3: 3
Hildegarde and Cliff both changed color at the same moment.
Then Cliff snatched the photo up and slammed it down on the coffee table.
"You get pregnant and suddenly you're impossible? If you don't want the baby, then stop staring at it!"
"Hildegarde was only trying to cheer you up. Is that a crime now?"
I wanted to fight back. I opened my mouth and found I couldn't put a single sentence together.
For as long as I could remember, whenever I was wronged or pushed around, Hildegarde was the one who stood up for me.
Then I fell in love, and Cliff took over that place from her.
Countless times I'd thanked heaven for how lucky I was, that I got to have both of them at once.
And these were the two people who could betray me at the same time.
Hildegarde came over and put an arm around my shoulders,
pushing Cliff back with her other hand.
"All right, all right, why are you being so harsh?"
"Star's still pregnant. What if you scare my goddaughter?"
Cliff let out a sigh, easy as breathing.
"You're right, I spoke badly."
"But sweetheart, you shouldn't throw Hildegarde's kindness and mine back at us like this."
"The mole was probably a glitch in the AI. A coding error."
Another wave of nausea hit me. I shook off Hildegarde's hand and rushed to the bathroom to throw up.
When I finished I was almost too weak to stand.
Hildegarde went pattering off for water, hurried back to hand it to me with little steps, her other hand rubbing my back.
I rinsed, spat, and lifted my eyes to look at her.
Her lovely, delicate face was drawn tight, and the ache flickering in her eyes didn't look faked.
Once she saw me steady, she breathed out in relief and helped me over to sit on the couch.
Half joking, she said,
"Being pregnant is such misery. Cliff, that dog of a man, really isn't worth it."
"No. He isn't."
I leaned back against the couch, turned my face toward her, and spoke in earnest.
"For as long as I can remember, you've been the best to me."
"Whatever you want, just tell me. I'm slow, but I'd give it to you even if it killed me."
Hildegarde looked away, thrown.
"You awful girl, why are you getting all sentimental on me?"
Cliff raised both hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine, it's all my fault, the dog who isn't worth it."
"I'll cook myself later to make it up to you. Two princesses, do me the honor."
After dinner we each went back to our rooms.
Hildegarde had said the two of us were closest, so my marital home had to keep a room for her too.
At the time I'd nodded hard, wheedling and coaxing Cliff until he gave her the guest room with the best light.
Looking at it now, there'd never been any need for me to beg like that.
Cliff went to shower in the master bathroom.
Listening to the water running, I walked over to the clothes he'd taken off.
There was a faint lipstick mark on the chest of his white shirt,
but I hadn't worn makeup since I got pregnant.
I pushed the shirt aside and picked up his phone. The lock screen was the photo from the day we got our marriage license.
I thought for a second, typed in Hildegarde's birthday as the password, and it opened.
【Hildegarde: Let's set the wedding for that lucky day Star picked. Also, I bought new lingerie 】
【Cliff: Sounds good. I'll come see it at your place tonight.】
My vision started to blur again. I quickly pinched my palm to keep myself steady.
Erica Simmons, this time you have to fight for yourself.
I scanned the code to log the iPad into the messaging app, then set the phone back where it was.
Cliff came out of the shower, crouched down carefully, and rubbed stretch-mark oil and moisturizer into my belly.
"Sweetheart, Lawrence asked me to cover a shift for him. Take good care of yourself here at home."
My nails dug into my palm. "Is it really covering a shift? Can't you not go, and stay home with me and the baby?"
Cliff stood and ruffled my hair.
"Not even born yet and you're already using the kid to box me in? I've got real work to do. Don't be unreasonable."
He gave my forehead a perfunctory kiss and left without looking back.
A few minutes later, Hildegarde nudged the door open and poked her head in.
"Star, honey, this fine lady has a date to get to. I'll come see you and my goddaughter tomorrow."
My heart was already bleeding, but my hands didn't stop. I messaged the lawyer.
"I want to file for divorce. What documents do I need to prepare?"
……
