The papers

When Zara opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the white ceiling above her head.

She tried to turn, but couldn’t, and that was when she noticed the drip connected to her left hand.

She tried to recall what happened and the last thing she could remember was yelling her husband’s name before she passed out. And upon waking up, she found herself in the hospital dressed in a blue long gown.

The pain in her abdomen had subdued, but it was still there. She was weak, but her body felt lighter than before, like something heavy had been taken off her.

Her eyes were at the verge of closing, when someone walked into the ward.

The white coat worn by the lady and the stethoscope around her neck gave an hint of who she was.

Zara fought back the drowsiness and tried to sit upright but couldn’t, the doctor had to help her.

“How are you feeling, ma?” The lady asked.

“I don’t know.” She replied, her voice unusually low. “My stomach hurts.”

She noticed how the doctor’s eyes averted when she said that.

“You need to rest. I’ll be back to check on you.” The doctor instructed.

Something was off, and Zara noticed it. “I just told you my stomach hurts and you aren’t going to do anything about it?”

The doctor took a deep breath, “You went through a CS, and the pain you feel is from the stitch.” She explained.

Zara’s brows creased, her forehead forming wrinkles. “A CS?” She was perplexed. “What happened to me?”

“You had some contradictions and in order to save your life, we had to undergo a CS.” The doctor informed, resistance hinting at her tone.

“Contradictions? What about my baby?” Zara asked, expectantly.

The doctor didn’t reply, her gaze dilated to the floor.

Zara shook her head, unable to believe it was what she was thinking. “My baby is safe, right? Please tell me she is…” She broke down in tears.

The doctor rushed to her, holding her shoulders. “Please ma, don’t cry. It isn’t advisable for your condition.”

Zara pushed the hands off her shoulders and held contact with the doctor’s gaze. “Why didn’t you save my child? Why?”

Tears flowed down her cheeks. It was just too painful for her to endure.

First it was her husband cheating on her, now this? It was as if all her problems converged and decided to break out same day.

This was the seventh month of her pregnancy and she’d gotten all the baby things in preparation for the birth of the child. She had settled for a name to call the baby girl, only to hear that she lost the child.

It was devastating, and as she cried, she felt her soul leaving her body. She was too weak, and probably needed to rest. But no one would rest after losing a child they’ve mentally prepared for.

She felt her heart clenching, she couldn’t breath properly.

The ECG monitor began beeping loudly, and doctor’s gaze shifted quickly, accessing the situation of the monitor.

Zara grabbed her chest, and before she was able to say a word to the doctor, she passed out.

*******

It was two weeks after the tragic incident and it was finally the day she would be discharged from the hospital.

The doctors and nurses who treated Zara kept wondering if she didn’t have any family or friends, cause no one came to visit her at the hospital, not even Felix.

He visited the hospital when she woke up after passing out, and ever since that day, she hadn’t set her eyes on him.

Even after his confession, Zara expected him to show up, to at least pretend to care about the loss of the child if not her. To her disappointment, he didn’t visit her, not even for once.

She blinked when the doctor called her name. She was at the doctor’s office, ready to get prescriptions before going home.

They spoke for quite some minutes and the last thing the doctor said that got her attention was that,

“Do not get pregnant for now, please.”

“Why is that?” She was curious. “Is it about my health issues?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then why did…”

“You’ve been officially discharged, Mrs Zara. Please sign here.” The doctor cuts her off, knowingly changing the topic.

Zara noticed it, but she didn’t bulge. After all, she didn’t care about the doctor’s opinion.

“Make sure you get the drugs I prescribed.” The doctor said after everything was done.

“Thank you so much.” Zara said as she stood up, ready to go.

The doctor flashed her a smile. “Please be careful.”

*****

When Zara got home, she met Felix in the living room, watching a movie.

She ignored his presence and walked to the bedroom, going to take a bath.

When she got to the room, she found a paper and a pen on the bed.

Her brows raised questioningly as she picked the paper up.

From the first line, she already knew what it was. She didn’t bother to read further, she dropped the paper on the bed and dashed into the bathroom.

She needed to take a cold bath before thinking of anything else.

As the water from the shower poured on her hair, her eyes shut willingly, enjoying the coolness.

“Do not do this, Zara, you’ll regret it.” Two years ago, her best friend had warned her, but being blinded by love, she thought the girl didn’t want her to be happy.

She ignored all the warnings and didn’t show up at the church. She took her credits card and eloped to London with Felix.

Fortunately for her, before her card got blocked, she had already purchased some important things they’d be needing.

She sponsored her wedding with Felix, gave him money to buy the house they lived in, and opened a small supermarket with the one left.

Things were going fine for them, she was with the man she loved and they were married, only to find out few weeks ago that it was a one sided love.

And the man pretended to like her all because of her family’s status.

She let out a sigh and tied a towel around her body. When she got out of the bathroom, she met Felix there.

“Didn’t you see this?” He asked, swingling the papers.

“I’m not blind.” She replied, walking past him to go get her clothes from the wardrobe.

“Then why haven’t you signed it?” Now that Felix had nothing to gain from Zara, he didn’t want anything to do with her.

He agreed to elope with her thinking she still had access to all her cards and all, but he was disappointed when he found out her father had all her cards blocked after she ran away.

He endured living with someone he didn’t love, waiting for her family to call her back and approve of their marriage, so he could enjoy Zara’s wealth for a while and dump her later.

The day never came, and now he was fed up. Fortunately for him, Zara lost the pregnancy, and now there was nothing linking them together anymore.

“You do realize you won’t have anywhere to stay, right?” Zara turned to him, holding the dress she’d settled for.

Felix’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “It’s the other way round, darling.”

Zara chuckled dryly. “I bought this house, and if I sign the divorce papers, I want you out of my house.” Her tone was firm, and for some reason, Felix wasn’t expecting that.

He thought she’d cry and beg him after seeing the divorce papers, but none of those were happening.

“I guess you’re forgetting something.” He covered the distance between them, and raised her chin up to meet his gaze.

“You paid for it, but it was bought under my name.”

When he said that, realization suddenly dawned on Zara.

She pushed his hand off her chin and moved backward. “A lot of dumb things I did for love.”

“Sign the papers.” Felix urged.

She noticed the urgency in his voice, and she couldn’t help but wonder why he was desperate for her to sign the divorce papers.

She snatched the paper from his hand, and just when he thought she was about to sign it, she ripped it off and threw the pieces on his face.

“I was the one who initiated the marriage, I’ll also be the one to initiate the divorce. Listen, Felix, we aren’t getting divorced, until I say so.”