Chapter 5 - THE RING CAME OFF
Ben came to Claire’s apartment five days after the hospital.
Natalie almost refused to see him.
Then decided she wanted one conversation with no hallway, no nurses, no shock.
Claire stayed in the kitchen.
Ben sat across from Natalie in the living room.
He looked exhausted.
Good.
Natalie placed the engagement ring on the coffee table.
Ben stared at it.
“Please don’t.”
“You already ended this.”
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary.”
He looked down.
“I was scared.”
“So you lied to Sophie.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You told her I didn’t want our baby.”
His face crumpled.
“I know.”
“You let her believe I was cold so you could feel less guilty about cheating.”
He started crying.
Natalie did not.
Not yet.
Then she asked:
“Why didn’t you tell me about the blood pressure follow-up?”
Ben looked confused.
“What?”
“The nurse called you.”
His expression changed.
There.
A second too late.
“You knew.”
“I forgot.”
Natalie stared at him.
“You forgot?”
“I had a lot going on.”
“Our baby.”
“Natalie—”
“You were having an affair and forgot to tell me my doctor wanted to see me.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“No?”
Ben stood.
“I’m not responsible for the miscarriage.”
Natalie stood too.
“I didn’t say you were.”
He stopped.
That distinction mattered.
She continued.
“The doctor says you didn’t cause it.”
Ben exhaled.
Relief.
Natalie saw it.
And hated him more for needing it before he understood anything else.
“You didn’t cause our baby to die,” she said. “But you made sure I went through the pregnancy while living inside lies.”
Ben reached for the ring.
Natalie moved it away.
“No.”
His face broke.
“What happens now?”
Natalie looked at him.
“You learn that losing a baby doesn’t obligate me to keep the man who betrayed me.”
May you like
Then she opened the door.
“Goodbye, Ben.”
