Chapter 5: The Person Who Called

The fertility clinic receptionist sounded nervous.

“I’m sorry to disturb you during your honeymoon.””

Michael held the phone.

“This is about my wife?””

“Yes.””

I sat up.

“What happened?””

The receptionist continued.

“We received a request regarding your records.””

My stomach tightened.

“What request?””

“A cancellation request.””

The room went silent.

Michael looked at me.

“Cancellation?””

The receptionist paused.

“Someone contacted us asking to stop future appointments.””

My hands went cold.

“Who?””

“I can’t release personal information over the phone.””

Michael looked at me.

“But you know who contacted you?””

Another pause.

“Yes.””

I whispered.

“Who?””

The receptionist hesitated.

Then she said:

“The person identified herself as Beverly.””

I closed my eyes.

Of course.

Of course it was her.

After the call ended, I sat completely still.

Michael didn’t speak immediately.

He knew me well enough.

He knew I needed a moment.

“She tried to cancel our plans,” I said.

Michael nodded.

“She wanted control.””

I looked at him.

“Why?””

That was the question I couldn’t escape.

Why?

Why expose me?

Why interfere with our future?

Why try to destroy something she wasn’t part of?

Michael reached for my hand.

“We’re going to find out.””

The next day, Beverly came to our house.

Not apologized.

Not angry.

Just confident.

Like she was arriving for a meeting she scheduled.

“I know you’re upset.””

I stared at her.

“That’s what you came to say?””

She sighed.

“You’re making this bigger than it is.””

Michael stepped beside me.

“You attempted to interfere with medical decisions that don’t belong to you.””

Beverly looked at him.

“I was protecting Elaine.””

“From what?””

She didn’t answer.

That silence told me more than any explanation.

I stepped forward.

“You don’t get to decide what kind of life I deserve.””

Her expression softened.

Almost.

Then it disappeared.

“You really don’t understand.””

“Understand what?””

She looked at me.

“You think Michael loves you enough that nothing can change.””

The words hit me.

Because beneath everything else, that was what this was about.

Fear.

Doubt.

She wanted me to question whether I was enough.

Michael’s face became unreadable.

“Beverly.””

She looked at him.

“You should ask her why she never told you the whole truth.””

My heart stopped.

“What?””

Beverly smiled.

Not kindly.

“You don’t know everything.””

Michael looked at me.

I felt the world tilt.

Because suddenly, after everything Beverly had done, she was trying to create one final doubt.

“Elaine?””

I opened my mouth.

But before I could answer, Beverly placed a small envelope on the table.

“What is that?”” I asked.

She walked toward the door.

“Something your doctor should have told you.””

Michael grabbed the envelope.

Beverly paused.

Then she said:

“You’re angry at me because I told people Elaine might not be able to have children.””

She looked directly at me.

“But you never asked yourself why she never told you what happened after the surgery.””

The door closed behind her.

Michael opened the envelope.

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And inside was a medical document with my name on it.

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