CHAPTER5
983 Words
Lighthouse Club was one of the most expensive bars in the city of New York. Only the wealthy elites were usually seen inside the bar. It has its grand entrance flanked by soaring Corinthian columns that seemed to beckon only the most privileged souls.
Inside, the atmosphere was the exact definition of extravagance. Plush leather chairs and chaise lounges were perfectly arranged where the city’s elite mingled effortlessly, clinking crystal glasses filled with rare vintages.
Carter was seated with his two elite friends – Mr. Antonio Lopez, the founder of Lopez Pharmaceuticals, and Mr. Marcus Freeman who owned the Lighthouse Club and many other Clubs scattered within and outside the city.
On their table were bottles of expensive whiskeys and bespoke cocktails. Antonio grabbed his glass and poured himself some whiskey, took a sip, and sat back in his seat. Lopez did the same, but with a cocktail – his favorite. Carter sat in the middle, looking perplexed.
His friends noticed his unfriendly mood and were worried. Antonio gulped the remaining whiskey in the glass, returned the glass to the table, and took a deep breath, releasing a thick smell of the alcohol from his breath. He turned to Carter. “Hey, man, why do you look like one whose wife just abandoned? Are you all right?”
Carter didn’t utter a word but stared at him blankly.
“C’mon man, you gat to talk to someone,” he added, “We’re here for each other, aren’t we?”
The slow music playing in the background was doing its magic in the heads of everyone seated. Marcus nodded his head in affirmation. He took a sip from his glass and returned it to the table. “You’re not even drinking, a whole almighty Carter that we know? Not drinking? Something must be wrong. Talk to us, man.”
“Okay, let me guess, family issue?” Marcus said, his eyebrows narrowed in expectation. Carter immediately turned to face him but still didn’t utter a word; rather, he gave a sad smile. He now, moved to the edge of his seat to pour himself a drink.
“I think you’re right,” Antonio concurred, stretching his glass of whiskey towards Marcus as if making a toast. “You know my wife told me she met Emily at the hospital a few days ago for some medical checkups. One of her results proved she was pregnant. I’m happy for you, man.” He concluded, turning to Carter who was already gripped by the shock of the unexpected news.
Antonio’s wife was a staff nurse at the Springs Hospital where Emily had checked in a few days ago to confirm the status of her pregnancy. She was the one who conducted the tests and presented her the results after congratulating her.
Marcus was beaming a wide smile. He almost smashed the glass of whiskey in his hand to the floor in the spirit of celebration for his friend who was going to be a father.
“Are you sure of what you just said now?” Carter asked, facing Antonio, the corners of his mouth turned downwards, brows stretched out wide, buried in the deep of the unexpected news.
“Of course, I am,” Antonio retorted, feeling uneasy at his friend’s mood.
Both of them expected him to be happy at such good news. They were very surprised seeing that he was just getting to find out about it from them.
Like an intoxicating rush, Carter swung on his fit and dashed out of the bar, straight to his car, and zoomed off.
“Are you sure our friend here is not beginning to run mad?” Marcus asked, pointing towards the door in a gesture, his lips wide apart in shock at the drama.
“How can she be carrying a child for me? I can’t have a child with a woman I don’t love, never! She needs to remove it. But how come she never talked about it? Wait, could that be what she wanted to tell me in bed last night?”
The questions clouded his mind as he rode home. He tried to wave them off to concentrate on the road.
On getting home, everywhere was as quiet as a deserted house. Only two of his housemaids were in the house, but the one person whose presence added more meaning to the house was gone.
“Where is my wife?” he asked the housemaid who just ran out of her room to welcome him.
Wife? The one you just divorced?
“Mrs. Collins left the house early this morning with all her belongings,” the maid said with her head bent to the ground – a sign of respect.
“Is she pregnant?” Carter interrupted the young lady as she was about to say something.
Her eyebrows narrowed, shifting left and right in confusion. How could she have known that? That wasn’t any part of her business after all. “I uhm…I don’t think so,” she stammered.
“She also left that envelope for you.” She concluded, pointing at the brown envelope on top of the center table.
Carter recognized the envelope. That was the divorce papers. He had already penned his signature. He grabbed it and moved the papers out a bit to behold Emily’s artistic signature resting on their appropriate positions.
Beside the envelope, on the table was something that pierced through his heart like a sharp arrow. Below the same piece of paper where he wrote earlier asking her to get emergency contraceptive pills were boldly written:
“Now I know better. Farewell, dear ex-husband.”
Caught in the quiet moment, Carter transcended into a deep thought. Could it be true that she’s pregnant? Could it be that she’s just putting up the story with the doctor to tie me down here with her?
- Writer
