Page 13 of My Destiny
“Yes. Your wife had an ectopic pregnancy.”
“Ectopic?” I ask, perplexed. That word is unfamiliar to me.
“Do you know what a fallopian tube is?”
“Not really,” I say, feeling foolish. Sure, I’ve heard of it, and recall that it has something to do with the female reproductive system, but I have no clue what it actually is or does. I like to think I’m an expert on the exterior of a woman’s body, but my mastery stops there unfortunately.
“Would you like me to explain?”
“Please.” I feel stupid for even saying that, but none of this makes sense to me. I’m not married, and having children of my own isn’t something I’ve thought about at this stage in my life.
“Without getting too technical, women are born with two fallopian tubes. Basically, they’re the carriageway by which the fertilised egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. In a normal pregnancy, the fertilised egg implants itself into the lining of the womb where the foetus will develop and continue to grow over the coming months. But in some instances—around one in every hundred pregnancies—the egg doesn’t make it to the uterus. In your wife’s case, the egg implanted itself outside the womb, in one of her fallopian tubes, which resulted in what we refer to as an ectopic pregnancy.”
“I see,” I say.
“Her fallopian tube ruptured, causing extensive bleeding. We had no choice but to operate.”
“To stop the bleeding?” I ask.
“Yes. We also had to remove one of her tubes. The damage caused by the rupture was extensive. It was unrepairable, so removing it was the only way we could stem the bleeding. She’s very lucky you got her to hospital as quick as you did.” I sit there in silence because I don’t know what to say. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Johnston, but her other fallopian tube is still healthy so I have no reason to believe you can’t try for a family again in the future.” I nod, giving the doctor a tight smile because I’m now feeling like a cad for impersonating her husband. The person who should be on the receiving end of the doctor’s sympathy is Brooke, but I’m grateful to hear she can still become a mother one day if that’s what she wants.
I exhale a large breath. “Can I see her?” I’m not sure if she’d even want to see me under the circumstances—we’re practically strangers—but it feels imperative that I do. At the very least, I’d like to let her know I’m here for her if she needs me.
“She’s still in recovery, but she should be moved to a room in about an hour or so. We’ll be keeping her in for a few days for observation, but I can have one of the nurses take you there, where you can wait for her.”
“I’d appreciate that, thank you.”
“No problem at all.”
He stands, and I do the same, extending my hand to him. “Thank you for everything you did for… umm… her.” She’s not my wife, and I already feel guilty for misleading him.
“You’re welcome. If you’d like to wait here you can. I’ll have one of the nurses come and get you once your wife’s been allocated a room.
CHAPTER SIX
Brooke
I feel numb as the orderly wheels me down the long corridor towards the room I’ll be staying in. I’d like to be going home—I hate hospitals since I practically lived at one during my mother’s last days—but I’m not even sure where home is anymore. It’s definitely not with Jake.
When I close my eyes, the despair takes over and I fight back tears, tears for my baby and for the end of my marriage. Jake can make all the excuses in the world, but there’s no way I can forgive him. I saw his betrayal with my own eyes, and to say it gutted me would be an understatement. All those late nights he’s been putting in suddenly make sense. Trust is everything in a marriage, and without that, what is there?
The doctor informed me he’d spoken with my husband, and that he’s waiting to see me. I’m going to ask him to leave; I have enough to deal with right now. I can’t believe he had the gall to even show up here.
I wasn’t even aware that I was pregnant, and I think that’s what devastates me the most. At least if I’d known, even for the shortest time, I could’ve loved and been thankful for the tiny life that had been growing inside me.
Some people may say losing the baby is a godsend, given the current state of my relationship with Jake, but my mother raised me on her own. Though it would be difficult at times, like her, I would’ve managed. I have so much love inside me, and I now have no one to share it with.
My eyes remain closed even after my arrival in the room. I know I need to face Jake, but I just need a moment to gather my composure. I hear the orderly close the curtains around my bed, followed by the scuffing sound of his shoes against the linoleum floor as he leaves. I wait for Jake to approach the bed, but the minutes pass and all I get is silence. Slowly opening my eyes, I scan the space around me. Has he left? Maybe he ran back to that woman to seek comfort. Just the thought of that breaks my shattered heart a little further.
Imagine my surprise when, instead of Jake, I find his boss—Hot Stuff—fast asleep on a chair in the far corner of the room. I stare at him for the longest time. His hair is slightly dishevelled, and the sleeves of his once-crisp dress shirt are now crinkled and rolled up around his elbows. He’s slumped in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs slightly apart. He looks extremely uncomfortable, but in this moment, he still manages to make my heart flutter.What is he doing here?
He stirs in his seat, and I quickly turn my head before closing my eyes like a coward. I clench them a little tighter when I hear the curtain draw back slightly. Is that Jake? Is he back? Someone fusses around the bed before grabbing hold of my wrist. My eyes fly open and I see a middle-aged nurse standing beside me.
“Oh, you’re awake,” she says in a quiet voice. “How are you feeling?”
“A little tired. And sore,” I reply.
“I’m just going to check your vitals, then I’ll grab you something for the pain.”
