Before he could finish, Charlie's crying turned shrill. "Daddy! That's mine! You ordered it for me!"
Embarrassment flickered across James's face, quickly masked. "I'll get you something even better later."
"NO! You can't give away my things!"
Charlie charged at me, shoving me with all his strength. Caught off guard, I crashed to the floor. The box flew from my hands.
"Give it back!"
My pupils contracted. Despair clawed at my throat as I watched Charlie snatch the box and sprint to the end of the corridor. With one vicious motion, he hurled it down the garbage disposal chute.
I lunged after it like a woman possessed, but James seized me, his grip iron-tight.
"Enough! It's just a box! Were you going to hit Charlie? That piece of trash belongs in the garbage! Now apologize to Charlie and Delia!"
The commotion drew hospital staff. My attending physician rushed over.
James latched onto this like a weapon. "Your doctor's here. Do you really want to keep embarrassing yourself?"
"Linda, I'm telling you now—I will never accompany you to another prenatal checkup!"
"And once you give birth, that child is mine. You'll never see him again!"