His response was indifferent, absent. He barely seemed to hear me.
It wasn’t until a long silence passed that he finally looked up. His smile faded, replaced by his usual cold expression.
"The hospital? What happened to you?"
I thought of the child I lost, the tiny life that had slipped away.
But the words wouldn’t come out.
Seeing my indifferent expression, Hugo uncharacteristically took the initiative to explain.
"The reply on Facebook… Jasper took my phone and…"
Before he could finish, Ava suddenly rushed in and threw herself into his arms.
"Hugo, my room’s lightbulb is broken. It’s so dark, I’m really scared."
He held her gently, his voice soft with reassurance.
"Don’t be afraid. I’ll change it for you."
He glanced at me, his lips parting as if to explain.
But seeing that, for once, I did not react; he only said, "I’ll be right back."
That right back lasted the entire night.
If it were before, I would have thrown a fit, screamed at him, and demanded answers.
But tonight, I slept soundly without him.
Lying in bed, a dull ache spread through my lower abdomen.
"How could you be so careless? After everything you went through for this child, was it easy?"