Meanwhile, my mother-in-law, Melanie, was out playing mahjong every day, expecting me to take care of her when she returned home.
This only strengthened my resolve to take care of myself.
During this time, I called my husband to discuss it, but he was probably too busy, as he hung up shortly after I started.
Feeling lonely, I looked at my phone, which was still buzzing, and stroked my growing belly.
Melanie didn't see me for a few days and seemed to sense something was off; she called me directly. "Nina, you've gotten bold. Where have you been for the past few days?"
"Mom, I'm renting a small place outside, and I have a nanny taking care of me. Don't worry."
Melanie's tone was fierce; if I had been in front of her, I would have probably been torn to shreds. "What?! You rented a place on your own? How much is that costing? You better come back, or don't even think about coming back!"