Chapter 6 - The Night Jason Vanished
I stared at the photograph until Ethan took the phone from my hand.
“You’re pregnant. Sit down.”
“I’m pregnant, not made of glass.”
“Humor me.”
He called Ashley.
Within minutes, we learned that Jason had disappeared after leaving a counseling appointment downtown.
Police had found his car near Lady Bird Lake.
The blood turned out to be from a cut on his hand.
No evidence of violence.
No kidnapping.
No crime.
Then Ethan noticed something in the photograph.
A parking receipt.
Twenty miles outside Austin.
Ashley recognized the location.
Jason's father's old cabin.
We found him there that evening.
Not because I wanted to rescue my ex-husband.
Because Ashley was eight months pregnant and terrified.
Jason sat on the porch with his hand bandaged.
He looked at us and almost laughed.
“Of course she called you.”
Ashley marched toward him.
“You scared me half to death!”
“I needed space.”
“You abandoned your car with blood inside!”
“I cut my hand.”
“Normal people use phones, Jason!”
For perhaps the first time, he didn't fight back.
“I’m sorry.”
Ashley stopped.
That word sounded strange coming from him.
Jason looked at me.
“Why are you here?”
“For Ashley.”
He nodded.
Fair enough.
Then his eyes moved to my stomach.
I wasn't showing.
Still, something in my face must have told him.
“You’re pregnant.”
Ashley turned.
“What?”
Ethan smiled.
I nodded.
Ashley hugged me immediately.
Jason remained still.
Five children.
The universe apparently had a vicious sense of irony.
But instead of anger, Jason lowered his head.
“Congratulations.”
And he meant it.
That surprised me more than anything.
Two weeks later, Ashley went into labor.
Jason called Ethan.
Not me.
He was panicking.
Ethan talked him through the drive to the hospital and stayed on the phone until they arrived.
Their daughter, Grace Carter, was born at 4:13 a.m.
Jason sent one photograph.
A tiny baby asleep against his chest.
Underneath, he wrote:
I understand now.
I didn't ask what he meant.
Maybe he finally understood that a child wasn't an achievement.
Maybe he understood that love couldn't be demanded.
Or maybe he simply understood how small you become when someone places an entire life in your hands.
Whatever it was, Jason changed.
Not overnight.
Real change rarely works that way.
He attended therapy.
He apologized to Ashley without asking her to take him back.
He apologized to my parents.
He even wrote a letter to me.
I didn't answer.
I didn't need to.
Six months later, Ashley decided to give their marriage another chance, but with separate homes and counseling first.
I respected her decision.
It wasn't mine to judge.
Meanwhile, my pregnancy progressed beautifully.
Our fifth child was a girl.
Ethan cried when we found out.
“You wanted a daughter?”
“No.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“Because she's going to have four older brothers, and I already feel sorry for every boy she dates.”
I laughed until the ultrasound technician told us to stop moving.
We named her Emma.
But life wasn't finished surprising us.
When I was seven months pregnant, Ethan received an invitation.
A wedding.
His younger sister Claire was marrying her longtime boyfriend at an estate outside Austin.
I looked at the venue photograph.
My stomach turned.
“What?”
Ethan asked.
“I've been there.”
The Carter family owned the neighboring property.
Jason would almost certainly be invited through overlapping business connections.
Ethan understood immediately.
“We don't have to go.”
“No.”
I smiled.
“We're going.”
The wedding took place at sunset.
I wore a deep emerald maternity gown.
Ethan wore gray.
Our four boys, now walking with the terrifying confidence of tiny drunk businessmen, wore matching suspenders.
Emma kicked constantly.
Everything felt peaceful.
Then we arrived.
And there was Jason.
Ashley stood beside him holding Grace.
For a second, the past and present collided.
Jason looked at my stomach.
Then at Ethan.
Then at the four boys.
He smiled.
A real smile.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Ashley hugged me.
Grace reached for my necklace.
Our sons immediately became fascinated by her.
It should have been awkward.
Somehow, it wasn't.
Then Jason said something unexpected.
“I owe Ethan an apology.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
“For calling you ‘some doctor.’”
Ethan considered this.
“I've survived worse.”
Jason almost smiled.
“I also owe you thanks.”
“For?”
“Being the husband I should have been.”
The words hung between us.
Ethan glanced at me.
Then answered carefully.
“I’m not competing with your past, Jason.”
Jason nodded.
“I know.”
That was when I finally believed he might actually be changing.
The wedding ceremony began.
Golden sunlight poured across the garden.
Our boys sat between Ethan and me.
For approximately forty-seven seconds.
Then Theo escaped.
He ran straight down the aisle.
Everyone laughed.
Miles followed.
Then Noah.
Then Oliver.
Four tiny boys stormed toward the altar while Ethan and I scrambled after them.
The photographer kept shooting.
Guests were laughing.
The bride was laughing.
Even Jason was laughing.
And as I stood beneath the sunset with Ethan holding my hand and four little boys circling our legs, something inside me finally settled.
This was no revenge fantasy.
It was simply my life.
And it was beautiful.
Then I felt a sharp pain.
I stopped.
Ethan noticed immediately.
“Olivia?”
Another pain.
Warm liquid ran down my leg.
His eyes widened.
“You're only thirty-four weeks.”
“I know.”
May you like
The garden erupted into movement.
And suddenly my happy ending seemed terrifyingly far away.
