CHAPTER 4
870 Words
The moment the door closed I moved.
My hands shot under the pillow, fingers trembling as I pulled out the phone Matthew had hidden there.
“Matthew…” My voice shook as I dialed.
It rang but no answer.
I swallowed hard and called again.
Still nothing.
A third time. Nothing.
My breathing quickened. “Pick up… please pick up…” My fingers trembled so badly I almost dropped the phone.
Panic began to crawl up my chest, tightening around my throat.
What if something happened to him? What if they got him? “No… no, no…” I kept calling. Again.
And again.
And again.
Until my vision blurred with tears.
The phone rang this time.
I picked up immediately.
“Matthew!” I called.
“I’m here,” his voice came, low and slightly rushed.
“I was in the elevator and couldn’t pick up earlier.” My knees weakened with relief as I sank onto the bed “You scared me…”
“I told you,” he said quietly, “they’re watching. I can’t stay on calls for long.” My grip tightened around the phone.
“I don’t like this… I don’t feel safe…” “You’re safe,” he replied immediately. “Just stay calm. I’ll handle everything.” But before I could say anything else–
The door opened. My heart dropped. The head nurse stood at the entrance. Her eyes went straight to the phone in my hand.
“Well…” she said slowly, stepping inside. “What do we have here?”
She moved faster than I expected, snatching the phone from my hand “No—!”.
“This is against hospital policy,” she said flatly. Her fingers moved quickly across her tablet. Tap. Tap. Tap. “You’ve just earned yourself stricter supervision.”
A strange pause hit my heartbeat. “You won’t be getting discharged anytime soon,” she continued calmly.
“In fact, I’ll make sure you complete the remaining six months here.”
“No… please— Matthew!” I cried out instinctively.
From the phone still in her hand, his voice came faint but urgent— “Let me speak to her—” She ignored him completely.
“Stay calm,” his voice came again, sharper this time. “Brenda, don’t panic—”
“Time’s up,” the nurse cut in coldly. She ended the call. Then placed two pills on the table beside me. And a glass of water. “You’ll take these,” she said. Her tone left no room for argument.
She turned and walked out. The moment the door closed— I broke. My body shook as I curled into myself, my hands clutching my stomach. “My baby…” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
Everything felt wrong. Nothing made sense anymore. The room strangely felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too unsafe.
The door opened again. Another nurse stepped in quietly. I didn’t look up. I didn’t care.
“Mrs. Brenda…” Her voice was softer.
I stayed silent. Then she leaned closer. “Your husband is on the line.” I raised my head up.
She slipped a small device into my hand discreetly.
“Matthew…” the words came out uneven. “I’m here,” he replied immediately. “I thought—” I couldn’t finish. “I know,” he said quickly.
“Listen to me. Everything is under control now.” My eyes slowly moved to the pills on the table. “They gave me drugs…” There was a pause. Then his voice turned cold. “Don’t take anything yet.”
“The nurse checked it…” my head throbbed.
“They’re abortion pills.” She said.
“No.” My hand flew to my stomach. “No… no… no…”
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Matthew said firmly. “You have to trust me.”
“I’m scared…”
“I know.”
“I don’t want to lose this baby…”
“You won’t,” he said, softer now. “Just stay calm.
Eat something.
Rest.” “I’ll come for you tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?
That word felt like hope. “O-okay…” The nurse gently took the device back and stepped away without another word.
I sat there for a long time. Just breathing. Trying to calm my racing thoughts. Trying to believe him.
Slowly, my eyes moved to the food he had brought earlier. I hesitated. Then reached for it.
“I should eat…” I whispered softly. “For the baby…”
I opened the container and took a small bite. Then another. The familiar taste grounded me. Then I picked up the drink and took a sip.
The tension in my body slowly eased. A small, tired smile touched my lips. “I’ve been eating so much lately…” I murmured quietly, almost embarrassed.
Carefully, I closed the container and set the rest aside. “For tomorrow.” I lay back slowly on the bed. My hand resting protectively over my stomach.
My breathing finally began to steady. For the first time after Matthew was chased out— I felt safe.
- Writer
