Chapter 6
The air in the hospital room went heavy all at once.
The nurse, face flushed with embarrassment, hugged the chart to her chest and made a quick escape. Suddenly, it was just Esme and Liam–him standing in the doorway, their eyes meeting and neither of them looking away.
“Are you still mad about the blood test?” Liam asked, sounding like he finally got it. He stepped closer, reaching out to touch her face. “It was life or death, Esme. I didn’t have a
choice.”
Esme turned away, dodging his hand. His fingers hovered awkwardly in the air for a second before he let them drop.
“When this all settles down,” he said, his voice softer now, “let’s finally take that trip to the mountains. Just us. What do you think?”
She closed her eyes, too tired to answer.
He waited, but when she kept quiet, he tried again. “Do you know when you’ll be discharged?”
Something felt off. Esme opened her eyes and looked at him. “Why? What is it?”
Liam hesitated, then admitted, “Joy’s been craving your yam and pork rib soup… Nobody else makes it right. I just can’t trust anyone but you.”
She froze. For a second, every emotion she’d kept down crashed over her anger, heartbreak, disbelief, even a little bit of dark humor. She wanted to ask him: What am I to you, really? Your wife, or Joy’s personal chef?
But in the end, all she said was, “Okay. When I’m home, I’ll make some and have it sent
over.”
His eyes lit up. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. “Esme, you’re always so understanding.”
She barely felt the kiss, numb inside. Of course she was understanding. So understanding that even after being hurt–her ribs broken by his lover–she still had to get up and make soup for the woman who hurt her.
“I just want her baby to be born safe,” she said quietly.
For the first time, Liam seemed to sense something was wrong. He frowned. “I thought you… weren’t happy about that baby before.”
She gave him a twisted little smile. “Not anymore.”
Because now, all she wanted was for their family, such as it was, to stay whole. No one missing, not even one.
1/2
–יונה
Chapter 6
He looked at her for a long time, like he was trying to read her mind, but in the end he just checked his watch and stood up. “Joy needs her meds. I’ll come see you later.”
The door clicked shut. Esme slowly lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Out of nowhere, she laughed.
Liam didn’t come back for five whole days.
When Esme was finally discharged, she went home, kept her promise, and cooked the soup. She told the driver to take it to the hospital.
Then she started packing–passport, documents, a few of her favorite clothes.
Their photo was still on the nightstand. She looked at it for a long moment, then turned it face down.
On the sixth night, Liam finally came home. Joy wasn’t with him.
“Joy didn’t come back with you?” Esme asked without thinking.
Liam looked at her, eyes deep and searching. “She’s still at the hospital, resting.”
“That long? She still isn’t discharged?” Esme frowned.
He just nodded, then stepped closer. “Actually, it’s good she’s not here. Esme, I promised you a trip to the mountains. Everything’s set. Let’s go now.‘
Before she could react, Liam grabbed her wrist, already leading her toward the door.
His grip was tight–almost too tight. Esme stumbled after him, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach.
His expression was strange, eyes cold, like there was a sheet of ice between them.
The car ride was silent. Uncomfortably so.
Liam held the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.
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