The Fight
363 Words
At first, Sebastian seemed genuinely excited. He attended the first ultrasound appointment with her, marveling at the tiny heartbeat on the screen. But as the pregnancy progressed, his enthusiasm waned.
The Late Nights: Sebastian started coming home later than usual, often muttering excuses about work. When Aurora asked if he could cut back, he waved her off. “You know how demanding the business is,” he said. “I’m doing this for us—for the baby.”
Missed Appointments: Aurora found herself attending doctor’s visits alone, sitting in waiting rooms surrounded by smiling couples. She told herself Sebastian was just busy, but each missed appointment felt like a crack in their already fragile bond.
One evening, as Aurora sat in the nursery painting clouds on the walls, her phone buzzed with a message from Sebastian: “Working late. Don’t wait up.”
She stared at the screen, her brush hovering midair. The walls around her felt suffocating, the silence of the house too loud. Was this how it was going to be?
Aurora couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer. When Sebastian finally came home that night, she was waiting for him in the living room, her arms crossed over her growing belly.
“We need to talk,” she said, her voice tight.
Sebastian sighed, shrugging off his jacket. “Can it wait? It’s been a long day.”
“No, it can’t,” she snapped. “Sebastian, you’re not here. I’m doing this alone.”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s not fair. I’m working my ass off to make sure our family is taken care of.”
“I don’t need your money, Sebastian. I need you,” she shot back, her voice trembling with emotion. “I need you to show up, to be present. This baby isn’t just my responsibility—it’s ours.”
For a moment, he looked at her as if he wanted to argue, but then his shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “You’re right. I’ve been distant. I’ll do better.”
Aurora wanted to believe him, but his apology felt like a Band-Aid over a wound that needed stitches.
- Writer
