Chapter 3
I took a cab straight to my parents' house.
"I'm getting an abortion," I said.
As soon as the words left my mouth, my mom slapped me hard across the face.
She shot up from her seat, her voice shaking with anger.
She snapped, "Have you no shame? You've already had two abortions for a man, and now you're pregnant again, and you still want to get rid of it?
"Do you think your uterus is made of steel? I'm telling you, if you get another abortion, you'll never be able to have kids again. No man wants a woman who can't have children."
I was momentarily dazed.
Cora had also lost her ability to have children, yet Carlos still loved her.
The unloved were always unloved.
The loved were always loved.
My mom was about to say something else when the doorbell rang.
Carlos arrived with a bouquet of flowers, his voice gentle.
"Mr. and Mrs. Overton, I'm here to see Brynn," he said.
My mom's expression changed in a flash as she ushered Carlos in, treating him like he was her favorite child.
My parents held traditional views. Although they had provided me with everything I needed growing up, they still expected me to marry a wealthy man.
Carlos might have gone out on his own and lived pretty simply, but he still had the Herrera Group behind him.
Whenever Carlos and I argued, it was always my parents who stepped in and kept us together.
My mom said, "Oh, Carlos, you must have a tough time looking after Brynn.
"She's so dramatic and always moody. She must have been a handful for you, right?"
Carlos had a faint smile on his lips.
"Brynn can be a little stubborn, but I can handle it," he said.
My parents kept nagging me alongside Carlos, then handed my suitcase right over to him.
"If you two have problems, go home and deal with them yourselves. Brynn, don't come running back here every time something happens. We don't welcome you," my mom said.
The door slammed shut behind us.
I turned around, and Carlos was grinning at me.
"I'm giving you one last shot to make up with me. I'll forget everything that's happened before," Carlos said.
"If I make up with you, will you divorce Cora?" I asked.
Carlos's eyes darkened.
"Don't make everything about Cora. Look, you—" he started.
But before he could finish, I cut him off with a cold laugh.
I said, "I'm kidding. Even if you divorced Cora, I'd still dump you.
"These ten years with you? I must've been cursed."
Carlos's face darkened as he strode over and grabbed my wrist.
He said, "Brynn, have you had enough?
"You've dragged all this drama to your parents' place. Isn't that enough?"
I didn't even bother to respond. I yanked my hand out of his grip, intending to leave.
Carlos sighed behind me, sounding defeated.
He said, "Whatever. You're upset right now, and I don't feel like arguing. Take some time to calm down.
"Cora asked why you haven't added her on WhatsApp yet. Add her when you get back.
"She's pretty sensitive and doesn't take harsh words. So watch what you say to her."
I ignored him and hopped into my Uber.
*****
When I got home, I headed straight to my bedroom and got rid of everything that had anything to do with Carlos.
I even threw out all the stuff we bought as a couple and got brand new ones instead.
After I left Carlos's things down in the building lobby, the apartment felt so much emptier.
After I changed the door code, my phone buzzed. Cora sent me a friend request on WhatsApp.
Cora: [Brynn, it's my birthday tomorrow. Will you come to my party?
[Carlos and I will both be there.]
My hand was shaking as I held my phone.
Tomorrow was my birthday, too.
But in ten years, Carlos had never once celebrated my birthday with me.