Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

114. The wait

I stare at the doctor as if I’m a damn idiot who can’t comprehend what he just said. In my defense, his words didn’t register wholly with me. He was asking me to choose between Ava and her baby. Does he know how difficult that is?

“Mr. Woods, time is of the essence. We need to know your decision,” he all but begs.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. I try again, and the same thing fucking happens.

“Mr. Woods?” the nurse calls, concern in her voice.

“The baby,” Letty’s soft voice suddenly says, breaking the silence. “Save the baby, if it comes down to it.”

The doctor and nurse nod their heads before rushing back to the ER. I turn to face Letty with mixed feelings waging war inside me.

My look must have communicated something because she hardens her eyes in defiance before speaking.

“Don’t look at me like that, Rowan. This is what Ava would have wanted,” she says through gritted teeth.

Corrine comes to the defense of her friend.

“She’s right. Ava would have picked her baby over herself any day, any time. If we picked her over the child, she would have hated us.

I deflate after she voices what I was thinking just a few minutes ago. I know she’s right, but that doesn’t take away the heaviness I feel in my heart.

I would never wish her baby harm. All I pray right now is that it doesn’t come down to that. I hope that

both of them make it. Ava deserves to know happiness, and her baby deserves to live.

I resume my seat and wait. It killed me to wait, but what choice do I have? I’m not a doctor, so I can’t

really help her. All I can do is continue praying.

I don’t remember the last time I prayed. Probably when I was still a kid in Sunday school. Right now, I’m willing to pray to anyone who’ll listen and answer my request. If it was possible to trade places with her,

even if it meant that

to live her life, then I would do it. I would sacrifice everything I have right now just to see her scowling or glaring at me.

“It’s my fault.”

the voice to find

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I told myself I’d call her after i got out of work. I should have just

arms as she continues to

wasn’t your fault, Letty. You

so I asked her if we could postpone. If only I’d gone with her. Maybe I could have done something to prevent her from getting hurt.” She had her arms

see the love for their friend shining through their eyes. They haven’t known

The only one responsible is

right now won’t help. We need to focus on Ava and the baby. We should

prayers for them,” my

anything. I just focus on the emergency room,

waiting. The worrying. The

That she and the baby were out of danger. That

lining. For a kind of

to stay away. Their souls weren’t his to claim. Not now. It

it be when they’ve both barely begun

didn’t see the glass wall in front of her?” Letty says

smile.

“Yeah. She hit it right in

but she couldn’t stop laughing about

There was just something about it that rubbed

and forced

how cute he is. We tried signaling to her that

not until the man cleared his voice,”

on her face.

was mortified. She begged us to leave because she couldn’t face him

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that place again,”

+15 BONUS

the others, there probably weren’t any good memories. After all, they’d

of them.