The knife had cut deep into my shoulder, and the pain was unbearable. Cold sweat drenched my back as the agony set in. I tried to focus, but everything around me felt hazy and distant.
I needed comfort. Just a little bit. I needed someone to show they cared.
So, I called Tom.
“Tom, I’m at the hospital. You need to come right now.”
“What’s going on? I’m working overtime,” his voice snapped, impatient. The background noise didn’t sound like an office—it was a bustling restaurant.
“I was attacked. Someone stabbed me. There’s blood everywhere, and it hurts so much. Please, just come.”
My voice cracked as I said it. Hearing the desperation in myself made the tears come, and I couldn’t hold them back anymore.
But his response cut deeper than the knife had.
“Lauren, can you stop joking around? You’re at home all day—who would just show up and stab you? You’re forty years old. Can you stop being so childish?”
I could hardly believe what I was hearing.
“I’m not joking!” I screamed, my voice breaking. “This is real! I’m in the hospital right now!”
But to him, it sounded like nothing more than one of my “tantrums.”
“Look, I get it. You’re still upset about your birthday, and how we didn’t celebrate with you. But making up a story like this is too much. I’m tired, Lauren. If you keep this up, I don’t think our marriage is going to last.”
I felt the words hit me like a slap. I couldn’t respond. I didn’t have the strength left to fight for him anymore.
“Fine,” I whispered, voice hollow. “Forget it. Pretend I didn’t call. Go back to work.”
And just like that, he hung up.
I stood frozen, the phone slipping from my fingers. I dialed Max’s number next, hoping for something, anything, to break through.
“Max, sweetie, it’s Mom. I’m in the hospital. Can you—”
Before I could finish, Max cut me off, his voice dripping with annoyance.
“Dad told me you made up some crazy story about getting stabbed. I didn’t believe him, but wow, you really went there. Mom, can you just stop? Just leave us alone, please!”
“What? Wait. You’re with Dad? Isn’t he supposed to be working overtime?”
But Max didn’t respond. The call ended with a click.
I was drowning, completely alone in a world that felt cold and indifferent.
Then something caught my eye. My hands shook as I opened Rachel’s social media profile.
Sure enough, there it was—a new video. She was all done up, pouting playfully at the camera. Behind her was the unmistakable decor of an upscale restaurant.
The caption read: “Grateful to have you by my side in this unfamiliar city.”
I recognized the place immediately. It was the restaurant Tom and I had gone to on our first date. I’d wanted to go back there after we married, but Tom always said it was too expensive.
The video only showed Rachel, but in the background, I heard it. That voice.
“Mom,” Max said.
Tears blurred my vision as I set the phone down, the reality sinking in. That voice—there was no mistaking it. It was Max.
The tears came harder now, crashing down like waves.
The husband I had stood by, through everything. The son I had loved and sacrificed for. Both of them had turned away from me, giving their attention to someone else.
I wanted to convince myself it didn’t matter, but the pain in my chest was unbearable. Every breath felt like a weight.
“Lauren? Isn’t Tom and Max coming to see you?”
Danny’s small voice cut through the silence, his eyes wide with concern. He’d been sitting quietly by my bedside, watching me closely.
“No,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s okay. Will you stay with me for a while?”
He nodded quickly, his little head bobbing. “Of course! I’ll stay as long as you need me. But…” His voice faltered, his eyes shifting nervously. “Aren’t you mad? You know, because… it was my dad who hurt you.”
Seeing the guilt on his face twisted my heart. I reached out and gently ruffled his hair, offering him a weak smile.
“No, Danny. It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. Neither did I.”
I pulled him into a tight hug, both of us holding on to each other, clinging to the warmth of our shared moment.
For years, I had poured everything I had into loving Tom and Max. That love had been the cornerstone of my world.
But now I realized: it wasn’t enough.
It was time to let go.
There were other people, other things, that deserved my love and attention. Starting today, I would rebuild my life—piece by piece.
