me He’s been with me for six months Mia Every time he said he was working late he was actually at my apartment You honestly thought he wanted someone quiet and boring like you.” I wanted to scream at him I wanted to grab something and throw it at them But my chest had tightened so badly that I could barely breathe I stood there staring at the man I loved standing beside my stepsister “Let’s not make a scene Mia” Jack said as he reached into his back pocket He pulled out a white folder and dropped it onto the bed “It’s over I’m tired of hiding the woman I love from you Your family doesn’t want you and you add nothing to my life I want a divorce.” Nina walked to the bed and took a pen from her bag She held it out to me “The lawyers prepared everything last week” she said “Sign it now and Jack and I can leave for Florida tomorrow Unless you’d rather stay here and cry like a baby?” “Sign the paper Mia and leave the house keys on the table” Jack said “You can take your clothes but that’s all I’m not giving you a single dollar.” I studied Jack’s face searching for the boy who used to buy me hot chocolate back in school There was nothing His eyes were cold and unrecognizable I wouldn’t give either of them the satisfaction of seeing me cry My trembling hand steadied Jack had no right to know about the baby This child was mine and mine alone. I snatched the pen from Nina’s hand so quickly that she gasped I pulled the top sheet from the folder and signed my name on it I slid the wedding ring from my finger and dropped it onto the paper “Keep the house” I said meeting Jack’s stare “Keep everything.” Before either of them could answer I turned and left the bedroom I hurried down the stairs pushed open the front door and walked into the rain I kept moving along the wet street Cold water ran down my face mixing with the heat in my cheeks After a moment I reached into my coat and pulled out my old phone The screen was cracked and I had stopped using it two years earlier after Jack told me to leave my past behind I held down the power button The screen came on Only one number remained in the contacts I hadn’t called it in five years not since the fight that drove me away to be with Jack My thumb moved to the call button I pressed it and raised the phone to my ear A deep voice answered It sounded older now “Grandfather” I said my voice trembling “I’m coming home.” There was silence for a few seconds Then I heard a cane tap against the floor “My princess” I could hear the smile in my grandfather’s voice “The Moretti family has been waiting for you.”