Chapter 3 - The LaptopThe only thing that suddenly seemed suspicious in hindsight was his laptop. For weeks, he had been staying awake late at night in the kitchen. Whenever I asked what he was doing, he said, "Baby budget stuff." One night I walked in for water and caught him shutting the laptop too quickly.
"You okay?"
"Just numbers," he said. "You know me."
And I did know him. Or at least I thought I did. So I had dismissed it. Now I wasn't so sure.
I looked down at my sleeping son. We had already chosen his name. Owen. We picked it weeks earlier, after my grandfather — the man who helped raise me after my father disappeared from our lives. Emmett had loved it. He'd repeated it across the kitchen table. "Owen." Like he was testing how it sounded. Like he was making a promise.
And now, suddenly, he wanted me to leave the name line blank.
I reached for my phone. My hands were still shaking from labor. I dropped it once against the blanket before finally finding his contact. I called. Four rings. Voicemail.
"Emmett, where are you? Please call me."
I tried again. Nothing. Then again. Still nothing. By the fourth call, I stopped leaving messages.
A soft knock came from the door. Nurse Odalys stepped inside carrying paperwork. "Whenever you're ready, we can get the baby's information filled in. No rush."
I looked at the clipboard. "My husband stepped out. Can we wait a little?"
May you like
She gave me a curious look but nodded. "Of course." She left the forms on the tray and walked away.
The blank line for the baby's name seemed suddenly enormous.
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