3: 3
Who would have guessed what these two people in front of me really were.
One was the husband I'd been married to for ten years.
The other was the best friend I'd known since we were kids.
I laughed at myself, and all at once none of it seemed worth anything.
I didn't say another word to them. I turned and went back to the bedroom.
If Jayden wouldn't divorce me, then I'd just find a lawyer myself.
Right before we fell asleep, Jayden sighed and wrapped his arms around me from behind.
"All right, honey, don't be angry anymore."
"I'll take out the trash from now on, okay? Just don't say that word 'divorce' again."
Was he really going to change?
Just as I was about to speak, he added, "Oh, right, honey."
"I'm thinking of being Spencer's godfather. A five-year-old with no dad, it's really too pitiful."
"Don't read into it! The thing is, you have no idea how happy he gets every time he sees me..."
Spencer was Kay's kid.
I broke free of his arms all at once, unable to believe it. "What did you say?"
"You're going to be his godfather? Then what about our baby?"
What about this baby of ours, not even born yet?
Jayden had never once laid a gentle hand on my belly.
Never once spoken a single word to the child inside me.
I'd told myself he just wasn't ready to be a father yet.
Only now did I understand. It turned out there was room in his eyes and his heart for no one but Kay.
Even Kay's son mattered more to him than our own child.
Watching him sit there in silence, I felt my heart drop into a pit of ice.
Ten years of marriage, and it was all a joke.
That night we slept on our own sides, not a word between us.
Around noon the next day, Alison came to my place.
She had a cake in her hands, and she smiled at me. "Come on, don't be upset. I just got a little worked up yesterday."
"It's your birthday today. Let's all have lunch together and celebrate!"
She dragged me off to a restaurant.
Jayden had already ordered a whole table of the dishes I loved.
They sat on either side of me and wished me a happy birthday.
Until Kay showed up.
And I knew right then that my birthday, for this year, was over.
She'd barely sat down before she announced, "I've got some good news for you all."
"I'm pregnant."
Her eyes were red with excitement as she pulled out the prenatal test report.
The words were barely out before Alison and Jayden had moved over to sit beside her.
"Congratulations!"
"We have to celebrate for you."
"Oh, and we've even got a cake right here."
Alison set my birthday cake down in front of her sister.
Once the candles were lit, Jayden said, "Hurry, make a wish! Here's to a healthy baby!"
Kay closed her eyes and pressed her palms together.
The candles went out, and they all clapped together.
And me, I sat in the corner and watched the warm little scene of them.
I'd gotten used to it long ago.
Because in ten years of birthdays, I had never once eaten a birthday cake, never once blown out a candle.
Every year on my birthday, Kay would show up with her good news to share.
The flowers she'd planted had finally bloomed.
The shop she liked had opened.
She'd managed to snag the outfit she wanted.
No matter how small the good news, they'd celebrate it for her.
And my birthday cake, without a single exception, would become the cake for her celebration.
I just hadn't expected that this year Kay's good news wouldn't be some trivial little thing.
"Who's the father?"
