After Future Call I Filed For Divorce

Chapter 3

The blood drained from my face. I couldn't risk it, not even once.

I grabbed Derek's hand, my voice shaking.

"Don't let my mother leave the house. Don't let her leave!"

Hearing the panic in my voice, he tried to soothe me. He didn't understand, but he called Sabrina anyway.

Before he could say anything, she began crying on the other end.

"Derek, I fell on my way to pick up her mother. A scooter hit me."

He shot to his feet, frowning.

"What happened? I'm coming right now. Send me the address."

He was already heading for the door as he spoke.

Only after he had gone and the door had clicked shut did my racing heart begin to settle.

I rested a hand on my belly and booked two plane tickets for that night. I was taking my mother with me.

I had just finished booking when my mother's number appeared on my phone. For some reason, my heart began pounding again.

I swiped to answer, and a panicked voice came through.

"Monica, your mother's gone. Come home. She had a heart attack, and they couldn't save her."

My mind went blank. The phone slipped from my hand.

How could that be? Wasn't it supposed to be a car accident? Why had she died anyway?

The comments appeared again.

A: [She was supposed to die in a car accident. Maybe it's the butterfly effect. Even the way she dies has changed.]

B: [The other woman is evil. She made up an alibi for the male lead, but she'd already gone to provoke the heroine's mom. She upset her so badly that she had a heart attack.]

Tears were running down my cheeks before I realized it. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

I frantically wiped away my tears, my voice shaking.

"I'll be there right away, Paula. Please wait for me."

The moment I got out of bed, heavy with my pregnancy, an alarm alerted the doctor. The doctor rushed in and ordered me not to move.

I was crying so hard I could barely see.

"My mother's dead! My mother's dead! I have to go to her. I have to bring her back!"

"Your condition isn't stable! You could lose the baby. Have your husband go!"

Only then did I remember Derek. I called him once, then twice, then a third time.

He finally answered on the fifth call.

"Derek, Sabrina did something to my mother. She had a heart attack and died at home. Please go and bring my mother here. Please."

He was silent for a few seconds before he sighed.

"Sabrina had an accident on her way to get your mother. She's still having her injuries treated, and you're still making up lies about her? You're even saying your own mother's dead just to get at her. What kind of person are you? Stay at the hospital and look after the baby. I'll go check on her in a bit."

Then he hung up.

I stared at my phone as tears rolled down my face.

Sudden pain tore through my belly. I collapsed, feeling fluid run between my legs.

Panic gripped me. I tried to calm down, but I couldn't.

The doctor heard the alarm and rushed over. I was wheeled straight into the operating room.

After 30 minutes, I lay numb in bed with my hand on my stomach. I couldn't even cry anymore.

The doctor sighed, looking both sorry and frustrated.

"The pregnancy was already unstable. The emotional shock was too much. You've had a miscarriage."

I closed my eyes. A single tear escaped.

A: [She miscarried? Before the baby was even born? The plot's gone completely off track.]

B: [He and the other woman will be back soon. They don't know yet.]

After reading the comments, I forced myself up and left the hospital against the doctor's wishes.

I wasn't staying there anymore. I was taking my mother away.

Later, I stood at the airport, holding my mother's ashes.

I had two tickets. We were both there.

End of Monica's POV.

*****

Derek returned to the hospital holding Sabrina's hand, still reminding her how to care for her injuries.

He opened the door to an empty room.

Only a divorce agreement lay on the rumpled bed.

When he went closer and saw what it was, his face went white.