When I went to my husband’s birthday dinner last week, I was trying to smile despite the agony and weariness that I was experiencing. I am now 39 weeks pregnant. After that, he turned his attention to me and said something that prompted me to take my daughter’s hand and leave the room. It is a night that I will never forget. No one in the family will, I am certain of that.
Cathy is the name that everyone calls me, yet my name is Catherine. At the age of 38, I am now 39 weeks pregnant with my second child. There is no telling when the baby will arrive.
I feel like a balloon that is about to burst because my stomach is stretching so tightly. An excruciating ache shoots down my legs with each step I take. Do you sleep? Oh, what is that? For weeks, I have not been able to get a full night’s sleep.
Zoey is already there for us. She has pigtails and a never-ending stream of questions in her head. However, nothing has been the same with this pregnancy. To tell you the truth, more difficult. The physician believes that it is due to the fact that I am above the age of 35. What they refer to as “high risk”
“Cathy, you need to take it easy,” Dr. Smith warned me the previous week. “Rest is crucial now.”
Unwind. Exactly. Talk to Alan about it.
To this day, my spouse has only attended one of his scheduled ultrasound appointments. One… out of a large number of others. despite the fact that I have had every examination, every checkup, and every minute of anxiety by myself.
“I have to work, Cath,” he constantly says. “I’m working.” “Someone has to pay the bills.”
Whereas, weekends? Additionally, he works on them. In spite of the fact that my back was screaming and my feet were swelling like balloons, he was leaving me to run around a child who was only four years old.
For a number of months, I had been pleading with him to assist me with the nursery. Simply put, you are aware of this. Take the boxes. Pull up the drapes. Put the crib in place.
As he promised, “I’ll get to it,” he said. For each and every instance.
At this point, the nursery is just halfway built. The boxes are dispersed in every direction. There are no curtains. Furthermore, the crib is propped up against the wall, as if it were a forgotten concept.
“When are you going to finish this?” Two weeks ago, while I was stroking my ailing lower back, I asked him the question.
Cath, here we go. Oh, God, you never stop being a bother.
Do you nag? Exactly.
On Tuesday of last week, Alan celebrated his 39th birthday. On that particular morning, his sister Kelly phoned.
It is my intention to have a little celebration for him at my home. It’s nothing grand. Dinner for the family just. All of you, Alan, Zoey, my mother and father, and Jake, my boyfriend.
The sound was pleasant. The notion occurred to me that maybe we might spend a quiet evening together.
“Kelly, it sounds absolutely fantastic. I am grateful to you.”
Getting ready took up the whole of the afternoon. To be more precise, she is as prepared as a lady who seems to have eaten a watermelon. I put on the most beautiful pregnancy garment I own. It was the old one that used to put a grin on Alan’s face when I was pregnant with our first kid.
Even so, he didn’t realize it.
to around six o’clock, we arrived to Kelly’s flat. The air was filled with the aroma of chicken that had been roasted. From the speakers, a gentle jazz tune was played. There was a flickering of candles on the dining table. Heavenly was the term.
“Happy birthday, son!” Alan’s mother, Grace, provided him with a close embrace. Her treatment of me has never been unkind. Simply put, she is more of a mother to me than I am to her.
“Thank you so much, Mom. Hello, Kel! This looks fantastic.
****
Things got off to a great start with dinner. Kelly had prepared each and every one of Alan’s picks. Cook chicken in the oven with herbs. Grated potatoes (mash). Custard made with green beans. The birthday cake, which was chocolate and had vanilla icing, was sitting on the counter.
Zoey reminisced excitedly about her time spent in preschool. With regard to my pregnancy, Grace inquired. Jake shared humorous anecdotes from his time while working at the fire station.
My pelvis was under continual pressure, and I made an effort to ignore it. Every time I moved around in my chair, my back would scream in pain. The evening was spent by Alan. In my mind, I wanted it to be unique.
Then, around half way through the main course, Alan turned to me with a beaming grin, as if he had just solved the problem of hunger on a global scale.
Cath, do you know what I mean? Why don’t you take Zoey home after supper and put her to bed once you get her there? My plan is to remain here with the other people. Also, make sure the celebration continues.”
I blinked my eyes. “What do you mean?”
The grin on his face became larger and more animated. “Come on, you whore! Before the baby arrives, this is the final opportunity I will have to really express my joy. I would want to meet up with Jake and have a beer. Perhaps you could have a cigar on the balcony. Remain up late, just as you did in the past.
A clattering sound was made by the fork as it fell from my fingers and landed on my plate.
“Do you want me to disappear? Take Zoey home by herself, would you?
“Well, yeah.” Alan gave a shrug as if this turned out to be entirely logical. “In any case, you are exhausted, right? You never stop complaining about how exhausted you constantly seem to be. “And it is imperative that someone put Zoey to bed.”
My eyes were fixed on my hubby. I had deep feelings for this guy for eight years. Whom I had constructed my life with. Who had been slated to be my companion all along?
This is Alan. My pregnancy is 39 weeks along. In the evening, the baby may arrive.
Cath, you need to hurry up. Try not to be too theatrical!
At that moment, Grace made the decision to put her fork down and get up from her chair. She gave her kid a gaze that seemed to be capable of putting out fire.
“Alan.” She had a voice that was eerily serene. “Would you mind repeating what you just said to your wife?”
“I said…”
“No.” Grace displayed one of her fingers. The exact same term. Please tell me what you just instructed Catherine to do.
His face became a bright crimson. As he searched for support, he glanced around the table. but could not find any.
“I asked her to take Zoey home so I could celebrate my birthday with you guys.”
Your pregnant wife who is 39 weeks along. whom the laboring process might begin at any time. The reason you want her to drive home by herself with your daughter, who is four years old, is so that you may drink beer and smoke cigars.
When she explained it in such a manner, it seemed even more terrible.
“Mom, it’s not…”
“Sit down, Alan.”
He took a seat.
Until she reached the position behind my chair, Grace made her way around the table. The gentle touch of her hands was placed on my shoulders.
Katherine is carrying your kid at this moment. Alan, you are the kid. In addition to being fatigued and in pain, she is nine months pregnant. Do you wish to send her away so that you may have a good time instead of taking care of her?
“It’s just one night.”
Just one night? Suppose she goes into labor while you are here drinking. What would you do? And then what? What is she doing, calling an Uber to take you to the hospital when you are too drunk to drive?
“And another thing.” This was not the end for Grace. “This lady has attended each and every visit with the doctor by herself. Every every ultrasound. On a regular basis. In the meanwhile, you have been spending your weekends working and having fun with your pals.
As tears began to well up in my eyes. At long last, someone noticed it. And it was finally comprehended.
It has been months since she has asked you to assist her in getting ready for this kid. The baby nursery is not yet complete. In spite of the fact that you have a little daughter, you have not acquired any knowledge about labor and delivery. Instead of acting as if this pregnancy is something that is happening to YOU, you are acting as if it is something that you and your partner are doing together.
Kelly was fixated on the food she was eating. An uneasy clearing of his throat was heard from Jake. In the midst of all the adult conflict, Zoey seemed perplexed.
“Mom, you don’t understand…”
Oh, I utterly get it all. The fact that my son has forgotten what it is to be a spouse is something that I am aware of.
The void of sound continued on indefinitely. After a moment, Alan’s face became white from crimson.
I hushed, “I’m going home,” as I walked away.
Grace gave me a gentle grip on the shoulders. “My dear, I will accompany you on this journey. This evening, you shouldn’t be by yourself.
I retreated from the table with as much circumspection as I could muster. My joints felt as if they were being shattered by every movement I made.
“Come on, baby girl.” It was Zoey who I extended my hand to. “Let’s go home.”
“Is Daddy coming too?”
I turned my attention to Alan. When he looked at his plate, he remained still in his chair.
“No, honey—no.” Daddy would want to remain in this location. Also, a party.”
Zoey’s face was somewhat wrinkled, yet she still managed to grab my hand.
I did not said farewell to any other participants.
Aside from Grace’s mild humming in the backseat, the journey home was very quiet, with Zoey inquiring as to why everyone seemed to be in a depressed mood.
Despite my best efforts, I was able to explain, “Baby, sometimes grown-ups have disagreements.”
“Will you and Daddy be okay?”
Through the rearview mirror, I was able to catch Grace’s gaze. The grin that she offered me was a sad one.
Sweetheart, I’m not sure what to say. In all honesty, I have no idea.”
Grace assisted me in getting Zoey ready for bed as I slumped on the sofa when I got back to my house. I got the sensation that someone had punched me in the back with a sledgehammer.
“Grandma, will you read to me?” Zoey inquired while clinging to her most favourite book.
“Of course, little one.”
During the time that they were reading upstairs, I was sitting in the living room contemplating my marriage. In addition, the guy I believed I had married is not the same as the one who has just requested that his pregnant wife leave his birthday celebration.
At what point did we become unfamiliar with one another?
Grace returned to the lower level with two cups of tea in her hand.
“How long has he been like this?”
“Given that I became pregnant. Maybe in the past. I have no idea what to do anymore.”
My ribs were assaulted by the baby’s powerful kicks. I grimaced and touched the area between my skin and the small feet that were pressing on it.
“They are becoming more powerful…” It might happen at any moment, according to the physician.
A meaningful nod was given by her. “Are you scared?”
I put some thought into the question. If you had asked me a week ago, I would have answered sure. Actually, I am so terrified. On the other hand, something had changed that evening.
It is not about the infant. I’m terrified of anything else but that. pertaining to the subsequent events. Concerning whether or not I am capable of doing this task by myself.”
You will not be by yourself, my darling. When I stated it previously, I meant it. My top priorities are you and this little one. You can count on me to be there for whatever my kid chooses to do.
I was taken aback by yet another powerful kick. I was running out of space for this tiny person who was inside of me. In a very short amount of time, I would begin to embrace my kid.
“I keep wondering what I’ll tell this baby about tonight,” I said to myself. “About their father choosing a party over being here.”
Grace extended her hand and took hold of my hand. You are going to inform them that they were desired. a desire that their mother and grandma had been fervently seeking. It is this that is important.
At that time, the home had a distinct atmosphere. Less noisy. It seemed as if everything had changed in the course of a single discussion over supper.
Alan had not yet returned to his house. I was curious as to whether or not he was still on his way to his sister’s place to celebrate his “freedom.”
The infant kicked once again, this time with a greater force. I have brought them into this difficult world, and it seems as though they are prepared to face it.
“I don’t know what your daddy is thinking right now, little one,” I muttered to my child as I put both of my hands on my stomach. On the other hand, I guarantee that you will never question the fact that you are loved. In no way, shape, or form.”
In the very near future, I will be faced with choices. Ones that are difficult. Regarding my marital status. Concerning the sort of model I would want to leave for my children to follow. Regarding the question of whether or not some behaviors are just inexcusable.
While I am writing this, I am nothing more than a mother who is awaiting the arrival of her child. I am surrounded by folks who love us with all their hearts. As for me, I am prepared to fight for the family that I see for my children, even if that family turns out to be different from what I had envisioned in the past.
Is that all? That being said, after the kid is born, we will work it out.
