Hollis and I were both a wonderful couple, even with hiccups that happened at his office building because of the receptionist, but thank God it did not ruin our meal or plans to spend time as a family. I stared at the back seat of the car where both kids were sleeping peacefully after enjoying a whole day with their dad, feeling grateful for the quality time we were able to spend together. The kids looked so peaceful and content; it made me smile knowing they had such a great day with their dad. “What are you thinking?” Hollis asked, driving us home, breaking the silence. I turned to him with a smile and said, “Just how lucky we are to have this time together as a family.” Hollis turned his face as I said, giving me a warm smile, “It’s like this before; you came and changed everything for the better.” His words make my heart swell with happiness. I can’t be so lucky to find such a loving and appreciative man like him. “You look cute when you smile. But you should not be all so angry
Sun rays streak through the window, shining directly into my eyes, causing me to squint as I reach for the blinds to block out the blinding light. I turn my head to my side and see the beauty hiding her face in my chest; her peaceful expression is a stark contrast to the brightness of the morning. The warmth of her body against mine brings a sense of comfort and contentment, making me grateful for this moment of quiet intimacy. I slide my finger on her soft, silky skin, tracing patterns on her arm as I breathe in the scent of her hair, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. The world outside may be chaotic, but in this moment, everything feels perfect and serene. “Hmmm...” Hailey groans softly, her eyes fluttering open as she stretches lazily. “Good morning,” she murmurs, her voice husky with sleep. I smile, planting my lips on her forehead before whispering, “Good morning, my love.” Hailey’s eyes meet mine, filled with warmth and affection as she snuggles closer. The morning light
I stare at the full-length mirror, taking in the image of my little baby bump, feeling a mix of excitement and wonder at the new life growing inside me. I can’t help but smile at the thought of all the changes that are yet to come. I brush my hand over my stomach, feeling a sense of connection with the tiny being inside me. It’s amazing how something so small can already bring so much joy and anticipation into my life. “How are you doing, my little baba?” I whisper softly, feeling a surge of love and protectiveness toward the life blossoming within me as I feel a gentle kick in response. “Are you answering me?” And at my words, another kick comes, filling me with even more joy and anticipation in my life. I giggled excitedly, feeling overwhelmed by the realization that I was going to be a mother. When two big palms wrap around my bare belly, I look up to see my Hollis smiling down at me, his eyes shining with happiness and love. “What are you doing here, my love?” he asks, his voice
I groaned loudly as I opened my eyes, staring at my sorrow. The bright light was making my eyes water and my head pound with pain. “Where the fuck am I?” I thought so myself, taking a look around the room, noticing the sterile white walls and unfamiliar medical equipment scattered about and my hand attached to an IV drip. Panic began to set in as I realized I had no memory of how I ended up there, and the beeping of machines nearby only added to my confusion. “Fuck...” I crushed, clutching my head as I tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing I remembered was drinking in a bar with my thoughts full of Hailey, but now I was in a hospital room with no recollection of how I got there. The door of the room suddenly swung open, revealing a nurse who rushed in with a concerned look on her face. “You’re awake,” she said softly. “Good morning. You were found unconscious in an alley last night. We need to run some tests to make sure you’re okay,” she said, staring at the cli
Hailey and I went home directly after her routine checkup and ultrasound. The baby seems healthy and fine, but we were hoping for a gender reveal today, but the baby wasn’t cooperating.“Hollis,” Hailey asked as I was driving to the home.“Hmmm,” I reply, squeezing her cheek gently.“Do you really have to go?” Her voice came out as a whisper.“What do you mean, my love?” I asked, not understanding her implication.I turned my head to Hailey, who was staring at me with pleading eyes. “The dinner party is tonight; you know they don’t like me?” She said, and I know what she means because the old and the new can be heaving at times. All of them only knew how to make snide comments and judge others. It’s exhausting to constantly be on edge around them.“I will not force you if you don’t want to go,” I said with my focus on the road. “But it will be good to have you by my side and in my arms. You are my comfort and my safe haven.” I said it truthfully. “But if you’re not ready, I understand.
I emptied my stomach for the fifth time today, and I still feel sick.“Hailey, maybe I should call the doctor?” Hollis said as he was holding my hair, another nauseous wave hit me. I shook my head weakly, holding his hand tight. “I am fine; it is just because I am pregnant and my body is adjusting to the changes. I’ll be okay; just give me a minute.” I tried to reassure Hollis, but the nausea was overwhelming. After a few minutes, I finally managed to sit up and take a deep breath, hoping the worst had passed. “I think I just need to rest for a bit,” I said, closing my eyes as Hollis carried me inside the room from the bathroom. He laid me down gently on the bed, placing a cool cloth on my forehead. “I’ll stay with you until you feel better,” he whispered softly, his concern evident in his eyes.“Drink some water and try to relax,” he suggested, sitting beside me. I nodded weakly as I placed the cold water of water on my lips and took a few sips, feeling the refreshing liquid soothe m
My whole body is shaking furiously, and I can’t seem to calm down. I feel like my heart is racing a mile a minute, and I can’t catch my breath.He is here; he is back; he found me. I can feel the panic rising in my chest, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty. Every fiber of my being is on high alert, ready to fight or flee at a moment’s notice.The smile of the grim reaper is etched on his face, sending chills down my spine. I know he will do nothing to get me back under his control. I can’t let that happen.The pain, the trauma, and the memories flood back in an overwhelming wave, threatening to consume me. “Hailey...” I heard his voice in my mind, making me shudder. I must find a way to break free from his grasp once and for all. The smirk on his face tells me he enjoys seeing me suffer, gripping my heart with fear.“Hailey...” I heard him again, his voice sending chills down my spine. I close my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of dread that h
I stare at Hailey, who is sleeping on the bed peacefully, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The soft glow of the bedside lamp casts a warm light on her peaceful face, and I can’t help but feel grateful for this moment of tranquility.She has been so stressed the whole day today, and seeing her finally able to relax brings me a sense of relief. I gently brush a strand of hair away from her face, hoping she can feel my love and support, even in her dreams.I sat beside her on the couch, staring at the peaceful expression on her face as I drank a strong liquor to ease my own nerves. The flavor tingles my tongue with a sharp bitterness that matches the ache in my chest.I stare at the glass with liquid swirling inside, wishing I could find the same sense of calm that she had found in her slumber. The weight of the day’s events settles heavily on my shoulders. Seeing Hailey in pain—the trauma that she endured is still fresh in my mind. I take another sip, hoping the alcohol
Hollis couldn’t breathe.The weight of his guilt pressed down on him, suffocating him with every breath he tried to take. His chest felt tight, as if the air had turned thick and heavy, and no matter how deeply he inhaled, it wasn’t enough. His hands trembled, clenching into fists at his sides, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. It was as if his body was betraying him, revealing the truth he couldn’t escape.The words he had spoken still lingered in the room, each syllable like a stone in his chest. "I killed her."He wanted to look away from the reflection of his misery in the window, but it was too much. His vision blurred, and his heart ached with a rawness that felt endless. He had spent so long trying to bury it—the guilt, the pain, the truth. He’d told himself that if he just kept moving and kept putting one foot in front of the other, it would eventually fade. But it didn’t. It never would.His voice cracked, hoarse from the strain of holding back tears. “I thought... I thought if
Hollis couldn’t breathe. He leaned against the doorframe, his chest tight, his breath shallow, like he was drowning in a sea of guilt that was rising faster than he could ever hope to escape.The weight of the words hung between them—"I killed her."His eyes burned as they blurred with tears that never seemed to fall. But the ache—the unbearable, unshakable ache deep in his chest—never went away. He had thought if he buried it enough, maybe he wouldn’t feel it. If he didn’t look too closely at the truth, maybe he could pretend that he wasn’t a monster. That he didn’t have blood on his hands.But that was all he ever felt now—the blood. The guilt that wrapped around him like a noose. And no matter how much he tried to push it away, no matter how hard he tried to keep his distance from everyone, especially his children, the truth was there. It was always there.His voice cracked as he forced himself to speak again, though every word was a struggle, like he was choking on his own guilt.
****Hailey****The air in the house was suffocating, pressing in from all sides like a heavy weight on my chest. I hadn’t expected to feel like this. I hadn’t expected anything, really. Hollis had walked out, leaving behind nothing but the echo of his words that hung in the air like a storm cloud. And I knew, in the pit of my stomach, that something had broken. But it wasn’t just my heart.It was everything.I sank into the couch, clutching a pillow to my chest, as if it could somehow shield me from the storm swirling inside me. Every breath felt shallow, every thought like it was coated in the sharp sting of the past few hours. What had just happened? What had I learned? Hollis’s grandfather—his presence had been like a blade, cutting through the walls I’d built around myself, leaving me exposed and raw. His words still echoed in my mind, cutting deeper with each passing second. And then that smile. That knowing, cold smile.It wasn’t just what he said. It was how he made me feel—lik
****Hailey****The air was thick with tension as I stood frozen in the doorway. The man on the porch didn’t belong in this world of warm lights and soft edges. His presence felt sharp, jagged, and entirely unwelcome.Hollis’s grandfather.He stood there, tall and unyielding, his sharp features chiseled with an air of authority that made my chest tighten. His piercing eyes swept over me with something too calculating to be mere curiosity.“Hailey,” he said, my name rolling off his tongue like a dark promise. “We need to talk."The words lodged in my throat as Hollis stepped in front of me, his broad shoulders blocking the older man from my view. The tension in his body was palpable, coiling like a spring about to snap.“You’re not welcome here,” Hollis growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine.The older man chuckled, a sound that seemed to carry years of malice. “Is that any way to greet your family, boy?"“You’re not my family,” Hollis spat, his words cutting l
*****Hailey****The car hummed softly beneath us, the road slipping by in a blur of lights and shadows. My mind was still foggy from the meds, exhaustion dragging me under, but as we left the hospital behind, everything felt too sharp, too real. I was going home. But nothing about this home felt like it did before.Hollis sat beside me, his hand barely touching mine but enough to ground me. He hadn’t said much since we left the hospital. His silence was a weight that sat heavy between us, but I didn’t need him to speak. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was—about the life that had been torn apart, about the cracks we couldn’t fix. The questions that had no answers yet.The drive felt endless, the world outside blending together in a haze, like I was stuck in two worlds at once—one that nearly destroyed me and the one I was supposed to return to. I wasn’t the same person who’d left, and neither was he. Neither were his kids.When we finally pulled into the driveway, I could feel
****Hollis****The room was quiet—almost too quiet—except for the steady beep of the heart monitor beside the bed. It felt like the world outside had stopped, leaving just the two of us in this small, sterile space. Hailey was asleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath, but there was still a hint of tension in her face. I could see it, even in her sleep—the weight of everything that had happened, the unspoken pain that clung to her like a shadow. I couldn’t stop looking at her, though. Every time I thought about what she’d been through, it made something inside me tighten. This room had become both a sanctuary and a prison. In a way, I didn’t want it to end. But I knew it had to. She was about to be discharged. And that meant everything would be real again. Real in a way I wasn’t ready for. Lying with her in this small hospital bed, I wished I could freeze time and protect her from the world outside these walls. But I knew she was strong enough to face whatever came next
*****Hollis*****The hospital room was heavy, suffocating with silence that cut sharper than any scream. Hailey hadn’t spoken much since the day we lost everything. She stayed curled on her side, her back to me, staring at the wall like it held answers to questions she couldn’t voice.I sat beside her bed, my elbows resting on my knees, watching her. I didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t respond even if I did. But the weight in her eyes, the sharp edges of grief and rage, were deafening.Finally, she stirred, her voice breaking the quiet.“He did this."I straightened in my chair, her words slicing through the thick air between us.“Ben,” she said, her voice trembling with anger that barely held back the tears. “He took everything from me. My baby. My peace. Everything I fought to rebuild."Her hands clenched the blanket so tightly that her knuckles went white. When she turned her head to face me, the look in her eyes hit me like a freight train.“I hate him,” she hissed. “I hate that I
***Hailey****The room was suffocating, every breath tinged with the sterile sting of antiseptic, every corner thick with the oppressive weight of loss. I couldn’t seem to escape the constant hum of the machines, the feeling that time was moving, but I was stuck, suspended in a moment that stretched on forever. But then, a small voice cut through the quiet, a voice that always made my heart race with love.“Mommy?”It wasn’t just the sound of her voice that broke the stillness, but the urgency, the concern, the love. I snapped my head toward the door, and there she was—Summer. My little girl, her face framed by the doorway, her big brown eyes wide with worry. She was so small, yet she carried the weight of the world in those eyes. And right behind her, waddling with all the grace of a two-year-old, was Max, holding onto her hand like he didn’t quite know what was going on but was determined to follow her anyway.Summer’s eyes found mine instantly, and without a moment’s hesitation, sh
*****Hollis*****The soft click of the hospital door closing behind us barely registered in my mind. Hailey was sitting there, the pale hospital gown draped over her, her once vibrant eyes now dulled by grief and exhaustion. I couldn’t bear to see her like this, broken in a way that words could never quite describe. The pain that etched itself into her face, the way her body trembled as if it were carrying the weight of a thousand storms—it shattered me.I sat beside her, my heart aching at every flicker of emotion that passed across her face. She didn’t want the soup, I could tell. Her body, still recovering from the trauma, wasn’t ready to take in anything, but I needed her to eat. She needed to feel some kind of comfort, something to counter the all-consuming grief that had taken over. But I knew better than to push too hard. Hailey was not the kind of woman who could be forced into anything, especially when she was struggling like this.“Just one more spoonful,” I coaxed softly, t