Chapter 2 - JUST WAIT A MINUTE
The first contraction woke Sarah before sunrise.
By seven, the pain was regular.
By eight, she could no longer pretend it was false labor.
Daniel was downstairs when she stepped into the entrance hallway, one hand under her belly and the other gripping the wall.
“Daniel.”
He looked up.
Another contraction hit hard.
Sarah doubled over beside the open front door, clutching her belly so suddenly that Daniel dropped his coffee and snatched the car keys from the console.
“DANIEL, THE BABY’S COMING!”
He rushed to her, caught her arm, and started guiding her toward the driveway.
Then Ashley appeared deeper in the hallway.
Pink bathrobe. Slippers. Damp towel over one shoulder.
She raised one hand.
“WAIT FOR ME—I NEED TO WASH MY HAIR.”
Daniel stopped.
Sarah thought he had misunderstood.
Then another contraction seized her. She gripped the doorframe, fighting to stay upright.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”
Daniel looked from his wife to Ashley.
Ashley stood there as casually as if they were deciding where to have brunch.
Daniel lowered the keys.
“JUST WAIT A MINUTE.”
Something inside Sarah changed.
Not broke.
Changed.
Ashley touched her hair and turned back toward the hallway.
Sarah grabbed Daniel’s arm.
“WE NEED TO GO NOW!”
He still did not move.
Ashley glanced over her shoulder.
“I WON’T TAKE LONG.”
Sarah stared at Daniel until the pain passed.
Then she released his arm.
She reached into the side pocket of the hospital bag and pulled out her phone.
Daniel frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Sarah did not answer him.
She called Megan, her older sister, who lived twelve minutes away.
Megan picked up on the second ring.
Sarah spoke calmly.
“I’m in labor. Come get me.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“Sarah, don’t be dramatic.”
That sentence made the decision for her.
Twelve minutes later, Megan’s SUV stopped in front of the house.
Sarah climbed in without looking back.
Daniel stood in the doorway, keys still in his hand.
Ashley was nowhere in sight.
At the hospital, Megan helped Sarah through intake.
A nurse asked where the baby’s father was.
Sarah swallowed.
“He had something else to do.”
Three hours later, Daniel finally texted.
ON MY WAY.
Sarah looked at the timestamp.
Then another message appeared.
It was not from Daniel.
It was from the home security system.
May you like
FRONT DOOR LOCKED — USER: ASHLEY MONROE.
Sarah had never given Ashley access to the house.
