Chapter 2
The light above the delivery room flickered off.
Rachel was rolled out on a stretcher.
Her face was ghostly pale, eyes shut tight, as fragile as a glass doll.
David stood at the door, watching her, his lips quivering.
"Rachel," he whispered, barely a whisper.
Rachel opened her eyes.
She gave him a look.
Then shut them again.
She didn't say a word.
It was as if he was just a stranger to her.
David's heart skipped a beat.
The nurse wheeled Rachel into the ward.
David followed behind.
There were already people inside.
Susan, his mother. And Emily.
Susan spotted him and rushed over.
"David, how is it? Did she have the baby?
"Boy or girl?" she asked eagerly, her eyes shining with excitement.
David paused for a second, a little taken aback.
"Boy," he said.
Susan's face lit up, a wide grin spreading across her lips.
"Great! A boy! That's perfect.
"The Scott family finally has an heir!" she shouted.
Then, she spun around and headed straight for the baby carriage.
The nurse brought the baby over.
He was just a tiny, wrinkled little bundle, fast asleep.
Susan gazed at her grandson, grinning from ear to ear.
"Oh, look at that little nose and those tiny eyes. He's just adorable," she cooed.
"He looks just like David did when he was a kid."
Emily leaned in for a closer look.
"He's so cute," she said, her voice soft with admiration.
Susan grabbed Emily's hand.
"Emily, when are you going to settle down and have a baby yourself?
"Let me set you up with someone nice," she grinned.
Emily's cheeks turned bright red.
"No rush, Mrs. Scott," she replied, a little shy.
The two of them stood by the stroller, gossiping away.
Everyone just ignored Rachel, like she didn't even exist.
Rachel lay in the hospital bed.
She was so weak she couldn't even lift a finger.
She watched everything happening around her in the ward.
Her heart sank, bit by bit.
Cold.
Chilled to the bone.
David stood by the bed, wanting to say something.
"Rachel, are you..." he started, but couldn't finish.
Rachel closed her eyes.
She didn't want to talk to him.
Only then did Susan remember Rachel was there.
"Rachel gave birth to a son. She really earned some credit for the Scott family.
"David, go buy her something to eat later.
"She needs to eat well and rest during her postpartum recovery," she reminded him.
David nodded. "Got it, Mom."
Susan held the baby, not wanting to let go.
"Emily, can you hold him for me? I need to go get the birth certificate," she said.
Emily took the baby.
She handled him gently.
"Mrs. Scott, I've got him. You go ahead and take care of your business," Emily said, her voice gentle and reassuring.
Susan nodded, clearly pleased.
"Emily's always so considerate," she said, approval in her voice.
Then she glanced at Rachel.
That look was saying, "See how sweet she is?"
Rachel lay in bed, tears streaming down her face in silence.
She'd just given birth.
She was so weak she didn't even have the strength to speak.
Her body was still throbbing with pain from the wounds.
But.
Her mother-in-law.
Her husband.
They were all fussing over someone who wasn't even family.
No one cared if she was in pain.
No one asked what she wanted to eat.
They didn't even let her hold her own baby.
When Susan came back after finishing the paperwork, Emily was still holding the baby.
She was cradling him like she'd done it a thousand times before.
"Emily, you're a natural. The second you hold him, he stops crying," Susan said, grinning with pride.
"Rachel, just look at how good Emily is with the baby.
"You should really learn from her."
Rachel opened her mouth, wanting to say something,
but her throat was so dry and sore she couldn't get a single word out.
Emily walked over to the bed, gently cradling the baby in her arms.
"Congratulations, Rachel.
"You've got yourself a big, healthy boy," she said, her smile warm and tender.
Her smile was gentle, almost too considerate.
Rachel stared at her.
She stared at the baby in Emily's arms.
That was her child.
She'd carried him for ten months, gone through all that pain, and brought him into the world.
But, the first arms to hold him weren't hers.
They were Emily's.
Rachel couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
When Emily saw Rachel crying, a flash of discomfort flickered across her face.
"Rachel, what's wrong? Why are you crying?
"Are you feeling sick? Is something hurting?" she asked, sounding gentle but unsure.
David finally seemed to realize what was happening.
"Rachel, what's going on?" he asked, worry written all over his face.
Rachel shut her eyes.
She didn't want to say a word.
She didn't want to look at anyone.
Susan waved her hand, clearly annoyed.
"Come on, every woman has to deal with pain when giving birth.
"Quit making such a fuss.
"When I had David, I was back on my feet and working the very next day.
"Kids these days are just so pampered," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Rachel listened, her chest tightening with every word. She felt completely numb inside.
*****
Later that night, after Susan and Emily left, only Rachel and David remained in the ward.
David sat at her bedside, watching her quietly.
"Rachel, I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and full of regret.
Rachel opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Do you know how long I waited for you on the highway?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
But every word was like a knife, cutting straight through him.
David lowered his head, unable to meet her eyes.
"I... I'm sorry.
"But Emily she was all alone..." he tried to explain, his voice weak.
"Enough," Rachel cut him off, her voice cold and sharp.
"Do you know I almost died right there on the highway?
"Me and the baby—we almost lost both of us."
David's face went pale.
"I... I had no idea it would get this serious..." he stammered, his voice shaking.
Rachel let out a bitter laugh.
Her tears streamed down her face as she laughed.
"You didn't know.
"Of course you didn't.
"Because you never cared," she said, her words cutting through him like a knife.
David opened his mouth to say something, but Rachel had already turned away.
She refused to look at him.
David sat in the chair, silent for a long time.
Finally, he stood up.
"Get some rest. I... I'll go get you something to eat," he said, his voice hesitant and low.
With that, he left.
The ward door closed behind him.
Rachel lay alone in the hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Tears streamed down her face in silence.
She remembered what David had just said. "Emily's just a girl..."
So.
Just because Emily was waiting for him at the rest stop, he thought it was okay to leave me stranded on the highway.
At that moment, Rachel's heart finally broke.